Lovely, thanks Bruce. I was into bioenergetics as well back in the day and enjoyed reading about Lowen. I can relate to the state you describe very well. I, too, want to bring more pleasure into my life now. I have my ways of enjoying life and experiencing pleasure on my own, but would like to find a way to do that with people as well. Thanks for the reminder!
Brilliant post, Bruce. That imaginary session with Lowen was very relatable.
I've been quite taken by the aim of positive psychology, which is flourishing or thriving (of which positive emotion is one part). It sounds like Lowen was onto something very similar.
The pandemic response certainly triggered an onslaught of deaths of despair. And I believe the roots are even deeper. Ridding Europe and North America of religion also served to expunge us of the meta narrative that used to guide us. Religious institutions certainly needed an overhaul, but we threw the baby out with the bathwater and it will take a lot of time to recover. Wokism has created a new meta narrative, albeit a highly inadequate one. But it serves as a rallying cry for a lot of warriors (of the social justice variety).
I believe the old meta narrative needs to be the new meta narrative, the old rallying cry ought to persist: to be part of creating new life (raising children, conserving ecosystems, tending gardens, etc). If, on the whole, we've been involved with more creation than destruction, then we're more likely to find flourishing (and, one hopes, pleasure).
I'm glad Bruce that you and the good doctor didn't say to *be happy*.
People sometimes say that all they want for their children is for them to *be happy*.
In my mind I prefer *fulfillment*, which implies effort rewarded.
Your concept of making an effort to find pleasure is a good one for those down in the dumps.
My own situation is that I have lots of property projects on the go, and I enjoy the creativity and sense of achievement of designing these and bringing to fruition. Plus I meet lots of people in doing so.
Good post, and it helped me to think about my depressed friend.
Lovely, thanks Bruce. I was into bioenergetics as well back in the day and enjoyed reading about Lowen. I can relate to the state you describe very well. I, too, want to bring more pleasure into my life now. I have my ways of enjoying life and experiencing pleasure on my own, but would like to find a way to do that with people as well. Thanks for the reminder!
dieing of boredom....
Brilliant post, Bruce. That imaginary session with Lowen was very relatable.
I've been quite taken by the aim of positive psychology, which is flourishing or thriving (of which positive emotion is one part). It sounds like Lowen was onto something very similar.
The pandemic response certainly triggered an onslaught of deaths of despair. And I believe the roots are even deeper. Ridding Europe and North America of religion also served to expunge us of the meta narrative that used to guide us. Religious institutions certainly needed an overhaul, but we threw the baby out with the bathwater and it will take a lot of time to recover. Wokism has created a new meta narrative, albeit a highly inadequate one. But it serves as a rallying cry for a lot of warriors (of the social justice variety).
I believe the old meta narrative needs to be the new meta narrative, the old rallying cry ought to persist: to be part of creating new life (raising children, conserving ecosystems, tending gardens, etc). If, on the whole, we've been involved with more creation than destruction, then we're more likely to find flourishing (and, one hopes, pleasure).
I'm glad Bruce that you and the good doctor didn't say to *be happy*.
People sometimes say that all they want for their children is for them to *be happy*.
In my mind I prefer *fulfillment*, which implies effort rewarded.
Your concept of making an effort to find pleasure is a good one for those down in the dumps.
My own situation is that I have lots of property projects on the go, and I enjoy the creativity and sense of achievement of designing these and bringing to fruition. Plus I meet lots of people in doing so.
Good post, and it helped me to think about my depressed friend.