Psyberspace

I have just listened to two interview by Joanna Harcourt-Smith. I liked them both. Bill Plotkin has a braod overview of human & cosmic development and sounds like he would be a trustworthy guide to explore personal transformations.

Miriam Sagan’s story is the story of an artist & her life, particularly interesting to me on her relationship with her students. Also the interview touches on the parallel processes of the cosmic & the particular.

futureprimitive.org

January 17, 2009 – GAIALOGUES: Interview with Bill Plotkin

Bill Plotkin, PhD, has been a psychotherapist, research psychologist, rock musician, river runner, professor of psychology, and mountain-bike racer. As a research psychologist, he studied dreams and nonordinary states of consciousness achieved through meditation, biofeedback, and hypnosis. The founder and president of Animas Valley Institute, he has guided thousands of people through initiatory passages in nature since 1980. Currently an ecotherapist, depth psychologist, and wilderness guide, he leads a variety of experiential, nature-based individuation programs. He is the author of Soulcraft: Crossing into the Mysteries of Nature and Psyche and Nature and the Human Mind.

January 16, 2009 – GAIALOGUES: Interview with Miram Sagan

Miriam Sagan is the author of over twenty books, including a memoir, Searching for a Mustard Seed : A Young Widow’s Unconventional Story (Winner best Memoir from Independent Publishers, 2004). Her poetry includes Rag Trade, The Widow’s Coat), and The Art of Love.
Sagan directs the creative writing program at Santa Fe Community College, and has taught at the College of Santa Fe, University of New Mexico, Taos Institute of the Arts, Aspen Writer’s Conference, around the country, and on line for writers.com and UCLA Extension. She has held residency grants at Yaddo and MacDowell, and is the recipient of a grant from The Barbara Deming Foundation/Money for Women and a Lannan Foundation Marfa Residency.

We saw Australia (the movie) last night, this led to the discussion of how there wqas something condescending in the way the aboriginals had magical powers. Then Amy showed us this item which clinched the idea of the archetype very fully, great article.

As usual I think the archetype is fine, we all have a wise old man in our psyche, but to literalise the idea is the problem.

But this is movie was not History. it is a fable, and so as long as we see it as that it is not so bad. But is the USA is literalising a fable, now that could be a disaster!

Magical Negro in Chief
By Bijan C. Bayne | TheRoot.com

In Obama, pop devotees of the black spiritual guide have found their ultimate savior.
Type Size

Nov. 13, 2008–By now we’ve become familiar with the Negro Spirit Guide in pop culture. Think Whoopi Goldberg in Ghost, Sister Act and The Long Walk Home. Laurence Fishburne in Searching for Bobby Fischer and The Matrix.

theroot.com

This is a thorough survey, with a predictable outcome. We don’t know much!

In the conclusion she advocates that professional bodies create more effective guidelines for online practice. It is one that makes sense, and there may be some that are needed, however I have a belief that for 99% of the work the existing principles are fine. Usually when an ethical question pops up, it is not so different from face-to-face practice. Are they who they say they are? Is the environment that suits? Is the pratitioner competent to use the tools they use? All apply broadly!

proquest.umi.com

Ethical practice online: An exploration of provider liability risk among practitioners in the emerging field of online therapy
by Holmes, Kristie, Ph.D., Capella University, 2008, 201 pages; AAT 3324818

mail.google.com

I am always fascinated to see how various roles are named in online forums. I need to know these as I set up an active team of contributors on http://www.katetapley.co.nz, so it is handy to have this link here. I am pleased to see the term “moderator” is not used, though no doubt it has a place at times.

Summary of Roles

* Administrator – Somebody who has access to all the administration features
* Editor – Somebody who can publish posts, manage posts as well as manage other people’s posts, etc.
* Author – Somebody who can publish and manage their own posts
* Contributor – Somebody who can write and manage their posts but not publish posts
* Subscriber – Somebody who can read comments/comment/receive news letters, etc.

codex.wordpress.org