In the end, at the end of the day, in terms of the bottom line (can you think of any other cliches along these lines?), it's all about relationship, and it is the force of something that might well be called love that holds the universe together. This is basic physics now, and maybe basic biology, ecology, sociology, psychology, medicine, neuroscience, and on and on. Of course it has always been basic spirituality, but not many have cared to hear this, and perhaps still not many care to hear. When I say "hear", I mean "structure their lives according to these fundamental truths".
More usually, or so it seems judging from the condition of the world, people are busy being ideologues, or chasing wealth, or accumulating stuff, or building the machinery of power over others, or showing off, or imposing rules and regulations, or missing the most essential points of what a genuine life consists of in any number of similar ways.
Relationship. Of course there's relationship well and truly done, and then there's all the rest; the "norm", or relationship conducted cluelessly, self-servingly, manipulatively, dishonestly, selfishly (in the worst, not the best sense of that word).
Cooperative relationship. Collaborative relationship. Interdependent relationship. Mutually successful and supportive relationship. Win-Win relationship.
If these concepts are confusing, or totally foreign, or amusing, or ridiculous, or dismissable, or embarrassing, or in any other ways out of reach to you, I'm not sure what benefit you might derive from therapy with me.
I'm not talking about just being nice. This has value, of course. And it is far from enough to capture the meaning of the fundamental nature of the essential universal structure of relationship.
"Love" is a summary and an essential truth of life. It's not sappy, or sentimental, or mushy, or stupid or weak. It's the glue of all of existence. Including human and non-human existence. Including of psychological and emotional and spiritual and physical well being. Including of happiness. Everyone ought to be setting themselves the task of learning everything they possibly can about love, and most importantly how to implement it in their lives.
Loving relationship. With others. With self. The "stuff" of existence. Make it the center of your life.
http://www.youtube.com/user/dragomirnet86#p/a/u/0/Vw4KVoEVcr0
mdavid-lpcc.com
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Monday, May 16, 2011
I AM, The Movie
I recently saw the documentary movie I AM, written and directed by Tom Shadyac. This film explores questions about the neurobiology - the hard wiring - of the human brain and nervous system as it relates to violence, competition, cooperation and compassion, how the natural world functions regarding these qualities, as well as other questions pertaining to the development of human culture, economy, values, the good life, happiness, spirituality, and the state of the world. If this all sounds ponderous, I suppose it is, and yet the film manages to do all of this in very human terms, and with very personal and accessible meaning.
One of the interviewees in the film is Thom Hartman, a radio talk show host, former psychotherapist, progressive political thinker and author. Given my biases, I was especially able to relate to Thom's perception and language in identifying the view, among indigenous peoples, that behaviors such as the accumulation of more than one needs are a form of "mental illness". In the context of the film, and its examination of the rabid consumerism of contemporary developed society along with its implications and its consequences, this characterization makes a lot of sense.
Shadyac himself has become a reformed insane consumer, selling off his gargantuan accumulations - he had been an enormously successful director of mainstream box office smash hit comedy films - giving away much of his fortune, and pairing down his global and social footprint to include such things as moving into a mobile home park, and riding his bike to work. Here's a guy who is walking his talk.
So, we learn in the film that we are indeed hard wired for compassion and cooperation, and not, as we have all been taught to believe, for violence and greed and narrow self aggrandizement, and that Nature functions primarily according to these principles as well.
Oh, see the movie, and get a good idea of what mental and spiritual health consists of. Then do what you can to make the necessary changes in your life
mdavid-lpcc.com
One of the interviewees in the film is Thom Hartman, a radio talk show host, former psychotherapist, progressive political thinker and author. Given my biases, I was especially able to relate to Thom's perception and language in identifying the view, among indigenous peoples, that behaviors such as the accumulation of more than one needs are a form of "mental illness". In the context of the film, and its examination of the rabid consumerism of contemporary developed society along with its implications and its consequences, this characterization makes a lot of sense.
Shadyac himself has become a reformed insane consumer, selling off his gargantuan accumulations - he had been an enormously successful director of mainstream box office smash hit comedy films - giving away much of his fortune, and pairing down his global and social footprint to include such things as moving into a mobile home park, and riding his bike to work. Here's a guy who is walking his talk.
So, we learn in the film that we are indeed hard wired for compassion and cooperation, and not, as we have all been taught to believe, for violence and greed and narrow self aggrandizement, and that Nature functions primarily according to these principles as well.
Oh, see the movie, and get a good idea of what mental and spiritual health consists of. Then do what you can to make the necessary changes in your life
mdavid-lpcc.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)