Hughes 6, Walsh IV

Hughes

I remember all of the different personality types. I believe I took a test in my high school psychology class to figure out which one I was. At the point in time my results landed me in the intrapersonal intelligence. However, now I'm not really sure what I am. I suppose I dabble in a couple areas.
I found the part about endless love to be very interesting. "The meaning of life is defined less by personal relationships then by the work" (80). I'm sure a lot of people would disagree with this statement, however, I guess it is true. Typically a person's work or passion represents who they are the most. I definitely agree that creativity is often a therapy. For me, when I'm really upset and I write, then I instantly feel better. I think a lot of artists get so lost in his or her artwork that they forget about all of the problems they are dealing with. Soon after all problems are forgotten I don't doubt that falling into an altered state of consciousness is possible.

Walsh IV

I can definitely understand how shamans were first associated with devilization, then medicalization and finally idealization. Being honest that is how it has played out for me just in this class. I used to associate shamanism as being bad, then I saw the healing powers, and I'm still working on the idealization stage. I do find it fascinating and I definitely don't see it as a bad idea anymore. However, how shamans are viewed really is in the eye of the beholder. I love the quote at the beginning of chapter 12. "It is the mind that maketh good or ill, that maketh wretch or happy, rich or poor." I really believe that because I think it is all in the mind. This might sound strange, but I think I have my own connection to this quote. I haven't been sick for like 2 years, meaning no colds or anything. I used to think when the weather changed that I was going to get sick, also, if I was around someone sick, then I would get sick. However, somehow I changed my thinking. If someone tells me I'm going to get sick, then I say that I don't get sick. I'm not sure how it is working, but it has. I simply don't think that it will happen unless I think it will and as a result I haven't been sick since I started thinking in this manner. Back to the chapter I don't think it is surprising the shamans were thought of as epileptics and associated with hysteria. I think anyone who does not understand altered states of consciousness would apply such diagnoses.
In chapter 13, I simply think about my psychology classes that I had. I recall the Rorschach Test and it being unreliable, but I guess it is helpful when detecting patterns. In chapter 14 I think it is interesting how much science and spirituality are intermixing, when they are typically kept separate in school. I see the healing power of shamanism as spiritual, and I'm not sure how science could ever understand it. There is so much psychology in this chapter, but it seems like there should be a priest trying to understand a shaman. Lastly, I don't think shamanism is all trickery, but I'm sure there is probably a lot of fakes. Overall, I found this reading interesting.