We MUST Choose, Part 2: Conscience and Reality and the Dark Side of Daydreaming and Fantasy The opposite of sanity is insanity. The opposite of truth is lying, which includes self-deception, lying, half-truths, rationalizations, denial, scapegoating, transference, projection, i.e. the vast majority of our defense mechanisms. It’s clear that truth will not only make us [...]
We MUST Choose “This above all: to thine own self be true.” – Shakespeare, “Hamlet” Yes, but what part of thine own self to be true to? What’s best in oneself? Or what’s less—sometimes even much much less—than best in one’s self? “For human beings, there is a possibility of making a choice of influences; [...]
Real Intimacy versus Other-Dependent (or Other-Validated) Intimacy The only reason we don’t open our hearts and minds to other people is that they trigger confusion in us that we don’t feel brave enough or sane enough to deal with. – Pema Chödrön (The following is adapted and modified and riffed on from David Schnarch’s book, [...]
ANGER And Anger-Management Growth A huge part of breaking with the past and, in particular, with our past maladaptive patterns and conditioning, and instead learning new responses (being able to actually make new and different choices), depends on our becoming more and more aware of our own inner processes and leading a more self-examined life. [...]
