Vipassana Meditation and the Psychobiology of Wilhelm Reich

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Abstract

Theravada Buddhism and Reich's psychobiology appear at first to be polar opposites. Yet there is a Theravada school of meditation, the Vipassana of U Ba Khin, which in both theory and practice turns out to be remarkably close to Reich's worldview and his therapy. The major differences between Reich and this branch of Buddhism are the attitudes toward life and movement, Reich being strongly pro, and the Theravadas being clearly anti. In spite of these differences, there are remarkable similarities. This seems to be another instance of modern Western views having been known in India at least 2500 years ago.