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by M. D. Mardi Horowitz (Author)
A conscious mind is like a movie screen displaying images from two powerful projectors, one from our unconscious and one from the physical world. These images have very social contents: Our identity is based on how we see others and are seen by them, in both real and imagined ways. Knowing more about our unconscious beliefs about self and others enhances our understanding of our motivations - and that helps us make better choices in pursuing our goals and striking necessary compromises. Many people have lapses in self-esteem or experience disturbances in their sense of identity. Uncertainties and contradictions based on erroneous beliefs prevent them from triumphing over their crises, like a double-headed dragon preventing the hero from reaching his goal. Religion, philosophy, psychology, and psychoanalysis all factor into our self-understanding. Recent studies also tell us more about how learning on one's own can solidify skills and increase self-esteem. This book serves as a guide through the theater of the mind, offering insight on the many factors of identity. Consider it a script for how to resolve conflicting identity experiences and consolidate them in harmony The book is divided into three sections. Act I, "Identity," explores how self-attributions lead to a better sense of identity as one matures. By better developing a conscious self within, we can change our goals, add to our attitudes, re-prioritize our personal values, and transform our plans for how to enhance our capacities. Act II, "Relationships," focuses on gaining constancy and continuity in loving, caring relationships. People reflect back to us who we are, and our attachments to some of them stabilize our essential identity. To clarify ourselves, we can look into our minds for models of our relationships. Act III, "Processing Emotional Meanings," centers on mastering emotions and controlling undesirable reactions. Changing our ideas about who we are means changing the beliefs in which selfhood is embedded. This section helps you understand how to amplify and use self-observations, and even how to access the sometimes nonconscious potential for emotional experiences that you both fear and desire.
