Iain McGilchrist On The Paradox of Living, Finding Awe, and The Drivers of The Mental Health Crisis
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- Опубліковано 22 тра 2024
- Dr Iain McGilchrist is a former literature scholar at Oxford University before an interest in the mind and body led him to studying medicine, which paved the way for him to become a consultant Psychiatrist.
Dr McGilChrist is an associate of Green Templteton College in Oxford, a fellow of the royal college of Psychiatrists, a fellow of the royal society of arts and Iain has also conducted neuroimaging at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.
Iain is the author of the Master and his Emissary, a book that I was recommended by Robert Greene. Recently Iain has his latest book; ‘’The matter with things’’, which took him 12 years to write and his almost 600,000 words. The equivalent to 6 PhD Thesis’.
In this conversation today, Iain and I discuss the following:
00:00 - Hemispheric Differences
08:30 - The epidemic of mental illness
13:58 - Biohacking, Death & Finding Meaning
30:40 - Meditate On Your Mortality
40:45 - Don't Make Beautiful Things Explicit
46:00 - Know thyself or find flow?
53:30 - What To Do If you feel lost, hopeless and depressed
01:01:45 - Connect with Dr McGilchrist
Links:
Connect with Iain:
channelmcgilchrist.com - (Buy the Matter with Things, and The Master and His Emissary here)
fathomtrust.com
Connect with us:
/ freedompact
freedompact
freedompactpod
TikTok.com/personaldevelopment
Other:
The paradox of cancer: • 2 - 6 Months to Live &...
Effect of exercise for depression: systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (Study that finds that Dance is highly effective at treating depression): www.bmj.com/content/bmj/384/b... - Розваги
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The world is lucky to have Iain McGilchrist in it! I've learned so much from him! The Master and His Emissary should be required reading in school!
He is a great man.
I'm not concerned with being dead. It's the grief of loosing people I love . I lost scores of friends to AIDS and I have one very close relationship left now at 62. The thought of loosing him is overwhelmingly sad and full of anxiety. Then because I've seen a lot of suffering at the end of life, I'm naturally worried about how my end will come. There really are no words that can console me. What is coming will hurt no matter what.
A thoughtful perspective - thank you.
@@FreedomPact And so true. I'm in mid eighties and realize there is no more future, feels a bit sad. Younger folks can't know this experience. I wish we could choose when to die instead of a younger society telling us we must suffer first, for who knows how long. Society doesn't care, just suffer until you die they say, you are not allowed to choose your own death...! It is illegal.....!
Great conversation. Thank you 🙏
A beautiful conversation .
Thank you both.
🙏❤️🌍🌿🕊🎵🎶🎵
Thank you so much!
I have found the most unsympathetic people are those who have never had deeper problems and they look at you with a stony stare of confusion when you say you have or are doing. They are also probably the people we would NOT go to for healing. Ahem. Just speaking from personal experience here. Oh and astrologically with Pisces in Saturn for a year or so now, we have a chance to learn HOW to flow, especially if we are somewhat stuck in old paradigms. It's all good. Love Iain's work. So warming and comforting to listen to him speak.
Death isnt real. So y scared of the not real
Everyone is on their own clock, and in there own place. Making a very broad, general and sweeping statement about a star transiting thru a Sign (termed "an appearance that speaks", _phema)_ undermines the fact that the stars do not indicate the same thing for all of us. Modern astrology -- built on the rags and tatters of the ancients -- in one sense does a big disservice to authentic astrology, that makes accurate predictions about the events in a person's life and the kind of life they will lead, and yet does a good service in so far as such caricatures capture people's attention in the first place.
That aside, I have come to the same basic conclusion regarding other people who have not suffered much in life. For them, being authentic means following in others footsteps! Can you believe it? A Polish psychologist named Dabrowski writes about the actualization of the self and the catalyst of various crises, that I would recommend EVERYONE read. "Positive Disintegration" it's called. This is perhaps why Heraclitus made the statement "War is the father of all: for He makes some gods and others men, some free and others slaves." What people think is freedom -- a life free of trouble -- is a kind of slavery; the Buddha leaving his palace comes to mind.
Peace. Great interview.
@@cupidok2768
Death is the _final_ illusion to overcome. Your thinking is in the right place. But merely to say these words means nothing. Go forth; demonstrate your eternal nature. I will follow you.
@@anhumblemessengerofthelawo3858 death just one layer of the illusion
The idea that someone my age (50) would want to stick around forever totally blows my mind.
Great interview. ❤
Thank you Grace!! How are you? We have missed you. Do keep us updated on how things are. ❤️
@@FreedomPact Of course.☺️ I’m just happy that you gentleman live life like you should. Keep dancing, and getting lost in art, and nature. When I was your age I certainly did and maybe then I would’ve contemplated living forever.😉
The idea that a healthy 50 year old would want to end it, tonight say, is likewise unimaginable to me. Maybe in 50 years... and if somehow the body was kept at it's peak maybe another 50 after that. Who knows how we might feel then? Would there still be lust for life? The world will no doubt still have infinite variety to offer, but perhaps the vessel we inhabit would be satiated...
@@peterfrance702 I think it was Sam Harris who had a great point when talking about these guys trying to live to 120 years old. You’ll watch everyone you love die.
When I was a young teenager in the 80’s it was so fun, the music happy. Then the 90’s came and the atmosphere was gloomy. We coped. It was a universal feeling of togetherness. Now it’s just like grandpa Simpson warned us about “ I was once with it, and it changed, and “it” became scary and weird, and one day it’ll happen to you.”
Plus I may not look like it but my health took a nose dive after 2020. So I maybe extra angsty.
I dunno about forever, but I have more things I'd like to do in my lifetime than I believe I'll have time to do, so personally I'd welcome at least having some additional decades or so. Though I suppose the limited nature of living really forces you to cut out the chaff and make a decision about what to focus your efforts on.
Is flow not just a hypervigilant drive? When painting abstract expressionism I paint fast and intuitively. Memories come and go with pockets of spontaneous gesture. However, my nervous system is usually frazzled after. Much like a soccer player paying for the team drinks after the game if they score a goal. When I plan a painting through geometric abstract forms I am present through concentration but lacking the spontaneity however, the body is more regulated afterwards. I enjoy the spontaneity at the moment, as Iain says you lose yourself but I also enjoy the thrill of executing precision detail with no goal other than to see my concept come to fruition.
Beautiful. Thank you.
Wonderful chat. Thank you!
Thank you so much for listening!
Excellent interview Thank you. ❤
Thank you so much! ❤️
@@FreedomPact
Thank you!!❤
"Here to learn by the twin hieroglyphs of love and suffering."
Absolutely brilliant.
Thank you so much!
I’m nearing 30 and I got struck with intense death anxiety. What really scares me is not that I will end but that my consciousness will never ever be able to experience anything again.
We don’t know what happens after death and thats my one and only gap where I can find consolidation right now.
Hi you CAN know what happens after "death". We do know.
@@Enceladus007 Okay I’ll bite. What are you gonna say? That we rot?
@@MrCrabguy We can know by watching people tell their stories off how they died (car crash, cardiac arrest, drug over dose, drowning and allsorts of other ways. What they saw, what it was like, how they came back to life. I have watched hundreds and have made a list of the ones I like best. Have a look at my 1 favorite NDE'S list on my channel and for a longer list have a look at NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCES and 1 NDE WOMEN. Hope these help.
@@Enceladus007 Oh, I see. Thanks, I appreciate it. I have listened to some NDEs before and some of them are really beautiful. Especially when talking about their loved ones almost makes me cry.
@@MrCrabguy Thats good. So you do know. Thanks for replying 😊
Outstanding discussion. Thank you
Thank you!
The Comforter will say remember carry thy comfort with Thee! As HE carries HIS COMFORT WITH HIMSELF! Yes, came with sincere conversations. With thyself and unto one another availeth much indeed!
What about if death is very painful: traumatic?
Is there a way to deal with such things?
In case my other post doesn't appear, do see A Course In Miracles, Manual For Teachers, Chapter 27, _What Is Death?_
Written by the one who overcame it.
Heirs Hosts shared "i" AM! Who are ye ALL? Thy shared "i" AM! Who are worth RESPECTING, HONORING, and LOVING! Who love with patience, mercy, and grace in front of Thee! Indeed! Gratitude and Honor! Carrying our comfort as the Comforter walking with Us! Yes, if it takes to carry thee! 1 FOOTPRINT! Till thy feet able to stand up firmly. Now come walk with the I AM. Who have desired all thy shared "i" AM. Fulfillment come here! Loving you without shame but with boldness!
Bravo. You asked fantastic questions and I got a lot out of the conversation concerning depression and action steps to extricate oneself from such. Ian in other discussions has not touched much upon his psychological practice as a professional, for obvious reasons of explaining lateralization and being a writer. Again, bravo.
Very kind of you to say - thank you so much for tuning in. A lot of great content to comeb
Come!
Remember my own. How else can ye all show off? Without our neighbors! Yes, the I AM who searches the Hearts and Minds and who keeps watch? How else can ye do all ye can do? Remember HE SHARED!
Which one is the video to watch before this one? There are 3 other vids w McGilchrist. A link in the description would be helpful
Apologies. Here is a link to the first conversation: ua-cam.com/video/4W8JYiqUZYQ/v-deo.htmlfeature=shared
Last cavalry charge was charge at Krojanty
Polish WW2
That's weird you mentioned Arnold Palmer almost out of the blue. I was wondering who he was just an hour earlier because of something I saw of facebook. Now I know because you name dropped him with Jack Nicholaa of golf. Thanks.
Being self aware is a different idea than being self conscious. The former is for choice :)
Absolutely love this. McGilchrist is all the way up there with Jung and Alan Watts
Thank you so much!
Not even close. Watts at least
Als Deutsche finde ich die Übersetzung von Gestalt nicht zum Kontext passend aber er definiert es jedes mal so. Also ist da doch ein Übersetzungsfehler oder kenne ich nur diese Bedeutung nicht?
Ich verstehe deinen Post womöglich nicht richtig... Hast du ne Zeitmarke zu der Stelle im Gespräch? Oder welche Übersetzung meinst du...? Iain nutzt ja relativ viele deutsche Wörter weil es eben keine passende Übersetzung gibt... So, meinem Verständnis nach, auch bei "Gestalt".
Interesting topic. There is real value in understanding one’s own mind. Lots to learn from him in that respect. But I think he takes things too far. I’m extremely skeptical of those who use their specific knowledge to make broad generalized statements on society instead of limiting his prescriptions to individuals. This constant use of “we” and “our” is a huge tell. Usually it’s just a form of projection, projecting his own insecurities and perceived weaknesses onto a collective he calls “we”. To give a specific example, he says stuff like “we are so narrow minded and arrogant”. How narrow minded and arrogant do you have to be to make a statement like that? How arrogant to tell others what their values should be. Further, “we” is a word reserved for rhetoricians and politicians to trigger emotions, ironically, to get you to ignore the voices coming from your left brain. To appeal to emotions rather than your reason. Maybe that’s the point.
An interesting and thoughtful counter - thank you for the comment.
@@FreedomPact appreciate it. I made some edits to give him a little more credit in case you didn’t see it. I really do think there is a ton to learn from him and I will for sure be reading his book but as a prescription for individual self discovery not as a cure for all the ills of the world.
Yes he certainly has a lot of valuable things to say and I am less critical of the value of applying it to a wider societal context as he is talking about a brain structure that we share. However, I do think there are biases and errors in his application of clinical knowledge to the wider context and there seems to be a tendency to take his 'grand theory' too far in a way that involves a kind of confirmation bias. For instance, it seems to me that quite the opposite to what he suggests is contributing to the state we are in, in that politicians and others in positions of power are able to exploit people's lack of ability to focus on detailed knowledge. That does not mean he is wrong in regard to over-analysis impacting on meaningfulness and that this may well also be having an impact. As he might point out (but doesn't seem to) whether a mixture of these opposites has good or bad outcomes also depends on the substance i e. what the detailed focus is on and what the intuitions suggest and the biases that might exist within that. I am a little perturbed by the degree of uncritical adulation he is receiving and he does not seem to take particularly kindly to challenge, I have noticed, so, yes, he does seem to come over rather like someone who matches his theory of the left brained individual. Overall, though, I think this particular interview was a good exploration with some interesting questions.
Therefore if ye can see! Obviously HE can see!
I do not (yet) find this very helpful. It is not death I fear but my declining cognitive abilities that forces me to labor on every sentence I try to write. Imagine someone who was always a brisk walker suddenly struggling to take each and every step. That is now how I feel as I approach my 67th birthday. Once a brisk thinker I now struggle to put my words together to gather my thoughts. You probably read through this quickly, but trust me that's not how it came to be on the page. Furthermore, I am not aware of any "ancient cultures" that have ever peaceably lived with nature: not the eskimoes; not the native Americans; not any indigenous cultures I'm aware of. The decimation of nature began when men first mastered fire and set forests ablaze even 10,000 years ago in the pursuit of their own ends. This scholar should have known better than to uncork such a half-baked falsehood.
A thoughtful retort - thank you.
Brilliant comment. I couldn’t agree more.
Trigger?
View come here! Remind! Nothing is better, but be inspired by the VIEW! An open Door in Heaven. Noone can shut!
I can't think of a more arrogant and cleverer era than the centuries between the 4th and the 18th when the Christian Church was so certain of what was what that it burned heretics who dared to doubt its "truths". Ours is an era of uncertainty, doubt, provisional truths, and scepticism that allows whoever wants to study those "realms of higher things" to do so; there are entire colleges dedicated to divinity studies, and entire departments within the most prestigious universities. McGilchrist is an example of that freedom: instead of being condemned at large, it seems every week he's invited to give a new lecture.
McGilchrist's problem lies in the fact that he wants scientists and biologists to arrive at the conclusions he craves, namely that "God" exists. And since that clearly doesn't interest many biologists, nor do they find evidence to assert that, then the whole of the scientific world must be narrow-minded and wrong-headed.
Elon musk interview
That would be nice😂
I’m k😅😅is
What Is Death?
Death is the central dream from which all illusions stem. Is it not madness to think of life as being born, aging, losing vitality, and dying in the end? We have asked this question before, but now we need to consider it more carefully. It is the one fixed, unchangeable belief of the world that all things in it are born only to die. This is regarded as "the way of nature," not to be raised to question, but to be accepted as the "natural" law of life. The cyclical, the changing and unsure; the undependable and the unsteady, waxing and waning in a certain way upon a certain path,--all this is taken as the Will of God. And no one asks if a benign Creator could will this.
In this perception of the universe as God created it, it would be impossible to think of Him as loving. For who has decreed that all things pass away, ending in dust and disappointment and despair, can but be feared. He holds your little life in his hand but by a thread, ready to break it off without regret or care, perhaps today. Or if he waits, yet is the ending certain. Who loves such a god knows not of love, because he has denied that life is real. Death has become life's symbol. His world is now a battleground, where contradiction reigns and opposites make endless war. Where there is death is peace impossible.
Death is the symbol of the fear of God. His Love is blotted out in the idea, which holds it from awareness like a shield held up to obscure the sun. The grimness of the symbol is enough to show it cannot coexist with God. It holds an image of the Son of God in which he is "laid to rest" in devastation's arms, where worms wait to greet him and to last a little while by his destruction. Yet the worms as well are doomed to be destroyed as certainly. And so do all things live because of death. Devouring is nature's "law of life." God is insane, and fear alone is real.
The curious belief that there is part of dying things that may go on apart from what will die, does not proclaim a loving God nor re-establish any grounds for trust. If death is real for anything, there is no life. Death denies life. But if there is reality in life, death is denied. No compromise in this is possible. There is either a god of fear or One of Love. The world attempts a thousand compromises, and will attempt a thousand more. Not one can be acceptable to God's teachers, because not one could be acceptable to God. He did not make death because He did not make fear. Both are equally meaningless to Him.
The "reality" of death is firmly rooted in the belief that God's Son is a body. And if God created bodies, death would indeed be real. But God would not be loving. There is no point at which the contrast between the perception of the real world and that of the world of illusions becomes more sharply evident. Death is indeed the death of God, if He is Love. And now His Own creation must stand in fear of Him. He is not Father, but destroyer. He is not Creator, but avenger. Terrible His Thoughts and fearful His image. To look on His creations is to die.
"And the last to be overcome will be death." Of course! Without the idea of death there is no world. All dreams will end with this one. This is salvation's final goal; the end of all illusions. And in death are all illusions born. What can be born of death and still have life? But what is born of God and still can die? The inconsistencies, the compromises and the rituals the world fosters in its vain attempts to cling to death and yet to think love real are mindless magic, ineffectual and meaningless. God is, and in Him all created things must be eternal. Do you not see that otherwise He has an opposite, and fear would be as real as love?
Teacher of God, your one assignment could be stated thus: Accept no compromise in which death plays a part. Do not believe in cruelty, nor let attack conceal the truth from you. What seems to die has but been misperceived and carried to illusion. Now it becomes your task to let the illusion be carried to the truth. Be steadfast but in this; be not deceived by the "reality" of any changing form. Truth neither moves nor wavers nor sinks down to death and dissolution. And what is the end of death? Nothing but this; the realization that the Son of God is guiltless now and forever. Nothing but this. But do not let yourself forget it is not less than this.
A Course In Miracles
Author: _Jesus Christ_
Yes, indeed, it is called a dictionary. But anyone can use a dictionary, even a chimpanzee, let alone the doppel of a Royal