In 'Essays After Eighty', Donald Hall contemplates life, death, and the view from his window, offering a mix of autobiography and reflection on aging and illness. The essays are alternately lyrical and humorous, balancing frankness about losses with gratitude and joy. Hall reflects on his past, his enduring love for his ancestral Eagle Pond Farm, and the writing life that sustains him.
In *Open to Desire*, Mark Epstein argues that desire is not inherently negative but rather a powerful force that can be harnessed for personal transformation and spiritual growth. By integrating Buddhist teachings with psychoanalytic insights, Epstein offers a new perspective on desire, suggesting it can enhance intimacy and connection rather than being a source of suffering. The book explores how desire can be a teacher, guiding us toward freedom and bliss.
Thoughts Without a Thinker: Psychotherapy from a Buddhist Perspective by Mark Epstein delves into the intersection of psychology and spirituality. The book describes how Buddhist teachings have reshaped understandings of the mind and behavior, and it outlines a path to meditation-inspired healing. Epstein draws on his experiences as a psychotherapist and meditator to provide a revolutionary understanding of what constitutes a healthy emotional life. The book emphasizes the importance of inner development and the potential for mutual benefit between Buddhist assertions and modern psychotherapeutic findings.
In this deeply personal inquiry, Dr. Mark Epstein reflects on a year's worth of selected therapy sessions to illustrate how his training in Western psychotherapy and his long investigation into Buddhism have influenced his work. He discusses how the divisions between the psychological, emotional, and spiritual are not as distinct as one might think. Epstein emphasizes how Western therapy can be considered a two-person meditation and how mindfulness can 'hold' awareness, creating conditions for inner peace. The book highlights the therapy relationship as a spiritual friendship and reveals how a therapist can help patients realize there is something magical and trustworthy running through their lives, even in difficult times.
I have had a meditation practice for about 15 years now. I started hoping it would calm me down, and it has. But it’s also made me more aware of the strangeness of my mind. Certain thoughts emerge seemingly out of nowhere. Many of them return again and again. Why? And what relationship should you have to your thoughts when you realize you’re not the one controlling them?
Mark Epstein is a psychiatrist and also a Buddhist. He’s spent decades observing the mind through those two distinct traditions, and has written many books that helped build a bridge between them, from his 1995 landmark book, “Thoughts Without a Thinker,” to his latest work, “The Zen of Therapy.” So I thought it would be interesting to talk to him about what he’s learned about the mind after all these decades of observing it.
Mentioned:
Open to Desire by Mark Epstein
Book Recommendations:
John & Paul by Ian Leslie
Essays After Eighty by Donald Hall
Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck
Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at ezrakleinshow@nytimes.com.
You can find the transcript and more episodes of “The Ezra Klein Show” at nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast. Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs.html
This episode of “The Ezra Klein Show” was produced by Kristin Lin. Fact-checking by Michelle Harris. Our senior engineer is Jeff Geld, with additional mixing by Aman Sahota. Our executive producer is Claire Gordon. The show’s production team also includes Marie Cascione, Annie Galvin, Rollin Hu, Elias Isquith, Jack McCordick, Marina King and Jan Kobal. Original music by Pat McCusker. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. The director of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.
Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
The Ezra Klein Show 
