Supporting the Supporters

One of the distinctive features of my approach is to make thought tangible by analyzing it into visual and auditory components. Students often report that this taxonomy has given them a powerful new way to break identification with the thinking process. It also sets the stage for an intuitive trimodal model for the sensory self. One can observe in real time how visual thought, auditory thought, and the emotional body interact to create the personal identity of the moment. I look upon this as a streamlined version of the Buddha’s core insight regarding the “Five Aggregates.”

But this innovation, which is the workhorse of my day-to-day guidance of students, was not discovered by me. In fact, it was suggested by a student many, many years ago. That student has now matured into a powerful and influential teacher in his own right. His name is Peter Marks, and he is revolutionizing the training of frontline mental health workers in Eastern Canada—teaching healthcare workers how to deconstruct their stresses in terms of “Feel-Image-Talk.”

Check out his latest book. It’s inspiring.

Shinzen and Peter, April 5th 2014, Octopus Garden Yoga Centre, Toronto
Photo courtesy of Har-Prakash Khalsa