Wisdom Notes

About Me I daydreamed my way through most of my childhood till I went to college. I had no particular drive activating me at that time. I have an academic training in physics and mathematics, graduating in 1967. After a few months in computing, I dropped out of professional life to become an anarchist in politics and an existentialist in everything else. My 20s were my hippie and social activist periods.

2008

In my 30s, I did the traditional ‘soul search’, doing the rounds of various groups, exploring yoga, Buddhism, theosophy, and spiritual healing. At night school  I studied counselling, sexuality, and philosophy. But I eventually realised that traditional values and beliefs (whether Eastern or Western) did not answer my needs – even though I did not yet know what my needs were. I was just confused.

In 1985  I spent a month in India, living in an ashram and visiting temples. When I returned I ended all my associations with psychic groups and went into intellectual isolation. For many years I read everything that I could on all aspects of human nature ; I read hundreds of books from my local library. The local library seemed like my second home, since I spent so much time there. The library was able to get for me any book held in other libraries throughout Britain.

[ Interestingly, the two original thinkers that I most admire, Nietzsche and Freud, also produced their ideas in intellectual isolation. When new psychological ideas are being created, which often means that the thinker has become very sensitive and vulnerable, premature criticisms by outsiders will crush the thinker. Hence solitude is an absolute necessity for facilitating the free flow of inspiration].

During this period I extensively studied dynamic psychology (the way that the subconscious and unconscious minds work), whilst at the same time intensively analysing my own problems. This was the time of my psycho-analysis, which I did on my own, without the help of any therapist. (So I call it  my self-analysis).

I went through periods of intense stress, which brought me intense self-awareness. I explored the dark side of the mind, including madness, and learned some of the hidden ways by which it functions. Eventually this understanding enabled me to formulate original ideas about faith, ethics, spirituality, and the social origins of violence and confusion.

Looking Back
The major direction of my life from my 30s to my 50s was an exploration of healing ways. It was a journey from physical healing ( herbalism, plus swedish massage and osteopathy) to psychic healing (or ‘spiritual healing’) and then to psychological healing (psycho-analysis). Then from my 50s onwards I pursued the path of wisdom, using my psycho-analytic knowledge. I have been on this path for over 30 years, and have uncovered the psychological bases of much of spiritual practice.

This journey was, in its essence, a spiritual dialogue between myself and my higher self.

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