Abstract
Chronologically, Morita therapy is the first among the three Japanese psychotherapies discussed in this book. It emerged at the beginning of the 20th century almost at the same time when in Europe Sigmund Freud was introducing his psychoanalytic theory.
Sweet is the lore which Nature brings;
Our meddling intellect Misshapes the beauteous form of things: We murder to dissect.
William Wordsworth
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Notes
- 1.
- 2.
In private communication with former Sansei Hospital’s director Dr. Shin’ichi Usa (May 2013). Although the characteristics of this phase could be ascribed to the Zen Buddhist influences in Morita therapy, Shōma Morita took his cue from Montessori education, which was becoming popular at that time (Morita 1974: 104, 213).
- 3.
The application of occupational therapy within a mental hospital setting in Japan began in 1901 when Shūzō Kure, Professor of Psychiatry at Tokyo Imperial University, opened two sewing rooms in the female ward of Sugamo Hospital, Tokyo. There patients were allowed to sew pillow cases and hospital gowns for use at the hospital. Three years later a workroom was built and occupational therapy became an official activity in the hospital (Honda et al. 2009: 1047). It is very likely that Shōma Morita was influenced by Kure’s pioneering initiative and introduced it as part of his own approach.
- 4.
According to Okamoto, whether there are or not Zen Buddhist influences on Morita therapy is a fruitless discussion. Morita’s personal interest could not be detached from the process of establishment of his approach, for which reason Morita therapy can indeed be considered “Zen therapy” (in private communication with Prof. Shigeyoshi Okamoto, Director of Kyoto Institute of Morita Therapy, January 2016). Psychiatrist Susumu Oda corroborates this statement suggesting that Morita therapy’s first phase—the total bed rest phase—shares certain common aspects, for example elimination of distracting thoughts, with the Zen Buddhist practice of sitting meditation, zazen (坐禅) (Oda 1990: 112); and so does the Morita therapy specialist Kenji Kitanishi for whom the Buddhist thought, especially the Zen Buddhist one, is the therapy’s “weapon of treatment” (Kitanishi 2016: 24).
- 5.
Some scholars such as psychiatrist Mitsuzō Shimoda “emphasized the element of environment and considered that one factor for its creation is overdiscipline or overprotection in infancy” (Miura and Usa in Lebra and Lebra 1974: 410).
- 6.
According to psychiatrist Tonao Sakurai, Shōma Morita often used this and other such phrases to describe the arugamama concept (Sakurai 1969:13).
- 7.
An article by psychiatrist and writer Nariakira Moriyama (1991) suggests that in the establishment of his approach, Shōma Morita was influenced by the life of the renowned haiku poet Masaoka Shiki (1867–1902). Although Morita and Shiki have never met each other, essential Morita therapy concepts such as total bed rest, will to live, arugamama, and also the importance of keeping a diary are found in Shiki’s lifestyle and in his literary theory. “An original view of nature was elaborated by Shiki, who did not cease to love the reality under his eyes even in a sick-bed. It is a frank and fresh look at nature. “Putting a sprig from a flowering plant at my bedside and sketching it naively, I feel myself gradually understanding the secret of nature (“A Six-foot Sickbed”). Eventually Shiki claimed the “theory of sketch-haiku”, which considers haiku based on realism superior to imaginative haiku” (Moriyama 1991: 793). “It is eveident”, Moriyama concludes, “that Shiki as well as Morita stand on the idea that only the fact is reality” (ibid.).
- 8.
A brief comparison between psychoanalysis and Naikan therapy is presented in Sect. 6.3. For further details on the comparison between Morita therapy and psychoanalysis, see Takeo Doi’s paper “Morita Therapy and Psychoanalysis” (1962) and “The Dialogue between Morita Therapy and Psychoanalysis” (2005) by Sadanobu Ushijima.
- 9.
An elaborated comparison between Morita therapy and contemporary Western modalities of treatment such as CBT is presented by the American Morita therapy specialist Brian Ogawa (2013: 49–65).
- 10.
For further details on this comparison and also on the importance of the therapeutic setting, see Akio Kumano’s paper “Morita Therapy and Frankl’s Logotherapy—On the Meaning of Diversities in the Therapeutic Setting” (1969).
- 11.
For further details, see the author’s concept of inner time in Morita therapy in Sect. 10.3 of the present book.
- 12.
For further details about Dr. Shin’ichi Usa and the Sansei Hospital which he has been heading since 1957, see Sect. 10.1 and Appendix I.
- 13.
- 14.
As previously mentioned, Shōma Morita disputed heatedly with psychoanalyst Kiyoyasu Marui, Professor at Tohoku Imperial University.
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Chervenkova, V. (2017). Morita Therapy—Chopping Wood, Carrying Water. Life Happens. In: Japanese Psychotherapies. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-3126-7_5
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