Test Block T4

Address central argument ( hypothesis + develop argument)
Para. - philosophical dimension ( summary comments)
Para- insights provided by psychologist
Para- insights on mysticism and spirituality ( sufi, zen etc)
Para- religion as a whole
Para- DVD / movie


Summary:

If we don't do anything with the attributes that we are given we, will not be able to live a full life.

Truman - LESS important 

Identity
Want our life to be genuine
Yearn to be free as human being ( not restricted)
Live life through other people ( the people watching Truman though a tv set)
Path to enable Truman to self actualised
He was prepared to live through suffering to live a genuine life ( living a full life)
Authentic life
Freedom of the mind ( mental freedom- not being controlled by other)

Mandela

Ghandi 

Mandela

Self Actualisation

Becoming violent to non-violent
Forgave people that put him in jail 

Treatment in Prison

Emotional abuse
Physical abuse
Strength in character to put up with so much abuse and to be able to forgive the person 

Mandela -
Loss suporters
White and Black in the government
Everyone should have an input ( regardless of race, colour and religion)
Selfless, caring and kind person that makes a difference in the world
Sacrifice a part of his life for other people ( self actualisation)
Prepared to pay a price
Forgiveness hurts and cost
Easier to forgive
Suffering ( about ultraism- being other centred they are making a difference)

QUOTES:

• Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.
• I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.
• It always seems impossible until it's done.
• For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.
• 
  
• After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.
• A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination.
• There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.
• There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.
• If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner.

Summaries of different world religions

Each religion have their own ethics 
Not to centre lives on ourselves 
Peacefulness, forgiveness, compassion, self control and life 
Religion bring out beliefs and rituals ( give a person a guide or path on how to live life) 
How to come together as a community 
Having a belief makes life easier for people 
Individual are able to become at peace with themselves
Other peoples view points are worthy of consideration
Most people are inclusive ( God is there and loves everyone )  


Buddhism:

What is the purpose of life? 

To live life and avoid all desire and attachment, being others centred ( caring for others instead of yourself). Achieve Nirvana, when not centred around desire or attachment by following Eight Fold Path. Emphasises on compassion in the Mehiyana traditions.  

Four Buddhist Immeasurable

Equanimity  
Emphatic Joy 
Benevolence ( kindness) - generosity   
Compassion 

Monasticism - Achieve a path of a monk as it can help by being discipline. Re-born as a monk before attaining enlightenment, female can not reach enlightenment as it is only males that can.

Islam: 

Devote life to the practice of Islam and follow the five pillars ( fasting, ramadan, prayer times, zaka, and harsh pilgrimage) Worshiping Allah.

Muslim terrorist: Boko Haram and ISIS

~ young people join these terrorist groups as they feel that they have a purpose in life

Money is not the main purpose in life
The meaning of worship in a Muslim life includes all acts of obedience to Allah

~ Islam teaches that life is only a test/ trial for the person to show his or her true nature

Judaism :

The covenant: special relationship with God
Honouring God and worshiping him
Keep the commandments
613 commandments of the Torah
Non-theistic religion
Living life to fullest
Centres on God
Moses wrote the Torah ( traditional Jewish thinking)

Christianity:

Love your neighbour
Love God
Loving other ( emphasise)
Live their lives lovingly
Similiar to Jesus character
Eliminate of submission ( committed to God )- such as Islam

Hinduism :

Brhaman  and Attoman ( Gods)
Build up good karma
Goal is not to be re-incarnated
Re-united with ultimate God Brhama
Worship their favourite God
Follow more than one God

Summary:

To be ultraistic and not materialistic
Good religion is about being compassionate
God is seen a being loving

Mystical Experiences and Spirituality

• Looked at philosophical and phycological insights relating to " Self Actualisation"  and "Fulfilment"
• Spirituality and Misticism relate to Self Actualisation  and Fulfillment  
• Mystical / Spiritual have one thing in common Get away from self 
• Take a better balance on life 
• Better conclusions and judgements 
• Find peace in ourselves and respond accordingly 
• Health benefits ( balance life style) 
• 
  

Kabbalah - Jewish 

Overlapped with Buddhism and Hinduism 

Kabbalah -points to spiritual dimension to all of life ( there are more things going on) 

They are searching for some deeper 

Happiness is not a good goal as it is temporary, whereas fulfilment is a good goal 

Ancient Jewish wisdom (5000 yrs ago) 

Given by God 

Secret Code: there is a spiritual dimension in all of life 

Around time of Christ- Book of Zoha was revealed 

Kabbalah has uncovered the deep metaphorical meaning to the Torah 

Kabbalah speaks about the mystical value to life and spiritual connection with God 

5 principles: Upper force that we live in, we are the egoistic parts to it, egos evolved at the end we will reach a state to unify with the force. [ simply: we are part of something and can experience inner peace]

We are one soul, one desire ( desire to enjoy) 

Shatter into millions of parts described as individual souls

Become like the Creator, need to unify together ( all souls have to come back together as one) 

We hate one another in actuality but, we have to connect with each other 

Loving spirit that created us

Zen Buddhist:

Tricking the mind and shock the mind with  lengthy meditation.
Through zen people can connect with spiritual things
Zen takes years of training
Koans are puzzles of a solution
Upset the mind ( thinking to hard and to much that you realise you are thinking)
Objective to have a flash of insight
Space of nothing

Tantra:
Concentrate on something specific
Interested in sexuality
Tibetans practice Tantra ( Hindu and Buddhist traditions)
Able to reach Nirvana in one life time
Energy contain in human makeup
State of speeding up to Nirvana
Connect to spiritual dimension
Ego-less
Beyond every day lesson
Involve speech, vision and gestures ( continual movement helps speed up the process)

Summary : Homework

- consciousness
-un-conciousness

How does psychology give an insight into how a person achieves self-actualisation?

Self- actualisation means that a person is living to their full potential. People go through different levels of growth both biologically and psychologically according to Maslow. It is only when a person feels loved, safe and belonging it is then that they have reached the highest forms of growth which is known as 'self-actualisation'. Some of Maslow's teachings are as follows:

1. Live life fully 
2. Be honest in choices 
3. Act with integrity 
4. Be aware of your own uniqueness 
5. Be courageous 
6. Peak experiences 
7. Lack of ego defences 

Carl Jung

Individuation 

• Believed that we as human beings have lost touch with the important parts of ourselves
• '' that by listening to messages that we have in our dreams that it will help us get back in touch with the different parts of us

- things that are universal that we share with others around us 

- opposite sex qualities/ male and female tendencies within ourselves ( generalisation) 

- things that we keep secret, we don't want people to know about us

- memories below the surface














Individuation 
Dream analysis are a part of Jung's concept


Jung believed that our goal in life is to achieve individuation. Individuation is the process of knowing and giving expression to and harmonising various components of the psyche.

If we come to realise that we are all unique in some way, it is from then that we can realise our true self.
* Mental health issue are formed by un-intergrated aspects of the psyche

Neurosis 

Frantically panicking

The un-concious 

example: saying something before thinking about it

Personal and collective unconscious 

Symbols 

The symbols might be important and tell us something

Persona: projecting a certain image ( good image)
Shadow : don't display that side of our personality
Anima:  Nurturing. According to Jung everyone is bi-sexual
Animus:  the rougher side, the qualities start of as masculine ( aggression)

Gandhi Movie Qs

Self-Actualisation

Physiologist’s perspective:

Truth

Control/expanding horizons

à Stepping out of comfort zone

Embrace/make use of pain and suffering

Authenticity

Living vicariously – live own life instead through others

Exploitation – doesn’t relate to fulfilment

Sorting out mess below the surface can help clarify identity in creating a more secure identity

So if you have issues that you can sort out you are going to be a more together person

The tension between the inter ego and super ego impacts identity through a sense of ones own needs and those of others as well, gives a sense of morality of what’s right and wrong.

A healthy person needs a healthy balance of these 3 egos

That which provides meaning becomes a guide and impacts personal identity

Once dreams can provide important information about ones self realising ones uniqueness is significant towards identity

External and internal images are important part of ones own identity

What’s hidden and what’s below the surface (shadow sides)

Focus on others and not just ourselves we will reach self-actualisation

Ghandi:

Concerned for other people

He lived like others to continually put himself out in cost of his physical and mental health for the sake of other people

Emphasis on change but peaceful change

He was happy do be fulfilled by the basic things in life to be where the people were

Emphasising peace, love, self sacrifice, other peoples needs, what’s good about other peoples needs, humility, humble ourselves