This site emphasizes two aspects of psychological well-being: perspective and perception. Our point of view towards ourselves, others, and life in general relates to perspective. The other, perception, is how we judge and categorize what we experience including our feelings and sensations. In psychological terms, perception is how we filter our reality through our mind or schema. Both affect attitude and behavior, our sense of well-being, and how we assess our quality of life.
Relinquishing our beliefs or altering our mindset or schema may be considered as a three-part process. One part is associated with insight, another with emotional catharsis or release, and the third, integration, is associated with and initiated as a consequence of experiencing the other two. In psychoanalytic terms, integration is sometimes referred to as ‘working through’. Upon completion, the process results in a another way of looking at things and feeling about ourselves and others. In psychoanalytic terms, working through involves more than assimilation, it involves a process referred to as accommodation.
Essentially, the three-part process is a path towards attitudinal and behavioral changes that lead to our ‘showing up’ to self and others differently. Integration is an arduous task that requires intentionality and persistence to stay the course. Emotional catharsis can motivate us in a direction derived from our self-insight. Both catharsis and insight empower us to begin the course. However, to ‘work through’ requires that we are vigilant to the journey and diligent in our actions in order to realize a ‘new normal’.
Vigilance can be thought of as a form of mindfulness with intention. Vigilance is needed to keep one from slipping into old patterns of thinking and behaving. Diligence is required in daily relating to others and routine tasks to ground our decided intention. The ‘decision maker’, the part of our mind that perceives choice, specifically moral choices, requires both. It continually needs to decide/choose to align and/or realign intention towards a ‘new normal’ and a new way of ‘showing up’ to life experiences to stay the course.
| 50’s-early 60’s | mid60’s-early70s | 1978-1988 |
| Alternative – Contemplative | ||
Links to several paired ‘audial/visual videos and/or written material listed below are intended to stimulate one’s imagination and open the mind to other realms of possibility. The chosen links serve as a reminder of ‘something more’ to be sought after and experienced. Following the steps outlined below before and after viewing the suggested video will help you get the most out of the experience.
Pre-viewing
- Find a quiet comfortable place where you will not be interrupted. First, click on a video link and clear any advertisements and/or pop ups if possible before viewing. When video is set to begin hit the pause button;
- Start rhythmic breathing. Take slow, continuous inhalations and exhalations for a minute or two, or do a brief clearing of thoughts and feelings, if preferred
- After the clearing/centering, set an intention to be present to thoughts and feelings.
View the video as a witness to anything that comes up in your mind and feelings
- Notice if the viewing generates any ‘impulses’ to help keep you present and lost to the self.
- Stop the video immediately at the end of the viewing to prevent your browser from advancing to another video.
Post-viewing
- Be still, sit quietly, and gently breathe for about a minute
- Notice any thoughts or feelings that came up during the viewing
- Journal insights, reactions, etc. for at least 5 minutes
- Read/review the comments section below the video – This will help validate your feelings and help you know you are not alone. We can gain insight into another’s perception and perspective, which can shine light on ours.
Note: Repeat the process with other viewings, maintaining a period of at least 5 minutes to rest and ‘reset’ emotions and thoughts between viewings.