News from the dissertation front

[kaiponohea]

I had a really good day writing today. This morning a quote from psychologist James Hillman leaped off the page at me and finally I understand the focus of my dissertation. I had been dithering about whether it was really a process thing, or if I needed some earthshaking result or huge insight (which didn’t seem to be forthcoming).

Comments

[xie_xie_xie]

I'm so glad you're writing about this because otherwise I'd have to just accept I'm insane.

[kaiponohea]

Yeah, call for the men in the white coats!

I'm glad you're READING these posts!

[shadownyc]

I find this topic quite fascinating. While I rationally know that B/J are real and I am also a fan of Gale and Randy, I truly find myself capable of compartmentalizing characters in such a way that they do feel totally real to me. In my mind, especially while reading fic, B/J are real--no question about it.

[kaiponohea]

It is weird, isn't it? Goes so completely against what we've been taught about "reality." The interesting thing for me was when I was able to stop compartmentalizing, and they were STILL real....

That's why I loved reading about the Sufi mystics--it's like human beings once KNEW about the imaginal world but then the "Enlightenment" came along and we weren't allowed to know that any more. There's now a big hole in our world view, a whole missing piece.

Lets us go and put it back together, OK? Seriously. In part just by talking about it, by validating each other's experiencs....

[southernwriter]

I know who Sherlock is, but I don't know who Brian and Justin are, so I'm at a loss here. Are they also fictional characters? I haven't had any "imaginal" experiences with fictional characters, only real experiences with real people who are no longer in the physical world. What I'd like to know is how you explain it when the "imaginal" friend produces physical evidence that they are still here? I can wave the evidence around under people's noses, and they still say I'm crazy.

[kaiponohea]

Brian and Justin are the two main characters in Showtime's "Queer As Folk" series about a group of gay friends in Pittsburgh. If you're not offended by hot man-sex (watching gorgeous naked men--how could that be a bad thing?) you could try renting the DVDS from Netflix, and I understand that the cable channel LOGO is going to be airing the series (though somewhat edited, no doubt) starting on the 21st.

Anyway. I want to address your questions in a separate journal entry. May I quote you? Or would you rather stay anonymous, other than your replies in my posts?

It's really an interesting question you raise, and I'm hoping to get a discussion going.

[southernwriter]

Okay, so if I get this right, Brian and Justin are speaking to you (and others) in an imaginal way? Okay, I'll buy it. It's no stranger than what I'm claiming. They're fictional characters right? Drawn from someone's imagination, which is part of the collective unconscious (the soul pool, I call it), of which we are all part. Why not? There are a lot of things in life we've learned to use without understanding exactly how they come to be - like magnetism, for example - but that doesn't make it any less real, right?

Quote me? You think something I've said is worthy of quoting or might be interesting? Um... no. (I'm kidding. Be my guest. You can even make fun of me if you want. I'm sure someone will.)

[kaiponohea]

There are a lot of things in life we've learned to use without understanding exactly how they come to be - like magnetism, for example

For me, it's flipping a light switch! There is NO WAY that can actually make a light bulb turn on, but there you are. LOL!

Your synopsis is correct. And yes, I do think your questions are interesting, and no, I wasn't planning to make fun of you, dearie. Puhleeze! Those who make fun of folks like us are just MISSING OUT on the real fun.