Existential Review (Pt 9) PHENOMENOLOGICAL SELF-DISCLOSURE by Sasha
Lessin, Ph.D., sashalessinphd@... 808 244-4103

[Based on Koestenbaum, P., The New Image of the Person: The Theory
and Practice of Clinical Psychology, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1978.]

Now that you have familiarized yourself with the ideals in earlier
lessons, continue the exploration of the existential model with the ideal,
Live and Reflect: Use Phenomenological Bracketing (Epoche). Share
your reactions to the existential explorations and let others benefit
from your explorations.


LIVE AND REFLECT: USE PHENOMENOLOGICAL BRACKETING (EPOCHE) (Ideal 7)

Successive contemplation and deliberate awareness of the
consciousness doing the contemplation reveals (as you learned in the
second existential ideal) the hierarchy of self-consciousness. When
you think about, picture and sense your self as an object, you
enlarge your self-concept from a preself to a public facade, and then
to an integrated orchestra of subselves. Reflection reveals you next
as a unified mental/physiological organism, a coupled,
intersubjective consciousness and a vessel through which flow social,
ecological, cosmic and eternal consciousness. The existential ideal
of reflection involves becoming aware of your presuppositions so you
can avoid distorting the object you observe, including the structure
of your own consciousness, by your presuppositions. You create a
first-hand, experiential description of your observations.
When you reflected upon your death anxiety, you discovered
your archetypal decision to be an individual bodymind, differentiated
from the other contents of time and space. You also reflected on the
time and space dimensions of nature from the perspective of the
infinite, unchanging, supra- individual ground of your existence.
This ground is your consciousness beyond time and space that flows through you and lasts forever, in
which your bodymind is forever a unique event--unity consciousness.
For you to live a full and authentic life, choose continually
the levels of consciousness from which to respond. Alternate between
active, outgoing engagement with apparent non-self entities and
reflective withdrawal from narrower self-perspectives using
meditation, prayer, artistic endeavor, confrontational encounter,
yoga, Tai Chi, meditative athletics, nature appreciation,
introspection, church-going and detachment from what you are doing to
gain full benefits of both living and reflecting.

* Reflect upon and describe your existence.
****

Review: THE EXISTENTIAL PRINCIPLES (See each on this site):

Realize the reciprocal INTERPLAY between you and what you
experience; learn of field theory, intentionality.

Experience yourself at several LEVELS OF CONSCIOUSNESS.

Acknowledge that you are responsible; CHOOSE your attitudes
and reactions.

Consciously experience your ever-developing sense of yourself
as an individual and as humanity (phenomenologically SELF-DISCLOSE.)

Value PAIN and ANXIETY as opportunities to learn.

Use limits to make your life meaningful; reflect upon
NEGATION, FINITUDE and DEATH.
Live and reflect using phenomenological bracketing (EPOCHE)

Be INDEPENDENT, SELF-RELIANT and SUBJECTIVE (to balance out
love and commitment.)

Realize your own unique, creative INDIVIDUALITY.

Experience TRANSCENDENTAL SUBJECTIVITY; revere this core self
of each and all consciousness.

Realize you are free to CHOOSE your own values and self-
concepts

Accept GUILT for your choices as signals to do better.

Say YES to life. COMMIT yourself. Be REALISTIC.
LOVE and encounter others. Be FLEXIBLE and adaptable

Experience time living now, using the past, focused on your
future.

GROW; expand and transcend your self-definition.

Use contradictions, polarities, paradoxes and ambiguities as
opportunities to establish dialogues and DIALECTICS leading to
further growth.

sashalessinphd@...