Thoughts Without a Thinker
Thoughts Without a Thinker: Psychotherapy from a Buddhist Perspective, by Mark Epstein, is a book dealing with the conception or image we have of ourselves -- who we think we are.
Buddhism, which is often referred to as Eastern psychology (and even the original psychology), has a very central teaching of letting go of the self. Although the Buddhist teachings on this subject are surely well developed and wholistic, it is perhaps easiest to describe this as Mark Epstein, a Western psychologist who uses Buddhist techniques, did.
In his book, Thoughts Without a Thinker, Mark Epstein writes of our concept of self, as essentially an idea that we dream up while young. As time goes on, we become more and more attached to this idea, and try to protect it, leading to all sorts of problems. Since it is just a fixed idea -- and one made up by a child, no less -- it cannot possibly be an accurate representation of an ever-changing human living from moment to moment. As such, while preserving this self-concept, are in a constant battle to defend something which is indefensible.
The issue here, of course, is that defending the indefensible is no way to be happy. Therefore, we should stop the deceiving ourselves and really examine this issue.
The solution to all this, Epstein (and Buddhists), would say, is to simply drop this ridiculous concept of 'who we are', and to start being what we are! Who we are is not a fixed image, but an ongoing story. It is not only new in this very moment, but will be new again, in the next moment.
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