Tuesday 25 May 2021

Psychology: 17 Defense Mechanisms

In its long period of evolution, the lower ego has developed many subtle and not-so-subtle strategies to protect itself and maintain a positive self-image (and avoid the impulses from the higher ego). If they remain unconscious, they can proliferate and create a complex web of illusions and delusions. Therefore on the path of discrimination and Self-knowledge, an understanding of the modern formulations of defence mechanisms can be a useful tool. This concept is not unrelated to a previous post on logical fallacies, as they can be caused by a reaction from the defense mechanisms.

Defense mechanisms can be defined as unconscious strategies whereby people protect themselves from anxious thoughts or feelings. They aren’t necessarily bad—they can allow people to navigate painful experiences or channel their energy more productively. They become problematic, however, when applied too frequently or for too long. Most defense mechanisms are fairly unconscious. Some types of psychotherapy can help a person become aware of what defense mechanisms they are using, how effective they are, and how to use less primitive and more effective mechanisms in the future. Following certain psychologists, the list has been classified into three levels, from primitive to more sophisticated.

Primitive Defense Mechanisms

1. Dissociation

Dissociation is when a person loses track of time and/or person, and instead finds another representation of their self in order to continue in the moment. A person who dissociates often loses track of time or themselves and their usual thought processes and memories. People who have a history of any kind of childhood abuse often suffer from some form of dissociation.

2. Compartmentalization

Separating components of one’s life into different categories to prevent conflicting emotions. Also termed splitting, which is said to be occurring when positive and negative representations of self and other are dissociated from one another inside a person's mind. It is often related to early abuse and appears to be a mechanism by which people can preserve some semblance of happiness in the face of very negative experiences.

3. Projection

Attributing one’s unacceptable feelings or desires to someone else. For example, a spouse may be angry at their significant other for not listening, when in fact it is the angry spouse who does not listen. Projection is often the result of a lack of insight and acknowledgement of one’s own motivations and feelings.

4. Reaction Formation

Behaving or expressing the opposite of one’s true feelings. For instance, a man who feels insecure about his masculinity might act overly aggressive.

5. Acting Out

Acting Out is performing an extreme behavior in order to express thoughts or feelings the person feels incapable of otherwise expressing. Instead of saying, “I’m angry with you,” a person who acts out may instead throw a book at the person, or punch a hole through a wall.

6. Denial

Refusing to recognize or acknowledge real facts or experiences that would lead to anxiety. For instance, someone with substance use disorder might not be able to clearly see his problem.

Intermediate Defense Mechanisms

7. Regression

Reverting to the behavior or emotions of an earlier developmental stage.

8. Repression

Blocking difficult thoughts from entering into consciousness, such as a trauma survivor shutting out a tragic experience.

9. Displacement

Redirecting an emotional reaction from the rightful recipient to another person altogether. For example, if a manager screams at an employee, the employee doesn't scream back—but the employee may yell at her partner later that night.

10. Intellectualization

Focusing on the intellectual rather than emotional consequences of a situation. For instance, a person who has just been given a terminal medical diagnosis, instead of expressing their sadness and grief, focuses instead on the details of all possible fruitless medical procedures.

11. Rationalization

Justifying a mistake or problematic feeling with seemingly logical reasons or explanations. For instance, a woman who starts dating a man she really likes is suddenly dumped by the man. She re-imagines the situation in her mind with the thought, “I suspected he was a loser all along.”

12. Undoing

When we act on an idea or impulse that we later regret, we may adopt a defense mechanism of attempting to “undo” that action in order to protect the ego from feelings of guilt or shame. An absent father may attempt to make up for his absence by buying his children a lot of gifts occasionally.

13. Identification

Identification is when we identify ourselves with an image that we see as ideal to our ego. We associate ourselves with groups, movements, and people we see as who we wish to be.

14. Introjection

Introjection is the process in which we accept standards to be true to avoid scrutiny. This can be looked at as an extreme form of conformity.


Mature Defense Mechanisms

15. Sublimation

Channeling sexual or unacceptable urges into a productive outlet, such as work or a hobby.

16. Compensation

Compensation occurs when we do not like an aspect of our self or our behavior, and we perceive it as negative. In turn, we develop aspects and behaviors that we do in fact like about ourselves to compensate for the previously disliked concept.

17. Assertiveness

Assertiveness is a communication posture that exists between aggressiveness and passivity. Passive postured people allow others to invade them, while aggressive postured people invade other people. Assertive postured people defend themselves against the invasions of aggressive people, but do not themselves become aggressive and invade others - not even those who try to invade them. Assertiveness seems simple enough, but actually requires considerable finesse, self-confidence and a healthy and accurate understanding of social dynamics to function.

References

Falikowski, Anthony. Mastering Human Relations. Scarborough. Prentice-Hall, 1996.

www.mentalhelp.net/personality-disorders/defense-mechanisms/

psychcentral.com/lib/15-common-defense-mechanisms#Mature-Defense-Mechanisms

www.verywellmind.com/defense-mechanisms-2795960

www.psychologytoday.com/ca/basics/defense-mechanisms

www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/defense-mechanisms

www.simplypsychology.org/defense-mechanisms.html

www.tonyrobbins.com/mind-meaning/10-common-defense-mechanisms/

www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/defense-mechanisms

www.psychologistworld.com/freud/defence-mechanisms-list

Thursday 13 May 2021

Back to Basics - FAQ

Theosophy, as presented in the original literature in its early phase, from 1875 to 1900, has quite a vast scope of teachings, which we have been covering in our Theosophy Basics series, with over 25 posts. I thought it would be useful to give some links to the more essential ones dealing with the basic principles, values and practical aspects. I think that just with the first four articles, one can get a lot of useful information in understanding the general nature and distinctive spirit of this particular theosophical project. It can be considered as a FAQ post, inasmuch as many of the questions and misconceptions that I notice on the internet pertain to the topics in the articles included in this post. 

  

What is Theosophy?

https://theosophyproject.blogspot.com/2020/12/theosophy-basics-what-is-theosophy.html

 

What is a Theosophical Society?

https://theosophyproject.blogspot.com/2020/12/theosophy-basics-what-is-theosophical.html

 

Principles of Action and Work

https://theosophyproject.blogspot.com/2019/01/theosophy-basics-principles-of-action.html

 

Ethical Principles

https://theosophyproject.blogspot.com/2018/05/theosophy-basics-ethical-principles.html

 

Basic Literature

On Studying the Secret Doctrine

https://theosophyproject.blogspot.com/2019/07/on-studying-secret-doctrine.html

 

The Esoteric Spiritual Path

https://theosophyproject.blogspot.com/2019/10/theosophical-basics-esoteric-spiritual.html

Wednesday 5 May 2021

Isis Unveiled, Vol. 1 Table of Contents, Blavatsky


Below is an attempt to present a more formal table of contents with more detailed and descriptive outlines of all the chapters, which will hopefully serve to give an idea of the logical sequence of ideas and help to locate key topics easier. 

For a more detailed summary, see here.

Preface – (v-viii)

 

Before the Veil (x-xlv) Basic notions of ancient western philosophy, the importance of Platonism and its connection with Indian philosophy.

The conflict between Science and Religion: x

The importance of a certain skeptical and critical outlook: xi

Finding a middle way between ancient and modern and re-uniting science and religion: xii

A critique of materialism and a plea for spiritual freedom: xiv

Esoteric glossary (xxv-xlv)

 

Chapter 1 (Old Things with New Names) Magic, Sacred Mathematics and the Doctrine of Cycles

1-Concepts of Esoteric Evolution – The Myth of the Fall symbolizes an evolutionary process (p. 1)

2- Sacred Mathematics are key in understand the evolutionary process (8).

3- The ancient Hindus scientific knowledge (10).

4- The need to study the spiritual aspect of evolution (13)

5- Magic as a spiritual science (15)

6- The esoteric concept of cycles,the Great Year,the traditional Hindu concept of the Four Yugas, and evolution (31)

7- There is a primitive divine universal revelation that gradually became dispersed and hidden. (37)

 

Chapter 2 (Phenomena and Forces)– Spiritualistic phenomena, scientific investigation and occult explanations

1- Problems in dogmatism in religion and science with investigations of spiritualist phenomena. (p. 39)

2- W. Crookes investigations; the Katie King case. (44)

3- Accomplishments of ancient science; malleable glass; occult aspects of matter. (50)

4- The nature of forces or intelligences behind spiritualist phenomena and the dangers of spiritualism. (52)

5- Schopenhauer’s metaphysics comparable to ancient metaphysics. (55)

6- Scientific investigations on the nature of force and occult explanations of spiritualist phenomena; elementals and elementaries. (62)

7- Critique of spiritualist theory of actors in spiritualist apparitions being disembodied human spirits. Distinction between mediums and occultists.(68)

 

Chapter 3 (Blind Leaders of the Blind) – History of the reception of scientific discoveries and investigation of spiritual phenomena

1- Hindu Magical Feats – (p.73) The magical feats recorded in India cannot be faked or duplicated by western practitioners.

2- Science is hurt by avoiding the study of spiritualistic phenomena (75).

3- A critique of Positivism (75).

4- Scientific Innovations are often met with vigorous resistance; the history of the trustworthiness of human testimony as legal evidence; the value of science as understanding of facts and truth (83).

5- Many modern discoveries (in medicine notably) are based on a re-discovery of ancient accounts (88)

6- India is an important source of ancient wisdom and magical knowledge; creation myths of India, Egypt and Judea compared; the symbolism of the Lotus (90)

7- Giordano Bruno’s ancient perennial philosophy given modern empirical interpretations (93).

 

Chapter 4 – (Theories Respecting Psychic Phenomena) – Religious and Scientific views regarding spiritualistic phenomena; some ancients myths compared

1- The devil as cause of spiritualistic phenomena (Jules de Mirville) (p.99)

2- Material causes of spiritualistic phenomena (Jacques Babinet) (104)

3- Psychic causes of spiritualistic phenomena (Jean-Marc Antoine Thury) (109)

4- The nature of psychic force (113)

5- Various skeptical scientific theories regarding spiritualistic phenomena (116)

6- Roman Catholics consider the phenomena at Lourdes to be of divine cause (119)

7- Ancient myths reveal geological and anthropological truths (121)

 

Chapter 5 (On the Astral Light) Spirit force and matter, and its relation to creation and human evolution and the theory of the astral light in relation to practical magic and mesmerism

1-Fire and Light Symbolism Ancient and Modern illustrate Universal Force (p.125)

2- Water Symbolism Illustrates Primordial Substance (133)

3- Ether in Magic and Science (135)

4-Universal Substance/Force in Ancient Cosmologies (146)

5- Evolution in Ancient Myths (152)

 

Chapter 6 – (Psycho-Physical Phenomena) Paracelsian explanations of supernatural and psychic phenomena

1- Paracelsus as Scientific Pioneer (p. 163)

2- Mesmer as follower of Paracelsus (173)

3-Further History of Animal Magnetism (173)

4- Ancient and Modern Explanations of Animal Magnetism (178)

5- Psychometry (182)

6- Universal Ether and Astral Light (186)

7- Primordial Substances and Universal Solvent (189)

 

Chapter 7 (The Elements, Elementals, and Elementaries) Magnetism as Universal Force and source of Magic

1- Survey of Authors on Magnetism (p.206)

2- Universal Attraction (209)

3- Magnetism and Healing (215)

4- Ancient Theories of Spiritualism versus Modern

5- Alchemy and Perpetual Lamps (224)

6- Ancient and Modern explanations of Electro-Magnetic Power (232)

7- Ancient knowledge versus Modern (236)

8-Magnetism and the Theory of Force Correlation (242)

9-Universal Belief in Magic (247)

 

Chapter 8 – (Some Mysteries of Nature) – Spiritual Aspects of Cosmology, Astronomy, and Astrology

1- Modern Scientific Theories in Ancient Texts (p.253)

2- Astrology as a Science (259)

3- Solar Magnetism (270)

4- Cosmic Nature of Epidemics (274)

5- Cosmic Aspects of Universal Magnetism (p. 280)

6- Elementals and Universal Ether (284)

7- Buddhist Cosmology (288)

 

Chapter 9 (Cyclical Phenomena) –The evolution of the soul , the after-life and Spiritualism

1- Cycles and Human Evolution (293)

2- Esoteric interpretation of the Fall of Man and evolution (297)

3- The Ginza, the Book of Genesis and Human Evolution (303)

4- Elementals and Evolution (307)

5- The Evolution of the Human Soul (315)

6- Elementals, Nature of disembodied spirits, and spiritualism (320)

7- The Soul and the After-Life (327)

8- Psychometry, Theurgy, and Spiritualism (331)

 

Chapter 10 – (The Inner and Outer Man) The Body/Soul Relationship – Elementals, Spiritualism and Reincarnation

1- Mystery and Science (p. 336)

2- Metaphysics of the Soul (341)

3- Reincarnation and Transmigration (345)

4- Witchraft, spiritualism, and elementals (353)

5- Mediumship and Magic (366)

6- Epidemics of Spiritual Phenomena (369)

 

Chapter 11 – (Psychological and physical marvels) Esoteric Aspects of Embryology, the Will, and Imagination

1- Phenomena of Invulnerability (p.378)

2- The Mysteries of Embryology (384)

3- A Critique of the Despotism of Science and Scientific Methodology (403)

4- Strange Accounts of Ancient Science Validated by Modern Discoveries (411)

 

Chapter 12 – (The Impassable Chasm) The After-Life and Esoteric Aspects of Vampirism

1- Huxley and Tyndall on Modern Science (p. 417)

2- Instinct and Reason; Spiritualism and Materialism (422)

3- Eastern Magic (437)

4- Esoteric Aspects of Vampires (449)

 

Chapter 13 (Realities and Illusion) The After-Life: After-Death Revival and Alchemy

1- The coherence of magic and alchemy (p. 461)

2- Psychic Nature of Animals ( 467)

3- Eastern Magic (471)

4- Re-animation of the Dead (475)

5- Mediumship and Mediatorship (485)

6- Ancient and Modern Spiritualistic Phenomena (491)

7- Levitation (496)

8- Alchemy on the Elixir of Life, the Universal Solvent and the Philosopher’s Stone (502)

9- Ancient Science validated by Modern Discoveries (510)

 

Chapter 14–(Egyptian Wisdom) Egypt, Atlantis and Sacred Architecture

1- Advanced Technology of Egypt (520)

2- The Near East, Ancient America and the Legend of Atlantis (545)

3- Comparative Sacred Architecture

 

Chapter 15 – (India the cradle of the race) India, Atlantis and Eastern Magical Knowledge

1- The Secret Doctrine and Genesis (p. 575)

2- India, the Cradle of Civilisation (580)

3- Atlantis (591)

4- Asian Magical Knowledge (600)

5- Modern Spiritualism and Ancient Theory (607)

6- Accomplishments of Ancient India (618)

 

Book 2