Hughes and Walsh

Hughes:

The mad scientist syndrome cracks me up. Sure, I've watched movies like this before but I never thought about how being so focused on your work could ruin other aspects of your life. Perhaps, I should re-evaluate my own schedule. Gaughin's quote, "Basically I have a psychological abnormality. I cannot stand sexual pleasure. It's peculiar" is rediculous. I don't want to give the wrong impression about me but how can someone not be able to stand sexual pleasure? And if this bothers him, then who knows what else he can't stand. It doesn't make sense to me to miss out on so many things in life because you're so consumed with math proofs. Also, I can understand that some people (in this case artists) love their work---and I hope to love my work some day---but not to the extent that I neglect personal relationships with wife, children, friends, family, etc.

Walsh:

Walsh's point that, "[Shamans] may no more display a single personality type or neatly fit a single diagnosis than do all Western doctors" makes a lot of sense to me (89). If you have an illness, doctors in the US would all probably diagnose you with the same thing and prescribe the same medicine/drug to cure you. This seems normal and to us because it's how things are done around here---but that doesn't mean the Shaman's way is wrong---we're just not use to it. Just as is pointed out that, "a Westerner who reported seeing and being persecuted by spirits might well be diagnosed as psychotics.....in shamanic cultures they are the norm" (90). My enthusiam for this course to a direct blow with the line Walsh uses from Kant in reference to "empty concepts" for someone talking about ASC's without any direct experience---empty concepts being, "concepts devoid of the richness, meaning, and significance that only direct experience can impart" (90). I think I'll get over it though---he does list yoga as being a happy and valuable ASC (still haven't started it). I thought this was a beautiful quote so I had to put it in here, "We cling to an old familiar understanding of ourselves and the world because it saves us from having to face the ever-changing novelty and uncertainty of life. We cling to the familiar, not knowing that mystery is a necessary prelude to the dawning of wisdom" (109). If you constantly think you already know everything or how everything works or even are just not interested in new possibilities---then you will continue to get the same results. We should all strive to be open to new thoughts, ideas, and possibilities---otherwise you're just limiting yourself. This reminds me of: you can't learn anything new when you're talking---meaning that if you're saying something then that means you already know/feel/believe that which you are saying, otherwise you wouldn't be able to say it. On the other hand, if you keep quiet and just listen then you might be surprised as to what you can learn.