Psychology Articles

The Futile Stupid Unreasonableness of Trying to Hold onto a Familiar Identity and Comfortable Security

We work so hard to ‘establish and maintain’ a certain familiar distinctiveness in ourselves, according to how we inadvertently label success, financial freedom, recognizable sought after happiness/wealth/riches: ‘making it to the top.’

Which supposedly offers us a comfortable individual security, merited place of notoriety, including an emotionally attached favored ‘looked up-to’ identity of sorts?

We are trying so hard to get it right, make our mark, ‘be somebody’, do it before the next guy cashes in; we tend to overlook and undervalue how much precious time is sucked away in fueling our self-vested fabricated idolized misery.

Along with the desperately sought after unshakable security, [arriving at the place we believe to be significant and worthy of praise and recognition] a certain self-projected respect demanding ‘holier than thou’ foreboding energy attaches itself to the ‘one being in the know.’

The more we project we know, or have need to know anything, the less we are in the vicinity of finding out. In other words, we are always hopelessly lost; no matter the outer ‘toys of distraction’ we exploit to prove otherwise. (Ambiguity)

Moreover, during the falsely saturated time of cherished self-intoxicated elevated position, we silently refute and resent the parroted place of fictitious harmony while, lacking in true peace, are superficially traveling incognito, defiantly in search of finding our ‘true selves’ in an attempt to fill the gaping hole we live with. (Paradox)

“Surely true peace of mind can be had, IF only I knew how to do the right things to get it.”

“This cannot be all there is”, we silently reassure ourselves, as we once again succumb to our fractured mind’s taunting insistence; “Don’t Worry. Have hope. It’s going to get better. You won’t feel like this, always.”

The relentless torrid mind ridicules us at every turn, as we try to calm our restless seething nature.

Nothing could be worse than for us to heed the deceitful luring words of hopeful resolution. (Ambiguity) There’s no peaceful resolution to be had for there’s nothing to resolve. (Paradox) “This IS as good as it gets.”

An absolute insidious mockery of the worst kind results when we arrive at the place where we think we should be, doing what we ought to be doing, saying what we need to say, performing the comparable expected majestic duties attached to the “IDEA” of success whether in marriage, career, education, and/or on a spiritual platform.

If the truth be known, as unpleasant as it sounds to fragile ears: to supposedly arrive at the situation where ‘We’ve made it” nothing short of drinking an 8 ounce bottle of absinthe laced cyanide can eradicate the infectious feelings of unutterable disdain and disgust.

We are living in complete ubiquitous ambiguity and indemonstrable paradox. To deny the reality of its liberating premise produces unalterable agony.

To declare with full certainty that we KNOW what to do and HOW to do and with WHOM to do it is a complete boldfaced lie! It would be like saying one path is better than another path. No. Impossible.

All roads lead home if you don’t KNOW where HOME is located!

Adjusting to the undeniable fact that things are constantly (appearing so) thrown out of order simply to be rearranged in a different framework, requires an ineffable courage and merciless determination not to be swayed by visual “human appetite suppressants.”

Whether these suppressants be in the form of relationships, spirituality, career, fame, prestigious positions in society, celebrity/sports recognition, accolade mastery, extended idolatrous vain attritions of celebrate honor, or simply ‘following someone else’ who has thoroughly convincingly marketed himself/herself and the ‘miracle fix products, programs, or processes’ as ones who ‘have the goods’, the end result is the same: melancholy.

Nothing could be further from road of acquiesced contentment than to believe we must be saved, rescued, set free, and/or bailed out. Our real business remains obscured as long as we look for it and ‘who we are.’

We are to abandon the idea and any recognizable reference to hope. Hope implies doubt. If we hope for a better tomorrow we are admitting our today is less than perfect.

Our days are the immutable ledges upon which we stand to view the sun, rain, snow, winds and drought with uncompromising gratitude. IF we could change our ledges, (we can’t) we would alter our indistinguishably programmed DNA molecules which comprise our celestially organized structured beings.

The more we try to change any aspect of our delicately magically ordered selves, relationships, careers, education, physical bodies, and variegated lives the less productive and contributory we experience ‘pure raw authenticity’ in our existence.

In addition, by inaccurately assuming when we arrive or have arrived that we would not lash out at those who have loved, supported and connected with us on our renowned journey is pointless.

The more successful we think of ourselves, the more unsuccessful we tend to view others. By reason of comparison and measurement, we must have a podium of reference for our advantageous highly coveted awarded singled out accomplishments.

So what are we to do? Cease striving, measuring, tabulating, competing and planning! Relax by facing each moment honestly with no glamorized emotional reaction. “If at any moment we think we know what we are doing and why we are doing, cease immediately.”

Invite ambiguity and paradox into the grand ballroom. Put on our finest attire. Offer them the better of the best we have in our closets. Allow the reality of death’s encroaching reality as the parade of victory to be celebrated and enriched.

Pretend not that he will stay his hand until we have finished our business. We have no business except for living/laughing/loving each moment of our soapbox infused lives unconditionally and rapturously content just to be here.

Don’t hold back.

Do what we sacredly sensually sexually passionately creatively love to do all the time. Look for no beneficial result, applause or appreciation.

Now and forever with no hope of excuses, defense, explanations, or recognition, breathe in the moment of self-generated ecstasy and release every single mouse dropping bit of it with the exhale.

Start afresh uncertain not having or wanting a clue. Live without security and destination. It’s the only way we do.

Proud Native Born, Bred, and Resident of North Carolina, married 40 spectacular years, 6 children, 11 grandchildren.

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Opening to the Indestructible Force of Focused Sensual Conviction

Human beings are natural born negotiators. Whether one is aware of it or not, the indisputable fact is: we know how to get what we want! The difficulty lies in ability to clearly state what it is we want more than anything else in the whole wide world.

There are so many options, distractions, luring ‘tinkle trinkets’, that draw our attention away from what it is we desire.

See here’s the deal: with only so many minutes in the run of a day that we are afforded to stay awake to live our lives as passionately and fully engaged in sacred sensually sexually artistically creative projects, we must become aware of what direction we are placing our energy.

We can blab intentions all day long, but until we affirmatively state what it is we want ‘barring nothing and no one’, we will remain flittering around the mulberry bush, holding our pee.

IF you have read many of my previous esoterically based psychological articles, you are already in the vein of realizing that YOU are on the right track doing whatever it is you are supposed to be doing for reasons you can’t possibly realize the significance and connection therein contained.

However, the clock is ticking and you are on the clock!

IF you spend one minute complaining, griping, groaning, moaning, comparing, gossiping, backbiting, plotting, competing, measuring and planning the outcome of your endeavors, you are not in the succulent bed of your sacred sensual sexual artistic creative bed of passion. In fact, you are growing decrepit by the second.

Have you taken a grand long look at yourself, lately? Has the sparkling twinkle left your eyes; does you face seem tired, haggard and drawn? Are you as sexually attractive as you feel you can be?

Sexual attractiveness flees from the person who is a monochromatically dull repeating the same old “poor me” tales day after day after day. Give it and the others a rest. Everybody’s got a story, so what? Get on with the ecstatic buzz of electrified gyrating movement.

A rhythmic vibrating bounce in your step defines your carefree fun-loving ‘ready for new adventure’ personality. OH? Did I hear you say, “Not much bounce in my pounce?” And, just why not,may I say indignantly inquire? When did you get so disgusted and ornery?

On what day did you release your passionate zest for laughing and rolling in continual bliss filled inspired activities?

Have you noticed how negative and cynical you are lately? If so, other people have known it for quite some time. The negativity you are surrounded by arrives via through your present mind-set. NO one else is bringing you down, making you mad or spilling juice on your favorite cashmere sweater.

You hear a lot about marketing these days. (Especially internet marketing; which as a side note: I know nothing about) But, the genuine marketing strategy is in you, for you, with you, on you and about you. You are the best thing going since where you are going is exactly and precisely where you are supposed to be going and nowhere else but!

In other words, you won’t be cheated out your mate, position, money, business opportunity, bargain and or friendship. It’s absolutely impossible to be cheated in this life. So relax. No one can take anything or anyone from you that belongs on your specified path.

They don’t possess that kind of power. No one does! If circumstances appear as if something or someone has been removed, it was only because the removal was part of the divinely sanctified celestially ordered path. Got that?

More to your ever unfolding story coming round the bend just be patient.

Here is where your finely processed delectably crafted undeniable solicitous negotiating tools show up. Of course, you’ve had them the entire time, but merely neglected to recognize the potent source of their magnetic attracting power as coming from you.

You are a commandingly authoritative negotiator who gets what is asked for when you say once and for all times what it is you ‘no kidding’ want. Do you even know? If not, NOW is the time to ponder on that sensational luscious oasis within you.

Our precious ruthless soul {who can mysteriously double as a camel} will offer up her secrets IF you are courageous enough to confront her in earnest.

It’s all a matter of deciding what you are willing to exchange for what it is you are asking for. OH? Did you think you could get something for nothing? Not going to happen. Our precious seductive sensual soul wants the earth-shattering experience; what do you want?

You are going to have to learn to diminish the failure fear fox and the crabby curt criticism you so easily spout without even getting a high five. Think you can do that?

If you are not tending to your business, erroneously believing someone else cares about it as much as you do; you are a lazy sleepy dumfounded sitting duck. Silly rabbit, desires are personal and individually cherished. Others can talk about it but they can’t feel it!

{Did I mention our precious ruthless soul, being the divine trickster she is, is incredibly jealous and possessive?} She wants you to have the incalculable bliss attached to the individual wish you desire, alone.

It’s sort of like a personal cosmic celestial orgasm.

You can share it all you want to, but You will the instigator, manager, motivator, installer, writer, inspirer, singer, songwriter, poet, musician, scientist, philosopher, engineer, lawyer, banker, judge, priest, sports commentator, educator, builder, artist, drama coach, cook, bottle washer, public relations specialist, producer, box office auditor, director, performance critic and star of your own show.

That’s precisely where the infamous negotiating skills come into play. You are in the passive/aggressive articulated motivated celebrated demonstrated role of selling the one of a kind unidentifiable you!

Nobody can do you like you can do you!

I’m going to swing on out of this howling jazz joint as I bring this slow dance to a screeching halt but not without asking you one more time, seriously. What is it that you are interested in?

Are you involved in that one blood pumping sacred sensual sexual artistic creative fantasized obsession in any significant way? Fantasy works on the premise of mutuality. A ‘natural and convenient’ fascination exists in you and no one else has that exact same foundational premise to build upon.

Here’s how you will know it’s you inimitable passion.

You are ‘turned on’ by this thing more than anyone you know and can’t understand why it doesn’t light up the entire world with the same kind of enthusiastic conviction. I’ll tell you why. That sacred passion is yours to negotiate, on your terms, with your explicit skills, talents and abilities.

It’s high time to call a special urgent board of directors meeting with your precious ruthless soul to discuss your most private affairs. You think you can negotiate? “You aint seen nothing, yet.” Wait until she calls in her big bosses. That’s when the party really gets rolling.

“Now, where’d I lay that saxophone?”

Proud Native Born, Bred, and Resident of North Carolina, married 40 spectacular years, 6 children, 11 grandchildren.

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MODE of Cosmic Therapy Esoteric Psychology: Inhabiting the Evolving Personality of Social Change

When I was a small girl, my family was not affluent enough to own a washing machine or dryer. So every Saturday, I, along with my younger brothers and sisters would accompany my mother to the local ‘laundry mat’.

I remember sitting in the wobbly plastic faded off-white dingy metal chair while my mother loaded the quarter machines with as many clothes as she could pack in. When the cycle was complete, she would place them in large dime dryers.

It was ‘then and there’ I got to watch the world spin ’round and round’ making a most soothing sound. I could have sat in that one spot for hours simply watching the multi-colored clothes turning over and over.

I saw the many fabrics, shapes and sizes being tossed, turned, and jumbled faster and faster as they dried, until the dryer came to an abrupt stop, signaling they were completely dry…Maybe.

So many different types of people came to the same ‘laundry mat’ to wash and dry their clothes. I used to watch the families as they piled in lugging their raggedy wooden laundry baskets, and pillow cases full of dirty clothes.

I wondered where they lived, what the mama did (was she, in fact, a good mother) and what kind of job the daddy had; but most of all, why they didn’t have a washer and dryer. I distinctively remember thinking that everyone in the whole wide world had to dry clothes, too.

I wondered how many of them went to the laundry mat in China, Russia, or South America or if they even had such places.

The indelibly implanted memories of wet stench, soiled clothes, and molded scented floors are vivid ones. I would close my eyes and imagine how, when I grew up, married and had a family of my own, the first thing I was going to purchase was a new washing machine and dryer.

And, as time and chance would have it, when I did marry, I purchased a small Barlane two bedroom mobile home which a washing machine and dryer had been included. Boy! Did I ever feel I had arrived! It’s funny how insignificant memories play such an important part in the irrefutable directing in the sensitive course of our lives.

Memoriesact as noteworthy signposts along the way for incomparable reasons and life-sustaining motivations to cause us to place value on certain things while we dismiss others.

Yet, it is only through the valley of denial, despair and discomfort that we are able to move into the hills of meaningful ’soil to toil’ for our lives. Nothing momentous occurs which is not hitherto attached to the unbreakable strand of early childhood situational needful implications set about.

At the time, they occur, they seem so insignificant but upon self reflection, coupled with determination, we are able to rightly appreciate the difficult times. The upsetting times of struggle, disappointment, and despondency that fueled the fire of intimate personal zeal.

Without our individual phases of ‘doing without’, feeling abandoned, isolated and misunderstood, we would none have the impetus to strive (transcend).

As adults, we tend to forget those cherished times of inherent growth. Instead we may assign improper accusation, unnecessary blame or discount the worthiness of our “struggling to make it roots.” We disavow the pertinent relevance associated in the miraculous events which have brought us to this place of celebrated union.

By the noblest of effort to overcome what we believed to challenges, obstacles, barriers and handicaps, we ventured out beyond the parameter of our social environment. Or did we?

Do we not still love to watch the clothes tumble in a dyer while it serenades us with a humming melody?

In these seemingly trivial matters, underestimated circumstances, dismembered situations, we are grounded in our highest aspirations. It is through these undeniable episodes (some better some worse) that our divine personalities are shaped and formed to be fully expressed later.

We, as human beings, are extremely complicated variegated entities.

Yet our needs are quite simple. Underlying our super imposed integrated personalities are four very basic straightforward parts: intellect (faculty for reason, understanding and knowledge), integrity (innate compass for recognizing and discerning truth and falsehood) sociably adaptable gravitating tendencies (fundamental desire for relationships) and last, but certainly not least, sacred sensual sexual artistic creative expression.

These ineffable characteristics are sublime unspoken, clearly unappreciated, traits of the human specimen that when recognized and activated bring about inexpressible bliss.

The undeniable WILL to create comes from the unmistakable origin of our births. Into the specific sphere of designated activity were we born with great undeliverable reason, misguided understanding and/or limited knowledge.

Yet as we grow into our precious ruthless soul’s specifically selected earth experience, the heavy scales of undeserving condemnation, insidious ridicule, and despicable guilt and graven shame fall from our distorted eyes.

We no longer look back at our past, and those who lived through it with us, aghast, but with loving arms of surrendered grace. Whoever we were, are and will be is already and has been in existence unfolding anew each moment of existence.

As the creator who transcends and is in the midst of it all, we are ever evolving out of ourselves into the new creature that has never been or will be again.

As contrary as it sounds we are a paradox unto ourselves for at times we can know things and at others times we know NO thing. (Before it is time, we will know nothing.) From those four basic attributes, mentioned earlier, man creates, is created and is the creation, itself.

He expresses his unique divine creativity in order (and because of) to plummet into the abyss of his own making of self-aggrandizement.

There in the barren pit of despair he will find his emancipation. From the self-liberation released, he rises to the occasion of unspeakable brilliance without the need of recognition or gratitude.

In other words, we can and do have any and EVERY thing we could possibly ever want, imagine, or create when we no longer desire it. The desire for praise brings with it exploitation.

As long as we are filled to capacity with our ‘natural and convenient’ passions and exercise the sacred sensual sexual artistic creative expressions, we have no room (at the Inn) for any other reassurance or support. In order to experience hallowed transcendence, we must first be in the midst of the so-called lowly state (negativity) to transcend it.

Why else would we inhabit this earth plane? We are not capable of rising above until we fully believe in our cast down forsaken abandoned rejected despised neglected lot. Then and only then do we realize there’s nothing to transcend.

We are the transcendence!

Things have a way of making their definitively hallowed designed course through all sorts of winding roads of incomprehensible twists and turns. Universal Social Change takes place one dyer load of clothes tumbling at a dime’s worth of time.

No matter where you are presently standing, in whatever state you are in, doing whatever it is you are doing: remember, you are part of the global unity of social change.

So in closing I add, I still adore the passionate sound and sight of clothes drying in the dryer. There are few people, places and/or things that are more reverently beautiful to my eyes, ears, heart and precious ruthless soul of determined mysterious intent.

I am aware that you have all heard the much repeated saying:

“I’m waiting for my ship to come in.” Well, I’m here to tell you; it’s already come in:” We are all sailing on it!”

Proud Native Born, Bred, and Resident of North Carolina, married 40 spectacular years, 6 children, 11 grandchildren.

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MODE of Cosmic Therapy: We Gravitate to How We Initially Vibrate

Childhood inner disciplinary dynamics continually play themselves out in our day to day lives, especially where romantic involvements are concerned. We are constantly ‘on guard’ either consciously or unconsciously, gauging our manner of speaking, acting and filtering our thoughts of tenuous strings through the corset of our most intimate relationships. We stand as a caustic regent on the thresh hold of our most pearlized cherished emotions, deprecating ourselves and the other, for not paying homage to them in the correct manner expected. We accept nothing less than the idolized perception of ‘what should be’ as we have jack hammered the illustrious opinions into our brain’s circuitry

‘The perfectly acceptable relationship standard’ is based upon a faulty premise, however. WE approach our relationships with an infiltrated barrier of commanding pre-exiting expectation. The thwarted anticipation saturates the union prior to unification of ideas. We have been somewhat damaged, in some way or another, simply by being on earth and engaging in this calibrated emotional ‘roller coaster’ journey. The carefree spontaneity and joyful playful spirit was haltingly tainted along the way due to no fault except that we previously (cosmically) asked to be able to experience human emotions at the deepest most horrendous level. In other words, we carried over, a specifically spoiled view of ‘how things were supposed to be.’

One does not have to believe in previous lives to ascribe to this ‘carrying accumulated garbage’ theory; the immediate family penetrative archetypal dynamics from this ONE life is proof enough. Of course, the radical idea that, in fact, no one has ever harmed us in any way nor have we been truly cheated, abused, abandoned, neglected, deserted, forsaken, isolated, or neglected to the point of irrefutable destruction is hard to swallow but none the less demonstrably relevant. We may have experienced the pain of these earth emotionally “what’s in it for me” driven experiences but the irresolute injury never occurred. We may have gone though the intolerable incalculable motions of appearing to lose our sense of self worth, esteem and motivation but not without the notary seal of our designated approval. Truth wounds but never destroys.

Circumstances which occurred when we were quite young ineradicably forged a groove in our brain circuitry which cast us on the ‘potter’s wheel’ of derisive firing. But, the friction, ‘bumps and lumps’ were implanted to produce an immaculate creation as a by-product of injurious spinning. In other words, the early environmental circumstances were perfectly prescribed which enabled us to survive, thrive, and dive into a life filled to overflowing relationships bounty. The result of our continued childhood experience being lived every day remains as repeated fresh cow manure used as fertilization.

We gravitate to the people we need to associate with. We vibrate to the person and/or persons who is/are carrying the delineated frequency our electrical brain’s nodules recognize as necessary. It is only by and through the superficial IDEAS attached; in the process of early parental defective interpretation do we experience deflation. Another word would be: bitterness. We have never been betrayed nor have we been deceived. No one has the definitive power to do so. It is absolutely impossible to be cheated in this life. The intricate pieces fall in the perfectly stimulated ridged cosmic design.In all actuality, the memories we reflect upon are no more real than the traumatic or exalted life affirming story we repeat convincingly.

We tell and re-tell these life stories in order to remain vigilant. We can’t possibly let our guard down for one second. “Something might take us unaware.” We create a craft-fully designed world of such grandeur or defeat (one being the same) so that we remain the victim or hero. Either way, we are always ‘looking out for our initial interest and warranted investment’. As long as we continue to deny this ‘untouchable sphere of mind generated reality’, we will prolong the amorphous experience of being suspicious, caustic, paranoid, bitter, resentful, untrusting, scared, unapproachable, desperate, remorseful and quick to judge. While at the same time, we’ll recognize and admit to nothing but the guileless generosity we think we possess and how it is being misrepresented and mal-aligned.

If we continue to believe that someone has cheated us out of something or denied us opportunity or of our rightful place, person or thing, we will continue to communicate poorly and ineffectually. When we feel we deserve more than we are receiving, our minds are cluttered with unending anxiety and despairing emptiness. The overall state of our health [along with our mental functioning faculties: stress, apprehension, insomnia, depression, high blood pressure, nervousness, inability to relax, and on and on and on] will surely suffer. Our relationships won’t even get a bull fighter’s chance since we will be too absorbed in the past to show up for our present involvements. We will be strewn with jealousy, envy, pride, and grievous gluttony.

NO one owes us anything; except that which we decided upon on the prior bargaining table of options. And, moreover we would be highly pissed IF another tried to offer us a ‘way out.’ We don’t want out, we want in: to the sacred sanctuary of our deepest motivations in understanding our relationships as the true mirrors of our undetected perpetrating selves. Why insult ourselves or the other by asking and receiving an unnecessary allowance of advantage in the relationship?

It can not be stated enough: when we place another in an elevated position, it causes him/her to be in an unnatural, awkward and uncomfortable position. No good can come from that surreal place. Elevation is impossible to regulate and maintain. The lofty unnatural arrangement makes it impossible for him/her to be able to communicate. And, when we place ourselves or the other in such an elevated so-called honorable spot, it is then ‘we’ who are the most vulnerable. How dare we be so transparently superfluous! Apt to be chained to flattery, praise and clothed in a ‘false cloak of goodness.’

The unfortunate result is that we both end up competing, comparing, and worst of all ‘performing.’ Beset with all manners of devious vexation; we fume. The conjured creature disguised under a cheap imitation of “who can shine the most” armor; easily will be tarnished, broken and discarded. This cloak of pretended goodness invariably hides any genuine good. Superficiality makes for an uneasy inconvenient and perverted way to interact in any relationship. Intimate interaction can not take place from afar.

In other words, we must bring the all the scraps to the table. No need to use the fine china to impress. Don’t show a polish face; show the mysteriously undisciplined unrevealed blemished face we are at the moment with all of our accumulated debris. Whatever THAT is, let it breathe and dance uninhibitedly. I guarantee the sublime radiance will astound. The enigmatic authenticity of the hour precedes us..Although the throne of romantic deceptive pretense lures; refuse to sit upon it. Be as unpretentiously assertive as is uncomfortable. We’ll get use to it; it’s in our genes.

I have a BS in Communication with a MA in Art Education currently pursuing a Ph.D in Educational Psychology. I am an Executive Cosmic Therapist, Sexual Psycho-analyst,artist, author,entertainer, motivational speaker,teacher, singer/songwriter, musician, composer, playwright,, professional astrologer, tarot consultant, Numerologist, poet and self-taught chef.

I am also the creator/ host of the entertainingly popular MODE Of Cosmic Therapy Hour television show. [Currently on air in Raleigh and Asheville North Carolina] In addition, I am the Founder/Director/C.E.O. of M.O.D.E International School of Esoteric Arts and Sciences

How smart are you? I sometimes pose this cruel question to students at the outset of a workshop on intelligence and learning. Some students sense the tease, and I get my desired response through quizzical and hazy answers from students clearly not happen with my question! And nor should they be. It is a dumb question, and the wrong question. How smart are you assumes two things:

1) intelligence is one dimensional and we all are placed somewhere along it’s continuum

2) intelligence is fixed

This has significant implications for students, especially those who do not see themselves as being smart. Not only is their self esteem injured, but they will very often give up on the effort required to improve their ’smartness’.

Changing the sequence of words in this question to ‘How are you smart’ fixes the first problem. This question rightly assumes that we are all smart but in different ways. Howard Gardner is recognised as a key figure in liberating intelligence from its narrow dimensions to the multi dimensional, but the concept is hardly Copernican. Put simply, just because a person is good at something does not guarantee proficiency in another thing. As I see it, the main problem in school education is a kind of reversal of this, and we need to proclaim that just because a child is not good in certain areas – for example numeracy or literacy, does not warrant their intellect to be written off.

The triumvirate of maths, science and literacy is all pervasive in schools, commanding large tracts of time at the expense of other ways of knowing and learning. I can’t speak for all students of course, but having worked with students in many countries recently I have found in their interpretation of intelligence, a common denominator almost exclusively bound to written words and maths. The broader view of multiple intelligences is wonderfully empowering for students. I take school groups through the Gardner model of 8 MI asking students to identify the areas they are strong in. Kids love this. They observe in their class a diversity of human capacity that surrounds them, and they see that all students can identify strengths in at least some areas. Interestingly -and of some concern is that of the eight MI, less hands are rising for number smart and word smart than for almost all other MI. Given the time allocation to these departments, why is this so? Maybe this is connected to a fixed view of intelligence within these subjects, or maybe it has to do with a compartmentalization and isolation of the subject from context. Stanford University professor and psychologist Dr. Carol Dweck is convinced that learning effort is seen as fruitless by students when views of intelligence are fixed. This fascinating area of educational psychology requires further expansion in another article (read her book ‘The Mindset’). In a nutshell fixed intelligence implies a deterministic view of the world whilst movable intelligence embraces challenge, effort as the pathway to mastery, persistence, and in general gives students a greater sense of free will.

Which of Gardner’s eight MI is the most important intelligence? This seemingly ‘wrong’ question can precipitate a fascinating exploration of the value in all intelligences. As we move from one MI to another, students speak up on the merits of each until a conclusion is reached: they are all equally important. This has the makings of a wonderful debate. Yes, numeracy, literacy and science are most definitely important but not to the exclusion of the arts, physical education, emotional and naturalist intelligence. So at this point we embrace two essential learnings:

1) We are all smart, but in different ways

2) All types of knowing are important and there is no consensus as to what is the most important. Fully human diversity embraces all MI.

This self knowledge about our strengths and weaknesses is valuable, but needs to be applied. What intelligence area do you resonate with and are really good at?

Do you want to be an expert?

What do we need to do to get really good at something?

How can you support your quest to advance in your favoured intelligence?

We talk about finding groups of like minded people, mentors, reading books, watching documentaries and so on; that learning is most successful when driven by the self, and internalised. We also discuss deep learning skills like metacognition, repetition, slow learning, chunking and the 10 000 hour rule. Intrinsic motivation via Csiksentmihalyi’s Flow model is referred to. What about the weaker learning areas we need to strengthen? Such a question invites students to reflect on what they recognize a need to improve in. This is where a movable against fixed view of intelligence is vital. “I’m just not good at maths” is deterministic and belies the role of effort. Indeed we are born with or without certain natural dispositions and inclinations, but who is to say that over a period of sustained effort we cannot fulfill our potential and improve our capacities? Students must believe in improvement through effort. Further essential learnings:

3) The nature of expertise begins with a degree of genetic disposition, passion and opportunity, but cross-discipline studies in expertise have found the most significant factor is sustained effort over a period of time.

4) We are not destined to be ‘poor’ at something forever. We can always improve on our acuity, with effort.

5) We should further develop our strengths in terms of increasing complexity, but also shore-up our weaknesses. Our lives will be all the richer if we fully embrace the physical, social, emotional, artistic and academic opportunities given to us.

The intelligence paradox is that successful learning often involves a symbiotic relationship between learning domains. For example, I think better after I do physical exercise, or in the case of Einstein, after I play the violin. It is ironic that the compartmentalization and focus of learning areas has apparently led to lower learning outcomes, as evident in some western education systems. This brings us to the wonderful world of trans-disciplinary learning, making connections and more fully using our brain – a topic for another day.

Michael Griffin is available for student workshops and staff professional development, conference presentations and keynote addresses.

Michael Griffin is an internationally recognized educator, author and pianist. In Australia he was awarded the Education and Arts Ministers’ Prize in 2006 and nominated for a National Teaching Excellence award in 2005. Michael won many significant national and state prizes as a choral and jazz ensemble conductor -including Australia’s premier choral prize, before moving to Dubai with his wife, Rae, where they presently reside. As an international conference presenter, clinician and speaker Michael is in high demand working in up to 20 countries in 2010, and his books on music and learning continue to sell in several countries. Additionally, as a writer he has had a number of professional articles published in specialist magazines in Australia, the UK and the Middle East, including for peak music education body ISME and Rheingold, UK. Trained as a classical pianist, Michael is known for stylistic versatility and recent performances include a residency at Dubai’s iconic Burj al Arab. Michael is most passionate about engaging young people in the wonders of learning.

Bullying Prevention, Climate and Culture

The purpose of this article is to show how bullying and other antisocial behaviors at school are preventable by looking at school culture and climate.

There are quite a variety of classroom and school-wide “stop bullying” programs and materials. These programs are useful for raising awareness and providing new skills for students, yet many ignore deeper, necessary improvements to actually prevent antisocial behaviors at school.

The goal of this article is to go a little deeper and look at some fine tuning of school climate and culture as a means to lasting change.

What is School Culture?

School culture is a model or a mindset by which actions are taken in the district, building or classroom. This model of action is based on the past experiences within the district. Thus, new employees or new students become indoctrinated into the culture, learning “how we do things around here.” This is the nature of any culture and explains why it is so pervasive, yet hard to see. It just seems like the right way to do things.

Any school’s culture can be observed in at least three contexts 1) the design and maintenance of physical spaces, 2) the values expressed (either intentionally or unintentionally) by the adults at school and 3) the beliefs that are taken for granted about human nature.

It is difficult to say any part of the school’s culture is good or bad but some elements can contribute to or reinforce antisocial behavior. For example, cramped physical spaces with too many students are ideally designed for bullying behavior. The target can’t escape and the bullier can go unnoticed.

Teachers who turn their back on antisocial behavior or simply stay in their rooms while trouble is outside the door express – probably unintentionally – a value about how students should be treated in this school.

What is School Climate?

Although there is not a consensus on the meaning of school climate many definitions focus on the “feel” of school and the human/social atmosphere. There are four components commonly discussed in regard to climate: 1) physical environment, 2) social environment, 3) affective environment and 4) academic environment.

Like culture, climate can influence or may actually be the root cause of antisocial behavior, like bullying. Each of the four components below can either hinder or help. Problems that can foster bullying are…

• A physical environment that is overcrowded, certain places hidden from view and congregating areas poorly supervised.

• A social environment where interaction is limited, students self-segregate, harassment and other forms of dominance are ignored.

• An affective environment where students are subject to favoritism, most feedback is negative or punitive, and families are excluded from the school community.

• An academic environment where expectations are low, learning styles are not taken into consideration and a sense of community is not part of the learning process.

These components of climate are interconnected. Social interactions are either enhanced or inhibited by environment. The affective environment helps the academic environment because students and families feel more a part of the school.

Prevention

The concepts of culture and climate are critical to the prevention of antisocial behavior at school. Student-centered activities like posters, slogans and assemblies are useful but won’t override the power of school culture and climate. These are forces that will swamp most programs, even those that work on social skills or language.

If bullying is a problem at your school and if you mean to put a stop to it, some changes to school climate or culture must occur. And the tricky part is that it’s the adults, not the just kids that need to make some changes.

Changes to Prevent Bullying

Many of the solutions needed to change school climate are known to us. Nevertheless, they seem too big, too expensive or simply hard to believe these types of changes will make much difference (after all our belief system is a major ingredient in school culture).

If we look at a culture and climate as key mechanisms in prevention then there are some clear opportunities for improvement:

• Leadership from administrators and site based management teams. Culture and climate changes are the work of the collective body of adults in school. Change is most likely to occur when there is a coordinated effort aimed at particular improvements.

• Regain control of student-run areas of school. Schools buses, playgrounds, lunch lines, lunch tables and hallways are just a few spots where kids set the rules. Who goes first, who sits at this table, who gets to play and so on. This is the breeding ground for hierarchy and control. Improvement requires more training and supervision by adults, less standing around and waiting by students and a better appreciation of kid’s time and personal space.

• Support student feedback and reporting. Subtle elements in the school culture discourage reporting. Concepts like tattling teach youth that grown-ups don’t want to be bothered. Repeated surveys of students show that most kids believe adults won’t help with bullying. And over 65% of bullying happens when adults can’t see it. Reporting is critical.

• Work to build a community. A community of people is united pulling toward common goals. Too often schools are cliques and subgroups – both adults and kids – vying to move up a hierarchical ladder. People need to see and experience the commonality of the school community. We see this coming together at times around tragedy or sports teams but it needs a more uniform presence.

A Complex Society

School districts and buildings are really complex societies where bullying is one in a set of potential antisocial behaviors. Bullying is about hierarchy and when kids (or adults) assemble hierarchies form. Sometimes these hierarchies are benign or occasionally positive. Unfortunately, too often, the hierarchies within groups of students are negative and damaging to some.

To effect change in these societies we need to operate at a deeper level, at the level of culture and climate. Understanding how bullying operates with concepts like victim, bullying and bystander or helping students be more assertive in the face of this aggression is important but not sufficient. These strategies place the burden of change on the children, when really it is only the adults that have the power to make significant improvements.

Since the Columbine tragedy in 1999 there has been more attention paid to bullying. This attention has heightened awareness but sadly has not reduced the incidence of bullying in schools nor relieved the pain for many US school children.

What can be done?

What can be frustrating about school climate or school culture for any one teacher or parent is they seem too big to influence. Nevertheless, change can happen with your best efforts. Here are some suggestions:
• Do some research, asking students, where bullying usually occurs. The results are always compelling and clearly show that “place” is the key ingredient. Make these places safer.

• Organize other concerned adults to speak with either the principal, site based management team or the school board. Help them understand the role of the climate and culture.

• Make a practice of listening but not necessarily reacting, to all student complaints or concerns. School staff unintentionally creates buffers around themselves because they are often too busy to attend to students’ issues. Instead of pushing them away, develop a repertoire of simple responses to minor issues so that the major issues reach your ears.

• Avoid creating dominance hierarchies. This includes public embarrassment, clearly identifying people’s skill or intelligence (or lack of) relative to others or simply using belittling language.

References

Astor, R.A., Meyer, H., & Behre, W.J. (Unowned places and times: Maps and interviews about violence in high schools. American Educational Research Journal (1999) 36: 3-42.
Espelage, D. L. & Swearer, S. M. Bullying in American Schools. New Jersey: Lawrence, Erlbaum Associates, Inc., 2004.Gibbs, Jeanne. Tribes: A New Way of Learning and Being Together. Windsor, CA: CenterSource Systems, LLC, 2001.
Gonder, P.O., & Hymes, D. (1994). Improving school climate and culture (AASA Critical Issues Report No. 27). Arlington, VA: American Association of School Administrators.
Reinke, W. M. & Herman, K.C. Creating School Environments that Deter Antisocial Behaviors in Youth. Psychology in the Schools, (2002) 39: 549-559.

About the Author: Contact Brian at http://www.k12associates.com

In collaboration with Melissa A. Keyes, Ph.D. and Dorothy Espelage, Ph.D., Professor and Associate Chair in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Illinois, he developed a set of popular school climate surveys currently used by more than 75,000 students, in 50 school districts nationwide. Brian is a graduate instructor through Viterbo University of La Crosse Wisconsin. He has been a presenter at the Wisconsin School Counselors Conference, Association of Wisconsin School Administrators Conference, the Standards of the Heart Conference, and various other state and regional conferences. He has co-authored a variety of articles published in a variety of academic journals, primarily in collaboration with Dr. Espelage at the University

Here’s a short primer on Cognitive and Behavioral Learning Theories

Behavioral learning theories suggest that learning results from pleasant or unpleasant experiences in life while cognitive theories of learning suggest that learning is based upon mental processes. However, in an admonishment against being too closely guided by any one set of pedagogical principles, Johnson (2003) suggests that a fixation with process oriented educational theories among those in the politics of education has not served the education community well by aligning practitioners into separate camps.

A behavioral view in psychology has held that exploratory analysis of cognition must begin with an examination of human behavior (William & Beyers, 2001). Behavioral theory has benefited from the work of early researchers such as Pavlov, Thorndike, and later on the work of B.F. Skinner. Work relating to the development of behavioral theories in educational psychology has allowed theorists to explore ways in which human action could be controlled through manipulation of stimuli and patterns of reinforcement.

Cognitive theory as it relates to epistemological processes within the individual is based upon the idea that learning comes about as a result of processes related to experience, perception, memory, as well as overtly verbal thinking. Since the 1970s, information processing theory has been a dominant focus of study for cognitive theorists. Although the list of theories associated with cognitive theory is an expansive one to say the least, for the purposes of this paper, it is appropriate to mention several contemporary theories on cognition including: information processing theory, schema theory, and situated cognition theory.

Informational processing is based on a theory of learning that describes the processing of, storage, and retrieval of knowledge in the mind. Factors such as sensory register, attention, working memory, and long term memory play a significant part in this theory of cognition. Schema theory offers that human beings interpret the world around them based on categorical rules or scripts; information is processed according to how it fits into these rules or schemes. As an epistemology, schema theory focuses on meaningful learning and the construction of and modification of conceptual networks. Situated cognition theory postulates a social nature of learning situated within a community of practice in which knowledge is socially constructed.

An important component of this type learning, apprenticeship, is informed by social learning theory. Situational cognition as a theory posits that the individual is not a passive vessel, but rather, is an active self-reflective entity; as such, cognitive processes develop as a result of interaction between the self and others.

Another loosely related concept that relates to social cognition is the construct of reciprocal determinism. This is a behavioral theory under which it is theorized that the environment causes behavior and at the same time, behavior causes the environment Under this theory, personal factors in the form of (a) cognition, affect, and biological events, (b) behavior, and (c) environmental influences, create interactions that result in a triadic reciprocality (Pajares, 2002).

References

Johnson, B. (2003). Those nagging headaches: perennial issues and tensions in the politics of education field. Education Administration Quarterly, 39 (1), pp. 41-67.

Pajares, F. (2002). Overview of social cognitive theory and of self-efficacy.

Williams, R. & Beyers, M. (2001). Personalism, social constructionalism, and the foundation of the ethical. Theory and Psychology, 11 (1), pp. 119-134.

Liston W. Bailey is an educator and training specialist living in Virginia.

My recent research on Freud’s theory of mind control shocked me, the techniques that are now used by advertising agencies, politicians and public relations for over 100 years to inject fear and pleasure as a psychological drug to create slave employees, increase massive traffic of consumerism in the world of so called democracy.

Mass Media Brain Washing Techniques

The Freudian theory about the unconscious mind, and the hidden starving zombie inside each of us, can be activated by repetition display of advertising, to drill the unconscious mind, the giant zombie within, currently known as ‘the genius within the consequences of both self help programming or media control programming depend on the kind of hot syntax and imagery used to unleash the genius, or if you are exposed to advertising propaganda and public relations programming, you don’t unleash your genius within, you submit your genius, your creativity, your intelligence to those in power.

Intelligence Bankruptcy

So, mind control agencies use similar and carefully crafted pieces of Freudian theory for specific function that benefit the governments, the military, insurance companies, and world banks. If the psychology of repetition is used to advance the evolution of mankind, so be it, because, the techniques are not all that bad, and it has many beneficial advantages. However, because the 97% of the world population are not even using 1% of their psychology to get the edge, the power is left to the rich and powerful to control the masses.

Inside each of us lie the hidden irrational forces of fear, or pain and pleasure. It is these two devices, that the propaganda policy makers, PR, Media, and advertising agencies take advantage of when there is new policy to be introduced, increase in prices and taxes. They use hot syntax to manipulate the unconscious mind, and once the hot syntax spread the semantics ( meaning) through fear and pleasure, designed to sedate the conscious mind, and then access the unconscious, so that you submit to new policies, new taxes, new prices, and more control of your privacy thus preventing campaign or riot, in other words suppressing freedom of speech, without your knowledge.

Torture & Freedom Marketing Technique

Take for example, the history of tobacco, and how the PR agencies brain washed women into starting smoking, because they used the ‘hot syntax’ torture and freedom’ they have touched on the irrational factor of the human being, ‘desire and emotion, for women, ‘ cigarette was a symbol of equality, that just by smoking a cigarette, women felt equal to men, and that is how the tobacco industry is now a multi billion dollars industry. The unconscious mind can be trained to do anything despite your rational mind, but for those who are not training the mind to meet their full potential, are leaving their unconscious mind in the hand of their masters. If you think you are a free sovereign, think again.

Passive Consumers

We are no longer citizens living in a world of democracy, we are turned into consumers, consumers led to the creation of a stock market boom, and this gave massive opportunity for banks to get you into buying shares, applying for loans and credit cards. This is what I call, The Snow Ball Psychological Techniques of Mass Media Brain Washing Effect. This is how the masters treat citizens, not as active citizens, but as passive consumers, this is what PR agencies, particularly in America, “the key to control, in a mass democracy”

When you hear the media politicians talking about ‘people are in charge what they truly mean is that people’s desire is in control, that is the difference. As long as massive advertising, as long as the Spamming virus of television and giant billboards exist, people’s decision making power is hijacked by the irrational emotional desires that the media controls. The masses don’t make decision based on their intellectual power, but make decision based on their emotional reaction buried deep in the unconscious mind.

Why You Never Followed through that Business Concept?

If employer gets you to wake up so early in the morning, wearing that uniform you were told to wear, be at your desk at specific time, and work all the way to the graveyard, for what? for a little reward that your unconscious accepted as the only option or die. The only system you can change is your belief system, and that can only be done, when you commit to treating your unconscious mind as a baby who needs to learn how to walk the right way, as opposed to the way you are carried by the unconscious starving emotions, and this requires daily MindGym training to rid yourself of the software of sabotaged belief system polluted with fears, worries inject in you by media propaganda advertising, mass received opinions, religion and cults.

Get The Edge

Just think of how you would feel to face your fears, uncertainties, doubts, procrastination, laziness, hidden depression, and defy them all, when you step up with all your might, your true powerful hidden self, and arrive at the finish line of success to become a winner, the best you can be, super fit, healthier, happier, and richer beyond your wildest dreams.

Become a seeker of practical knowledge, a lover of wisdom, in order to attract luck and become a winner, as opposed to being at the mercy of your masters. As long as you remain a loyalist to your masters, you will always remain a slave, chained by your hijacked unconscious mind. The only way to convince you that your intelligence is being hijacked is when you look around the country, in every single country, there is not single MindGym for the unconscious programming, but there are millions of physical fitness centres around the world, and ignoring the most important organ and power of the universe, The mind.

Freud’s Theory of Mind Control

Please note that I have mentioned Freud’s theory that does not mean I am in favor of his theory. He spoke hotly about sexual energy should be controlled, but then, he counseled his daughter Anna Freud about her sexual fantasies, and for someone who never had a sexual life, the father is counseling her about something she never tried. Another point about Freud is that he smoked heavily, a tobacco addict, and has the audacity to speak about addictions. In my mind, he was an intellectual and not an emotionally intelligent being. I find most of his theories controlling rather than liberating. Anna Freud appears to be a cold-hearted woman, managed to promote her father’s work, and continued to practice psychoanalysis.

I would rather be brain washed by a program that allows me to make free choices, that allows me to overcome my irrational desires, and television addiction that sabotage the brain and the life of TV addicts. But, thanks to NLP, we are now witnessing a real shift in consciousness, freeing people to become their full potential. When clients come to see me about their struggles, my role is to inspire, motivate, empower individuals to take control of their thinking, and feeling, and to unleash their own master within, so that they become free sovereign. The role of a coach or a mentor is to demonstrate sensitivity to encouraging openness to diverse perspectives, and to leveraging diversity.

Advertise Yourself

Learn to advertise what you desire to become, what you desire to create, and what you desire to receive. This is your life, and you must live it as you see fit. May You Remain a Seeker of Practical Knowledge, The Lover of Wisdom, and a Free Sovereign, blessed and a blessing to mankind.

Andre Zizi is the pioneer of N.V.L.S.E – Neuro Visual & linguinstic Syntax Encoding – and series of other not yet published books. Andre ZIzi is a philosophy graduate, qualified teacher, trained in the educational psychology, NLP, and has mega business concept that will revolutionise the way NHS provide therapy services. If you are an investor, or a publisher, or someone you know will be interested in ZiziWorld vision, then, contact us direct on 07999 579 135.

You can Join his New success Website – http://www.ziziworld.ning.com