living authentically

Captives of Normalcy (Part 4)

Erich Fromm believed that character determined behavior. In his studies of how society affects our development, he concluded that every society shares a common character structure, meaning a common set of traits that motivate us to behave in ways that fulfill the goals and ideals of our culture. For example we are taught and conditioned to believe our self-worth depends upon our achievements, our financial value, the things we own, how productive we are, and how other people evaluate us. Fromm called this collection of traits our social character. Society from its largest institutional units down to its smallest, the family, endeavors to teach us these traits.

Individuation: The Path to Growth and Authenticity – Captives of Normalcy (Part 3)

In understanding Jung’s individuation process and how it works for us, it helps to know a few basic things about the levels of consciousness we can obtain. To begin with, our levels of consciousness or psychological maturity become increasingly based on self-awareness rather than age after we have reached adulthood.

Awakening to Our Stories: Captives of Normalcy (Part 2)

To understand what Jung meant by a religious attitude and our emotional problems, we need to become familiar with what he calls the individuation process. While each of us grows and ages physically, whether we like it or not, the same fact isn’t true about our psychological growth. The individuation process recognizes that after we have grown to a certain point psychologically, we have to make an effort; we have to pursue self-knowledge, to mature as people and live in a satisfying manner in our relationships and culture.

Reclaiming the Feminine: A Reader’s Response and Personal Story – Part Three

One of the most rewarding aspects of being authors of books like INTO THE HEART OF THE FEMININE are the responses we get from readers. These responses encourage us, energize our work and fill us with awe and humility. The …
Read More

Reclaiming the Feminine: Celebrating Change – Part Two

Have you ever been afraid of what people are going to think about you…how they are going to respond to you? We were feeling that way…after we finished our manuscript, Into the Heart of the Feminine. Over many years, we …
Read More

Sacred Selfishness: Self-Loving vs. Self-Serving (Part 3)

Have you ever thought about how strongly we have been indoctrinated into the idea: “Don’t be selfish?” When I think back about the southern culture I was raised in, I remember very clearly being told, “Don’t be selfish,” again and …
Read More