Faith, Supernatural Beliefs and Our Symbolic Brain By Dr. Herman Kagan October 20th - November 10 2013
ISBN: 9781482028058
__________________________________________
Synopsis:
We have been endowed with a symbolic brain that helps us adapt to and survive in our natural and man-made worlds. However it is open to both true and false beliefs both of which have impacts on our well-being. Supernatural beliefs may lead to disastrous consequences but continue to exist because they actually serve human survival through their reliance on faith and reduction of stress. So our symbolic brain's readiness for supernatural beliefs is a mixed blessing-but a blessing nevertheless.
__________________________________________
Guest Reviewer, Donna's, Thoughts:
The author seeks to answer the question of why people continue to hold onto "supernatural" beliefs in the 21st century, including the religious and the paranormal, that have existed in society for thousands of years. With science and discoveries so advanced in this current age, why do we continue to believe and rely on those concepts that science can conceivably disprove? Do these beliefs help us? Are they an aid or a hindrance to the individual and society as a whole? And most importantly: are they necessary for survival in this day and age?
According to Dr. Kagan, the answer seems to lie in the all important "symbolic brain" which responds to the emotional impact of different ideas, concepts and experiences as well as dreams and social challenges which shape our belief system. The symbolic brain is capable of creating beliefs without actually going through a physical experience of the event. Simply put, it is like a child's belief in angels who watch over them although they have never physically seen angels.
Similarly, by believing in supernatural forces, whether God, gods or ghosts, one can attain and maintain a feeling of power and control over the unknown, the dangers, and the unpredictable situations of daily existence. Think of it as a coping mechanism built into the brain that allows a measure of comfort and allays or reduces the fear and anxiety of modern life.
Dr. Kagan very effectively uses examples from both the distant past and the current age to present his case, and opens the mind to much food for thought. A fascinating concept, an interesting read.
__________________________________________
Excerpt:
Dr. Jaylin apparently helped a woman who envisioned a body floating in front of her whenever she took a shower with her eyes shut. She tried taking a shower with her eyes wide open, but the sound of the running water filled her with dread. Then night after night she dreamed of being raped. Out of desperation she sought out Dr. Jaylin, who with regression therapy took her back to her past life, which turned out to be a tragic one. The woman saw her sister being raped and pushed to her death over a waterfall as she stayed hidden and frozen with fright. When her sister’s body crashed to the ground, she leaped out of hiding to help her but was swept away by the thundering torrent. Once she relived these experiences she was finally able to take a shower with her eyes closed, and the rape dreams vanished.
A living example is Rebecca Rosen, a thirty-three-year-old mother. Her grandmother committed suicide when Rebecca was eleven years old, and when Rebecca was in college she suddenly started hearing the voice of her dead grandmother. Her grandmother’s voice provided guidance lessons for taking care of herself and avoiding depression and Rebecca wrote down all the things her dead grandmother told her. Since then she hasn’t stopped hearing from other dead people, and continues to hear voices of the dead some ten years later.Has Rebecca been treated as abnormal or mentally disturbed? No, she has been accepted as a psychic and she is booked almost three years in advance for psychic readings at $275 for a half-hour and $500 for an hour. In February 2010 she gave a group reading at the Rock Financial Center in Novi, Michigan, which was attended by eight hundred people who paid $30 to $80 apiece for readings.
__________________________________________
Listen to the live interview with Dr. Kagan, hosted by Susan Violante of
I Have Something To Say Live
__________________________________________
Dr. Herman Kagan
The author is a retired clinical psychologist with a California license who specialized in the area of childhood trauma and abuse. He directed, for 18 years, a support/treatment group for children and families experiencing sexual abuse. He also was involved in creating a sexual abuse prevention program for elementary schools.
After he retired he began writing to leave an information legacy for his grandchildren about how people react to good and bad situations and what systems are involved. Two books resulted from his writing, namely: "The Psychological Immune System" and the current book listed. His main goal is to figure out what human actions are innate, what are learned and why we act so contradictory.
__________________________________________
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment