Oppositional Defiance Disorder

What is Oppositional Defiance Disorder?
Does your child always refuse to do what it is told and insist on saying 'no' to all it is asked to do? This is very common in children around the age of two years old when they are learning what 'no' means. What is more serious is that children grow into teenagers and then adults, and when this difficulty is not picked up early, it can have disasterous consequences. These people have some characteristic behaviours, including resentment, defiance, blaming and psychopathy. ODD is a personality disorder that needs treatment. 

Mind Mapping Demonstration

Designed by the late Tony Buzan in the 1970s, this is a very useful way of collating psychological material. This video demonstrates how to create a 'mind map'. I use them all the time as a writer to organise the information for my feature articles. The most simple form is a spidergram, which has been available since my childhood days.

Rapid Transformational Therapy

 

Resurgence

For free ecards, try Resurgence Magazine: www.resurgence.org/ecards

Resurgence Magazine is, it’s thought, the longest-running environmental magazine in Britain. Its survival so long, without millionaire backing and without turning itself into a consumer lifestyle accessory, with the advertising to match, tells a compelling story – not only of conviction, commitment and endurance but of need, role and relevance. It was founded in 1966 by John Papworth, a well-known peace campaigner with connections to the Committee of 100 and the Peace Pledge Union, but rapidly broadened its critique from the nuclear nightmare generated by the Cold War to pollution, intensive farming and food production and the related political problems of centralisation, bigness and the growing separation of economics from ethics.

What is Focusing?

  

Eugene Gendlin developed this technique with other psychologists at the University of Chicago in the 1960s as a result of research that was conducted between therapists and their clients. They discovered that the clients who were in touch with their felt sense achieved greater and quicker recovery from distress. Focusing helps us to feel what is happening at the present time, creating a greater sense of truth and reality.  

Extract - London - The Novel

 The clerk moved one of the chequers. The court proceeded imperviously while the sheriff, sitting at one end of the table, nodded nervously. After the throne, this table, known as the Great Exchequer, was the most important piece of furniture in the kingdom. It was a curious thing to look at. 10 feet long and 5 feet wide, it had a ledge four fingers high running round its edge, giving it the appearance of a gaming table. Covering a surface was a black cloth marked into squares by white lines that gave the court its name.

Depending on the square it occupied, a chequer might represent £1000, or £10, or even the humble silver penny that was a common labour’s daily wage. The chequered cloth was, therefore, nothing more than a kind of abacus, a primitive manual computer on which the revenues and expenses of the kingdom could be reckoned and reviewed.

Every year, at the spring and autumn feasts of Easter and Michaelmas, the sheriffs of the counties of England came to the Exchequer to render their accounts. First, in an outer chamber, the sacks of silver pennies they brought were tested for quality and counted. If good, 20 dozen pennies weighed a pound. Since the Normans called the English penny an Esterlin, which was transcribed into Latin and became sterlingus, a unit of account had become known as pound sterling. 

Buddhism

From 2,500 years ago, there is an ancient story od a young man who was the son of a chieftan. The chieftan's wife had a dream of an elephant when she was pregnant and they suspected this would be a powerful child. The young man's name was Siddartha Gautama of Nepal and he was spoilt and protected. Whilst out one day, he saw a beggar by the side of the road and he realised that he knew nothing of the world and its harsh realities. He left home and travelled widely, asking questions and seeking truth, often starving himself in renunciation, without achieving anything. Eventually, he stopped his travels and seeking and sat under a tree, relaxed and meditated. In this way, he became 'enlightened' and free from the trappings of this world, in acceptance and contentment, and in finding a middle way between asceticicism and hedonism. He also created 8 challenges, called the Noble Eightfold Path, of Right Views, Intent, Speech, Action, Livelihood, Effort , Mindfulness and Concentration. Four Truths accompany these laws: that life involves suffering; that suffering is caused by our desires; that ending our desires will end suffering and the way to end desire is to practice the 8 challenges.In addition, there are 3 trainings of concentration, morality and wisdom.  The philosophy spread across South East Asia and now to the world. It offers a viable alternative to the many problems that beset human life, relationships and the problems that beset our planet which other religions ignore, much to the peril of those who will inherit a world of gross pollution and illhealth.

The Great Transition

THE GREAT TRANSITION FROM FOSSIL FUELS TO SOLAR AND WIND

The worldwide transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy is under way.

As fossil fuel prices rise, as air pollution worsens, and as concerns about climate instability cast a shadow over the future of coal, a new world energy economy is emerging. The old economy, fueled largely by coal and oil, is being replaced with one powered by solar and wind energy.

The Evolving Energy Transition

Music Therapy

Music is an ancient form of self expression and communication. With modern day technology, it is possible to show how to brain reacts to music and how it can assist people who are unwell. It has been shown to make a positive impack on dementia patients and autistic patients and in brain injuries, such as stroke or brain accident. It is a valuable way in which patients can help themselves. It can also be an emotional support for those going through difficult times and can relieve anxiety and depression. Blood pressure can be reduced and stress levels decreased.