Topic: Katabasis and metanoia
Modern psychology
In modern psychology, the term katabasis is also sometimes used to describe the depression some young men experience.[2] Author Robert Bly proposes in his book 'Iron John: A Book About Men several reasons for the "catabasis phenomenon", amongst them the lack of Western initiation rites and the lack of strong father figures and role models.
[edit]Trip into the underworldSee also: Descent to the underworld
Katabasis is the epic convention of the hero's trip into the underworld.[3] In Greek mythology, for example, Orpheus enters the underworld in order to bring Eurydice back to the world of the living.
Most katabases take place in a supernatural underworld, such as Hades or Hell — as in Nekyia, the 11th book of the Odyssey, which describes the descent of Odysseus to the underworld. However, katabasis can also referto a journey through other dystopic areas, such as what Odysseus encounters on his 20-year journey back from Troy to Ithaca. Pilar Serrano[3] allows the term katabasis to encompass brief or chronic stays in the underworld, including those of Lazarus and Castor and Pollux.
Metanoia (from the Greek ????????, metanoia, changing one's mind, repentance) is a word which has a few different meanings in different contexts.
Metanoia in the context of theological discussion, where it is used often, is usually interpreted to mean repentance. However, some people argue that the word should be interpreted more literally to denote changing one's mind, in the sense of embracing thoughts beyond its present limitations or thought patterns (an interpretation which is compatible with the denotative meaning of repentance but replaces its negative connotation with a positive one, focusing on the superior state being approached rather than the inferior prior state being departed from.)Psychological Meaning
In Carl Jung's psychology, metanoia indicates a spontaneous attempt of the psyche to heal itself of unbearable conflict by melting down and then being reborn in a more adaptive form. Jung believed that psychotic episodes in particular could be understood as existential crises which were sometimes attempts at self reparation. Jung's concept of metanoia influenced R. D. Laing and the therapeutic community movement which aimed, ideally, to support people whilst they broke down and went through spontaneous healing, rather than thwarting such efforts at self-repair by strengthening their existing character defences and thereby maintaining the underlying conflict.
A change in mind, in perception. Discuss please.
"Blinded by self-importance....the visionaries of society haven't the vision of a blind musician nor the perception of a churchmouse_"
~~carefulcarpenter
To know love is to know trust; to know oneself is to know truth
~~carefulcarpenter
1+1=1
