Eric B
ⒺⓉⒷ
- Joined
- Mar 29, 2008
- Messages
- 3,621
- MBTI Type
- INTP
- Enneagram
- 548
- Instinctual Variant
- sp/sx
Actually, my family isn't religious, they are all “secular†(basic mix of theological agnosticism with evolutionary “naturalism†and a mix of secular psyhologies and philosophies). So this is what I associated self-help with. Not being able to conjure up that inner power, in desperation, I eventually figure maybe there was something to a Biblical theistic position after all; especially since God is supposedly external, and a more logical (at least hypothetically) source of “divine strengthâ€, and it's said that the power is only available to believers anyway.
But then I find in practice, it's still ultimately many of the same “self-help†principles, though with God nominally made the focus (like “have faith in God†replacing “believe in yourselfâ€, and many newer Christians even use both, even though their predecessors repudiated putting it the latter way, as “humanisticâ€). So it was totally bewildering.
So it's mainly that “older†brand of Christianity that said directly to put the ego aside. Whenever psychology and self-help say “self†(as in “self-loveâ€), they hear “ego†and put that down as well.
The secular advice of my family and others was often a mix of “reach for the starsâ€, and then warning of how ego can get in the way. We want everything NOW, and with no difficulty. So they'll say go enjoy life (they don't call this “growing the ego†as far as I've seen), but when we can't get what we want, then they'll go after the “egoâ€.
And here in Jungian theory, the entire point is ultimately how our egos slant reality to one side or the other, and that the goal is to integrate what's been shut out.
So what EJCC is basically correct. It's a matter of finding a way to do this, and the Jungian concepts has been that “data†(often dismissed by mainstream “self-helpâ€), giving me a framework to start from. It's still difficult, especially with the echo of the more popular Te “tough talk†approach still resounding everywhere. So I figured I'd put this out there and see what others thought.
But then I find in practice, it's still ultimately many of the same “self-help†principles, though with God nominally made the focus (like “have faith in God†replacing “believe in yourselfâ€, and many newer Christians even use both, even though their predecessors repudiated putting it the latter way, as “humanisticâ€). So it was totally bewildering.
So it's mainly that “older†brand of Christianity that said directly to put the ego aside. Whenever psychology and self-help say “self†(as in “self-loveâ€), they hear “ego†and put that down as well.
The secular advice of my family and others was often a mix of “reach for the starsâ€, and then warning of how ego can get in the way. We want everything NOW, and with no difficulty. So they'll say go enjoy life (they don't call this “growing the ego†as far as I've seen), but when we can't get what we want, then they'll go after the “egoâ€.
And here in Jungian theory, the entire point is ultimately how our egos slant reality to one side or the other, and that the goal is to integrate what's been shut out.
So what EJCC is basically correct. It's a matter of finding a way to do this, and the Jungian concepts has been that “data†(often dismissed by mainstream “self-helpâ€), giving me a framework to start from. It's still difficult, especially with the echo of the more popular Te “tough talk†approach still resounding everywhere. So I figured I'd put this out there and see what others thought.