Advancing Psychological Education for All
The dreams of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America, who united the Thirteen Colonies in the 18th century, may have died or have at least become shaded in the 21st century. Nothing nettles America more than the hordes of diverse people whom she cannot exclude from her land. The new multitudes are … Continue reading
One hundred and twenty-two years ago the Victorian period officially ended along with the reign of England’s Queen Victoria. What is termed Victorian is really a series of architectural styles, most of them imitative of earlier periods from Europe and Great Britain. Though the United States of America was seeking its identity, culturally, politically, socially, … Continue reading
The sadomasochistic splitting of power has the characteristics of all symptomatic behavior: it is literally destructive, and it involves a polarization in which one side of the split is apparent, while the other is hidden. People who turn to violence are visibly controlling; what is less obvious are their weakness and feelings of powerlessness. On … Continue reading
From ancient times, people have looked for positive guidance from the spirit World. However, they believed demons caused most of the World’s problems. Demons were said to cause comets, volcanic eruptions, and eclipses. Some people believed demons were the reason for illness, while others believed that demons possessed great powers of healing. For instance, pilgrimages … Continue reading
Spirituality does not arrive fully formed without effort. If our spirituality is like plastic esophagus, then we are starving ourselves, not fasting in a sense. Depictions of violence often glamorize vicious behavior. They offend the Spirit and make you less able to respond to others in a sensitive, caring way. They contradict the Savior’s message … Continue reading
The soul apparently needs amorous sadness. It is a form of consciousness that brings its own unique wisdom. Criminal homicide is the culmination of an intense interchange between an offender and victim. Transactions resulting in murder involved the joint contribution of the offender and victim to the escalation of a “character contest,” a confrontation in … Continue reading
There is a near universal agreement that violent messages permeate nearly every aspect of social life in this country, as we live in a society that implicitly and/or explicitly exposes individuals to heavy doses of violent imagery and ideals. Our movies, TV news, and television programs are mostly hyperviolent. Our sporting events and other leisure … Continue reading
The Winchester Mansion is one of the most beautiful homes in the World. The complexity, workmanship, and precision of the structure shows that this architect had planning and building skills far beyond what had formerly been attributed to the Victorian Era. The Winchester Mansion is surrounded by a pleasant grove of all and stately trees. … Continue reading
Creativity finds its soul when it embraces its shadow. The artist’s block, for instance, is a well-know part of the creative process: inspiration stops and the writer is faced with an intractable empty page. Many souls today must have evaporated, leaving emptiness to take over. If we could see how our blank spots have eroded … Continue reading
In the cybernetic age, the individual becomes increasingly subject to manipulation. His work, his consumption, and his leisure are manipulated by advertising, by ideologies, by what Dr. Skinner calls “positive reinforcements.” The individual loses his active, responsible role in the social process; he becomes completely “adjusted” and learns that the behavior, act, thought, or feeling … Continue reading
A mental disorder has been taking place, reflecting not only individual psychological strain but also the broader social and environmental forces that shape mental health.…
People often assume that sharing a physical environment means sharing a psychological or social reality. Yet this is one of the great illusions of modern…
Surely it could not be alive in there. And yet something stirred — not with the vulgar animation of breath, but with the slow, drifting…
“When the spirit resigns itself to sorrow, it is not the world that conquers us, but we who abandon the field.” What we are describing…
Randolph Harris II International Institute 