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Antonio Damasio: Reuniting Mind, Body, and Emotion

Antonio Damasio: Reuniting Mind, Body, and Emotion

by | Sep 4, 2024 | , ,

Who is Antonio Damasio? Antonio Damasio is a pioneering neuroscientist, best-selling author, and professor of psychology, philosophy, and neurology at the University of Southern California, where he directs the Brain and Creativity Institute. His groundbreaking work challenges centuries of dualistic thinking about mind and body in Western culture, illuminating the deep connections between reason, emotion, and biological regulation. Damasio's books, including the seminal "Descartes' Error," have had a profound...

The Quantum and Metaphysics of Carl Jung

The Quantum and Metaphysics of Carl Jung

by | Sep 4, 2024 | , ,

How was Carl Jung Influenced by Math an Physics While Carl Jung was not deeply familiar with the technical details of physics and mathematics, these fields nonetheless had a significant influence on his thinking about psychology and the nature of the psyche. Jung lived in early 20th century Zurich, a time and place where groundbreaking discoveries in physics were very much "in the air." This zeitgeist, along with personal friendships and correspondence with eminent physicists and mathematicians like Wolfgang...

Growing Through Grief

Growing Through Grief

by | Sep 2, 2024 | ,

Holistic and Somatic Approaches to Healing After Loss Check out information on The Light Movement and their trainings and offerings.  Grief is a universal human experience, yet it is deeply personal and unique to each individual. In this article, we explore innovative approaches to grief therapy that integrate somatic and holistic practices to help people grow through loss. We sat down with Amy Pickett-Williams, a grief therapist with over 25 years of experience, to discuss her work and the nonprofit she founded,...

The Cult Psychology of The Satanic Panic

The Cult Psychology of The Satanic Panic

by | Sep 1, 2024 | , ,

Understanding the Appeal of a Moral Panic What was the Satanic Panic The 1970s and 1980s saw a wave of moral hysteria known as the "Satanic Panic," characterized by widespread fear of alleged Satanic cult activity. Despite a lack of evidence, many Americans became convinced that a vast, underground network of Satanists was responsible for everything from child abuse to human sacrifice. This essay will examine the social and psychological factors that made people vulnerable to these conspiracy theories, including...

The Cult Psychology of Jonestown

The Cult Psychology of Jonestown

by | Sep 1, 2024 | ,

What was the Jonestown Cult? The Peoples Temple, led by Jim Jones, was a notorious cult that ended in the tragic mass murder-suicide of over 900 of its members in Jonestown, Guyana in 1978. While its shocking end makes it stand out, many of the manipulative tactics and situational factors that allowed Jones to exert such control were not unique. As the saying goes, in most cults, little of what is good is original, and little of what is original is good. By examining the Peoples Temple and Jonestown, we can gain...

The Cult Psychology of The Branch Davidians

The Cult Psychology of The Branch Davidians

by | Sep 1, 2024 |

The Tragedy of the Branch Davidians: Abuse, Control, and the Perils of Charismatic Leadership Who was David Koresh? The 1993 Waco siege that ended in the fiery deaths of David Koresh and over 70 of his Branch Davidian followers shocked the world. But upon closer examination, the tactics Koresh used to ensnare and control his followers were not entirely unique. While the Branch Davidians took them to deadly extremes, elements of Koresh's playbook can be found in other cults as well as abusive interpersonal...

The Cult Psychology of The Manson Family

The Cult Psychology of The Manson Family

by | Sep 1, 2024 | ,

The Manson Family Cult: Origins, Influence, and Lessons Stolen and Reappropriated Elements The beliefs and practices of cults often combine unoriginal elements in novel but misguided ways. The Manson Family was no exception, drawing from various psychological models, religious traditions, and pseudoscientific ideas of the era. Charles Manson, the cult's charismatic leader, wove together a patchwork theology that included references to Scientology's concept of "clearing," the Process Church's worship of both...

Cult Psychology of the Solar Temple

Cult Psychology of the Solar Temple

by | Sep 1, 2024 | , ,

The Rise and Fall of the Order of the Solar Temple What was The Order of the Solar Temple The Order of the Solar Temple was a destructive cult that operated in the late 20th century, leaving a tragic legacy of mass suicides. Founded by Joseph Di Mambro and Luc Jouret, the cult blended elements of esotericism, New Age spirituality, and apocalyptic thinking to attract followers seeking meaning and transcendence. This essay will examine the origins, practices, and ultimate downfall of the Order of the Solar Temple...

The Rise and Fall of Aum Shinrikyo

The Rise and Fall of Aum Shinrikyo

by | Sep 1, 2024 | ,

What was the Aum Shinrikyo Cult? Cultural Anxieties, Psychological Manipulation, and a Cult's Deadly Legacy Stealing from Other Systems Aum Shinrikyo, like many cults, appropriated and repackaged beliefs and practices from various religions, philosophies, and scientific fields, rather than developing a wholly original worldview. The group cobbled together elements of Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity and New Age spirituality into an eclectic amalgam used to justify their leader's authority. Aum's central practice...

The Sullivanian Institute: Anatomy of an Urban Psychotherapy Cult

The Sullivanian Institute: Anatomy of an Urban Psychotherapy Cult

by | Sep 1, 2024 | ,

What was the "Sullivans" Psychotherapy Cult? The Sullivanian Institute, a notorious psychotherapy cult that operated in New York City from the 1950s through the 1980s, exemplifies the adage that in cults, nothing good is original and nothing original is good. Many of its core practices and beliefs were repackaged from other psychological models, religious traditions, and scientific theories: The emphasis on interpersonal dynamics in therapy sessions was adapted from the work of psychiatrist Harry Stack Sullivan,...