How does your Saturday night compare to mine in Toronto?

     There is a lot of controversy lately about violence in Toronto.  Many people who complain about Toronto don’t even live here though they like to associate themselves as doing so when living in nearby towns.  Maybe they work here and disappear into their neck of the woods?  Maybe they left 30 years ago when Toronto was a different city and they still like to complain about it, not really knowing it. 

     There are individual, charismatic neighborhoods, and some can seem quite serene especially during the day when people are working and kids are at camp.  It can be very quiet.  However, in every city there is a variety.

     Yesterday morning I went to visit someone in the cemetery.  It was 0830 in the morning and already the cemetery was busy with people walking, visiting their loved ones and jogging.  I parked my car in this Western European neighborhood and people nodded at me and greeted me in their native tongues.  I though how nice this is.  People can be very friendly in the city which I don’t always see in the towns especially if you say you are from Toronto.  How ironic.

     Then last night I left my home at 5pm to be at a favorite annual party at 6pm.  What I like about Roy’s house is that he lives on the waterfront and I can just sit and stare out at Lake Ontario and bask under the stars. 

     As soon as I drove from home in plenty of time to find parking at my destination, one of my neighbors flagged me down.  She had found a distressed dog and wanted my help because she was going to a party.  Hers was in our neighborhood.  It took an hour for both us to have another neighbor stay with the dog while animal rescue would complete their shift change and come to the little dog’s aid.  The dog had a plate of food and water and after we made sure the little dog was safe, we both left to our respective parties. I stopped when I saw a small group of people nearby and asked if they were missing a dog.  One well dressed man asked if the dog was worth something.  I just ignored him and drove away not impressed.   I was driving downtown when the driver of  a paint truck cut me off.  He had pulled out of a driveway and proceeded into my inner lane almost colliding with my car.  He felt that because he had signaled, it gave him the right to cut me off and insisted that I reverse my car so he could continue.  I decided otherwise and so he called me a f------bitch.  The traffic was blocked but I managed to drive around him and continued on my way.  I realized I did not have gas and so used up most of my money to fill my tank with the good stuff (as suggested by my mechanic).  When I was leaving, I had another driver this time in a taxi yell at me to move and then told me to shut the f--- up. 

     I ended up at the party surprised that there was an empty space just for me, across from the party.  I was only about an hour plus late so was presently surprised.  As soon as I mingled and found my spot at the edge of the lake, I was in heaven.  How I could write here, I dreamed.  A wave splashed my white outfit drenching me and bringing me back to reality.  Well my hair was safe and so was half of my torso. 

    I sold one of my books to a dear man at the party.  Another man approached me and bored me too tears, about complaints of an “ex ex” girlfriend who didn’t like to pay half when they dated.  He reminded me of Saturday night fever.  I think it was the way he dressed.  Men like him should really buy my book and read it.  But men like that think they know it all when it comes to women.  I was saved from further annoyance and boredom when I was informed that I should talk to the host about my car.  “It’s being towed” someone remarked playfully just to inform me she was joking.  My car had not been towed but someone had collided with it.   I left the party about an hour later wondering if I should have stayed home.  I thought of the beautiful moon, the stars and the playful waves of a clear lake and decided the pain of the evening was worth it just for the view and warmth of nature. Even my own pets cuddled closer than normal when I got home and did not complain about going out.

      My city has all kinds of people, some are really nice and maybe some are not so nice.  If I ever leave Toronto it won’t be to get out of what my city offers.  It will be to re-connect to the tranquillizing effects that nature offers in its relentless beauty and charm.

Integrative Thinking - cont....psych notes

Integrative thinking is the ability to summarize the main points of an event or story (see Labouvie et all 1982, p 247).  Older adults are able to do this to integrate a number of points into a whole or overall understanding of a situation and its' implications.  Integrative thinking is mature thinking.  It involves placing information into a context and understanding it in a light of what one knows (see Shafer 1980 Main 1987, p 247).  It makes for the ability of adults to weave myths and stories of social significance.  It is post- formal thought.

Post - formal thought beyond Piaget's four stages - It is thinking that is more complex and takes more factors into account.  It is the ability to deal with uncertainty, inconsistencies, contradiction, imperfection and compromise.

Post - formal thinking -  more than one point of view on a matter.  Where as immatured thinkers are polarized into one point of view and when angered blame others.  Mature thinkers are more flexible.  Polarized thinkers excel on problems where there is a definite answer.

Thought and Morale intelligence in Adulthood (psych notes)

   Organismic and Contextual Theories emphasize charting the qualitative changes - universal and individual - in thought and morale thinking.

A.  Intelligence:  Fluid intelligence or the ability to solve novel problems gradually diminishes with age.  However, crystallized intelligence - a product of learning and experience does not diminish (Hoyer and Rybash, 94).

1.  Chrystalized Knowledge involves organzing and integrating information into one's memory bank and accessing it effeciently.  Further, according to Encapsulation Theory, more and more of one's fluid thinking becomes dedicated to specific knowledge systems and the manipulation of the knowledge to solve new problems remains intact.

2.  The difference between experts and non experts is not one of absolute intelligence but information processing.  Adults refine and reorganize old knowledge where as children and young adults assimilate new knowledge.

3.  Encapsulation Theory - is consistant with Sternberg's notion of Tact Knowledge - increased competance in some areas and loss in others.  However, tacit knowledge makes problem solving automatic because it represents the application of accumulated knowledge of problems.

.........to be continued  

Who do I counsel, you ask?

One of the first questions I am ever asked is who do I counsel?  I normally respond everyone.  I have counselled children, women and men as well as couples and families.  I have never to date, turned anyone away.  It is obvious due to my own background that I have a special interest for counselling the military, veterans and police.  I understand the culture and therefore I believe I have more indepth understanding of where the person is coming from.  On the other hand, I have never suffered the abuse I have so often seen in my work and in counselling so am I contradicting myself?  I don't think so.  I believe I have had adequate education, training, and experience in helping people who have suffered abuse of any kind.  Understanding the religion, spirituality and concerns of the person seeking help and journeying with them to discover themselves in a particular process suited to the individual is very satisfying when I see the benefits of counselling.  However,  I can only help those who want to help themselves.  It is because of that I have come to realize that unless a person in couple therapy having an affair is not willing to let go the third party in a triangle, or an alcoholic coming to a session after consuming alcohol or a person who is taking drugs comes to a session 'high' I am not able to help that person.  So, I am willing to counsel a drug addict or alcoholic on the condition they are drug/alchohol free when they come to a session.  I will counsel everyone who really wants help.  How much value is there placed in counselling and psychotherapy?  How much value is there placed in the process of finding why there is something lacking in life?  Why not start today to examine your life and ask yourself is this where you want to be?  What do you think?   

BUDDHISM AND REINCARNATION

BUDDHISM AND REINCARNATION

By: Silva Redigonda

Buddhism and Reincarnation  

     Reincarnation is a concept beyond the understanding of many Christians who believe that there is only one life to live.  Buddhism is becoming popular in North American.  This paper will define reincarnation as it pertains to Buddhism and it will also be compared to reincarnation as viewed by Hinduism.  Reincarnation should be examined by the most skeptic since there are numerous recorded cases where knowledge of a previous life cannot be easily dismissed.  This too shall be depicted.

     Buddha said there is no soul.  Buddha used an image of a flame being passed from candle to candle to understand his concept of reincarnation. “There is a chain of causation threading each life to those that have led up to it and those that will follow...[1]  It is possible to stop this rebirth  of living different existences if one “wishes wholeheartedly to do so” (Smith, p 151).  If the person now has a comfortable life, this is a reward of goodness performed in the past and present life.  Those experiencing misery is a result of evil they have committed in previous existences or are committing in their present life.  The individual is totally responsible for the life he is experiencing.[2]   At any given time, a minority demonstrate the ability to escape the “wheel of life” by entering a state of nirvana (a positive meaning includes bliss, release from desire etc..A negative meaning includes a state of extinction and nothingness). The karma (The good and evil effect of one’s action which is carried along to the next rebirth) of most beings necessitate their rebirth in any of the numerous heavens or hells (Masumian, pp 51 and 54).

     Reincarnation did not begin with Buddhism, Hinduism which is considered one of oldest religious systems in the world believes in reincarnation (Ma’sumian, p 1).   However similar the two religions are, there are also differences involving the concepts of reincarnation.                    

     Buddhism is only concerned with personal eschatology as is Hinduism.  There is no  collective destiny for humanity as there is for Christianity.  The Hindu shares the belief of countless rebirths of humans in a spectrum of evil to goodness but unlike the Buddhist believes in the human soul (atman). Individual souls (jivas) enter the world mysteriously and make their way through the universe until they break free into the limitless atmosphere of illumination (liberation).  They begin as the souls of the simplest forms of life and do not vanish with the death of their original bodies (Smith, p 63). Hindus understanding of reincarnation also differs from that of Buddhism.  Hindu doctrine of rebirth is attributed to Karma which is the consequences of actions in previous lives.  However, the Buddhist maintains that rebirth is due to Tanha, “as long as the wish to be a separate self persisted, that wish would be granted (Smith, p 151).                        

     Reincarnation does not belong to Buddhism or Hinduism alone.  In a 1981 US gallup poll it was determined that in the general population 23 % believed in reincarnation.[3]  In a 2005 US gallup poll, 20 % of the population believed in reincarnation.[4]    Though there appears to be a decrease of belief, a margin of error is to be considered.  Regardless, there is no doubt that almost a quarter of the population believes in some form of reincarnation.  

     Children Who Remember Previous Lives  is a text based on a study, drawing on the information of more than 2, 500 cases children who appear to remember some type of past life.[5]

This ranges from phobias occurring in relation to a previous life ( Stevenson, p182) to the announcing of dreams in the selection of the next incarnation (Stevenson, p243) What is most baffling is the ability to speak a language not know to the youth (Stevenson, p 127).

     Reincarnation cannot be readily dismissed or confined to a particular religion.  Reincarnation may be a mystery for some but it does require attention.  I have had two professors at different times who I respected very much who were both Buddhists.  Though I have never had a client who experienced any type of reincarnation, as a student pastoral counselor and/or therapist I need to be open and prepared for the possibility.  Though I myself do not believe in reincarnation, I need to keep my mind open to the possibility.  There is much humanity does not understand.  Hinduism and Buddhism are both old and respected religions.  Their beliefs should not be taken lightly.  Religions seem to have some basis of mythological similarity.  How much do we know is a fact and not a myth?  Reincarnation is not confined to religion.  When children speak with knowledge that they cannot possibly know than one must take notice.  Life is a mystery and so is death and any afterlife.

---

[1] Smith, Huston.  The World Religions. 50^th Anniversary Edition.  Harper Collins: New York, 1991. P 115. Further reference to the text will be indicated by author and page number.

[2] Ma’Sumian, Farnaz. Life After Life. A Study Of The Afterlife In World Religions. Oneworld: Oxford. P 44.  Further reference to the text will be indicated by author’s name and page number.

[3] Cranston, Sylvia and William, Carey. Reincarnation.  A New Horizon In Science, religion and Society. Julian Press: New York. P 13.

[4] “Gallup New Service” GALLUP.  19 Feb 2010. Web www.gallup.com/poll/16915.

[5] Stevenson, Ian.  Children Who Remember Previous Lives.  A Question of Reincarnation.  McFarland and Co.: North Carolina, 2001.

Ethological view of intelligence (psych notes cont....

  More a theory of the biological basis of social behavior, ethology has offered certain views of intelligence:

a.  As an evolved form of adaptive behavior, the capacity to learn, to store, to utilize information has evolved because adaption to varied environments has been required.  The human species has been able to adapt to considerable variation in environmental demands and the intellectual qualities that have evolved have been passed onto future generations.  One kind of evidence has been the increase in brain size and brain organization across evolution.

b.  Although there are individual differences in intelligence, humans the world over do share certain commonalities in information processing.  This is supported by cross-cultural research for Piaget's stages of cognitive development that appear to be universal in nature and thus evolved within the species.

c.  Next, the ethological approach emphasizes the naturalistic study rather than psychometric study of intelligence.

Who are you???????

Why not look into the mirror and tell yourself what you see?  Do you think you are beautiful, ugly, skinny, fat, not lovable, very lovable?  How did you form these opinions?  Now look at the mirror again and smile.  Give yourself a great smile and love yourself today.  Make that effort.  What would you like to do just for yourself?  Will it hurt anyone, if you do it?  What can you do for yourself that will make you happy and not harm anyone?  Why not spend one day this week and do it?
      Now, let's go back to who you are?  Who are you really?  Have you changed from the happy person you used to be?  Why?  Are you being abused or are you the abuser?  Mental abuse is just as powerful as physical abuse.  But than you know this if you are the victim?  Survivor is the appropriate word but I still like to use victim because if you are in an abusive relationship, survival can have many connotations.  You are barely surviving perhaps?  I also like to use the term victim, because it is not your fault.  So many victims in horrible abuse think it is their fault because their abuser tells them so.  The abuser was perhaps abused him or herself and many times enjoys to inflict pain on those who cannot protect themselves such as a pet.  The abuser loves you passionately and showers you with gifts.  I had one person once tell me that no one has ever loved her with so much passion.  This was unrelated to my counselling but in another occupation where I was the protector.  I reminded her that this passionate man was the only man who had ever physically harmed her.  What happens to beautiful, intelligent women and men where they think they are being loved as they are being abused.  I have already talked about the "Honeymoon Effect" in abusive relationships so I will not re-iterate that again.  Look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself who you would like to be?  How can you get there?  Are you familiar with stalking laws and restraining orders?  Has he promised to hurt your pet, and family if you decide to leave?  This is all so common that it is almost laughable if it was not so serious.  Why not look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself who you want to be and take the baby steps to get there.  Do not isolate yourself.  There can be so much joy in surrounding yourself with people who love you, are free to be with you and who appreciate you for who you are.  Why not look at the mirror and find your voice?  Everyone in Canada is equal regardless of where you came from or how you were raised.  Why not take that first step of discovery to find yourself?  Who are you?  What do you think?      

Experimental Intelligence (psychology notes cont)

This deals with responses to novelty.  Thus one's intelligence is best understood on this dimension by tests and problems that are novel and new.  Further, one's responses to novelty does depend on automatic information processing - that is, the application of familiar strategies to familiar tasks.  Through automatic processing one is freed cognitively to attend to other more novel and unfamiliar tasks.

Gardner's Views - Intelligence is not a single quality but made up of several autonomous intelligencies.  Intelligence is more diverse and multifaceted than ordinary intelligence tests measure.  Eg, in the case of brain surgery, the fact that linguistic intelligence may be spared is evidence for a separate linguistic intelligence, or in the case of Savants whose remarkable ability yet show subnormal general intelligence, suggests a distinct math ability.  Gardner proposes at least seven distinct intelligences - linguistic, logical - mathematical musical, spatial, bodily - Kinesthetic, interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligences.    

Are you happy?

At times people tend to dwell in the past where something horrible happened to them and they get stuck.  It can be a horrifying experience, it can be complicated grief and it can be almost anything that has happened to you where you feel numb, anxious, sleeplessness, tired, and you just give up.
     What I am going to suggest today is take a look at yourself.  You may not fit in any of this, but you know that you are not happy.  Many times you may feel that if only you could find your soul mate all your problems will disappear.  You may feel that your mate is not fulfilling your needs, so you seek another, else where, living two lives.  You may feel isolated.  Where are you in this picture?  
     Can someone else fulfill you? 
     We cannot change other people as much as one may want to.  "He will change".  "I can make her change."
     Take a look at your life.  What is it like?  Is there anything you would like different about it?  How can you go about to change it? 
     I recommend that you start a journal.  Write what is happening in your life and how you feel about it every day for two weeks.  After two weeks, put it aside for one week and then go back and read what you wrote.  Do you feel different from when you wrote what you did?  Why?  Is there a theme?  Have you a deep sadness which is consistent?  Do you notice that you have different emotions which equate the different experiences?  Does it make sense to you?
     If you are noticing that something is wrong, why not go for a complete physical and see if it is due to something that may be changed with medication (such as hypothyroid or a chemical unbalance).  If you are physically healthy what is causing you to be emotionally distraught?  Maybe you know?  Maybe you think you know and it may not be that at all.  How do you find out?  Do you need professional help?  Are you ready for it?  Do you feel stigmatized by it?
     Life offers many options.  Some are in our control and some are not.  Are you in a satisfying relationship?  What can you do to help it?  Do you communicate well with your partner?  Do you need a positive change?  What do you think?   
    
        

Elements of Intelligence (psych notes cont....)

A. Componential Intelligence is analytic ability measured by most tests of intelligence.  Analysis of information involves encoding it, noting relations among items as well as monitoring and planning the cognitive strategies and acquiring new knowledge.

B.  Contexts of intelligence - this involves not only the internal manipulation of information but also taking into account the environments within which intelligent activity takes place.  It is the ability to size up a situation adapt to its demands and reshape it to suit one's requirements.  This involves adapting to the demands of the environment, or selecting the environment where intelligent activity will take place and shaping the environment to suit one's objectives.  What constitutes intelligent behavior may vary from one situation to another.