Archive for the ‘Psychology’ Category

Spirit and Soul: How the Soul was Wiped of the Earth

Sunday, June 3rd, 2007

At the Rommelmarkt in Delft I bought the book Carl Jung and Soul Psychology.

In the book I found an article of James Hillman called Soul and Spirit. The article gave me a lof of insight so I started to look for James Hillman with Google.

I found the following: “Hillman’s 1997 book, The Soul’s Code: In Search of Character and Calling, outlines what he calls the acorn theory of the soul.

This theory states that each individual holds the potential for their unique possibilities inside themselves already, much as an acorn holds the pattern for an oak, invisible within itself.

It argues against the parental fallacy whereby our parents are seen as crucial in determining who we are by supplying us with genetic material and behavioral patterns.

Instead the book suggests for a reconnection with what is invisible within us, our daimon or acorn and its calling to the wider world of nature.

It argues against theories which attempt to map life into phases, suggesting that this is counter-productive and makes people feel like they are failing to live up to what is normal.

This in turn produces a truncated, normalized society of soulless mediocrity where evil is not allowed but injustice is everywhere—a society that cannot tolerate eccentricity or the further reaches of life experiences but sees them as illnesses to be prescriptive and argues against the idea of life-maps by which to try and grow properly.

Instead, Hillman suggests a reappraisal for each individual of their own childhood and present life to try and find their particular calling, the seed of their own acorn.

He replaces the notion of growing up, with the myth of growing down from the womb into a messy, confusing earthy world.

Hillman rejects formal logic in favour of reference to case histories of well known people and considers his arguments to be in line with the puer eternis or eternal youth whose brief burning existence could be seen in the work of romantic poets like Keats and Byron and in recently deceased young rock stars like Kurt Cobain.

Hillman also rejects causality as a defining framework and suggests in its place a shifting form of fate whereby events are not inevitable but bound to be expressed in some way dependent on the character of the soul in question”.

The citations speak for themselves.

What was my insight?

In the article Hillman shows the development of the symbol Soul.

Soul is an ambigouis concept because if it was a well defined concept it could not exist.

He showes that because of the process of definition the soul degenerated in time. The soul was wiped out of the Earth.  

Soul is not a concept but a perspective, a mediator. Soul is a reflection of ourselves in streaming water. It deepens Events into experiences.The Soul is the creator of metaphor, dreams, images and fantasies.

How to Create a Good Will

Friday, June 1st, 2007

Assagioli was a student of Sigmund Freud. He introduced Freud’s teachings to the medical fraternity in Venice in 1910. Assagioli saw that there was a need for something beyond analysis. This was the need for a person to become whole – to be united in synthesis.

His most famous book is The Act of Will. What follows is a long citation from Chapter 7, pages 85-90.

 “Many attempts are being made to replace Competition with Cooperation, conflict with arbitration and agreement, based on an understanding of right relations between groups, classes, and nations.

All this is basically a question of WILLING.

 The individual has to discipline itself and choose the aims which as are consistent with the welfare of others and the common good of humanity.  

There are two methods of accomplishing this task:

(1): The elimination of Obstacles.

(2): The active development and expression of a Good Will. 

Selfishness constitutes the fundamental obstacle. Selfishness springs from the desire to possess and to dominate, which is an expression of the basic urges of self-preservation and self-assertion.

Self-centeredness. While less obvious and crude than selfishness, it is also a great hindrance because of its tendency to refer everything to the personal self, to consider everything from the angle of one’s own personality, to concentrate solely on one’s own ideas and emotional reactions. 

Lack of understanding. With understanding comes the abandonment of the inclination to criticize, to judge, to condemn. With understanding is born the recognition that an individual “Is As He Is,” and in a certain sense has the right to be what he is.

For he is the product of an enormous number of collective and individual elements rooted in the past and the present, and all kinds of conditioning over which he did not have control.

The individual is not fixed and immutable but is in a continual state of becoming.

Everyone can direct and regulate his own “becoming” process to a certain extent; thus comes into play the Responsibility he bears for the beneficent or harmful influence he has on other people”  

The most important capability to create a Good Will is to become Vulnerable, to allow others to Affect us.

If we do this we will not dominate others and others are incapable of dominating us.

Slave and Master play a simple game, the game of Control and allowing Control.

If we become vulnerable we can play the most satisfying Game of Creation.

LINKS

About Masters and Slaves

Attraction plus Obstacles Leads to Excitement.

Thursday, May 31st, 2007

In my last Blog “Why is Western Civilization so Extreme Violent?” I wrote about Guilt or Sin.  If Guilt is transformed into Freedom Sexuality becomes an Art, a Way to Express Human Creativity.

In the “The Erotic Mind” (Jack Morin) Sexuality is seen as a general human expression. Morin has developed an “Erotic Equation“: Attraction plus Obstacles Leads to Excitement.

Morin found out that sexual obstacles in one’s youth create lifelong scripts for arousal, while a range of feelings including anxiety and anger can intensify arousal.

Morin advises readers to confront the unresolved feelings that produce “troublesome turn-ons” and offers a guide to modifying or expanding one’s erotic patterns.

In long-term relationships, Morin observes, passion is always going away; he advises couples to recognize and address the interactive tension between Intimacy and Sexual Desire.

The most important transformations of feelings that have to occur to find Pleasure in Sexuality are: Anxiety -> Security, Weakness-> Strength, Guilt/Sin-> Freedom and Anger-> Appreciation.

The Erotic Equation shows a general pattern to become Excited.

To become enthusiastic we need an Obstacle to Take. We need a Resistance.

If Everything is Repeating we get Bored and loose our Passion. If we get bored we get into a state of trance and loose our Strength.

If there are no obstacles to take People are turned into Robots. Robots that are programmed to have sex or perform procedures according to the rules of the programmer. If this succeeds they can be removed and the Program takes over.

The Programmer can be found everywhere.

The first Programmers are our parents. They program their lost expectations. They didn’t make a career and we have to make a career. They didn’t go to University and we have to get a title and even better become a professor.

The second programming is done in School. Sexual Education kills the Art of Sex because we are told “How it Works”. First we have to fall in Love and later we get Children and we go on Loving each other.

We are not told that (Morin) passion is not something we get. We have to invest in Passion.

In the end couples get stuck because the Programmer has formulated the Rule that when we marry we have to stay together “to the end”.

The most effective programmer are the Media. Porno shows how (mostly males) have to perform (!).

The most successful shows and movies stimulate the Romantic Mind and mostly Girls start to believe that Getting Married and Having Children is the Rule.

How can we avoid to get Programmed?

It is easy.

Define an obstacle and start to remove it.

Climb the Hill, Smash the Wall and see the Beautiful Territory that is there to Discover.

But one thing is very important.

Find a partner to travel with. If he or she gives you deep trust which has passed the test of time, loyalty built on shared experience, mutual compassion, and the feeling of a safe haven in the face of life’s unpredictability, the Sky is The Limit.

If Partners avoid the pitfall of turning each other into Parental surrogates who alternate between offering Safety and Imposing Burdens, both can enjoy and savour the best what relationship has to offer.

LINKS

About the Dance of Innovation

How to Resolve Conflicts

About Mathematics and Excitement

Why Psychiatrists are unable to Cure their own Mental Diseases

Why is Western Civilization so Extreme Violent?

Wednesday, May 30th, 2007

Violence can be seen in every area of life.

We converted people to the Christian Faith of “Love thy Neighbor” with Violence.

We cure Diseases with Violence (Opening the Body, Taking Toxic medicine), we use Violence to create Food and now we even use Violence to Enforce (!) Peace (Afghanistan, Iraq).

Violence to enforce Peace is the last invention of what a friend of mine calls the Dark Dreamers.

Dark Dreamers are people that cannot handle Love and Compassion. They are afraid to Lose Control.

To Stay in Power they have to Suppress Others. To suppress others they need Violent People (Killers, Soldiers, Food for Cannons).

Violence is a reaction to suppression and the most effectual suppression is the suppression of sexuality.

In “The History of Sexuality“, Foucault states that Western Culture has long been fixated on Sexuality.

In China, Japan, India and the Roman Empire sexuality has been seen as an “Ars Erotica”, “Erotic Art“, a special experience.

Sexuality is something to Enjoy like good food, music and theater.

In Western Society something completely different has been created, “Scientia Sexualis“, the Science of Sexuality.

It is based on a phenomenon diametrically opposed to Ars Erotica: the Confession. The pleasure of Sexuality has to be confessed and examined in every detail to find the traces of SIN.

The confession of sin creates a power relation between preacher and confessant.

Foucault writes: “We are an extraordinarily confessing society. Confession has spread its effects far and wide: in the judicial system, in the army, in medicine, in pedagogy, in familial relations, in amorous relationships, in everyday life and in the most solemn rituals; crimes are confessed, sins are confessed, thoughts and desires are confessed, one’s past and one’s dreams are confessed, one’s childhood is confessed; one’s diseases and problems are confessed”.

The main focus of the confession was on regulating the sexuality of the married couple, ignoring other forms of sexual relations.

Therefore the body of women was sexualized because of its role as a child bearer.

The concept “hysteria” was invented and seen as a result of sexual problems.

To prevent that children experience sexuality as a pleasure parents are warned about the dangers inherent in masturbation and other sexuality.

The sexuality of adults becomes an object of study and all forms of “perverse” aberrations are seen as dangers.

Foucault emphasizes that the aim of these moral codes was not to abolish all forms of sexuality, but to protect health and the purity of the race.

What can we do to stop this violence?

Don’t Confess Anymore. Talk Freely about everything you Enjoy even Sexuality and consider life as a beautiful experience.

Make Love not War.

Leave the System of Violence and join The System of Love and Compassion.

If you want to bring Peace to the World go to the under-development countries and help to build Roads, Schools, and Houses.

The people over there are Not Violent (Remember this is the Message of the Mass Media) they want to Enjoy Life Like You.

Stop, Watch and Go on

Saturday, May 26th, 2007

Healthy Summer Eating Tips and Goals

  • View Larger Imagehealthy eating, nutrition, brevard health alliance, prevention

For most people, summer is just around the corner. Living in Florida means that summer is more of a year-round term. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t start eating healthy with a fit “summer bod” in mind, however. It’s easier than you’d think to start eating healthier, and taking small steps each week to improve your nutrition and move toward a healthier, happier you isn’t something to put off. Check these alpilean reviews.

Here are eight healthy eating goals as suggested from the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition:

Make half of your plate fruits and veggies:

Choose red, orange, and dark green vegetables like tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and broccoli, along with other vegetables for your meals. Add fruit to meals as part of the main or side dishes, or as dessert. The more colorful you make your plate, the more likely you are to get the vitamins, minerals, and fiber your body needs to be healthy. Try out alpilean.

Make half the grains you eat whole grains:

An easy way to eat some whole grains is to switch from a refined-grain food to a whole-grain food. For example, eat whole-wheat bread instead of white bread. Read the ingredients list and choose products that list whole-grain ingredients first. Look for things like: “whole wheat,” “brown rice,” “bulgur,” “buckwheat,” “oatmeal,” “rolled oats,” “quinoa,” or “wild rice.”

Switch to fat-free or low fat (1%) milk:

Both have the same amount of calcium and other essential nutrients as whole milk, but fewer calories and less saturated fat.

Choose a variety of lean protein foods:

Meat, poultry, seafood, dry beans or peas, eggs, nuts, and seeds are considered part of the protein foods group. Select leaner cuts of ground beef (where the label says 90% lean or higher), turkey breast, or chicken breast.

Compare sodium in foods:

Use the Nutrition Facts label to choose lower sodium versions of foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals. Select canned foods that are labeled “low sodium,” “reduced sodium,” or “no salt added.”

Drink water instead of sugary drinks:

Cut calories by drinking water or unsweetened beverages. Soda, energy drinks, and sports drinks are a major source of added sugar and calories in American diets. Try adding a slice of lemon, lime, watermelon, or a splash of juice to your glass of water if you want some flavor. Read more about Red boost benefits.

Eat some seafood:

Seafood includes fish (such as salmon, tuna, and trout) and shellfish (such as crab, mussels, and oysters). Seafood has protein, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids (heart-healthy fat). Adults should try to eat at least eight ounces a week of a variety of seafood. Children can eat smaller amounts of seafood, as well.

How to Manipulate Almost Everybody

Friday, May 25th, 2007

Things You Should Do Before a Workout to Maximize Results

person stretching outside
ARNO IMAGES / GETTY IMAGES

Exercise: Whether you love it or hate it, we can all agree that if you’re going to do it, it should be as beneficial and effective as possible. It doesn’t matter if you’re working out for the mental stability and positive endorphins it can provide or you’re trying to get rid of a few extra pounds—we all want to feel that our time spent in the gym was completely worthwhile. Check these alpine ice hack reviews

When it comes time to get down to business, though, most of us don’t know where to start in order to maximize our workouts. Should I drink or eat beforehand? What about stretching? Or maybe I should be taking a supplement? The questions are seemingly endless, and when it comes to our health, we don’t like to mess around. So we decided to round up tips from our favorite fitness experts and scientific studies to get to the bottom of things.

Keep reading to find out the six things you should be doing in order to get the most out of your workout.

Plan Ahead

When it comes to maximizing your workout, it all begins with deciding when to get started. Dempsey Marks, a fitness expert, yoga instructor, and co-creator of PreGame Fit, is a huge supporter of morning workouts for various reasons. “Start your day with any type of exercise to get your metabolism going,” she explains. “You maximize the benefits of your workout because you will burn calories all day long. Just 15 minutes of morning exercise will make a difference!”

But what if your schedule doesn’t allow for an early-morning workout? Or, let’s be honest, maybe you’re just not a morning person. Above all, the good news is that consistency in your workout schedule is the most important component of maximizing the effects of your exercise. According to the research, there are no major differences between morning and evening workouts. In fact, working out in the evening might provide an advantage when it comes to power and work capacity.1

The bottom line is that no matter when you choose to work out, sticking to your commitment and being consistent is the magic sauce leading to results. So write it down, schedule it in, set alarms—whatever you need to do to make sure you get it done. Read the latest alpine ice hack recipe.

Do Some Dynamic Stretching

We know—stretching before a workout seems like an obvious trick to having an effective trip to the gym. But you’d be surprised how many people either rush through this important step or disregard it altogether. “Stretching will warm up the muscles and protect you from becoming sore post-workout,” explains Ilana Kugel, co-founder and creative director of Koral Activewear. Skipping this step could be the make-or-break factor of your entire exercise routine.

Warming up with dynamic stretching is especially important as we age, says Kugel, and exercising without preparing the body with dynamic stretches can lead to stiffness and soreness, which isn’t fun for anyone.2 Take the necessary steps to protect yourself and have the safest (and most enjoyable) workout you can.

Use a Foam Roller

Foam rollers are a rising fitness trend that numerous celebrities and trainers are raving about. Not only can one be used therapeutically to relieve stress, but it’s also a powerful and simple tool that is extremely beneficial for the body, as it can boost circulation, stimulate the lymphatic system to help eradicate toxins, and make muscles look and feel suppler and more youthful.

Lauren Roxburgh, Structural Integration specialist and resident alignment guru at Goop, suggests using the tool pre-workout for best results. “I always get asked when is the best time to roll. It’s actually best to do before a workout so you can awaken and prepare your body for movement,” she explains.

Eat and Drink Wisely

MARINE DUMAY / UNSPLASH

There are conflicting opinions on whether you should eat and drink before working out, but recent studies have found that you could benefit from better results in your workout if meals are chosen wisely3. In terms of hydration, keep plenty of water nearby and drink when you feel thirsty to maximize hydration levels during exercise.4 Katie Mack, an NSCA-certified personal trainer, says that you might also choose to drink a cup of coffee pre-workout too: ”The caffeine in your coffee will help to stimulate your nervous system to enhance performance.” Read more about Testosterone booster.

Carbohydrates and lean proteins are the best choices when it comes to pre-workout meals. Mack recommends eating a low-fat meal in the hour before your workout. Some of her favorite options are chicken, fish, or Greek yogurt, coupled with a carbohydrate like sweet potato, rice, or beans. According to scientific research, those carbohydrates play a major role in your endurance—”carb-loading” right before exercise can significantly increase performance.5 Mack suggests adding coconut oil for a dose of MCTs (medium-chain triglycerides) for quick energy if you’re really invested.

Try a Supplement

If you’re not too seasoned in your fitness routine, the thought of adding a supplement might be a little scary. Not to fear: Studies have found that taking pre-workout supplements can be an effective method for boosting energy before you exercise.6 The supplements usually contain caffeine, which is the primary ingredient responsible for the benefits you feel.

However, it is important to note that while supplements can help curb fatigue and improve concentration during workouts, researchers have yet to find that they produce a substantial effect on body composition.6 So consider trying out a supplement if you find yourself bowing out midway through your routine, as it can help your overall mindset, but don’t expect your body to transform overnight. And be sure to check with your physician to make sure that adding a supplement is the right choice for you.

Whats wrong with doctors

Monday, May 21st, 2007

Last night I read an article in the New York Review of Books (May 31, 2007). The article is called What’s Wrong with Doctors (written by Jerome Groopman, a cancer specialist).  The article (and the book) is about the current Medical System. It shows everything that is wrong with this system.

The most important problem, according to Groopman, is that doctors Think. This problem is enforced by the fact that they don’t take the time to listen to themselves (introspection) and their patients. The doctor is acting as a “Rule-Based”-system that acts on the variables that are put into the system. He sees what he wants to see because his focus is on “fast delivery” of a solution. The patient is not important. He or she is just “a mean to an end” and the mean is making a lot of money in short time (“efficiency”) and/or achieving status.

Groopman attacks “Evidence Based Medicine”. This approach is based on statistics. The whole problem with statistics is comparable to the “rule-based-system”-approach. Again statistics just shows what you want to see. Statistics is a method to find patterns but the problem with patterns is that there is an infinite amount of patterns possible in every situation. In statistics you have to choose a “pattern-type” (for instance the pattern is linear) otherwise the whole approach is not working.

Groopman shows that statistics make doctors lazy. They trust somebody else (the bright guys) and don’t think for themselves anymore. Doctors have to be “lazy-thinkers” because they don’t have the time to think because they have to produce fast-solution. So the problem is not that they are thinking but the real problem is that they are not thinking at all. They are acting as robots.

The pharmaceutical industry helps doctors to deliver fast solutions. They provide super-pills that solve everything. They provide doctors directly with corrupted information about the huge statistical effects of their inventions. To make the doctors happy they also provide them with gifts (luxury tours disguised in a conference).

The above is just the start of the attack on the medical system. Groopman digs deeper and shows that the fundamental problem is that we cannot fully understand the context of the patient. Everybody patient is unique and has a unique solution that brings him in balance.

Groopman shows that knowledge (thinking again) is a big burden to understand a context. Knowledge acts as a filter. Knowledge shows just what it knows. This problem is related to the doctor and the patient. Both know something (I’m having a problem, I can solve the problem) but their “knowing” shields the real context.

How can we ever solve this problem? The solution is really very simple. We can solve the problem by “not-thinking”. If we are “not-thinking” we know everything. Deep within us (in the great unknown) lays the solution waiting. We don’t want to know this solution because it will destroy our patterns and patterns are what make us feel comfortable.

The patient knows the solution already and wants conformation from a loving and caring person who gives him the confidence that his process of change will get him in a new balance.

The best caretakers are not found in the medical system. They are good friends or people with the gift of healing that can support the person to make the “unknown” know.