Category: Psychology

It seems everyone you meet these days is a self-proclaimed psychologist. From radio talk shows, television interviews, romance novels, weekly magazines, to cliques at work; everybody has an opinion on the latest “mental illness.” I was first introduced to practical psychology when I joined the United States Air Force in 1970. It was expected that Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) would become counselors to their subordinates. Profession military education devoted entire chapters and lectures on non-directive or eclectic counseling techniques. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs was drilled into our heads. We were sternly warned to avoid any mention of religion, but instead to make ample use of psychological techniques. Paul Vitz in his book “Psychology as Religion” attempts to expose psychology for what it really is, i.e., religion. He begins by giving the reader a brief biography on the fathers of the modern psychology movement along with some of their theories. The opening chapter was dry reading but I suppose necessary as a historical backdrop. My interest peaked when I immediately recognized Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow since I was forced to study them for 26 years while in the military. Vitz also discusses Carl Jung, Erich Fromn, and Rollo May as being significant contributors to the movement. Vitz quickly transitions into explaining the concept of self-esteem which he promotes as the center of the entire selfism movement. This became important to me as it seems no matter where you turn, a lack of or poor self-esteem appears to be the cause of every ill known to mankind. For a movement to be so widespread to the point where psychology has been woven into the gospel message, Vitz says that the self-esteem concept has “no clear intellectual origins.” That’s a surprising claim considering the impact selfism has had on academia and the practice of counseling. Vitz states that self-esteem should be understood as an emotional response and not a cause. He says it is a reaction to what we have done and what others have done to us. High self-esteem is a desirable feeling to have (like happiness), but the feeling itself isn’t the cause of anything. In trying to obtain a feeling of self-esteem, the only successful way is to do good to others or accomplish something. In so doing, you’ll get all the self-esteem you want. However, the downside is people begin to pursue happiness as a far greater goal than...

Your life as a journey, a passage through time. You perceive it as a voyage from one place and moment to the next, unfolding and forever in motion. Yet every journey begins from the same place and every journey has as its purpose the same end. The place to begin – where you are now; the purpose – to achieve your destiny. Is your life filled with questions? Often those questions substitute for getting on with the task at hand – moving, acting, living. By posing questions and pursuing “new” answers you think you will find a reasoned way home, a way and a means that is direct, clear and challenge free. You search and search because the answers you have do not satisfy ego. Stop searching for answers, step out on your journey. Here are the answers that matter: You will achieve your destiny by acting on faith, by letting go of the things you cling to, and by forgiving those that have wronged you. Unimaginable joy awaits. This reality is dynamic, constantly changing. You are immersed in creation, immersed in the journey of life. Ultimately, all is illusion. The gift of free will is key to the choice you must make, the option you must ultimately pursue. Cry if you might, wail if you must, but refuse to be a pawn to emotion. Become a brave pioneer – a sojourner for which comfort is not your calling, nor appeasement your way. Do not allow complaints and derision to serve as justification. Freedom and fulfillment come not on the easy road. Realize freedom and fulfillment by overcoming fear and acting on faith. The road to your destiny lies before you. Take the next small step and contribute something positive with the gift of your life. Your only recourse is to retreat to a hovel of comfort, a vane and shallow harbor. From there you can worship idols of wealth and status till bondage and death come. Complete the simple, yet paradoxically difficult, task of life — let go of ego, dissolve the illusion. You have a will for this purpose — it’s your desire to change. You have a wellspring of strength, from a source you cannot see but know is real. You have the courage to proceed one step at a time. With surety you will arrive with the wise — recognizing your true self — one with...

When we look at a certain object, a painting for example – we won’t be able to appreciate what’s in it, what is painted and what else goes with it if the painting is just an inch away from our face. But if we try to take it a little further, we’ll have a clearer vision of the whole artwork. We reach a point in our life when we are ready for change and a whole bunch of information that will help us unlock our self-improvement power. Until then, something can be staring us right under our nose but we don’t see it. The only time we think of unlocking our self-improvement power is when everything got worst. Take the frog principle for example. Try placing Frog A in a pot of boiling water. What happens? He twerps! He jumps off! Why? Because he is not able to tolerate sudden change in his environment – the water’s temperature. Then try Frog B: place him in a lukewarm water, then turn the gas stove on. Wait until the water reaches a certain boiling point. Frog B then thinks “Ooh… it’s a bit warm in here”. People are like Frog B in general. Today, Anna thinks Carl hates her. Tomorrow, Patrick walks up to her and told her he hates her. Anna stays the same and doesn’t mind her what her friends says. The next day, she learned that Kim and John also abhors her. Anna doesn’t realize at once the importance and the need for self-improvement until the entire community hates her. We learn our lessons when we experience pain. We finally see the warning signs and signals when things get rough and tough. When do we realize that we need to change diets? When none of our jeans and shirts would fit us. When do we stop eating candies and chocolates? When all of our teeth has fallen off. When do we realize that we need to stop smoking? When our lungs have gone bad. When do we pray and ask for help? When we realize that we’re gonna die tomorrow. The only time most of us ever learn about unlocking our self-improvement power is when the whole world is crashing and falling apart. We think and feel this way because it is not easy to change. But change becomes more painful when we ignore it. Change will happen, like...