Eastern Meditative Techniques and Hypnosis: A New Synthesis

In this article major ancient Buddhist meditation techniques, samatha, vipassana, Zen, and ton-len, will be described in reference to contemporary clinical hypnosis. In so doing, the Eastern healing framework out of which these techniques emerged is examined in comparison with and in contrast to its Western counterpart. A growing body of empirical literature shows that meditation and hypnosis have many resemblances despite the distinct differences in underlying philosophy and technical methodologies. Although not all meditation techniques "fit" the Western culture, each has much to offer to clinicians who are familiar with hypnosis.