Freudian theory and its crime against motherhood September 30, 2008

“The idea gains ground that the doctrine and theory of psychoanalysis has been the greatest intellectual confidence trick of the 20th century”– P.B.Medawar, Nobel Prize in medicine.

Everyone agrees that Sigmund Freud has had a profound impact on Western society and intellectual life. However people are mostly unaware of his theory and, moreover, of the true dimetion of this impact. In fact, the Freudian theory has takend the role of a modern religion in the 20th century.

Interestingly, a century after its invention, psychoanalysis is being challenged on scientific grounds, and criticised with regard to its clinical efficacy. All scientific research conducted with any degree of rigour has shown Freudian theory to be fraudulent. Freud was opposed to the statistical comparison of groups pf patients which is basic to credibility in modern medicine.

What is Freudian theory about?

According to Freud, children begin to enjoy sexual pleasures in early ages. The first stage of childhood sexuality is oral,  during which pleasures come from the mouth. Nursing at the mother`s breast is said to intruduce sexual pleasure. The fatuity of such statements is breathtaking!

After the oral stage, the child is described as passing through  the anal stage and, at the age of 4 years, reaching the Oesipal phase. The young boy allegedly “falls in love” with his mother, and wants to sleep with her. Her therefore views his father as a rival and an enemy who would like to castrate him.

Freud constantly denigrated the role of the mother. As the height of absurdity, he believed that a woman`s desire to have a child was a way to compensating for her lack of a penis! This claim was developed and amplified by many adherents of Freud`s theory.

The impact of the theory on the Western Society

Watson in the USA went so far as to write, in 1928, that maternal love was most dangerous, and could have irreversible consequences on children. His book Psychological Care of Infant and Child enjoyed great success, with sales of over 100.000 and greatly influenced generations on American mothers.

What`s in Russian eyes? September 28, 2008

 

In 2001 Mr. G.Bush surprised the world with his memorable description of his Russian counterpart. “I looked the man in the eye,” Mr. Bush said of Putin after their meeting in Slovenia, adding, “I was able to get a sense of his soul.”

In 2008, John McCain told the Republican Jewish Coalition that he saw something else entirely when he met the Russian leader: “I looked into Mr. Putin’s eyes and I saw three things — a K and a G and a B.”

Shortly after Obama said that he wants to pay attention to Putin’s actions, not his eyes. Foreign policy should not be set by an opinion of a leader’s eyes.

I believe there was no other president in the history whose eyes have been such a popular topic 🙂

Another take: I once met a professional in the field of Intercultural communication, she looked at me and said “You must be Russian, you have typical Russian eyes”.

Do you believe in Rebirth? September 27, 2008

 author unknown

I got this smart picture sent from India – that is an excellent piece of humour 🙂 I enjoyed the picture so much that I felt inspired to write a post on this truly mysterious topic.

Reincarnation, literally “to be made flesh again”, is a metaphysical belief that some essential part of a living being (in some variations only human beings) survives death to be reborn in a new body. This essential part is often referred to as the spirit or soul, the “higher” or “true” self, “divine spark”, or “I”. According to such beliefs, a new personality is developed during each life in the physical world, but some part of the self remains constant throughout the successive lives.

Belief in reincarnation is an ancient phenomenon. This doctrine is a central tenet within the majority of Indian religious traditions, such as Hinduism (including Yoga, Vaishnavism, and Shaivism), Jainism, and Sikhism. The idea was also entertained by some ancient Greek philosophers. Many modern Pagans also believe in reincarnation as do some New Age movements, along with followers of Spiritism, practitioners of certain African traditions, and students of esoteric philosophies such as Kabbalah, Sufism and Gnostic and Esoteric Christianity. The Buddhist concept of Rebirth although often referred to as reincarnation differs significantly from the Hindu-based traditions and New Age movements in that there is no “self” (or eternal soul) to reincarnate.

Rebirth or reincarnation has become a popular topic since last decades in the West.

What happens when you start to meditate September 24, 2008

 image by axinia

One of the difficulties that many people face when they first start to meditate is working out whether they are doing the meditation properly and whether it is having a beneficial effect. Strangely enough this is not so much an issue in the first two weeks or so as it is later on, after the initial period of familiarisation is over.

The early days of meditation are usually marked by a general feeling of well-being. For many people, this is the time that they will have experienced a true spiritual practice in action, and their subtle system really flowers under the attention. They feel happy, many start sleeping better and may find their heart opening in the most unexpected ways.

Supposition: why multiple intelligence theory can be vital for a happy marriage September 21, 2008

The Multiple Intelligence Theory introduced by Dr. Howard Gardner in 1983 is one of my favourites to explain the human nature and interactions. The traditional (western) take on intelligence is linguisticaly and logical-mathematically based (known as IQ). However that does not work for everyone, as there is obviously more variety of intelligences. Here is the Gardner`s classification:

	Linguistic intelligence (“word smart”):
	Logical-mathematical intelligence (“number/reasoning smart”)
	Spatial intelligence (“picture, space smart”)
	Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence (“body smart”)
	Musical intelligence (“music smart”)
	Interpersonal intelligence (“people smart”)
	Intrapersonal intelligence (“self smart”)
	Naturalist intelligence (“nature smart”)

More recently, Gardner (1998) has nominated two additional candidate intelligences: Spiritual and Existentional ones, however he was less sure about how to define and incorporate them.

The theory says, a person has some of these intelligences highly developed, some less.

This is a cross-post from my Shaktipower Blog, my supposition on how multiple intelligence theory is connected with a happy marriage you will find here.

LOVE, axinia

C.G.Jung and the Collective Unconsciousness September 18, 2008

Carl Gustav Jung (1875-1961), a Swiss psychiatrist is one of my favourite personalities from the 20th century, and that for many good reasons. It is very refreshing and special, if a person is able to break the limits of his/her cultural mindset and, combining the knowledge of the East and the West, create a new understanding of human development. First, some facts about C.G.Jung and then his most precious discovery  – Collective Unconsciousness…

– Jung started on Latin when he was six years old, beginning a long interest in language and literature — especially ancient literature. Besides most modern western European languages, Jung could read several ancient ones, including Sanskrit, the language of the original Hindu holy books.

-Long an admirer of Sigmund Freud, he met him in Vienna in 1907. The story goes that after they met, Freud canceled all his appointments for the day, and they talked for 13 hours straight, such was the impact of the meeting. Freud eventually came to see Jung as the crown prince of psychoanalysis and his heir apparent. But luckily Jung had never been entirely sold on Freud’s theory.

-In 1921 he published Psychological Types a major work dealing with the relationship between the conscious and unconscious and proposing the recognition of the personality types extrovert and introvert. So we have ot thank him for this very practical take to a definition of a character!

-Jung’s work on himself and his patients convinced him that life has a spiritual purpose beyond material goals. Our main task, he believed, is to discover and fulfill our deep innate potential, much as the acorn contains the potential to become the oak, or the caterpillar to become the butterfly. Based on his study of Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Gnosticism, Taoism, and other traditions, Jung perceived that this journey of transformation is at the mystical heart of all religions. It is a journey to meet the self and at the same time to meet the Divine. Unlike Sigmund Freud, Jung thought spiritual experience was essential to our well-being.

-Jung’s theory divides the psyche into three parts. The first is the ego, which Jung identifies with the conscious mind. Closely related is the personal unconscious, which includes anything which is not presently conscious, but can be.  But it does not include the instincts that Freud would have it include.

Then Jung adds the part of the psyche that makes his theory stand out from all others: the collective unconscious. We could call it your “psychic inheritance.” It is the reservoir of our experiences as a species, a kind of knowledge we are all born with.

What is true professionalism? September 16, 2008

 image by axinia

The American College Dictionary explains professionalism as following: Professionalism is exhibited by one of the “professional character, spirit or methods” or the “standing, practice, or methods of a professional as distinguished from an amateur.” However it does not say anything precisely.

Intrestingly there is no explanation of professionalism on Wikipedia, there is one on “professional”, but I believe it is not the same.

I have a feeling that “professionalism” , like one of these mysterious things such as love, is difficult to explain. If you hear “that is done professionally” – what does it actually mean?

Professionalism is both popular and desirable – people are driven to look and to perform professionaly. Recently, during my visit to Germany – this motherland of professionalism 🙂 – I suddenly realised what this phenomenon is about.

How does your path look like? September 14, 2008

 image by axinia

There are billions of paths and ways,

some are straight, some are serpent-like,

some are confusing with lots of fallen trees on the way…

There are billions of paths out there, but they all lead to the same top of the mountain.

LOVE, axinia

How to start blogging September 12, 2008

 image bykatisommer

Blogging has proved to be not a hype but an important online activity, very creative and useful for many. At some point regular blog-readers get inspired to start blogging and naturally seek for some advice.

Being a 2 year old blogger :), I have the following to share:

1. GURU-blog. 

Fall in love with your favourite blog!  – the best inspiration is by love, and naturally you will pick out a blog which appeals to you, because you can actually do the same. When I started, my inspiration was Meditation Photography by Suresh, with his excellent pictures and great philosophical texts, which he always kept short enough. In the beginning you always have to learn, and it is better to learn from the best!

2. WHAT IS YOUR BLOG ABOUT?

The subject of your favourite blog is probably also the best for you 🙂 So what do you want to blog about? Normally, a blogger has a certain theme, which makes the orientation easier both to the blogger and to the readers. You may also like to blog on random topics – in that case you need a strong personal expression to make the blog interesting. People will read you just because of your special character, your style of writing and self-expression, does not matter whether you blog on the US president elections or your last shopping for shoes…

East and West September 10, 2008

 

In the West, Intellect is the source of life.

In the East, Love is the basis of life.

Through Love, Intellect grows acquainted with Reality,

And Intellect gives stability to the work of Love,

Arise and lay the foundations of a new world,

By wedding Intellect to Love.

Allama Iqbal (1877-1938)