The spiritual light shines alone,

Far transcending the senses

And their fields;

The essential substance is exposed,

Real and eternal.

It is not contained in written words.

The nature of mind has no defilement;

It is basically perfect and complete in itself.

Just get rid of delusive attachments,

And merge with realization of thusness.

Pai-chang (720–814)

 

Tathātā (/ˌtætəˈtɑː/; Sanskrit: तथाता; Pali: tathatā) is a Buddhist term variously translated as "thusness" or "suchness", referring to the nature of reality free from conceptual elaborations and the subject-object distinction. (from Wikipedia). In psychotherapy and psychoanalysis, we can encounter this realization of thusness when guilt and shame are being considered with curiosity that is free of defensive reactions to feeling judged or criticized. Failures and disappointments emerge as opportunities for learning and growth. Our essential substance is our true self, the core part of our identity that we brought into the world at birth. Life experiences interact with our true self in dramatic and subtle ways and we develop ways of managing our lives to meet our physical and emotional needs. Relationships are an essential part of living and become very complex parts of who we are. A relationship with a therapist or a psychoanalyst provides us with a unique space to transcend delusive attachments and allow the true self to shine alone. To quote Shunryu Suzuki “Each of you is perfect the way you are ... and you can use a little improvement.”