Already Free

Bruce Tift, a well-known psychotherapist and former faculty member at Naropa University has been busy publishing in the last two years with a chapter in a compilation, The Self-Acceptance Project: How to Be Kind and Compassionate Toward Yourself in Any Situation, and with his book on the marriage between Western psychotherapy and traditional Buddhism.Already free: Buddhism meets psychotherapy, on the path of liberation is a highly accessible and practical book which offers Tift’s views on freeing oneself from obstacles that hinder one’s full manifestation in life. His argument births from 25 years of clinical practice, study and practice of Buddhism, as well as training in Western psychotherapy and claims that a combined view based on the two traditions is helpful in working with one’s mind, without needing to take side. In well organized and cultivated chapters, Tift explains a developmental view based on Western Psychology principles and the fruitional view of Buddhism. The developmental view postulates that our current self with its behavioral patterns and conditions is organized based on what we have learned from childhood on in accumulation. In contrast, the fruitional view claims that freedom is available to us at each moment, here and now. Tift, in his introduction, offers two maps to the organization of the book, and in his last chapter, a review and results. His writing is easy to relate to and avoids difficult vocabulary while offering a contemporary teaching in main Buddhist principles.A current trend in psychotherapy and counseling is mindfulness based approaches. Tift’s inquiry differs from many of these approaches as it not only offers awareness as a tool but shows the reader how to relate to what one is aware of with embodied awareness based on traditional Buddhist teachings. It is further unique in its emphasis of relationship as an awareness practice itself. The book’s depth and breadth and its relatively low cost make it an exciting offer to its field.

Simply outstanding. I've read many books of this general type though I'm reluctant to position "Already Free" within any category, because Bruce Tift's ideas are fundamentally different from what I've read elsewhere. Here is an approach that simply accepts disturbance as a normal part of human experience, not a problem to be solved or a wound to be healed. "It's disturbing to be alive," Tift writes. "It's especially disturbing to be alive in an intimate relationship." The premise that disturbance does not indicate something is wrong with us, or with another person, or with life in general, is liberating in itself. But there's much, much more: Tift's intelligent understanding of both Western (developmental) and Buddhist (fruitional) perspectives on growth makes this an exceptionally useful resource for those of us who understand our lives in both psychological and spiritual terms. His ability to work -- and to teach us to work -- with disturbance in both modalities is immensely helpful in better relating to our own experience, especially those aspects we have disowned. I am grateful to the author for the gift of this book, and cannot recommend it highly enough.

This book will shift your perspective and challenge you to think in new ways. I highly recommend this if you’re interested in a more holistic approach to your life.

Love the integration of Buddhist thought and modern psychotherapy.

Mind-blowingly good. Maybe the only therapy book you'll ever need on your shelf, particularly if you're already on a spiritual path!

This book has meant so much to me over the past year. I keep going back to it for insight and guidance. Tift has made Vajrayana buddhist teachings and western developmental psychology his own, over the course of decades of therapeutic work with individuals and couples. There is little quoting and no mimickry here. Highly original. Especially recommended for those in intimate relationships, which Tift argues offer one of the best opportunities to put buddhist wisdom teachings to work without tripping out on the "specialness" of the "spiritual path."The chapter about anxiety exemplifies his originality. He says that if anxiety is the normal human response to the basic groundlessness of life, then we'd better get used to it, because it isn't going anywhere. Set aside the fantasy of an enlightened, anxiety-free life and do the real work of developing our capacity to simply hold and allow the anxiety that accompanies the egocentric human mind from birth to death. As Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche taught, that's what non-aggression is about: allowing what is, without panic, with confidence.Tift presents the insights of western developmental psychology as complements to the even more fundamental wisdom teachings. The way we grew up as children, the behaviors that were rewarded and punished, have rather predictably and systematically shaped the mind that finds its way to a meditation seat. And to a marriage. Naming and understanding those patterns can clear the mental underbrush in a way that basic meditation probably won't. But with his bigger view, Tift never settles for simply managing personhood to a more stable comfortable state. He outlines the practical discipline that trains us in how to see through it entirely, on the spot--already free.

I usually do not recommend books. This one however is one that is a must read. It is so applicable and very insightful. I’ve recommended to many people and like to reread it to destress.

This is a clear description of a brilliant synthesis of psychotherapy where one is working with clients using both the knowledge and skills from psychotherapy and the wisdom and profoundly liberating practices and understanding from Buddhism, especially as it is practiced in the West.

This book is amazing! For self journey or for clinicians. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Huge benefit to myself, in particular with my inner traumas! Would recommend it!

Book was recommended . Offers insights on the accepted western psychological approach with the spiritual methods for understanding and healing within.

Kann ich jedem empfehlen, wer sich verändern möchte.

I make my living as a philosophical counsellor, and this is one of my go to recommendations to clients, especially with respect to the chapter on “the fruitional view.” Tift has provided a real service to people’s happiness with his clear explication of this different possible relationship with our experience, regarding that which we fight or run from in ourselves. There is of course more to the good life than this, but if you read Tift’s book and put his fruitional insights into practice, it will likely be life-changing for you.