Humanistic Psychology

The basic principles behind humanistic psychology are simple:

1. Someone's present functioning is their most significant aspect. As a result, humanists emphasize the here and now instead of examining the past or attempting to predict the future.
2. To be mentally healthy, individuals must take personal responsibility for their actions, regardless of whether the actions are positive or negative.
3. Each person, simply by being, is inherently worthy. While any given action may be negative, these actions do not cancel out the value of a person.
4. The ultimate goal of living is to attain personal growth and understanding. Only through constant self-improvement and self-understanding can an individual ever be truly happy.

Giant Cell Arteritis

After experiencing painful headaches, hair falling out, deeply disturbing potential loss of vision and hearing, patients are aggressively railroaded into temporal artery biopsies, often on both sides of the head. This extremely invasive surgery, at a time of inflammation of these delicate arteries, to cut through and micro-suture, with often delayed wound healing, is outrageous when non invasive scans are available, especially as the result does not matter, as a negative does not mean that GCA is not present and the treatment is the same as a positive test for giant cells. This operation is very expensive and dangerous. Wound healing is often a problem when other means of diagnosis are available.

Scandinavian Lagom

"Moderation, centredness, natural, wellbeing, ease of life, good-enough, middle of the road, sustainable, balance, simplicity, harmony, contentment, and connection".

These words above encompass the Swedish philosophy, called "LAGOM" often translated as 'not too much - not too little'. It is a practice that enjoys social norms. All excess, greed and dysfunctional behaviour does not fit this way of life. Lagom shows consideration towards others and encourages self sufficiency, a comfortable home and work life, and quality relationships. The secret is to take regular breaks for self care and relaxation described as 'fiken' translated as time out. One finds meaning and values when exploring Lagom; contributing and volunteering are important to creating a Lagom society. It is a way of life that is suitable for our future ecological world by caring for the planet, its people and other species. Developed from the 8th century Viking world, we realise the Vikings were not the crazy people we thought they were, but a people who were disciplined, intelligent and caring.

Matthew Fox

Who is Matthew Fox
Father Fox is a theologian, writer, and teacher who emphasises the importance of our planet and its species, under the banner of Creation Spirituality. He was a Roman Catholic monk of the Dominican Order for 34 years but was dismissed for heresy by Cardinal Ratzinger. So he became an Episcopalian priest and continued his teaching and writing, winning many awards and accolades.

Erhard Seminars Training

 

Loneliness - Ben Lazare Mijuskovic

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Feeling Lonesome - The Philosophy and Psychology of Loneliness by Ben Lazare Mijuskovic PhD published by Praeger, 204 pages. 

This is a meaty academic study for serious students of this subject. It discusses the major viewpoints of great thinkers from ancient times to the modern day. This book explains who we are and why we are the way we are, how loneliness is innate and how it has inspired, motivated and created us. God, time, sanity, war and other subjects are tackled by this world specialist, Dr Ben Mijuskovic.

Check out the videos of Brunel University Symposium:

http://www.brunel.ac.uk/environment/themes/ageing-studies/ESRC/videos

Meister Eckhart

Who was Meister Eckhart?

He was a German theologian, philosopher and mystic in the late £13 century when there was conflict between many religious groups. He was accused of heresy but died before being sentenced. His sermons featured aspects of contemplation and of detachment:

Psychodrama

What is psychodrama? 

Jacob L Moreno (1889-1974) created this technique for gaining insight into relationships that are buried in the unconscious. A New York psychiatrist, social scientist and polymath, his very early interest in theatre in Vienna led to psychodrama as a form of therapy around 1910 and it became very popular in the 1960s and 70s amongst the personal growth movement. Moreno was a pioneer and early psychotherapist. His work is profoundly interesting and reveals many aspects of the way we relate to others, especially family members. His writing is of great interest to those who follow his innovative understanding of interpersonal relationships and is well worth further study. 

Kathleen Ball PhD - Templars in Brazil

 

Dr Ball has been filming in Alto Paraiso de Goias for the second season of her discovery of 700 year old hand carved caves that reveal the presence of the Poor Soldier Knights of Christ and the Temple of Solomon in this extraordinary region. She has met tribal people from the area who have ancestors amongst this ancient order of knights.

The first series won many awards and was acclaimed by prestigious organisations for highlighting aspects of the unknown history of this area and harmony amongst nations.   

She is also raising awareness of the difficulties facing these people who live close to the land and who suffer many deprivations. 

For more information, read on: 

Thomas Traherne

Who was Thomas Traherne?

Living from 1636 - 1674, Traherne was an English writer, mystic and religious teacher. His still popular book 'Centuries of Meditations' provides sincere moments of life to nourish and inspire. His biography is appreciated by many around the world. The attainment of a state of bliss was to experience being in the moment, to love all that is good and beautiful, and to seek and love the truth. His work influenced the Trappist monk, Thomas Merton, C S Lewis, and others. 

Wendy's Dream Column (1)

Dream: I'm in a flat overlooking the sea and my boyfriend is on an oil rig. I can see him but the sea is between us. I long to be with him. Later, I am looking from the window and he arrives in a car. I so want to see his face but a van parks in the way. PD Slough

Wendy's reply: Bridge the Gap! When you see him does he remain distant and unavailable? There could be something between you that is too deep for him to speak of. There are times when you could see him but things get in the way. They could be got round eventually. He may have slipped into bad habits or have a fear of commitment. If he is not fulfilling your needs for love and intimacy, you may have to look for a man who can give these to you.

NLP - Part 1

In my experience there are several factors that can prevent people from getting what they want in their lives, whether in business or in other areas:

- Lack of clear goal & evidence
- Not addressing the benefits of the current situation (aka. secondary gain)
- Familiarity of the current situation (a particularly sneaky benefit)
- Lack of belief and/or limiting beliefs

In Robert Anton Wilson's book Prometheus Rising , he models the mind as having two main parts; a thinker and a prover. The thinker is extremely flexible, and can think any number of things. The thinker can think the earth is flat; the thinker can think the earth is spherical. It can think all men are poison; it can think all men are essentially good. The thinker can think that women are intuitive and men are rational; it can think the opposite. It can think that there isn't enough to go round; it can think we live in a world of unlimited abundance. The thinker can think pretty much anything. The prover is much more predictable: what the thinker thinks, the prover proves.

Ching Tso - Chinese Meditation

The Chinese term for meditation is 'Ching Tso', which translated means 'sitting still with a peaceful mind'. Meditation is the training of the inner senses of the body and mind. It is as rigorous as the training undertaken by an athlete or an artist. By helping us to think clearly and concentrate fully, Ching Tso enables us to commune totally with our God, without distracting or artifical thoughts. The highest and most advanced goal of meditation is to gain 'enlightenment'. We want to go beyond the limitations of our knowledge and our three-dimensional view of the world. 

Dr Iain McGilchrist

Recorded at St James's Church, Piccadilly, the Blake Society Lecture features Dr Iain McGilchrist who is the leading expert on left brain/right brain research. We hear so much in the New Age 'I am analytical, I must be 'left' brain' or 'I am artistic, I must be right brain'. Watch this video, simply put, it is far more complex than that - we use different areas of our brain all the time! Even more complex than presented - a left handed person has their hemispheres reversed! 

Barbara Marx Hubbard

                                                                                                                        An excerpt from the book 'Conscious Evolution' by Barbara Marx Hubbard:

 

The world is ready for the advent of a new stage of human consciousness and action. It is time for a “planetary birth experience,” a collective awakening, an experience of shared empathy, love, and creativity. Just as we once evolved from Neanderthal to Homo sapiens through a mysterious set of circumstances, not fully understood, so now we are emerging as Homo universalis, a species capable of conscious evolution on Earth and beyond.

What are signs of the emergence of a new era of evolution? Ken Carey wrote in The Third Millennium:

Dealing with Depression

How to deal with depression! 

Depression is a lonely existance that other people often don't understand. It is a low energy illness, a feeling of meaninglessness, guilt, shame, worthlessness and hopelessness. It is not just a state of mind, but an illness, a disability and can sometimes lead to suicide in very serious cases. Advice does not usually work, even when meant well because the person is often totally unable to take it. There is much the person can do to help themselves, but they need to feel well enough to find them for themselves.
Suggestions: breathing exercises, walks in nature, meetings with friends, an uplifting book, dancing, gardening, handicrafts, exercise, join a club, travel, volunteering.
Learn more, and conquer this affliction without drugs...

Tantra Exhibition Review

 

Approximately 100 mostly antique exhibits (from 6th century to the modern day) including paintings, sculptures, photos, texts, many with write-ups to express the wild and wonderful philosophy of Tantra. So - what is Tantra? Originating in Hinduism and moving to Buddhism, and then to Sufism, it is a Goddess driven religious ideal, where women take the power to be ugly, angry, savage and destructive but bring enlightenment, laughter and reverie. Women have the capacity to be protective, strong, dynamic and demanding, hence the appalling images of females in the throes of drinking from skull cups and other serious craziness! Shiva, Kali, Kundalini and Durga are the main protagonists, but they have their parallels in Sekhmet, Lyssa, Valkaries, etc.

Sleep Disorder Remedies

Sleep disorders are amongst the most frequent clinical issues encountered. A growing list of health risks has been documented in recent studies. Heart illness, diabetes and obesity have been linked to chronic sleep loss. Inadequate or insufficient sleep can impair high quality of life of an individual. There are various sleep disorder treatments obtainable to improve the top quality of sleep. The best sleep disorder remedy depends upon the underlying trigger.

Sleep disorder treatments are normally grouped below following categories:

The Mandala

Mandalas are very ancient meditative designs and are international in their distribution. Their design is often circular, ornate and flowing within, to the centre and then to the outside of the boundary. Labyrinths are similar designs. The object is for meditation and to create harmony and balance within the mind. Anyone can produce their own mandalas and colour them as desired. They are especially good for children and for recuperation from mental and physical illness. 

A Better World is Possible

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: A Better World is Possible by Bruce Nixon, Published by: O-Books as Paperback: £14.99 and E book: £8.23 409 pages Visit Author’s website where you can download your free ebook: www.brucenixon.com

Bruce Nixon is a veteran change agent, activist, writer, speaker, facilitator and business school teacher and he is passionate about sustainability, global justice, inclusive democracy and non-violence. In this comprehensive book, he brings all his knowledge and experience into the analysis of the state we are in, how we got here, and – more importantly – how we can turn things around and create a new and positive society by facing “the biggest challenge in our history”.

Abraham Maslow

Who was Abraham Maslow?
He (1980 - 1970) was born in New York and was the son of a Russian Jewish immigrant. He is one of the founding fathers of human potential and peak experiences. He studied the Native American culture and taught psychology at Broklyn College and was part of the humanistic psychology movement with Margaret Mead, Alfred Adler, Erich Fromm, Karen Horney and other visionaries of the era. He worked at the Esalen Institute where he was one of the principal mentors in the 1960s. He did not study mental illness, but believed that the study of healthy individuals gave the greatest potential for growth and development of the individual. He was interested in 'self actualised' people, those who are exceptionally healthy, fulfilled and successful, who are balanced, calm, loving and just. His work influenced business, management, marketing, education, health care, and theology. 

Ethical Shopping Decisions

"Shop wisely from ethical sources, and only buy what you need. Recycle, renovate and repair" 
Many goods made for the Western market are made using poorly paid staff from poor countries with bad human rights records. We must consider paying a little more for the purchased item in order to give a reasonable wage. In the past, children in India were paid in pennies, some as young as seven years old. They were tied to carpet looms to stop them from running away! When you can, buy Fair Trade Products that give producers a living wage. You might want to complain to the shop owner if goods are wrongly labelled, such as many real fur products which are labeled as fake fur because real fur is cheaper than fake fur! You can write to trade magazines also with your preferences and concerns and also tell your MP who might be able to assist with new legislation.

Eric Berne

Who was Eric Berne?

Eric Berne was a Canadian psychiatrist and served in WWII (1910-1970). After 15 years of psychoanalytic study, he was refused admission to San Francisco Analytic Institute and gave up psychoanalysis to create his own method of examining the unconscious mind, using Freudian ideas as a base for an 'insight' therapy style. He divided 'transactions' (any communication that occurs between people) into three states: 'parent', 'adult' and 'child'. 'Transactions' that are unaware or unconscious, he called 'games'. His book 'Transactional Analysis in Psychotherapy' (1961) brought TA to a wide professional audience, extending the method into group therapy. 'Games People Play - The Psychology of Human Relationships' became a best seller when launched in 1964. In 'Games People Play'.     

Emotional Freedom Technique

 

What is EFT? 

Emotional Freedom Technique, also called 'tapping' is a very popular method of controlling anxiety, depression, discomfort or pain. You can use the method at any time or place that you feel comfortable. Using affirmations whilst tapping on acupressure points of the body will help ease personal difficulties of all kinds. 

Pilates

What is Pilates?
Exercise which lengthens and stretches the body using all the muscle group is both relaxing and health giving. Pilates practitioners have an individualised programme for their specific needs. There is an emphasis on body posture and balance and on good breathing technique. The method began in Germany in 1880 when Joseph Pilates pioneered this health method due to his physical frailty as a child. He was interned on the Isle of Man where he devised this method of health and eventually worked as a boxer, circus performer, self defence teacher and body builder. He worked in Germany with Rudolph Laban , setting up,his first studio in New York.