It is time FOR A NEW FORM OF PSYCHOTHERAPY... Based on Esochology .... This is #1

 What is Esochology?  It refers to a study of the Esoteric dimensions of the Whole Human Being, or WHB.  And, the Whole Human Being (WHB) is much more than just a brain and a physical body.  In fact... but I am jumping ahead of myself.

For a number of years now [dating back to when B.F. Skinner offered his Intellectualism as an alternative to what Freud and Perls had pursued]...  the practice of Psychotherapy has relentlessly morphed into an approach that follows Intellectualism.. or a course designed by people who know nothing about the MIND, and are dedicated to the brain and thinking as the solution to all of Man's problems.

Let us take a look at a form of "thinking" that crippled the field of Psychotherapy so badly:

In this quote of Skinner, Skinner reveals his limited understanding of the Whole Human Being by referring to the MIND of Man as "the child of our past".  This comment was, of course, Skinner's attempt to belittle and  discount the work of Freud, Perls, and others whose level of personal Consciousness enabled them to access  the faculty of Intuition "Within" themselves to Intuit aspects of the MIND subtly operating "Within" the MIND of each patient-client.  No one who is the least bit Enlightened would suggest that belief in the MIND of Man is a "form of animism"!  Many in the field of Psychology today would agree with Skinner's opinion that belief in the MIND is a form of "animism"... but these people are speaking from the Left-Hemisphere of the brain... and their belief is fed to them by "Delusional Thinking" fed to them by the MIND of each.  What most people do not realize is that the MIND protects what it holds deeply repressed "Within" itself [repressed traumata] from being exposed to the Conscious Awareness of the person "Within" whom such traumata is "hidden".

This is the reason it used to take such a long time for a person to be licensed to practice Psychiatry or to operate as a Psychotherapist.  Very few people have a "natural" access to the faculty of Intuition "Within" themselves, and if it is not prominent in a person's personality then that person is simply lacking in Intuition.  Intuition can be encouraged to expand in a person, but that person must already possess some level of Intuition. It cannot be acquired by the brain or by thinking.  And even if it is an active faculty of a person, he or she must be trained to make use of his or her natural faculty of Intuition.  Intuition is a "must have" for anyone interested in becoming a competent Psychotherapist. 

Intuition is a faculty of one's Soul, in that it is normally found in people who possess a rather elevated level of Consciousness.  It is difficult to explain  or describe the faculty of Intuition, except to say it is naturally associated with a person who is identified as possessing a high-level of Consciousness.  A person who has an unusual ability to "sense" what others are feeling, or someone who seems to Intuit (perceive) what another is trying to say even before the person completes his or her statement.  Intuition is an ability to perceive bits of Truth "behind" the words of a person who is trying to convey that bit of  Truth... but does not possess the ability to articulate precisely that bit of Truth itself.

Truth, it has been said,  cannot be found on the Earth.  The reason for this is that Truth is an absolute, and absolutes do not exist in an environment [or in an energy dimension that is constantly changing, like this Earth plane].  Truth, Knowledge, and Reality all exist, however, they ONLY exist in an Energy realm that is itself an absolute,  and it never changes. Where is such a realm?  It is the Pure Spiritual Realm, which does exist, but it remains invisible to all realms that are not Pure Spiritual Energy.  It is the Pure Spiritual Realm in Which God exists, and in which Souls that have worked their way back Home reside... at least that is what Saints and Mystics tell us.

Some years ago I came up with the concept that Pure Spiritual Energy is "Neutral Spiritual Energy," or Neutral Spiritual Energy, or "NSgy" for short.  I still believe this concept has some merit to it.

Have I helped to explain the value of Intuition as regards people who would be excellent prospects for training as Psychiatrists and Gestalt Psychotherapists?  Since Intuition is likely to be found among people who we would describe as "very Conscious"... it seems reasonable to  make Consciousness a part of the criteria for those seeking to be trained as Psychotherapists.

At one time, prior to Skinner's entry into the field of "psychology," the field Psychotherapy required a person to undergo personal Psychotherapy,  and to be signed off by a licensed Psychiatrist. The reason for this was that Enlightened Psychiatrists Intuitively KNEW that a Psychiatrist, in order to properly treat a patient or client needed to  have a MIND that was as clear of deeply repressed bits of Trauma as possible.  The reason for this is that repressed trauma  within a person's MIND will cause that person to subtly send fear messages to the MIND of the person he or she was attempting to treat.

This is getting rather long, so let us take a break.  And I will pick this up in the next blog.

Peace, 1 Brother James [James W. Patterson, Ph.D.]

Psych-Education & The Whole Human Being

 

Psych-Education.com.  To repeat myself, the Whole of Man is not really part of what we in the West are taught in school.  How come?  Primarily because those people who pursue Intellectualism [or use of the physical brain] as their primary means of understanding life... are guided in their thinking by the brain... which is fed its thoughts by the MIND [which is not the brain!]... but since the MIND is invisible to the brain and one's physical senses [try to remember that the energy of the MIND is invisible to the brain] ... because the MIND is not physical like that of the brain. 

Your MIND is composed of two different energies, one is that of the Astral Realm, and the other is that of the Causal Realm.  I did the following sketch some years ago to visually illustrate what I am trying to convey: 

The physical brain is, of course, part of the physical body, or #1 in the sketch.  #1 represents the physical dimension of Man. The MIND, on the other hand, comprises #2 and #3 of the sketch, and the MIND exists "Within" Man, and although it can direct the brain by use of what I refer to as Delusional Thinking (or D-Think), these thoughts fed to the Left-Hemisphere of the brain by the MIND are almost indistinguishable from one's own "thinking".  And remember... the MIND itself is not physical, and cannot therefore be perceived by the brain.  What can perceive the "D-Think" of the MIND is one's faculty of Intuition... if one's Intuition has been "trained" to do so?

And remember... your Intuition is a faculty of your Soul, which is #4 of the sketch above.

How is one's Intuition trained to perceive D-Think?  Well, first one has to accept that he or she has a faculty of Intuition.  And this isn't easy, because Intuition is not part of one's brain,  nor  is it part of one's thinking, nor is it something one can "think" about.  You must come to Know your faculty of Intuition not unlike one comes to Know Love, or Honesty, or kindness.  It is something one experiences and while experiencing it one subtly realizes that it is somehow "separate" from one's thinking.

And if you do not immediately "follow" what I am saying, that is to be expected.  To notice one's faculty of Intuition is a matter of becoming aware of possessing an ability to "Know" things that cannot really be verbalized by your brain.  Again, Love, Kindness, Compassion, or a subtle "inner" warning against doing something your brain is encouraging you to do.  Remember, your MIND is constantly feeding your brain Delusional Thinking to encourage you to do certain things, or to feel a certain way about certain people.  And quite often such "D-thoughts" are negative in nature or would cause another person to "feel" bad.

Why would your MIND want you to say hurtful things to another person?  Well, your MIND is charged with the responsibility of causing you to adhere to your Fate Karma continually... this is a primary role for your MIND. Again... there is a great deal we human beings in the West are not taught in school regarding the Whole of ourselves, or of Life!

I trust the reader is open to reading about the less-than-obvious elements of Life that we in the West are not taught in school!  Again, there is a great deal more to each of us than we have been exposed to in our Western education.

Just like there is much more a competent Psychotherapist must discover from "Within" him or herself before he or she is "ready" to help others deal with a conflicted MIND.  It is not easy to deal with the MIND of Man because the MIND resists discovery by simply feeding D-Think to the brain which causes the brain to "think" it is superior to what others are unable to physically prove!

We are just beginning... Peace, 1 Brother James.

WHAT IS PSYCH-EDUCATION.COM ?

 

or 

This logo box introducing [Psych-Education.com]  is a new domain identity for Psych-Education, which is the "operational process" which underlies what is identified as "Esochology".... which was first introduced in the late 1970's.

ESOCHOLOGY is the label or title for the ["Intuitive researching of the "Esoteric Dimensions" of the Whole Human Being, or "WHB"].  Man is a great deal more than what is currently taught in our system of education.  The key here is the term "Intuitive".  I believe that Man's faculty of Intuition is an aspect of the Soul (whose Energy is Invisible to the brain and physical senses of Man).  

Therefore, to study the Esoteric [or invisible operations of Man: which means the Soul and MIND], one must make use of one's faculty of Intuition.  And ... in the West, we are not taught nor are we encouraged to make use of our faculty of Intuition.  This is no doubt the  primary reason we do not study the Esoteric aspects of Man.   That is, we do not study those parts of ourselves that cannot be perceived by the brain, or by thinking.   In other words, we do not make use our faculty of Intuition.

This means that in the West, we do not study what I have labeled "Esochology"... which simply refers to the study of the Esoteric dimensions of the Whole Human Being, or the WHB. This then is the purpose of Psych-Education.  And Psych-Education.com is the name of my new blog on Blogger.

Peace, 1 Brother James

SHALL WE IMPROVE THE PRACTICE OF "PSYCHOTHERAPY" ?

 But first... What is wrong with psychotherapy now?  Let's begin with a look at the term "Psychotherapy"?

Psychotherapy comes from the Greek term "Psyche," which they defined as "Self, Soul and MIND": [two of which are entirely invisible to one's "Self"].  In the West, the following is considered "psychotherapy":

https://my.clevelandclinic.org › health › treatments › 23445-psychotherapy

Psychotherapy: What It Is, Why It Is Done & Types - Cleveland Clinic

Psychotherapy (talk therapy) is a variety of treatment techniques that aim to help you identify and change unhealthy emotions, thoughts and behaviors through having conversations with a mental health professional. Psychotherapy can help with several different issues

 Note please:  "(talk therapy)". Talk involves the brain and thinking.  Neither of which gets to the MIND... which is entirely invisible to the brain.  The MIND operates the brain, never the reverse.

Returning to the Greek Self, Soul and MIND.  Self = being self-aware.  Soul = the body of "NSgy" "Within" oneself. MIND = the tool which enables the Soul to relate to the Physical Creation [which is entirely composed of material substance].  In other words, the brain is entirely incapable of perceiving either the Soul or the MIND in Man.  NSgy?  Neutral Spiritual Energy, or the Pure Spiritual Energy in Man. NSgy is my symbol for the Pure Spirituality of one's Soul, which is Pure NSgy which is, I believe the same Energy as that of God.

So, present "psychotherapy" is pure Intellectualism, or about the brain and thinking.  And that is how people with no personal experience with "proper Gestalt Psychotherapy" can be "licensed" to practice  what is laughingly labeled (talk therapy).    Intellectualism rules psychology today.

The Energy of the MIND is "emotional energy".  And the closest Man comes to identifying emotional energy is when one is warm or cold, or one gets angry, upset, or experiences anxiety.  The MIND operates the brain and NEVER THE REVERSE.  The MIND is entirely invisible to the brain.

What is capable of experiencing the energy of the MIND is one's faculty of Intuition, which is an aspect of one's Soul.  But Intuition is rarely studied in the West... where Intellectualism dominates and tends to (unknowingly) fear the "invisible" dimensions of the Whole Human Being, or WHB.

What would an enlightened Psychotherapy be like?  It would begin with a properly trained Psychotherapist, who has completed a thorough course of Gestalt Psychotherapy, which put him or her in touch with a majority of deeply repressed traumata which had previously been stored "Within" his or her MIND... and via extensive [and emotionally painful catharsis] enabled that person to discover a great deal about his or her MIND, and how it operates.  And the primary benefit would be his or her training would be discovering how to help others achieve the same level of catharsis.

1. https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Catharsis

   Catharsis - Wikipedia

   Catharsis is from the Ancient Greek word κάθαρσις, katharsis, meaning "purification" or "cleansing". It is most commonly used today to refer to the purification and purgation of thoughts and emotions by way of expressing them. The desired result is an emotional state of renewal and restoration. [1] [2]

   

   
    

    

   The above definition touches upon catharsis from an intellectual perspective , but fails to share the MIND-clearing experience achieved by an individual with the removal of deeply repressed traumata and its habit patterns... that had habitually caused an individual substantial pain and suffering!  With a proper course of Gestalt treatment, an individual is able to achieve a rapid rise in  his or her  level of Consciousness.  This is not a universal cure, of course.  But for many people [especially those who are truly tired of their pain and suffering] a proper Gestalt experience is the correct course for them.

    

   The most important element in a proper Psychotherapy is, of course, the Psychotherapist him or herself.  Those people who are "ready" to discover what is hidden "Within" their MIND realms are few... and  where can they go to be properly treated?  It is increasingly more and more difficult to find properly trained Gestalt Psychotherapists.
   

   
   

   So, the choice is available to us... the question is will the field of psychology [currently ruled by Intellectualism] allow people to choose a proper course of therapy?  And will those in charge of psychology today also allow Gestalt Psychotherapists to properly treat those who are suffering?

   
   

   Peace, 1 Brother James  [James W. Patterson, Ph.D... retired Gestalt Psychotherapist].
   

WHAT CAUSES ANGER... OTHER THAN EGO ...

 

THAT IS... Virtually all of your anger is your brain manifesting itself in action your MIND is taking to project emotional energy being stimulated from within itself in response to something you are hearing, seeing, or thinking about taking place outside of yourself.  And quite often this is a "habit" that you would rather not engage in... but  you are unable to not engage in it!

It is a habitual reactive "habitual reaction" to something external to yourself.

And your "habit" is  [in Reality] a deeply repressed trauma that is the actual "causal" for your habitual action, and it is entirely unknown to your intellectual process... thus, your MIND's Attempt at denial of the repressed trauma [the emotional energy of which] it is now projecting as anger, rage, or intense emotion upon some person, place, or event outside yourself... is actually the stimulated energy being generated within your MIND as BLAME... which is focused on some person, place,  or thing outside of yourself.  However ...

Your habitual reactive activity is the way in which your MIND protects itself from your becoming  aware of the deeply repressed trauma hidden  "within" your own MIND.  And if you try and not engage in your "habit"... you will experience an intense anxiety... which  is caused by your MIND.  Remember... your MIND is very powerful!

What is Ego?

Ego is a most complex part of oneself.  And, I mean really complex!  A listing of elements or contributing factors to one's Ego would include "sanscaras" [past Karmas] or bits of memory from your past lifetimes that is stored in your  MIND  (and what we refer to as "personality" or "character" are  included in the phrase:  "Fate Karma").  What is Karma?

This is the Yin-yang symbol.  It stands for male and female energies.  It can also stand for good and evil, which has nothing to do with male and female.  Karma is what we create when we do an action of any kind.  Regarding every action we take, it is automatically good or evil.. and regardless which it is, it binds us to "receiving" the exact same  energy taken against oneself in return... no matter how long it takes to accomplish this return of one's action!  And that is the Law of Karma, the primary Law of Life in the Creation.  And it is an Absolute Law.

Karma is well known in India and in much of the East.  But it is not known in the West, primarily because the Christian religion tends to avoid the term  "Reincarnation"... and the term Reincarnation simply means re-birth.  That is, when a person dies, his or her Soul (with MIND attached) is born again into a new life-form (and the Mystics tell us there are 8,400,000 different life-forms into which a Soul can be born). The number 8,400,000 is referred to in the East as the "Wheel of 84".  From tiny cell to Man.

 The term Karma can be translated in English as "action".  The explanation of Karma is this:  "As you sow, so shall you reap!"  In other words, every action you take will be taken against you... if not in this very lifetime, then in some future lifetime.  You see, your Soul is immortal.  That is, your Soul cannot die.  And thus, unknown to ourselves, we keep being born; we live, and we die... in a continuous cycle of birth and death.  Every living thing in the Creation has a Soul.  It is the Soul "Within" a living organism that gives that organism "life".  At one point some time ago, I came up with a sketch to try and illustrate the fact that a living organism has  four  simultaneously operating realms which form its whole. This of course applies to the Whole Human Being as well. 

#1 is the physical form, which includes the brain. #2, and #3 represent the MIND, and the energy of the MIND is emotional energy. And #4 is the Spiritual Realm, which includes one's Soul. #1 is limited to "thinking" that #1 is all there is to Man... which is Delusional Thinking.

The Reality is... what we can "think about" is what is contained in #1.  This means that 2,3 and 4 are all invisible to #1.  #4 is Pure Spiritual Energy, or what I refer to as "NSgy" [Neutral Spiritual energy...], or NSgy.  NSgy is what existed prior to the Creation.  In terms of the Creation, the Creation was Created by God, and it was Created. It is not REAL in an absolute sense... and this is difficult for us to accept.  And it is not possible for any of us to use our physical senses to perceive NSgy.  And that is a problem for every human being.  How can Man perceive God...when God is Invisible ?  But one's Soul can perceive God.

Well, the Mystics [at least those who have done so] tell us that through a special "Process"... a part of which includes a special form of meditation... Man can withdraw his "Attention" aspect of Consciousness from it's habit of focusing outside of oneself... and  can withdraw his or her Attention  to begin awakening to the normally invisible realms operating "Within" him or herself.  This is possible with the help of a Perfect Living Master... and the fact this "process" exists is not well known.  What is truly Mystical is the idea that God exists "Within" oneself.

It is the fortunate Soul that is drawn to such a Master.  And again, the process does exist, but as I have said, it is not that well known [at present].  And it also requires an "Initiation" by that Master, and then a lifetime of dedication to daily meditation, study, and struggle against one's MIND.  It also requires one to strive to create as little Karma as possible.  As part of this reduction of one's Karmic footprint, one is required to avoid eating meat, eggs, or anything containing animal elements.  And most people who follow this particular path also eliminate all alcohol and tobacco usage... since these are primarily used by one's MIND as a means of holding one's Soul captive to the physical plane.

Truth is hidden "Within" Man.  Truth is accessible via one's use of Intuition [an aspect of one's Soul], and one's faculty of Intuition is slowly increased as one's Attention elevates itself "Within" oneself by completing and eliminating many different forms of Karma.  Karma uses the Energy of one's own Soul to sustain itself "Within" one's MIND.  In other words, the more Karma that is held "Within" oneself, the less access to one's Spiritual Energy [or NSgy] one has.  To raise one's Consciousness is not an intellectual activity, it is a process of completing one's stored Karma by learning how to ACCEPT what happens to oneself as "due oneself" and thus, one forgives those who participate in what one has to experience in life.  Acceptance and forgiveness are the best means of competing [thus eliminating] one's stored Karma... which automatically clears one's Karmic obligation which returns one's own NSgy back to one's Soul.

The "process" of attempting to embrace the Pure Spirituality of God is no easy matter.  It must include the Accepting of one's "Self" ... as it is slowly pulled from the clutches of one's MIND with the help of one's Master... and one's meditation.   Every inch of progress of one's Soul in reclaiming it's NSgy is  a step in the right direction.  Thank God for His help in this process... for it is His doing!  Left alone, Man would remain lost.

Peace, 1 Brother James

MYSTICS tell us "THAT GOD IS "WITHIN" Man!"

 But... what does "Within Man"  mean... exactly?  I ask this because not everyone knows that the term "Within" refers to the Invisible dimensions of oneself.  That is, invisible to one's brain and physical senses.  But perhaps you are already aware of this?

The "Invisible" parts of Man consist of one's  MIND, one's Soul, and One's Consciousness, and all of these continue to exist when one's physical body dies.  These "invisible dimensions" continue to exist as one's "Astral body,"  which is, of course, invisible to our physical senses.  The Astral Region is the first region just beyond the reach of the physical dimension.

This blog centers on the term INVISIBLE... and it's relationship to the term "Dhunyatmak".

https://rssb.org › science-of-the-soul15.html

Glossary - The Science of the Soul - Radha Soami Satsang Beas

dhunatmak or dhunyatmak Nam The inexpressible primal sound, which cannot be written or spoken or heard with the physical ears; the inner music which can be experienced only by the soul. See also Shabd. dhyan Inner contemplation. A meditation technique taught by saints in which the devotee ...

"Inner contemplation"?
 

There is a Spiritual Path in India known as "Sant Mat"... or "Path of the Saints".  It is a very old Spiritual practice that many ancient Mystics followed in several parts of the East.  In most recent times, it has been located in a small area of India, in a small village on a railroad line near Beas, India, which is also known as the Punjab.   And my own Spiritual Master was the Head of this Spiritual Movement for a number of years.  The teaching is known as "Sat Nam," which means "True Name".  It is also called "Shabd," Truth, and it is based on Reality... as opposed to Illusion.  Unfortunately, the only way to write about "Sat Nam," or this Spiritual Path... is by using words that Man is familiar with... and these involve the brain and what Man can "think" about.  This is called "Varnatmak sounds," or that which one's physical senses can perceive.

There are two types of phenomena.  One type is called "Varnatmak" ... which can be written and spoken. The other is called Dhunyatmak... and this second type can be known  ONLY by the Energy of one's Soul [and specifically what we call "Intuition"].  Therefore, what Man can perceive and think about is Varnatmak, and  Man can read about, think about, and speak about Varnatmak phenomena... because it is part of the planes of energy that comprise the material Creation.  Or, what we can see and think about by use of the brain and one's physical senses.  But, when we consider Dhunyatmak Energy, well..., it refers to invisible energy planes operating "Within" [and without] Man...  and that usually requires a person to have spent quite some time practicing a "special" kind of Meditation.

A great Book that speaks of this "special Meditation" is entitled "Path of the Masters," by Julian Johnson, and it can be found in many libraries. 

 

This special type of Energy is  Dhunyatmak..., or largely Spiritual Energy.  To awaken to the second type [or Dhunyatmak Energy]... one's Soul must have acquired an elevated level of Consciousness, which we refer to as "Intuition"... which I believe is a faculty of one's Soul that is [somewhat indicative of the status of that person's Soul].  And this special meditation is usually a long process that demands a substantial amount of dedication... which makes  people who are interested in this special form of meditation both unusual, and rare.  Indeed... such people are "naturally" drawn to what this special form of meditation entails and demands of its participants.

More about these two very different forms of Energies and the reason we know so little about them in the West... and in particular in America...  in the next blog.

Peace, 1 Brother James

 

How does Karma work on the human being in response to some thought fed to the brain by one's MIND.

 

This sketch attempts to show how the MIND feeds the brain Delusional Thinking (D-Think), while the "ATTENTION" of the Soul "observes" the activity of the physical body reacting to the command of the MIND.

But, the Soul ONLY Observes the action... and the MIND causes the action, and creates the action based on some bit of Karma whose time has come to engage in such an action. 

What the Soul does experience is the "emotional-level" energy that one experiences as a consequence of the MIND-prompted activity of the physical brain and body.  Brain =  physical activity, and the physical consequences.  MIND sends a Delusional Message to the brain, and the  brain causes the body to engage in some action that the Delusional Message of the MIND calls for.  This is how the Law of Karma operates behind what we can see and think about.  The Law of Karma is an absolute Law, and every action we take has a consequence.  And everything to which we are attached via our attachment is part of one's store of Karma, and it must be CLEARED entirely before one's Soul can get released from it's obligations to the Law of Karma.

Again, there is so much to the Whole of Life that we are not aware of... if we are confined to the brain and its thinking alone.

Peace, 1 Brother James

WHAT IS "ATTENTION" ? But First, What is Man?

 How many people do you know who know what Man is... and why we are on Earth?

And... how come these two important questions are not addressed in our education?

Could it be that both questions require an understanding of various elements of life" that are beyond the reach of the brain and thinking?

The whole of oneself represents several layers or energy dimensions and only one of these is physical. I did a sketch some time ago that illustrates this point:

In this sketch, #1 is the physical dimension, with which we are all familiar.  But the Whole Human Being [WHB] consists of all four dimensions, and three of these are Invisible to the brain. And we are taught that we should rely upon the brain to know things.

And that is the problem all of us face... we simply cannot "think" our way to Truth, Reality, or God.

So... what do we do?  And, more importantly perhaps.... is this situation perfectly "normal"?

Oddly enough, it is perfectly normal, natural, and just the way it is meant to be!  And let me try to briefly explain.

I believe the whole of existence is intentional,  and is the Plan of God... and it is God that sustains everything... and therefore everything is operating just as it is meant to operate. And that means equal amount of good and evil.   However, to us, what we observe causes us to refer to these things as "chaotic," "confused," and "awful".  And the reason we "think" this is that we fail to "see" the reason and necessity for what we observe.   In other words, we are not aware that the REALITY of Existence is simply the Yin and Yang of the Law of Karma doing it's thing.  When we are unable to "know" or realize three of the four dimensions of existence... we are naturally confused at what we can observe.

And the problem with what I just explained is that it is all "one-sided" and purely intellectual.  Three of the four elements of "life" are invisible to us.  And quite naturally our judgement of the observable one-fourth of life seems to us both chaotic and unnecessarily brutal.

William Shakespeare was quite correct when he suggested that life is like a stage, and we are all players on that stage.  And we are both the actors and the directors of the play.

The Genius of God is the Law of Karma, and how perfectly it [operates behind what we can see]... but what we can see of the Law of Karma causes us to 'think" that life is chaotic, painful, cruel, and largely unnecessary.

The only part of one's Reality that participates in this play is one's "Attention".   Attention is an aspect of one's Soul.  But we are disconnected from what our Attention can perceive.  We observe life, but we cannot comprehend the Whole of Life... or the Reason for Life?

And it is the unknown elements of Reality that are missing for most people on Earth.  Does this help explain anything, or is the Purpose of Life still confusing?

Peace, 1 Brother James

HOW DOES ONE ACQUIRE "EMPATHETIC UNDERSTANDING"?

 The logical answer would be... through "experience," right?

But let us consider this "logical" answer just a bit!  Although this seemingly "logical" answer seems correct, there is a subtle aspect to this answer that we human beings rarely awaken to because the "subtle aspect" is not part of the brain, and thus, not something we can know or experience by simply "thinking".

Few people realize that the Whole Human Being, or WHB, includes an invisible MIND, and an invisible Soul.  And your MIND is composed of what we think of as emotional energy. And your Soul is composed of an Energy I refer to as "NSgy," which stands for "Neutral Spiritual Energy," which is an Energy that sustains the entire Creation... and I believe this is also the Energy of God... which Christ spoke of as the "Word," and other mystics speak of as "Shabd," "Sound Current," or various other terms.

So, the term "Empathy" is defined as:

https://www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › empathy

Empathy Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

Empathy is the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another. It involves actively sharing in the emotional state of the other person. Learn the difference between empathy and sympathy, 

The "key" term in the above definition is the term "vicariously".  This refers to the experience aspect of which I am focusing upon in this blog.  I believe the "only" way to acquire "empathetic understanding" is to have actually "experienced" the exact same elements another is undergoing "within" him or herself.

So, when I see a child overwhelmed with sorrow, crying, and perhaps acting out his or her level of pain emotionally... I am not just "seeing" this;  I am actually experiencing..."Within myself"... the emotionalism of that child.  And so, I have empathy with and for that child.  And as a retired Gestalt Psychotherapist, I cannot help but be drawn to an awareness of the impact this experience of that child will have upon that child throughout the rest of his or her life.  Because... once some trauma is stored "Within" a person's MIND, that Trauma remains "Within" that person's MIND until it is emotionally re-visited and released from oneself via a deep-seated therapeutic catharsis.

1. https://www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › catharsis

   Catharsis Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

   Catharsis is a noun that means purification or purgation of the emotions, especially through art, or elimination of a complex by bringing it to consciousness. Learn the word history, examples, and medical definition of catharsis from Merriam-Webster.

    

   So, if you are particularly moved by observing a child caught-up in and obviously experiencing substantial emotion... then your MIND is relating to that child based on what is hidden "Within" your own MIND... and this is called "empathetic understanding".  So, we acquire "empathetic understanding" by having personally experienced the same emotional elements "Within" ourselves.  And depending upon how "clear of your own repressed emotions you are"... you will intellectually condemn that child's "behavior"... or, if you are relatively clear of your own repressed emotions... will experience  "empathetic understanding" of what that child is experiencing, and you will forgive that child for having to go though the experience.

   
   

   Life on this physical plane of existence is often quite painful.  Both to experience and to observe.
   

   
   

   Peace, 1 Brother James
   

A bit of Bible to share...

 There is a passage in the Bible, Hebrews 9:27 [once to die] that I would like to expand upon... to help clarify what the passage refers to.

If one can accept the concept of Reincarnation, one realizes that we Souls are immortal and we do not die. Therefore, in each body a Soul incarnates into... [we are talking about human bodies now], that person has a personality all his or her own.  And only bits and pieces of that person [as bits of unfulfilled Karma stored within that person's MIND] will accompany his or her Soul into his or her next lifetime.

So, in each lifetime a Soul lives, the person [or other life-form] that Soul inhabits... will be new and unique.  Therefore, each person [the personality of that body the Soul inhabited] only lives one time, and at death the person that Soul existed as... is gone.  So, it is true that each person who has lived on Earth lived a unique existence.  Or was born and died once.  Because, in the next life of that Soul, he or she will be another unique personality.

When we add the reality of Reincarnation to our existence on this Earth, a very different view of mankind begins to emerge for us to try and deal with... or, continue as now exists... where we deny Reincarnation and believe the Soul of a person literally remains in the ground waiting for some future event to raise that dead body.  This bury the dead idea is really something.  As soon as a person dies, the Soul of that person awakens on the Astral Region of Creation, and is evaluated and goes to the appropriate place for further education, or is simply re-born into a body that will help that Soul further its exploration of the Creation.

Peace, 1 Brother James

When Does One Begin To Think Of Death?

 How about when one gets really old, and one has a bit of Cancer, and a lot of pain... and one finds it more and more difficult to do simple things like get dressed?  Or...when one begins to think about what one wants done with one's body?  Or, in my case, my desire to make sure my membership with the Neptune Society is still good, and contains current data?  Neptune Society?  That  is a national organization that provides a Cremation that is prearranged... instead of a regular funeral and burial.

Cremation is not for everyone, of course, but... it does have some distinct advantages over burial...  and the cost factor of Cremation is substantially less than burial.  Were you aware that the vast majority of Mystics and Saints in India are Cremated?  And the reason is that they "know" about the difference between Reality and Illusion, and they are also aware that almost all Souls are subject to Reincarnation... which means being born again in another body.  What Souls are not subject to Reincarnation?  Souls that have worked their way up the Spiritual ladder to the point where they are free of the Karma that requires a Soul to Reincarnate into another body because a Soul has not (as yet) reduced the load of Karma that must be reduced before a Soul can cease the cycle of Reincarnation. All Souls are "stuck" in the cycle of Reincarnation due to the load of Karma they have not (as yet) worked through.  To "work through" one's Karma is not an easy thing to do!  And only those Souls that spend an entire lifetime [or even lifetimes]... and with special "help" can eliminate their loads of Karma.

 Such Souls have spent much of their last life [in some cases many lifetimes in fact]  in meditation that is aimed at helping those Souls eliminate loads of stored Karma.  And if one studies the works of such Souls, one finds that each of them attributes their clearing of Karma to the help of a Spiritual Master.

Today I contacted the local Neptune Society location and updated my contract information... just to be prepared.  And I am most thankful that I have been following a Spiritual Course of Study for the last fifty years because that has... surprisingly, actually prepared me to anticipate my coming death with the attention a death requires.  What does one do, for  example,  with one's clothes, shoes, and other things that one has collected over a lifetime?  Think of one's loved ones and what they will have to deal with if one does not do it oneself... prior to one's death!  I have made it a regular practice to take clothes, shoes, and other things that still have usefulness to them to the Goodwill...  I have also made a good many purchases from the Goodwill in the last several years.  

So, I am thankful that my concern regarding my up-coming death is not due to fear of the unknown, but is rather a practical concern regarding how to help reduce the burden my death  will impose upon  my loved one's .  It pays to acquire an understanding of the term "Reality" as opposed to the term "Illusion". But then... who does one contact that KNOWS the difference between Reality and Illusion?

Peace, 1 Brother James

The Strange Thing About REALITY is...

 

Mankind tends to ignore the "invisible" dimensions of life because we cannot see them, so we are content with "thinking" about the words and terms we use to "stand for" these otherwise "Invisible" elements of life that to us simply point to  invisible elements of  Life we "think" we know... because we know the names of these elements.

Therefore... we "think" about terms like MIND, Soul, God, Heaven,  Truth, Reality, Spirit, Astral Realm, Causal Realm, etc...  and we tend to believe we "know" what  these terms stand for... although we do not really  "know" what these terms indicate...  because we have not actually experienced what these terms "stand for"!   In other words, we do not possess the actual experiential knowledge of what these terms refer to.

So, when the Bible refers to Christ, and to his being the "Son of God," without an actual knowledge of what the term God means... it is somewhat difficult to know what the "Son of God" means?

So... How much do we "know" about the Soul, for instance?  How about the MIND?  And let us not forget my favorite term, that of Truth?  Truth is an absolute, and it does not change, ever.  What do you know that does not change?  Which is like asking... What is the purpose of Creation?  Or... why do we Souls exist?  Is it to learn what is possible to experience, think about, or contemplate?  Or perhaps... where did we Souls come from?  But this is really speculative, isn't it?  Or is it?  Maybe it is less speculative than we imagine it to be?  If one can discover how to locate an invisible Reality?

This is a brain: 

It is a specialized muscle located in the Skull   [in animals as well as Man].  And the brain is confined to thinking about the tangible elements of life, or thinking about abstract terms that stand for elements that are invisible to one's physical senses.

And the brain is intimately connected to every [known] part of one's physical body.  The question is this... how much of Man is tangible as opposed to intangible?  For instance, were you aware that you have an Astral Body?  That is, an actual body composed of energies that are confined to the Astral Realm of existence... and are invisible to one's physical senses... and this Astral body is what one finds oneself confined to at the time of death.  However, not everyone  is familiar with this fact.

So, when a normal person speaks of what is "real"... what is that person referring to?  What he or she thinks is real, or what is an actual element of Reality?  Most likely what he or she thinks is real.

So, the strangest thing about Reality is.... Very few people realize what Reality is!

Peace, 1 Brother James