The grandfather of a 55 year old carpenter
appeared in his dream, ordering him to leave his job and dedicate
himself to a new vocation. To meet with sick persons and listen to their
stories. When he woke up he did not find his dream strange. He always
enjoyed listening to people and noticed that his friends enjoyed also telling
him their stories.
He decided to dedicate the evenings to his new vocation. In the local pub,
he encouraged people to tell him about their diseases. He noticed also that
after they concluded their stories, they remained sitting in front of him,
looking at him with wonder. Some of his story tellers believed that he irradiated
some kind of a healing power. As the word about his gift spread, more and
more people came to him with their stories. He hired a space
where people visited him, and since he had to abandon his previous job,
he started charging for the service.
People were more than willing to pay him. In an interview on TV he was unable
to explain what the nature of his power was. He was not interested in Medicine
and did not understand the diseases about which he was told. He just
listened.
Foucault
Was
it a clever deception to make money, with an appealing cover story?
Not in an open market where consumers pay for services. And they are ready
to pay also for this one . The urge to tell, stems from a deep stratum of
the human soul (WOB). It was discussed thoroughly by Michel Foucault in
his History of Sexuality (1), a history of the discourse on sex.
Sexuality is an arena for the playing out of power and knowledge relationships
among multiple actors. The history of sexuality is a process of ongoing
and deepening oppression. 'Our civilization is the only one where
people are appointed and paid for listening to confessions on sex',
wrote Foucault. The discourse about sex is on the rise. It is the
basic material out of which the important forces in society emerge to effect
the course of events.
Psychoanalysis
Foucault believed in discourse as the basic material of life but was interested only in its relevance
to sex. Apparently, for the believer confession meant more than just making
his breast clean. It was an opportunity for him to tell his story.
Freud
who introduced psychoanalysis, attempted to liberate humanity from this
sexual oppression. Yet his method demands even a more intensive discourse
on sex. The patient speaks, and the analyst is not allowed to intervene.
Again, the stories told on the couch are more than just a 'Catharsis'. They
are an opportunity for him to tell his story (2).
Imagine
and imitate
When telling about your disease, you live through it in your imagination,
and discover new viewpoints. Thus you communicate your wishes to the WOB.
You cannot order the WOB: 'I want to get well!' since it does not understand
human language. You have to imagine yourself getting well, which you may
achieve with your story.
If this seems difficult you still have another option. Imitate a cancer-yogi
who got well. Imitation is another way to communicate with the WOB,
as if telling it 'I want to be like him!.' (3)
References
1.
Foucault M La Volonte de Savoir. Histoire de sexualite, tom I
Ed. Gallimard 1976
2. Zajicek G. Psychoanalysis. A
poem in Hebrew
3. First encounter with WOB
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