“Fasting of the Mind” (心齋) and Cognitive Defusion
Zhuangzi’s teaching on xinzhai—“fasting of the mind”—trains a way of perceiving that is open, ungrasping, and minimally editorial, so that experience is sensed without clinging to evaluative chatter (Watson, 1968). In contemporary clinical science, cognitive defusion in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) cultivates a parallel stance: thoughts are seen as events (words, images, sensations) rather than orders that must be obeyed (Hayes, Luoma, Bond, Masuda, & Lillis, 2006). Across conditions, defusion and acceptance contribute to psychological flexibility—the capacity to contact the present moment and move in line with values—which predicts better mental health and functioning (Kashdan & Rottenberg, 2010; Hayes et al., 2006).
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