Wednesday, April 9, 2014

DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy) and Faith

In study of “Dialectical Behavioral Therapy,” I find that DBT is relevant to faithfulness.  DBT understands that our mind is a product of reason and emotions.  Where reason and emotions overlap, there is wisdom to be found.

Faith that comes from the gut, loving-kindness, causes our hearts to ache for those without faith, as victory comes to those with faith.

Faith may also be rational, connecting to the Mind.  Faith explains why some live blessed and why some don’t.  Undersized, malnourished children, with bellies full of worms, AIDS, and malaria; such persons are charged with having to respect their ancestors, even though their ancestors are to blame.  Torah explains this horror.

Yet, my reality is such that when I experience something good, I give thanks.  I thank Gd for not making me like the other man.  Time, reason, tells me my reality will unfold according to Hashem’s blessings, because as though I am puffed up, the righteous will live by my kind of faith (Habakkuk 2:4), both Jew and gentile.

Friday, April 4, 2014

We Are More than Rocks as Our Souls Give Us Animation

Though the universe is soulful; for example Aaron drew water from rock, what makes the human soul special is that it can operate at higher levels than rocks, and even still at higher levels than other species.  The soul is the part that animates.

For instance; there is the animal soul that makes it such that some of us experience hunger.  A rock will probably never feel hungry, and because of that, what we believe hunger is an inclination to evil.  That makes the souls of beasts higher than that of inanimate objects.

Another level of the soul that I believe even monkeys, and especially mother’s of other higher level species can do is empathy.  Although I can’t say every human is capable of empathy.  It is usually very apparent when a human lacks it.  Though it is difficult for family members, and close people to deal with a human lacks the level of the soul that is a conscience: I feel pity for someone who never experiences empathy.  That is the appropriate response for such a person.