Years ago I became interested in psychology and began reading Sigmund Freud's views on why we act the way we do. It was so clear. I finally understood the mysteries of life! My understanding was reinforced by the frequent exposures to Freud's explanations of life that dominated the movie and story plots of the day.
But nagging doubts began to creep in when I found that these explanations failed to describe my feelings and observations of the real people orbiting through my life. And so I began to read more. Adler's views, which centered on the need for "power," left me cold. But Carl Jung turned me on. He knew where it was at. Was Carl Jung right and Adler wrong? Could Freud be wrong, with so many people swearing by him?
Then it hit me. They were all probably right! Each had a piece of the Truth. It was as though Freud had climbed up a mountain to scan the terrain of life and reported accurately what he saw. But he could only see the terrain that was visible from his mountaintop. When Adler and Jung climbed their mountains, they too reported what was visible to them from their separate viewpoints. Some of the terrain was visible to all three. That which was visible to Jung was blocked from Freud's view (or he chose not to see it, and vice versa).
I found this "mountaintop" metaphor especially useful when I began writing about the paranormal in the early 70's. I realized that people interested in the paranormal see it from different viewpoints. Some see it from an occult mountaintop, reporting their perceptions in the language of the occult. More accurately, there are Eastern and Western occult mountain ranges. Ancient peaks in Tibet reveal vistas of non-physical realities while newer peaks in the west reveal these same "planes" from Rosicrucian and Theosophical perspectives and language.
Parapsychologists, uncomfortable on these occult mountaintops, have begun their own climb for newer perspectives of the paranormal world. From their current position they can make careful observations of telepathy, clairvoyance, psychokinesis and healing while blocking out the mirage-like reflections of etheric bodies, thoughtforms, discarnates and reincarnates (although some of these are starting to come into view as they climb higher).
One of the joys of life is in seeing the world(s) from as many mountaintops as you can climb. Some perspectives may not be comfortable, for many different reasons. On some, you may lose your breath in awe; from others, you won't see through the mists. But all have something for someone. To claim yours as the only view is deadening-dogma. Even if you are content with your own view, the important point to remember is that from every mountaintop there is a different view.
[ Home Page ] [ Perspectives ] [ Projects ] [ Speculations ] [ Books ]
Comments or suggestions? mortgale@comcast.net
Copyright © Mort Gale, 2003 All rights reserved.