Five

Any noticed that Alternative Therapies are a bit fascistic? The idea that by “unblocking emotions” and returning to “higher self” etc that we shed off some kind of badness, some kind of "negativity"? I was reading a spiritual lunatic the other day carefully explaining that humans must heal mind, body, and soul through “returning to a more natural way of living” - and finding "our true selves". His insistance that we must somehow “heal” and “cleanse our whole selves” seems to me to create a definite split: those who are “healthy – emotional, mentally, spiritually” and those who are “unhealthy" - those terrible fat people who are not "in tune" with themselves, for instance. Neatly evading, of course, all political awareness. Who needs politics when you can cure the whole mind, body, and soul?

The whole “theory” of “blocked emotions” has been proven to be utter gibberish time and time over by psychologists, but still people in desperate need envisage that deep within them is some terrible, dark, emotion that needs to be “healed”. And the idea of “true self”? what the hell does that really mean? Philosophers have been debating the idea of a true self for centuries, some say we have a different self for every day we are alive; but then a spiritual guru calmly suggests that its within us all – all because he FEELS that way about it. Watch where your money and time is spent. Beware of false prophets.

My prescription for awful inhuman spiritual ranting is simple common sense. If it doesn’t make sense, it probably doesn’t make sense. At least with religion you can logically argue the existence of God. At least with the 12 steps they follow some sort of logical, psychological/spiritual pattern. I think spiritual abuse is just as common as other forms of abuse, and I would be well weary of strange therapists and intoxicated spiritual gurus.

minnie

Johari's Window makes sense to me.

Five

Looks cool Minnie. I have heard of that one before - its more pschological?

minnie

In a way - I was reminded of it when you mentioned "true self". Check out the article, if you haven't already.

I'm also reminded of a session I had with my counsellor months ago. He drew a Venn Diagram with 3 circles, left being the person the world sees, right being the "real" person, and the bit in the middle being the real person the world gets to see. The "healthier we get, the more the circles overlap and the more "congruent" we become.

For me, that's where freedom and peace lie.

splendra

I am one who believes in healing the whole person. I don't need a guru or a priest. I do however need myself. If my body is out of balance I might need help getting it on track, if my emotional life is out of whack I probably need to get real honest about what is going on in my life that I am not paying attention to. I believe that repressed emotions can get trapped in the body causing pain and other problems. I also believe I can be out of harmony with my true desires for myself and that can cause all sorts of bad stuff to happen...

I will probably use alternative types of therapies to help me bring myself into balance before I ever consider going to a regular MD or hospital....

Five

Interesting folks.

Five

This is interesting: so how would you see someone who is not in balance? Say if I smoke to heavily and eat to many chips, and try and ignore my emotions - in general, how would you see me as a person..?

splendra

I would not want to make any judgements for sure. I guess it would depend on the type of encounter we were having. Socially, I believe I could accept you as you are....

Five

"socially" is an essential word. I believe we are more social than "whole" or "balanced".

splendra

I believe that if I am in balance I will be more likely to be social. My social encounters will likely reflect how I feel about myself...

Five

Good point.

Five

I just think simplistic terms - especially when applied to ourselves and others - creates absoloutes, thus starving a search for reasonable knowledge, intellectual growth, and a fair and compassionate understanding of others. A world of "health" and "unhealth" again seems to me daunting.

minnie

To me, "healthy" and "unhealthy" is just shorthand. Although, problems do arise when people have different understanding of those terms.

Five

how do you mean Minnie?

Dan

What a classic Mill sentence... A Millism
If I accept that spiritual growth is necessary for my sobriety, then it's on me to find sources of fuel for that growth. And like many alcoholics and addicts, I have it in me to get carried away with just about anything that gives me instant gratification.
Well, Maharishi said I will experience deep nirvana if I believe citrus fruit can change the world.

I only get to be an objective man once my mind is cleansed of booze and dope.
Before that, well, anything goes, really.

Five

If I accept that spiritual growth is necessary for my sobriety, then it's on me to find sources of fuel for that growth.

Although I am not entirely spiritual, I agree Dan - and this knowledge can be found EVERYWHERE. In books on French Gardening, in scientific journals, in recipe books, in blond girls breasts: everywhere. Philosiphical growth I think is akin to spiritual growth, I reckon.

However, where the water gets weaker, I feel, is when people "sell the stuff" in very simplistic, bombastic, irrational ways.

But, why cares. If it helps some people...

minnie

Shorthand for presence/absence of destructive behaviours and thought patterns. And what I would term destructive would not necessarily be thought destructive by you and vice versa.

And how I achieve what I term "emotional health" is by being a total magpie. I take what I like (and leave the rest) from all sorts of places. No one-size-fits-all proposition.

p.s. what's so special about blonde girls' breasts?

Five

what's so special about blonde girls' breasts?[/

Probabley not a lot lol.

splendra

I if I look at the actions of some of the people looking at this blonde girls large breast they just seem plain immature to me...women get jealous...men act stupid...don't seem like growth to me but, then what do I know...I avoid encounters with people who look me in the breast... as I am short and I know that most people have to look down to look at me there...

Five

I if I look at the actions of some of the people looking at this blonde girls large breast they just seem plain immature to me...women get jealous...men act stupid...don't seem like growth to me but

Ahh but could this come from years of morality indoctrination? A society where sex is seen as dirty. Are blonde women with big breasts are seen as Dirty? "Unhealthy?"

Some people see sex as something that leads to "sickness", much like Christains do. That its a sin. I may, however, see the infinite beauty in a pair of breasts. I might see GOD in a pair of breasts.