APRIL 2024 BLOG POST

THE CHAOTIC WORLD AND ANXIETY

Recent history has been marked by a series of chaotic events across the globe, spanning political, social, environmental, and economic domains. Here are some examples:

1. COVID-19 Pandemic: The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, emerged in late 2019 and rapidly spread worldwide, leading to widespread illness, death, economic disruption, and social upheaval. The pandemic overwhelmed healthcare systems, triggered lockdowns and travel restrictions, and sparked debates over public health measures and vaccination efforts.

2. Political Turmoil: Various regions have experienced political instability and upheaval, with protests, revolutions, and conflicts erupting. Examples include the protests in Hong Kong against Chinese government influence, the ongoing civil war in Syria, political unrest in Belarus following disputed elections, and the coup d'état in Myanmar.

3. Climate Change: The impacts of climate change have intensified, leading to more frequent and severe natural disasters such as wildfires, hurricanes, floods, and heatwaves. These events have caused widespread destruction, displacement of communities, loss of biodiversity, and economic damage, fueling debates over climate action and environmental policies.

4. Cybersecurity Threats: Cyberattacks have become increasingly sophisticated and prevalent, targeting governments, businesses, and individuals. High-profile cyber incidents, including ransomware attacks on critical infrastructure, data breaches, and social media manipulation, have raised concerns about cybersecurity and digital privacy.

5. Social Unrest and Inequality: Societal divisions, exacerbated by economic inequality, racial injustice, and political polarization, have fueled protests, riots, and civil unrest in many countries. Issues such as police brutality, systemic racism, and economic disparity have prompted calls for social justice reforms and sparked debates about the role of government and law enforcement.

6. Geopolitical Tensions: Geopolitical tensions between nations have escalated, driven by competition for resources, territorial disputes, and ideological differences. Conflicts and diplomatic standoffs have arisen in various regions, including the tensions between the United States and China, Russia's annexation of Crimea, and ongoing war with Ukraine and conflicts in the Middle East.

7. Technological Disruption: Rapid advancements in technology, including artificial intelligence, automation, and biotechnology, have disrupted industries, reshaped economies, and raised ethical concerns. Debates over data privacy, digital surveillance, and the ethical implications of emerging technologies have intensified.

These chaotic events reflect the complex challenges facing the world in the 21st century, underscoring the need for global cooperation, effective governance, and innovative solutions to address pressing issues and promote stability and progress.

All of the above events have created much anxiety and fear in many people who are not familiar with some of the theoretical aspects of Chaos Theory. Here are some examples of such reactions we may experience:This theory has emerged out of the studies of the unpredictability of weather.  The ‘crazy’ and unpredictable patterns of clouds, winds etc, gave scientists a major discovery: that there order underlying chaos. 

From all this chaos we experience a desire to organize our life by many ways if we do not have some order in life we feel a sense of anxiety that scientists say originates in our limbic or animal brain, a small brain that has the capacity to insure that we survive in times of danger. We fight, escape, or play dead or become immobile. However, in our modern society, such basic animal instincts do not serve us to deal with the complexities of life and the human brain then develops all sorts of “protections” to feel safe in times of danger (either imaginary or real) The discovery of Chaos theory has brought a clearer understanding of how to deal effectively with anxious states.

According to Chaos Theory, if you expand the context (field) far enough, in other words stay in process, you will find a definite new order in the chaos. If you allow the ‘disturbing’ energy to flow it will re-order by itself and a new or novel order will reveal itself out of the disturbance. This process in Gestalt therapy is called CREATIVE ADJUSTMENT.

 BUTTERFLY EFFECT

Therefore, what we call anxiety, the chaos theorists call THE UNCERTAINTY PRINCIPLE. Nothing in life is certain. All life is changing and flowing. In this sense, we experience very small changes every day and the accumulating process of change will eventually create a major shift or a major problem/crisis. This phenomenon is called the butterfly effect.

 Managing uncertainty may be an effective way of dealing with anxiety states emerging from the field. However, most of anxiety we experience is managed in ways that are not always useful and need more flexibility. Here is an example of ways people manage their anxiety.

 

The Dabbler – (anxiety to complete a task) This person may begin with great enthusiasm, commitment to something new and exciting is foremost. However, the high energy of the ‘fore play’ soon looses its value and the man begins to judge the effort as ‘too hard’, ‘not good enough, any time’ and so on. Then he begins to search for a new high. Deflector.

 

The Obsessive – (anxiety to have everything right) He wants the ‘best possible’ deal. He takes on tasks, duties, books, tapes and videos to keep on ‘learning’ obsessively. He will not be able to tolerate a ‘plateau’ but pushes himself to the limit. His goal is action, action until gets totally exhausted and then withdraws. Retroflector.

 

The Path of Least Resistance – (anxiety to be independent or self sufficient) He is willing to maintain the momentum and stay at the plateau indefinitely. He thinks he can ‘skip’ certain stages of development and go on. He does only enough to maintain a semblance of work with the minimum of effort. Under further pressure, he runs away. Confluence or Desensitization

 

    The Path of Endless Climaxes – (anxiety to make a commitment) this is a very common ego trip. This person follows the idea that life must be one climax after another. All is “out there” - Fast sports, bungee jumping, parachuting, getting to the ‘top’ first, quickie love affairs and so on. Finally there comes burn out, depression due to stress and loss of energy. Retentive or projector.

 

   The way of the “shouldist”  - To be the best person possible  

    Introjector   -    Believe and follow what ever "they" told you as THE TRUTH    

 

The above examples are not meant to be the answers to dealing with anxiety states but are ways to understand the processes of searching for solutions and gestalt therapy is most effective as Fritz Perls, the father of Gestalt therapy said: ANXIETY IS CONTACT WITHOUT BREATH…..and lack of oxygen to the brain creates a fear of dying.

 

 

 

 

MARCH 2024 BLOG - SACRIFICE

 

Alexei Navalny - SACRIFICE

Introduction

The concept of "sacrifice" holds different meanings in the realms of human relationships and politics.

• In Human Relationships: Personal Sacrifice: In interpersonal relationships, sacrifice often refers to an individual willingly giving up something for the benefit of others. This could be one's time, personal desires, or even material possessions. It is often seen as a selfless act aimed at nurturing the well-being of others, demonstrating care, and building stronger connections.

• Compromise: Sacrifice in relationships may also involve compromise, where individuals make concessions for the sake of harmony and mutual understanding. This could involve finding middle ground on differing opinions or adjusting personal preferences to accommodate the needs and desires of others.

• Emotional Sacrifice: Emotional sacrifice in relationships may entail putting aside personal emotions or needs to support a partner, friend, or family member during challenging times. It reflects a commitment to the overall health and happiness of the relationship.

• In Politics: National Interest: In politics, sacrifice is often associated with the greater good of the nation or community. Leaders may make decisions that involve personal or collective sacrifice to advance the well-being of the larger population. This could include economic policies, security measures, or diplomatic actions.

• Leadership Sacrifice: Political leaders may be called upon to make personal sacrifices for the benefit of their country. This could involve risking their own safety, reputation, or popularity to make decisions that align with the long-term interests of the nation.

• Social Sacrifice: Political movements or revolutions may require sacrifices from individuals for the sake of social change. Activists, for instance, may endure personal hardships or put themselves at risk to advocate for political, social, or economic reforms.

In this blog I am reflecting about the great Sacrifice how the Russian Opposition leader has contributed not only to the people of Russia but to the whole world and I note that his death is not in vain, and his spirit will live forever.

 

NAVLNY:    June 1976 – 16 February 2024) was a Russian opposition leader, lawyer, anti-corruption activist, and political prisoner. He organised anti-government demonstrations and ran for office to advocate reforms against corruption in Russia and against President Vladimir Putin and his government. Navalny was founder of the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK). He was recognised by Amnesty International as a prisoner of conscience and was awarded the Sakharov Prize for his work on human rights.

Through his social media channels, Navalny and his team published material about corruption in Russia, organised political demonstrations and promoted his campaigns. In a 2011 radio interview, he described Russia's ruling party, United Russia, as a "party of crooks and thieves", which became a popular epithet. Navalny and the FBK have published investigations detailing alleged corruption by high-ranking Russian officials and their associates.

Navalny twice received a suspended sentence for embezzlement, in 2013 and 2014. Both criminal cases were widely considered politically motivated and intended to bar him from running in future elections. He ran in the 2013 Moscow mayoral election and came in second with 27% of the vote but was barred from running in the 2018 presidential election.

In August 2020, Navalny was hospitalised in serious condition after being poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent. He was medically evacuated to Berlin and discharged a month later. Navalny accused Putin of being responsible for his poisoning, and an investigation implicated agents from the Federal Security Service. In January 2021, Navalny returned to Russia and was immediately detained on accusations of violating parole conditions while he was hospitalised in Germany. Following his arrest, mass protests were held across Russia. In February 2021, his suspended sentence was replaced with a prison sentence of over two and a half years' detention, and his organisations were later designated as extremist and liquidated. In March 2022, Navalny was sentenced to an additional nine years in prison after being found guilty of embezzlement and contempt of court in a new trial described as a sham by Amnesty International; his appeal was rejected and in June, he was transferred to a high-security prison. In August 2023, Navalny was sentenced to an additional 19 years in prison on extremism charges.

In December 2023, Navalny went missing from prison for almost three weeks. He re-emerged in an Arctic Circle corrective colony in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. On 16 February 2024, the Russian prison service reported that Navalny had died at the age of 47. His death sparked protests, both in Russia and in various other countries. Accusations against the Russian authorities in connection with his death have been made by Western governments and international organisations.

Another article by Quilette:

https://quillette.com/2024/02/23/alexei-navalny-1976-2024

GRIEF AND PRAISE - FEBRUARY 2024

 GRIEF AND PRAISE

Painting by Martin Prechtel

Dear reader,

In the world as we know it today, full of conflicts, sufferings and so on, it is enough for most people to feel depressed, sad, and helpless. But what is needed, urgently is, for the more courageous, to be more proactive. This means to be able to praise the many suffering and dying and not to praise those who sit and feel good for being shut off and hide from the truth.

But in the collective human soul, there is a profound radiance where individuals are coming out and conquer the banal disappointments about the future and pretend that all is OK and that  there is no need to suffer grief all the time. That is not necessary. Others tend to avoid the pain of being compromised and ridiculed by the heartless and hide their grief.

It is necessary to show the courage to BE and to imagine what would be needed to create a soul that is that shines more light. It is necessary to inspire the heart and join others in the experience of grieving. Inspiration is that light to the world indicating as to what it means to be human and to taste the freedom and capacity to participate in a culture that has the courage to speak up. Each one of us is a “nation” - we are a Nation under ourselves and as a Nation, meaning a soul, we do have the power to create change.

I am inspired by the great shaman MARTIN PRCHTEL. This is how he is described by others:

 “Inspiring hope, solace, and courage in living through our losses, author Martin Prechtel, trained in the Tzutujil Maya shamanic tradition, shares profound insights on the relationship between grief and praise in our culture--how the inability that many of us must grieve and weep properly for the dead is deeply linked with the inability to give praise for living. In modern society, grief is something that we usually experience in private, alone, and without the support of a community. Yet, as Prechtel says: 

"Grief expressed out loud for someone we have lost, or a country or home we have lost, is in itself the greatest praise we could ever give them. Grief is praise, because it is the natural way love honours what it misses."

Prechtel explains that the unexpressed grief prevalent in our society today is the reason for many of the social, cultural, and individual maladies that we are currently experiencing. According to Prechtel:

 "When you have two centuries of people who have not properly grieved the things that they have lost, the grief shows up as ghosts that inhabit their grandchildren." 

These "ghosts," he says, can also manifest as disease in the form of tumours, which the Maya refer to as "solidified tears," or in the form of behavioural issues and depression. He goes on to show how this collective, unexpressed energy is the long-held grief of our ancestors manifesting itself, and the work that can be done to liberate this energy so we can heal from the trauma of loss, war, and suffering.

I am in tune with the story of how Martin learned through LOVE. He states:

“Love is always a matter of learning how to live in an unknown land. It is not just translation or about being secure in what one knows, but about learning how to give a true gift to what one loves by learning what it loves. Love is always about learning the Nature of things.”

He adds:

“Because the world is a boundless compendium of stories told in as many languages as there are things to know, the language of galaxies, of rocks, the languages of weathers, plants, and rivers, languages of animal and human cultures, I have never understood knowledge as a finite possession but more like a corral of wild language horses, with an ongoing responsibility to sustain and maintain them, upon whose unruly backs we must learn to ride; sometimes into the heart of twelve layers of holy stone, or into the heart of an old Jewish steel vendor in Armenia, or into the language of the tears of the Divine Female whose ever-birthing womb is a mouth that speaks this natural teeming earth and universe into tangibility at every present moment.”

I must say that Martin has inspired me to be able to recognise my own Soul learning in the many years as therapist and teacher at the university of Queensland, Australia. I both heard and told stories to many students and also involved in Men groups and am still enabling and supporting Australian military veterans and their wives in counselling sessions.

I highly recommend his books and particularly his book on GRIEF AND PRAISE. This is what we all need to study and practice NOW!

 “The Smell of Rain on Dust: Grief and Praise” Here is a short description:

Inspiring hope, solace, and courage in living through our losses, author Martín Prechtel, trained in the Tzutujil Maya shamanic tradition, shares profound insights on the relationship between grief and praise—how the inability that many of us must grieve and weep properly for the dead is deeply linked with the inability to give praise for living. In modern society, grief is something that we usually experience in private, alone, and without the support of a community. Yet, as Prechtel says, “Grief expressed out loud for someone we have lost, or a country or home we have lost, is in itself the greatest praise we could ever give them. Grief is praise because it is the natural way love honours what it misses.”

 

 

Drawing by Martin Prechtel" -  Grief and Praise