Posted by Mark H. on February 20, 2002, at 18:17:45
In reply to To Everybody: Blasphemous thoughts, posted by Anna Laura on February 20, 2002, at 9:07:52
Anna Laura
I'm astonished at how close your thinking is to mine. For years, I felt I had some modest insight into others' process, but the spiritual causes of my own depression remained completely opaque and impenetrable to me.
In the end, I concluded that I needed those years of depression literally to "un-learn" -- to wipe out -- all the various theories, ideas, psychological models, metaphysical models and borrowed structures from other disciplines that had shaped my world view into something far too small and intellectual to be real.
I fully embrace your conclusions, but I refuse to read Hillman or any more theorists! :-) Sorry.
Any reasonably educated person can write complex, grammatically correct theories, and extrapolate psychological insights from mythology, literature, archetype and ancient religions. So what. The most brilliant and transcendent teachers write with a clarity and simplicity that can be understood by children.
As an overly thin, physically and socially inept young man I tended to over-prize and over-identify with my intellect -- I thought that was all I had. Of course my nights were filled with the pain of alienation and a deep inner sense of personal defectiveness. I imagined myself morally superior to those who were handsome and popular, but in fact I was just substituting brains for looks while indulging in the same self-absorption.
Although I still find smart people attractive and interesting, I've come to see intellectual pursuits as fundamentally shallow and trivial for the most part, too often lacking in compassion and good motivation.
I completely agree that our lives are our therapy. It is good to avail ourselves of the help of others -- as long as it actually helps. Thank you for your brilliant and insightful response.
With kind regards,
Mark H.
poster:Mark H.
thread:18403
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20020214/msgs/18604.html