Exploring the Heart-Mind: Daoism, Psychology and Psychotherapy

Dr Elliot Cohen here introduces some of the key principles central to Daoist thought and cultivation such as the heart-mind, wuwei, and ziran (naturalness or spontaneity), and integral practices such as neidan (inner alchemy).

It was the alchemical elements of Daoism, first encountered in a mysterious text called ‘The Secret of the Golden Flower’, which had a formative impact on Jung’s development of Analytical Psychology. While other pioneering figures such as the psychotherapist Carl Rogers and psychologist Abraham Maslow, were also deeply influenced by Daoist teachings, which went onto shape Humanistic and Transpersonal approaches to Psychology and Psychotherapy.

In addition to the philosophical and psychological parts of this talk, there is also an experiential component where Dr Cohen introduces a Daoist cultivation practice.