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Ayn Rand - Atlas Shrugged

Notes and reflections. - log notes about the book on phone to here Hard work and intelligence making itself evident across the face of the earth, the world is what we make of it. Unbreached rationality is the only way to ethically live your life. On an action for life or actions for death spectrum, irrationality brings you closer to that which you do not like, or do not want (death). More specifically, the death of living. This may not be death in itself, but it would merely be surviving instead of living. Rationality hopes to bring us closer to thriving in life, and having effects on those around us that are positive, and more closely aligned with what we value in the world.  - listen to interview saved on YouTube - log quotes that are on phone and comment on them "But do you know that it works in exactly the same way as what you did at your trial? If you want to defeat any kind of vicious fraud - comply with it literally, adding nothing of your own to disguise its nature."

Jung - The Aims of Psychotherapy

The Aims of Psychotherapy "If we were to exclude [Freud's] opinions as simply wrong and worthless... we should be doing violence to our own empirical material. The wide approval of which greeted Freud's explanation of the neuroses in terms of sexual causation, and his view that the happenings in the psyche turn essentially upon infantile pleasure and its satisfaction, should be instructive to the psychologist. It shows him that this manner of thinking and feeling coincides with a relatively widespread tendency or spiritual current which, quite apart from Freud's theory, has appeared in other places, in other circumstances, in various minds and in different forms. I should call it a manisfestation of the collective psyche." (page 57) "It is undeniable that a great many people find satisfaction in explaining their troubles in terms of an urge to power arising from a sense of inferiority." (page 57) "It would be an unpardonable error to overlook the el

Jung - Problems of Modern Psychotherapy

This is the second chapter from Modern Man in Search of a Soul. I aim to summarise and quote parts of this chapter to better comprehend how Jung thought, and ideas that may be applicable in my current and future practice.  As of the time of publication, Jung broke down the psychotherapy into three different disciplines:  "Freud... psychoanalysis" "Adler... individual psychology" "my own approach [Jung]... analytical psychology" (page 29) As for Jung's analytical psychology, he broke this approach down into four stages: confession, explanation, education and transformation.  Confession Jung spoke of this first stage of analytical psychology and its similarity to confession within religious institutions, despite having no causal connection. The common psychic root that joins religious confession and the initial stages of analytical psychology is described: "Anything that is concealed is a secret. The maintenance of secrets acts like a psychic poison

Jung - Dream-Analysis in its Practical Application

This is a piece of reflective writing to better comprehend how Jung thought, what ideas I should be aware of and what may be important for me to consider in my current interactions and future practice, be it counselling or psychotherapy. This collection of short essays will include many quotes from the book, Modern Man in Search of a Soul. Dream-Analysis in its Practical Application I have read the Interpretation of Dreams by Freud and have gained some insight into the importance of dreams in the attempt to better understand ourselves and be able to assist others. Many parts within this book were a slog to read and felt difficult to find useful to the understanding of dream interpretation for a few reasons: as the interpretations were based upon Freud's particular experiences with such patients, it was difficult to complete the task of understanding how he may have made such links without these first hand experiences. Additionally, the time in which this book had been set made it d

Recollections: SAPO

17/01/2023 On the 28th of July, 2022, I had my first Sapo ceremony and my third and final Ayahuasca ceremony.  Recollections prior to listening to google photo videos and reading diary from that time.  Louis asked me what impact taking 5-MEO-DMT had on me now. I think it helped me to "look on the bright side of life". Thinking about fear of death, but now thinking about death with less fear. I think it helped to reinforce stoic beliefs and an acceptance approach to death. I will die at some point, in 60 years, maybe longer, maybe in a few days, or later today. This uncertainty and lack of guarantee remind me to be present now. Yes, I would like to be with Sky, maybe be in the Sun on a summer's day, not have to go to work, etc. but accepting that I have to do some things can let me be present as opposed to wishing I was somewhere else. Being present with what you have can make regularities more novel. People watching, cars, cloud gazing, riding a bike, being able to sit in

I've made it

11/01/2023  I've made it.  My 23rd birthday has recently passed and I was able to spend a lovely five nights away on the North Coast in Berriedale, Scotland. A cottage, with a three-minute walk along and over the river to get to the pebbly beach. My birthday happened as follows: I'm walking down to the beach with my fiancĂ©, passing the gushing river to my left and a few old stone houses to my right. Open the gate. Close the gate behind me. Passing a few houses and their small gardens we get to the start of the footbridge leading across the river onto the beach. Two people at a time, no jumping, no loitering. Starting across the bridge I am attempting to slide my feet across the bridge as opposed to lifting my feet and standing down again in an attempt to limit bounce. A little to the left, a little to the right and finally we make it. Despite it being the seventh time crossing the bridge, due to the unsteady nature of the bridge and warning signs prior to embarkment, I feel as