Christmas spirit lingering

I have been on a roll with family and friends. Aside from scheduled appointments and emergencies, I am on vacation for the rest of the week. I hope you all are enjoying yourselves. This is a time for reflection and finding pleasure in the things that are important to you. It is also a time to reach out for those who may be less fortunate. Next week I will be back in business, writing for you. Happy Holidays and best wishes for the New Year.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

I want to thank you for reading my blogs. As I mentioned before for those of you who have read my blogs for sometime, I am here because years ago before my private practice, I was informed at a seminar by a Communications Expert from Washington, that if we as therapists were not on the internet, we would be out of business in ten years. I took that seriously. In all my studies, business was never implemented. In a private practice, I have learned that to reach out to people, I needed to explore the business world. Hopefully, mental health will be covered by OHIP one day soon. That is my wish. There is still a stigma regarding getting help and there should not be. Mental health is just as important as physical health. A person's entire self needs to be taken care of. If you can not afford care, there are many charity organizations that do help according to your affordability. A psychiatrist is also at no cost, since she or he is a medical doctor with three years of psychology (at my last count). I wish you a wonderful season full of joy and peace. There is a lot of bad news internationally this season, but I am also mindful of how that only unites us globally. Be kind to someone this season and I do hope you find joy in this amazing world. Merry Christmas Silva

Silva Redigonda, Registered Psychotherapist/Registered Marriage and Family Therapist plus: A Christmas Tale (published)

Silva Redigonda, Registered Psychotherapist/Registered Marriage and Family Therapist plus: A Christmas Tale (published): I found myself standing alone, as the snow fell gently, Creating a pure white blanket on the asphalt, I was standing on. Looking at the Chr...

THE CLASSICAL AND MODERN WORLD VIEWS - Theology (one of my papers )

THE CLASSICAL AND MODERN WORLD VIEWS The classical world view is a view that is cosmic centered and static. The modern world is dynamic. There is a foundational shift from one world view to another. This paper will provide the world view of the Classical and Modern world and explain why there is a shift from one to another. What will also be explained is how these worlds are present in my image of God, spirituality, prayer, theology, ministry and in my ways of living, feeling and interpretation. Static World vs Dynamic If a juggler has three balls it is important that they are each of equivalent weight. If not, the balance is affected and the balls fall. Think of three balls as one being the world, one being God, and the other being humanity. In theology one may understand our evolving state by utilizing this concept. We live in a developing universe. There was a time of nature gods, there was a mythology, but not a history and therefore a divine purpose could not be declared. By the time Christianity appeared, the Roman world would have been entirely familiar with the thought that the universe might have gradually come to be as it is. The biblical writers showed little if any interest in a causal explanation of natural process. The Greeks however were fascinated by it. Greek natural science attained its height with Aristotle. He created whole fields such as physics, theoretical astronomy, logic and biology. Aristotle foreshadowed evolution, "we should venture on the study of every kind of animal without distaste, for each and all will reveal to us something natural…Nature's works exemplify…the conduciveness of everything to an end, and the resultant end of Nature's generations is a form of the beautiful." (McMullin, p22) St Augustine (5th century) stated that if there is a conflict between a literal reading of Scripture and a well-established truth about nature, this is sufficient reason to take the scriptural passage metaphorically. There cannot be a contradiction between nature and Scripture since God speaks to both. In the mid 1200s, the natural science taught in universities, including theology students, was that of Aristotle (McMullin, p 27). Aristotelian cosmology and Christian theology were merged to form the medieval picture of the universe. Earth was the fixed central sphere surrounded by the spheres of the heavens. Man was unique and central in location and importance. This view would soon be challenged by science. Galileo (1564-1642) combined mathematical reasoning and experimental observation. Galileo formulated a new picture of nature, that as nature in motion. Galileo called mass and velocity, primary qualities. Galileo was a devout Catholic and found no conflict between his scientific and religious beliefs. He upheld the importance of scripture but claimed that it reveals not scientific facts but spiritual knowledge for man's salvation, truths that are above reason and could not be discovered by observation. Galileo put nature and scripture on the same level as avenues of God (Barbour, pp 23-30). In the year 1616, the Holy Office declared that the sun is the center of the universe, and consequently does not change place and that the earth is not the center of the universe and is not motionless, but is in motion as a whole and its daily rotation. We know with absolute physical certainty, that the stellar universe is not centred on the earth, and that terrestrial life is not centred on mankind Newton (1642-1727) invented calculus but he was also an ingenious experimenter in mechanics and optics. Newton's law of motion and gravity, a novel insight, was the idea that the earth's gravitational pull might extend to the moon. Newton believed and found time for God and the human spirit (Barbour, pp 34-37). The eighteenth century saw itself as the Age of Reason (Barbour, p57). Charles Darwin and the Church Darwin spent twenty-five years studying in detail the breeding of domestic animals, such as dogs where new breeds would be produced that never existed before from greyhound, to St. Bernard to Chihuahua. Here was evolution with human choice replacing natural survival. Darwin studied problems as diverse as hybridization of plants, comparative structure of embryos and the geographical distribution of animal and plant forms, both living and extinct. The range and magnitude of information he brought into correlation with his theory is staggering. After all this research, he published Origin of Species in 1859 (Barbour,p 86). By the close of the century, the fact of evolution was accepted by virtually all scientists, and by the vast majority of theologians. In 1951, an address of Pope Pius X11 cited with approval the views of several astronomers that the universe had a beginning in time. In general, it is maintained that the creation of both the universe and the first man and woman were historical events, but that the biblical portrayal of these events is figurative (Barbour p 374). The shift from the Classical World to the Modern World was altered by science. The weight of the juggling balls required to be balanced. What was once considered a static world where angels held the earth in place shifted because science provided a new reality that could not be dismissed. This view eventually was accepted by the Catholic Church, thus altering the theology of the Church. Our world is dynamic and evolving. This shift is also seen as a shift from God-centered to man-centered. I believe that world views is a transcendence, a process, that of evolving towards God. This is achieved by keeping the juggling of the balls balanced. The classical and Modern World views are present in my image of God, spirituality, prayer, theology, ministry and the way I live feel and interpret. Spirituality My view of God is not of an old man with a cane often projected by the Classical world which continues to persist. I believe that God is beyond my comprehension. God is neither man nor woman but so much more. God is all good which I sense in the beauty of creation and in my relationship with God. I do not fear God, as is common and was promoted in the Classical World. I cannot fear goodness. I certainly cannot fear anyone or anything close to my heart. However, I do fear evil. I believe that God is everywhere. In the Classical world it was common to believe that God dwelled in the heavens and demons were beneath the earth. I believe that demons are very much a part of our lives. I see this by living in the modern world. The classical World cannot be dismissed. Jesus came to us in the Classical world. Jesus came to us as God and teacher preparing us for future world-views. I also recognize evil transcending into the modern world. Spirituality requires careful examination. What is ethical in Modern society? Was it more ethical in the Classical world? Was it more spiritual? I say naught. Can ethics be separated from spirituality and prayer in our way of living, feeling and interpretation? Can it be separated from our ministry? Again I say no. Christian Spirituality and Theological Ethics defines ethics as “the critical of morality, namely, the direct, lived experience of human values and obligations. Ethics stands to morality as theology stands to spirituality, the lived experience of faith.” During the evening news, I watched in amazement as “500 tons of oranges” were being used in a “massive orange fight” [playful] for a medieval re-enactment of a revolt against a local tyrant in northern Italy. My thoughts went to the people of Haiti who had suffered so much from an earthquake and where there was an outpouring of love with support of medical care, food, and money to rebuild their country. My thoughts continued to sweep across the poor in Canada and the poor in the States and the poor in the rest of the world. I thought of the millions of people, more often women and sadly children who die from malnutrition and starvation. I saw all this as I viewed the vivid, colorful, images of hundreds of crates of oranges to be used in a mock fight. My spirit cried. This is the culture of our modern world. There is a shift arising because this tears at the hearts of men and women. A balance of the balls is required. Berry professes that “the first thing we must begin to teach our children (and learn ourselves) is that we cannot spend and consume endlessly. We have to save and conserve….An economy based on waste is inherently and hopelessly violent…” Where is compassion? “Compassion…helps us recognize what the suffering need and inclines us to meet that need.”(Spohn, p 275). Poverty was prevalent in the Classical World but now there is an expectation, that we should know better. Technology permits us to view the world from our living rooms. The ease of travel permits us to live among others and return home at a moment’s notice. Then why are we not balanced? Spohn states that” …emotions can be educated. They are not blind instinctual reactions but learned behaviors” (Spohn, p 277). Therefore, in my spirituality, when I viewed the news and felt the emotions I was feeling, others may not, since they have learned differently from myself. This is also encouraging because it reveals that there is hope for the future through learning. Pope John Paul II visualized a renewal of conscience, “…in the last few decades some consoling signs of a reawakening of conscience have appeared: both among intellectuals and in public opinion itself.” This is also the stirrings of another shift to come for humanity. Berry states that “we accept uncritically the belief that technology is only good; that it cannot serve evil as well as good; that it cannot serve our enemies as well as ourselves; that it cannot be used to destroy what is good, including our homelands and our lives.”(Berry, p 1). Life seems to offer polar extremes. There is good and there is evil. There is positive and there is negative. There is light and there is night. There is life and there is death. There is God and there is Satan. Some like to choose a particular extreme. Other’s like to look at both sides and still others pick a point in the middle. “There is no need to seek Truth; only stop having views…The ultimate truth about both Extremes is that they are One Emptiness..Whether we see it or fail to see it, it is manifest always and everywhere… Prayer I consider prayer powerful. For me prayer is a blanket which provides me with warmth and protection from cold and evil. Prayer connects me directly to God. Prayer engulfs me with grace. Prayer does this for me and so much more. Prayer is my protection. Jesus taught us prayer and Jesus taught us forgiveness. Prayer is being removed from our schools and government. Spohn speaks of prayer which is my prayer, “when rightly done, liturgical prayer has significant moral consequences…Expressed in prayer and interpreted through preaching, ritual should help the congregation realize what God is empowering and requiring them to become. The complex affections shaped by Holy week ought to leave believers to take a definite moral stance toward their own culture and world ” (Spohn, p 280). This is another example of world views transcending into our modern time. The key words “when rightly done” is important because such harm can be harvested when it is not done right. Fundamentalists waving their bibles quoting the bible verbatim regarding hate can be used as an example. My spiritual director, as well as my studies have convinced me that reading the bible literally can be quite destructive. Interpretation through preaching is imperative in how we interpret the bible as we relate to others. And how is the community being effected by religion? “An estimated 20 % of adult Americans pursue spiritual experiences apart from organized religion…When, (however) spiritual pursuits are extracted from a community context of interpretation, they can easily become superficial or distorted” (Spohn, p281). This superficialness and distortion may also arise from religions which causes a person to seek spirituality elsewhere. What is positive is that there is a revival of spirituality and I argue that the spirituality renewal is a search for God in a quest for balance, another shift in perceptions and another world view. “In every era, Christian spiritualities mediate between religious tradition and the needs and challenges of a particular society” (Spohn, p 283) Ministry In my ministry I want to be a non-judgmental presence for people who come to me for counseling. People have come to me unhappy, discouraged, frustrated and confused about their relationship with others. Most need only to have their stories told in a safe, controlled environment. All have needed their feelings to be validated. I am preparing for my ministry which is a continuous transformation. I am in a position where I can take the time to study, think, read and pray. I have the opportunity to pause. I have choices as we all do to sink into a world of negativity or to look at the options and do something good even if it is a small step. In our modern world most must focus on so many things in urban society that the self is lost in the process. But I also believe that we are living in an amazing time with endless opportunities. Of course we are also living in a dangerous time. Wars kill more people, exploiting our planet has caused global warming, our rainforests are recklessly being stripped robbing us of medicinal opportunities. We are as a people in trouble. Regardless of our scientific discoveries that continue to expand along with our technical and medical knowledge, we are still allowing people to starve in major portions of the world while we exploit our world in others. Hopefully we can continue to evolve intellectually as well as spiritually without destroying each other or our planet with our tampering. There is an end for all of us including our universe. As Catholics we should take our faith seriously, try to do something good for others and our world, even if it is in a small way. We need to understand the changes we are introduced to in science, economics and politics because we need to understand our faith in the context of a changing world. We need to maintain the balance of the three balls, of humanity, God and the world. We depend on our Catholic leaders to educate us, to enlighten us and to help us with our faith. We depend on our leaders to help us to help others. We depend on our leaders to guide us, nurture us and to help us understand God in our changing world. In June 1988, in a message to a group of scientists and theologians, Pope John Paul 11 urged scientists and theologians to come to understand each other for their mutual benefit. Pope John Paul said, "Science can purify religion from error and superstition. Religion can purify science from idolatry and false absolutes."(Korsmeyer, p20) Bibliography Barbour, Ian G. Issues in Science and Religion. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1966. CTV news, Toronto, Ont. 1800 hrs. 15 Feb 2010. Korsmeyer, Jerry. Evolution and Eden. New York: Paulist, 1998. Spohn, William. Ed. Holder, Arthur. The Blackwell Companion to Christian Spirituality. “Christian Spirituality and Theological Ethics”, Massachusetts: Black, 2005. McMullin, Ernan. Ed. Evolution and Creation. Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, 1985. Novak, Philip. The World's Wisdom. New York: HarperCollins, 1994. Teilhard de Chardin. Christianity and Evolution. New York: Harcourt Brace Jamanovich, Inc. 1971. Vatican Translation. Letter To Families From John Paul 11. Sherbrooke: Paulines, 1994. Wildiers, N.M. The Theologian And His Universe. New York: Seabury, 1982. Windell, Berry. “Thoughts in the Presence of Fear.” Orion, Autumn 2001, www.orionmagazine.org/index.php/articles/article/214.

Thank you, USA

It appears an American in the West Coast, read a Canadian blog regarding a teen who was going to go to a local high school and hurt people. The American called the Police and reported it. Subsequently, the police traced the blog back to the computer at the high school and the teen was arrested and Oakwood Collegiate was spared of suffering. I want to thank you. The States is our closest neighbour and friend. I was listening to the Vice President speak so wonderfully at the Ottawa dinner (on the news). He said that the States is like a big brother to us. I agree. I have always felt a kinship to the States. I grew up loving American televison and tolerating Canadian television and avoiding English all together. I remember a time when kids knew who the president was and assumed he was the prime minister. Television has improved and now I like Canadian television as well. I am still stuggling with the Brits, though I like, "Murder in Paradise." So thank you America for looking out for us. There was also a fire in the Niagara falls area and apparently the Americans saw it and were first to arrive. I believe they were on the river. I found it amusing that Americans could respond prior to the Canadians. However, we are friends as well as neighbours, so thank you.

Suicide

Well I finished a two day workshop of sorts for suicide prevention, intervention and post- vention strategies. I have had my fair exposure to suicide prior to even being a therapist and mostly having to do with work. I became a therapist because I wanted to understand human behaviour and I now do, but it does not mean that I don’t get mad. Every year when I go to confession, it is the same. I have no patience. I like to go to someone I know, so it is quick, and easy (painless). That does not mean that I do not try to be more patient. That means, I like my own style of confession. For the last few months I have been attending every conference, seminar, workshop that I have been invited to. I have also taken two outside my own disciplines for 4 days, as well as attending many more several hour information sessions regarding elder abuse, fraud etc…….Knowledge is important to me. If I could find a part time PHD level to enter right now, I would. I do not believe in wasting time getting more than one BA or MA when I can advance to the next level and the next level is a PHD or equivalent. I have been dealing with the topic of suicide more so since starting my practice. I did learn on this two day course, but I also knew most of it. However, I also learn from everyone else and that is why I love actually going to school. I have taken only two courses on the internet, one being an elective in undergrad. Whenever I needed a break from psychology I would take an English course. That would clear my head. I still love to read and write for fun and I must admit, I contemplate retiring again and just writing books. However, I take a long time to make important decisions, weighing all my options. I have two passions. I love to help people and have been doing so in all my careers and I love to write stories. I have still to finish my third book which is annoying but I think the next ones after that will be about therapy and one about theology or pastoral. I have lots of ideas to write but for somethings like this third book, I just need to be left alone for two weeks to bring all my plots together and that is not possible right now. However, I will make it a priority as soon as I catch up, once again. Don’t get me wrong. Self care for me is a priority and I ensure I have lots of fun in my life and do things I like with people I like. I suggest you make that a priority too. You cannot help others, if you cannot care for yourself. Now for some tidbits from my manual, Suicide Prevention, Intervention & Postventions Strategies, 2015. P 5. Approximately one million people kill themselves worldwide each year = one suicide every 40 seconds. It is presumed that this is much higher because “in most countries many suicide death statistics are hidden in undetermined injury reports.” In Canada, my beautiful country, about 3,700 people commit suicide annually, approximately 10 people a day. In some psychology courses I have learned that in Canada, though more women try to kill themselves, elderly men are the highest among anyone to commit suicide. I may have written about that in earlier blogs or some are yet to come. I can’t retire until all my notes are out there as well as a few therapy books of one kind or other. The college likes that kind of stuff. Looks like I should be teaching too. They like that kind of stuff too. I actually like teaching - on my to do. I think it is important to reach out to the average person. That’s enough about the two day session course. Now I would like to talk to those of you who want or are thinking of committing suicide. Please don’t do it. You may think no one cares but I see so many people out there volunteering at crises centres, starting various charities etc…because they care about regular people just like you. There are those on the internet who have encouraged young people to commit suicide and that is where I have a problem with patience, because that really gets me mad. December is a wonderful time for many. It is my favourite holiday. I say Merry Christmas to everyone unless I know that someone hates Christmas or finds it offensive. I embrace all religions and if I know that there is a festive season for another, I will wish them a good or happy this or that as it pertains to them, because quite frankly if there is a reason to celebrate, I celebrate. I really love Christmas and this is the time of the year that I make time for everyone in my life, I may have been neglecting because of one thing or another. But as much as I realize how much I love Christmas and what it means to me, I know that there are others who are so sad and feeling hopeless at this time of the year. I cannot fathom how much sadness some people experience but I can empathize. In my previous working life while in a car or walking, I always talked to people and always found a teen or two who was suffering. It is amazing how effective being there for someone is. Normally I would recommend they talk to a professional and some tried but they didn’t like the therapist, or felt that the therapist was only learning etc….. If you are one of those people needing help and felt it did not help you in the past, don’t give up. In almost every community there are charity organizations to help you, if you cannot afford to pay for it. First and foremost I recommend a person who is actually qualified to help you. I am amazed at how many people provide psychotherapy and are not qualified to do so and I am dancing circles that it will be controlled, at least here in Ontario. In Ontario you must have at least a Masters, and belong to a college. Masters is the bare minimum, not including all the additional schooling within the field of choice and endless practimums (my opinion). A psychiatrist is a medical doctor with about 3 years of psychology. Then there are psychologists, social workers and now Registered Psychotherapists. The person you should be seeing must belong to a college for the work that they do. There is a certain amount of education, ethics and various criteria to remain. Education is a constant. There are people out there making lots of money for something they are not qualified to do. Be careful. Check them out. Take a look at their certificate and look up the college and find their name. If the person states that they belong to the college and do not, feel free to report them. This made me mad in undergrad to learn that anyone could hang up a shingle and say they were a therapist. Those days are slowly coming to an end and now they either have to go back to school or stop. My question is why not want to be qualified for what you do? Can you imagine a medical doctor practising without credentials? I am sure that has happened? Would you accept, “Well I have been doing it for 20 years.” Dahhhhh!!!??? In the old days, if you had therapy yourself, apparently you could have provided it yourself. I had to shake my head, when I heard that. So, please see someone who is qualified to help you. Even if the person is qualified, but there is a lack of comfort with the person, see someone else. When my wonderful physician retired, I went to interview about three before I found someone I liked going to. Now they thought they were interviewing me, but it works both ways. No therapist should have a problem with you leaving them, if they are not a good fit, for you. I would prefer anyone not feeling comfortable with me, to just keep going to someone else until they find that someone they consider a good fit for them. There are many support groups and crises lines available. You can look it up on line, in the phone book, at a community resource etc…….Be careful with who you meet on line. You do not know who they are. Too many hide behind false images. Don’t be impressed by what these people tell you. They may be predators. I do not believe in lost causes. I believe that anyone no matter what they have suffered can re-discover a purpose to live again. Sometimes, you can be so consumed with hopelessness, and you become so immersed, that you cannot find a hand that may be reaching out to you. If you are a student who is failing or you are not getting the mark you want, regardless of your culture, there can still be a wonderful productive way of growth. If you are suffering any kind of abuse, report it and if that person does not help you, go to someone else. Pick up the phone, tell a trusted friend. No one has the right to make you feel less than you are and no one is better than you. They make think it, but really, that is their problem, and do not let it become yours. Teachers, do not allow bullying at school for any reason. I must admit that I am stunned that it still happens. Children and teens need to be protected. If you are victimized by anyone, either physically, emotionally, sexually etc…report it and get help. Don’t fall for it being your fault or that your family will be killed. Regardless, of what you may be told of the police, they can help you. If you are in an abusive relationship and want out, begin an escape plan. There are shelters and resources to help you. Why not take some time this Christmas season to look at your life and decide for yourself that you do deserve better, even if you feel from having had a horrible life and being convinced of the opposite. No parent owns you. They are liable. Please take that one step to get help and take it as slow as you need to. Life is so precious and we can do so much. Why not take your own stand today. Now, close your eyes and take yourself somewhere that makes you happy. What do you hear, feel and with your eyes closed what do you see? Take a few moments to be aware of your breathing. Breathe in through your nose and get all that awfulness within you out through your mouth. Breathe in deeply via your nose and exhale completely through your mouth. When you are ready, bathe yourself in peacefulness and then take a moment to think about what you really want in life. You can find a way to it, if you want. It may not be easy but it is possible. What do you think?