Tuesday, May 17, 2011

As of May 17, 2011: Schedule

Following is a schedule as it stands now:

May 19 Tom Ryan Focusing -

May 26  Sharleen presenting The Seven Spiritual Laws by Depok Chopra.

June 9   Retreat at home of Ann Selzer, 10522 N. Circle Road, Mequon, WI 262 241 5747. We will have  breakfast, then a short meditation. My topic for the retreat is "Can there by three types of enlightenment?"
As some of you know, I have a collection of camouflage art, much of which is Native American thematic art. I plan to use some of the prints which are not framed to illustrate one of these forms of enlightenment. We will also include walking meditation outside on my property, weather permitting which will hopefully allow me to illustrate another form of enlightenment. I will circulate an article from Enlightenment Next Magazine, which is a dialogue between the philosophers Ken Wilbur and Andrew Cohn discussing some early basic principles of integral theory.

June 16   Nick will present an essay.

June 23   Sue on Love

June 30   Guenther Pohlman Society

July 7      Bake Off

May 12, 2011: Jamie: Backbone, a short story by David Foster Wallace


     David Foster Wallace (February 21, 1962 – September 12, 2008) was an American author of novels, essays, and short stories, and a professor at Pomona College in Claremont, California. He was widely known for his 1996 novel Infinite Jest, which Time included in its All-Time 100 Greatest Novels list (covering the period 1923–2006). Wallace's unfinished novel, The Pale King, was published in 2011. It was based on a short story or at least included much of this story, called Backbone, which Jamie excerpted and brought for us to read at this May 12 session.  A biography of Wallace by D. T. Max is projected for publication in 2012.
     David Foster Wallace gave a famous commencement address at Kenyon College in 2005. Many have commented about this address stating that it showed some of the difficulties Wallace was having at the time. He did fight depression for a long time including many medications and electroconvulsive treatments. He was being treated for depression with a drug called Phenelzine after many other drugs had failed. He tried to wean himself off the drug due to its side effects. Eventually the drug was stopped, but his depression returned and this time it would not respond to this drug. The depression became very severe and Wallace took his own life by hanging on September 12, 2008

Here is that commencement address. See if you think the signs of his depression was there.

http://publicnoises.blogspot.com/2009/05/david-foster-wallace-kenyon.html

     The story, Backbone,  prompted a very astute discussion, in spite of its strangeness. The premise of a boy who has a goal of being able to press his lips to every inch of his own body aroused several ideas in the group. This premise seems to be one of self-discipline versus self-obsession. It begs the question when does self discipline become obsession. Several members thought that professional athletes often ride this fence beam precariously. An example would be Tiger Woods whose outlet became even more unhealthy.
     Several in the group asked whether our society can accept someone who is so different and allow him to be like this. In some ways, the boy is like many with Asperger's Syndrome with the compulsions and obsessions. It was felt that in psychology compulsions can be sublimation as long as the person with these ideas can function. An example would be Michael Phelps who as long as he is allowed to be in the swimming pool 5 hours a day and can function with these compulsions, can actually excel at his chosen endeavor. Then he is sublimating, not obsessing. Therefore compulsion/sublimation may in some cases equal genius. However, if you can't let the compulsion go, then it may become dysfunctional and neurotic.

     Andrew Weil wrote a book called, Are We All Addicted?. Many of these issues are discussed in his book.
     One member astutely asked where was the mother in this story. She was absent and in reading more about the story, the father was absent emotionally. Is deprivation of nurturing a reason for this boy's strange goal. I also found some of the portrayal of the psychologist interesting and would enjoy reading more about her.
     If indeed, you were intrigued by this short story, then seek out David Foster Wallace's book, The Pale King which contains some of the ideas from this story and from other stories. The following website has a link to the story.

http://mookseandgripes.com/reviews/2011/02/28/david-foster-wallace-backbone/

At this site there are comments from the New Yorker which published the story on March 7, 2011. There are other online comments and a link to the entire story. In reading some of these comments I noted that our group was fairly astute and came up with many of the ideas about the story that others did.

Saturday, May 14, 2011

May 5, 2011 Bake Off

On this bake off Thursday, first day back for this author, many of you wished me welcome back and had questions about our Israeli and Turkish trip. I described some of the sites that we saw briefly in Turkey. I found the people friendly and of mixed degree of religious devotion. I thought the women were sometimes a little mixed up covering their head devoutly with scarf and headress, but wearing lots of makeup on the face, and tight clinging obviously provocative clothing. Sky asked if we saw Rumi's grave. Indeed we did see some of the places sacred for Rumi. He commente that he could combine a program of my slides with Rumi poems at some juncture. I would be willing to do that.


Sharleen brought a poem entitled:  Philosophy of life by Gandhi.

Keep your thoughts Positive
because your thoughts become your words.

Keep your words Positive
because your words become your actions

Keep your actions Positive
because your actions become your habits.

Keep your habits Positive
because your habits become your values

Keep your values Positive
because your values become your destiny

Then Heidi again provided some humor and soulfulness for Mother's Day by reading the Dr. Seuss book, Horton Hatches an Egg. Here is a YouTube video of Michelle Obama reading the book on Easter. It is a pleasant listen.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmhQcGOFZCU

April 28, 2011: Chants--Gayatri Mantra and others, by Todd D.

     This session was directed by Todd D. He presented several chants and other pieces of music whose repetitive nature and format has moved Todd in the past. He chose to share these with the group. I have been able to find these chants on You Tube and include some references here which will enable you to access these at any time and play them for your own enjoyment and to further your own spiritual goals.

     The first chant is Veni Sancte Spiritus.
I have tried to include several links on this site to allow you to utilize this chant yourself in your spiitual practices.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqkR-4l73CI

     The second chant is the Gayatri Mantra

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDnamSM3Z3s

     Third, Todd included two bluegrass/country songs that are apparently important to him. Again I have included two links to these songs that I hope will be of use to you. I find the Go Rest on the Mountain Song as quite moving.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62-RXsTqS2o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtmAVGPEPSI

April 21, 2011: Heidi on Dr. Seuss, The Lorax

     This date Heidi entertained the group by reading Dr. Seuss' THE LORAX to the group. Below is the full text of this allegoric tale.

Hit Read more and find the complete text of The LORAX. Then delve further and find two worksheets that could be used to make The Lorax a teaching moment for any of you who deal with children, or even adults needing a discussion in environmental issues and sustainable development.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

April 14, 2011: Curry D. Chaudoir , diplomate in acupuncture,spoke of his practice.

     Mr. Chaudoir presented some of his background to the group as well as some of the motivation for him choosing to study and become an acupuncturist. He feels that Western medicine has extraordinary value, but it tends to be dehumanizing and it doesn't allow for the spiritual to take affect. Mr Chaudoir is aware of the DesCartes mechanistic theory of the human body. But he regards the human body as really quite simple. When a person visits him for help, he uses interviewing techniques, and tries to determine why this person would have these symptoms. Every case is different.
     There are both Chinese and Japanese forms of acupuncture. The Japanese from has 5 elements of training and practice.  Accupuncture was first done in the Himalayas, and then moved to China.
     Mr. Chaudoir also offers Qi Gong Seminar.
     Mr. Chaudoir can be found at Bayshore Town Center, 500 W. Silver Spring Dr., Suite K-205, Glendale, WI 53217. Phone: 414 332 8888, toll free: 877 547 8888, fax 414 332 1888

twelvespice@hotmail.com     website: http://www.holisticacupuncture.net/

Bake Off on April 7, 2011

The April 4th Phillip Chard article was discussed:

Don't let future rob you of the present     April 4, 2011
Are you into predicting the future?

Most of us are. I'm not referring to those pundit soothsayer types who try to forecast economic trends, the next big thing or the arrival of the "end times."

Nonetheless, our tendency to listen to these self-proclaimed oracles reflects an innate human need to see around the next temporal corner. Of course, occasionally one of them gets it right, which reinforces the idea that humans really can see what lies ahead. But, as we say, even a blind squirrel digs up a chestnut now and then.

Ever since our ancestors acquired the ability to think ahead, we've been making prophecies about the future. And, undoubtedly, accurate forecasting can provide an edge in the struggle for survival.

When humans were nomadic hunter-gatherers, some learned to read the sky, affording better guesses about coming weather. Others watched the habits and growth patterns of animals and plants, allowing them to exercise more influence over their surroundings and food sources.

But today in the personal realm, the need to predict often becomes dysfunctional rather than helpful. It can prevent us from enjoying the present moment and can morph into chronic worry and life-consuming obsessions.

"What will happen next?" can take over one's mental and interpersonal life. We stop observing the here-and-now and fantasize forward, conjuring all sorts of dangers and dire consequences.

Again, occasionally, one of these ominous predictions comes to pass, reinforcing the theory that we can see into our personal futures and, therefore, act to steer clear of what we fear and toward what we desire. Shrinks call this "intermittent reinforcement," and it's what keeps people gambling (another predictive activity) despite their losses.

For whatever reason, if we get it right every so often, this encourages us to keep engaging in that same behavior over and over, even though it fails the vast majority of the time. This same effect occurs when we witness other people occasionally making accurate predictions. We tend to dismiss their many failures in this regard and instead focus on that one time they got it right.

On a more positive note, the desire to predict can sometimes work in one's favor. When we pursue a personal ambition, in whatever form, we often forecast that doing so will bring us a better future. A positive prediction, then, can become a source of motivation and focus.

But, most of the time, predictions are lies we tell ourselves. They can be useful lies that encourage us to pursue our dreams or avoid too risky a course of action, or they can be harmful ones that freeze us with fear or consume our mental space with obsessive worry.

So if your version of "What will happen next?" takes you to a negative place, you may want to learn mindfulness meditation or undergo a course of cognitive-behavioral therapy. Both can help us stay in the present and exercise greater control over our thoughts.

Because not only is tomorrow promised to no one, it is also impossible to foresee.

Philip Chard is a psychotherapist, author and trainer. Names used in this column are changed to honor client confidentiality. E-mail him at pschard@earthlink.net or visit http://www.philipchard.com/.

     Discussion centered around the certainty of trying to determine what our future is. But these concerns and worries can be very negative and obsessive, then one might try Cognitive Behavior Therapy or meditation to concentrate on the here and now and avoid the fear and negativity. But if some positive predicting does occur, it may on occasion be right and then it might be a source of motivation and intentional behavior. In other words it might help us reach positive goals. Some discussion then followed about therapy and its costs. Todd said that if dollars are spent for 50 minute sessions of talk therapy, studies have shown that sum dollars spent for all medical care go down.
    There was also some discussion of PTSD which is an example of very negative thinking causing harm. In Iraq 23% of PTSD was in women, 3% in men.
     Todd recommended some further reading: Mary Ann Williamson has written many books about elements of the Course in Miracles. Gerald Jampolsky has written and spoken about attitudinal healing where bad things happen to us because of our attitudes. It is possible to develop a habit of positive attitudes and such attitudes help us in our daily living and increase the predictability of a positive life.