I want to better understand, and learn about the discovery of the individual self, development of a person’s inner life, and how it can help improve and develop one’s writing skills. I would like to argue that the realization of the individual, and the self, both conscious and unconscious experience in life, directly influence and supports our development as writers. This argument stems from the processes of writing that I have studied, the different approaches and styles of development that writing teachers use. I would like to find out how to create an intrinsic motivation for writing. As many great minds have come to realize, we as individuals hold the key to success. This success is greatly influenced by and developed thru how we as people come to view the world. Our view of the world greatly depends on how we view our selves. Many scholars have argued for and against this theory; that to realize our full potential we must first realize ourselves, those who have argued this theory, are merely realizing the same theory in a different form. I would like to take you on this journey, through conversations that many believe are contrary in form, let’s find out how these sentiments are not true, that the brilliance of each argument comes from the similarities in thought and the connection between them.

I wish to join in this conversation where self-realization is discussed, by joining in and comparing the similarities and differences of theories I hope to understand how self-realization can possibly affect writing development. The potential implications it incurs for writers are vast. One would like to argue that the realization of the individual, and the self, both conscious and unconscious experience in life, directly influence and supports development of writers, however with such a broad statement we must understand the opposition to this theory, and look at the theories of writing as a skill to be learned and repeated, we may just find that even though these theories seem remarkably contrary, more often than not they are very similar. The different approaches and styles of development that writing teachers use are varied; Sharples believes the most powerful and developed forms of writing come intrinsically, as a free flowing form- words spread on to the page in an almost unconscious way- he explains this idea as ‘Idea Flowing’. He gives an example, his description is very close to intrinsic motivation that I have experienced, “Idea flowing is that rare and usually enjoyable state when a writer is fully engaged with the task and ideas flow effortlessly onto paper either as notes or as a draft text. Time flies by and the writer loses track of the surrounding world. Because the activity is only barley moderated by the conscious mind it can be difficult to induce, but it is most likely to happen when a writer is motivated by the writing itself, rather than some external reward, and when the difficulty of the task matches the writer’s knowledge and ability” (58). The zone he describes as Idea Flowing is unconscious, it seems to come from the unconscious mind, in this state we, as writers, have no blockages and writing becomes an organic, natural state, a state of being that many writers struggle to obtain. I would like to find out how to create an intrinsic motivation for writing. The development of Idea flowing as a learnt skill can have an impact on how writing skills are developed, and because it seems to be a very effective form of writing, we can possibly reach a new level of consciousness and knowledge. The development of the unconscious is used to help patients in psychoanalysis, most notably seen in Jungian work. Psychoanalysis’s have seen remarkable advancement in their patients- connecting to the unconscious mind- if such improvements are seen by this connection and Idea flowing stems in the unconscious, because it does not come from the conscious mind as Sharples states it is “barley moderated by the conscious mind”, there may be a link in psychoanalysis to help improve writing skills. If idea flowing is a rare state that is difficult to achieve, my next question is then, is there a way to develop the unconscious self in order to connect to Idea Flowing?

Idea flowing is that elusive zone in which writers seem to work most effectively. How can we develop this skill, and if we can, what are the potential implications for the development of writing skills. What link is there to the self? How can we turn to psychoanalysis and how is all of this connected? As we begin this somewhat esoteric conversation I would like to open with a quote from Therborn. This quote opens up a realm of questions; these questions may lead us to understand how Jung and his work may influence writers and writing skills. Let’s examine how these questions can possess the potential development of writing skills, and the potential to realize full personal intrinsic development. “What exists? What is good? What is possible?”… “What exists, and its corollary, what does not exist: that is, who we are, what the world is, what nature, society, men and women are like”. It is a hard idea to pose, that we must question essentially everything. How is that helpful to us? Therborn continues, “In this way we acquire a sense of identity, becoming conscious of what is real and true; the visibility of the world is thereby structured by the distribution of spotlights, shadows, and darkness.” In order to find the answers we first have to pose the question. We can then start to see what is real and true, what we experience and in what way we experience it. We spend half our lives in different states. We oscillate between sleep and being awake. We have developed our conscious mind, thru reasoning, school and learning. Where does that leave the unconscious? We spend a great deal of time in that state, who then can deny the importance of that and disregard the importance of its development? Could disregard of the unconscious be hindering us? The reluctance of its acceptance as a valid point to be discussed and possibly learned in a curriculum be hindering our writing skills? In this conversation Berlin responds to Therborn, the answer “Ideology thus interpellates the subject in a manner that determines what is real and what is illusory, and, most important, what is experienced and what remains outside the field of phenomenological experience, regardless of its actual material existence. Ideology provides the structure of desire, indicating what we will long for and pursue.” (484) Berlin agrees that these themes propel us into the realm of understanding and experience. These ideas, Phenomenological experience, Idea Flowing, the unconscious mind and self realization are discussed, and argued, and seem to be a part of a greater whole, they seem to be the same thought. Could that thought be that self-realization and unconscious mind development is vital and impacts, not only the nature of who we are, but can also help us reach full potential in every aspect, including the skills we have as writers? In my personal experience my writing has been hindered because of repressive forms of teaching. Let me explain repressive, the repressive atmosphere I felt in school was found in the teachers who never allowed creativity to enter into a work of writing. Every piece of work was regulated and everything we had to write about had very strict rules. Every aspect of writing was controlled by the teachers- I lost my desire to write. Sharples believes intrinsic motivation- that what comes from within- produces better work. In my experience I find this very true. When I was constrained by so many rules I lost the joy of writing. All the motivation became extrinsic- to get a good grade- to pass the class. I began to write what I knew the teachers wanted to hear, it became tires and dull. Then there are the times when Idea flowing became real. In certain instances- one’s I found enjoyable, interesting and exciting- I could write for hours. I would write so much and I would loose track of time, everything around me became a blur, I was completely focused, but I also felt a sense of freedom. I did not think, I did not calculate, I really let all the normal conventions of life- responsibility, calculation, thought even- dissipate and I wrote! Those moments are the one’s I strive to achieve every time I write. It became harder and harder for me to find that zone, to find the motivation even. So I began to read Jung, and I have been working on connecting to my unconscious self, slowly I have had more writing experiences when I connected with Idea Flowing. Let’s continue. “The most important measure of authenticity, of genuine self-discovery and Self-revelation, furthermore, is the presence of originality in expression; and this is the case whether the writer is creating poetry or writing a business report. Discovering the true self in writing will simultaneously enable the individual to discover the truth of the situation which evoked the writing, a situation that, needless to say, must always be compatible with the development of the self, and this leads to the ideological dimension of the scheme.” (485) Finding our true selves, connecting to the unconscious, Idea Flowing, all may help us improve writing skills.

In Modern Man in Search of a Soul, Jung describes the importance of the study of dreams, seemingly esoteric; it could be the link to connecting with the unconscious self and Idea Flowing. In many regards dream analysis is vital for the study of psychology, could it also be vital in the development of the individual? Thus an argument-the development of the self is vital to the development of writing, as Jung states, “ Often enough they (dreams) appear senseless, but it is obviously we who lack the sense and the ingenuity to read the enigmatical message from the nocturnal realm of the psyche. When we see that at least half of a man’s life is passed in this realm, that consciousness has its roots there, and that the unconsciousness operates in and out of waking existence, it would seem incumbent. To sharpen its perceptions by a systematic study of dreams. No one doubts the importance of a conscious experience; why then should we question the importance of unconscious happenings?” (16) Why should we doubt it? Is it the conscious mind relying on logic and rational that keeps us from connecting? How can we develop at all if we totally disregard half of our experience? The study of dreams may seem a little esoteric to support this argument, but if one realizes the unconscious mind affects the conscious mind, one can see this simple realization seep into every aspect of life. Self-realization could be a vital tool in the development of an individual; with out the full development of an individual self, that individual most likely cannot realize his or her full potential and that affects every aspect of life-writing included. “In Carl Jung’s theory of individuation, the individual strives to become whole and distinctive from the collective. In order for an individual to realize her/his specific purpose, connection with one’s unique Self must be achieved. In this context, Self is the whole of the individual, including all aspects of an individual’s conscious and unconscious, often referred to as a paradoxical union of opposites. “(Jung, 1933; Jung and von Franz, 1964) With the union of opposites writing and self will develop and improve, as Sharples says “Sometimes the development of self- reflection in writing can happen rapidly and reveal itself through an obvious improvement in the style and structure of the written product.” (49) What questions do we then need to ask in order to realize self and develop writing? One theory believes writing is an art and that all people are capable of it. In Rhetoric and Ideology in the writing class Berlin reviews different forms of Ideology. “In expressionistic rhetoric, this gift is democratized, writing becoming an art of which all are capable. This rhetoric has usually been closely allied with theories of Psychology that argued for the inherent goodness of the individual, goodness Distorted by excessive contact with others in groups and institutions…Left to our own devices, this position maintains, each of us would grow and mature in harmony.” The “inherent goodness of the individual” our inherent state in life is to be good, we are “distorted by excessive contact with others in groups and institutions” society and structure seem to be at the root of unconscious repression. Self-realization and development is left to the individual. It may take years to rebuild intrinsic motivation- undue the repression of over zealous teachers.

This process is a long journey, self realization and actualization, by understanding who we are as a whole, and in connection, even more importantly, through the connect with others, we then will be able to communicate and write effectively, because when we know who we are, and by that, even more importantly how we connect with others, we then know what we want to write, and say and how we want to accomplish this feat. As King puts mildly, “Individuals become conscious of their whole personality, the Self, to gain awareness of their higher purposes and potential capabilities.” Development of the self brings forth, “Nothing less than a whole new power of human thinking. If we enter into how this (actualization) functions, we become able to employ it deliberately, and find that many ways of thought open from it, which otherwise did not exist. “ (1) The unconscious messages we have been disregarding- intuition- can be very powerful and may have further implications for writers. The idea is to find a place within ourselves that connects us with an open mind and intrinsic motivation. It is to connect to ourselves and others to become a fully integrated, balanced, complete individual.

Sharples, Mike. How We Write: Writing As Creative Design. London: Routledge, 1999.

Mike Sharples discusses writing and how it is accomplished, from the mental creative process, to formatting. He discusses the importance of reflective thinking processes and how we as writers can develop our skills as writers. He offers a comprehensive look into intrinsic motivation.

Jung, C. G., William Stanley Dell, and Cary F. Baynes. Modern Man in Search of a Soul. London: K. Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co, 1933.

Describes the importance of the study of dreams and the implications of connecting to the inner self. I find this not only to be vital for the study of psychology but also vital in the development of the individual, thus my argument that the development of the self is vital to the development of writing.

Elbow, Peter. Writing with Power: Techniques for Mastering the Writing Process. New York: Oxford University Press, 1981.
Peter Elbow discusses the importance of intrinsic motivation and Idea Flowing. It helps writers to open themselves up to find a new way of over coming blockages they encounter in writing.

Berlin James. Rhetoric and Ideology in the Writing Class. College English, Vol. 50, No. 5 (Sep.1988), pp. 477-494. Published by: National Council of Teachers of English

James Berlin discusses rhetoric and it’s implications and restrictions. He opens up with a discussion about the three major schools of Rhetoric, cognitive psychology, expressionism, and social-epistemic and their implications in teaching and learning writing.

S King. D Nicol -Organizational enhancement through recognition of individual spirituality Journal of Organizational Change Management. 1999 – emeraldinsight.com

King and Nicol discuss the spiritual void many people are facing in this day and age. They discuss the importance of the authentic self and it’s development at work, one that is connected to others and a higher order, fully integrated, balanced, complete and ultimately fulfilled.

As many great minds have come to realize, we as individuals hold the key to success.  This success is greatly influenced by and developed thru how we as people come to view the world. Our view of the world greatly depends on how we view our selves. Many scholars have argued for and against this theory; that to realize our full potential we must first realize ourselves, those who have argued against are, for the most part, are not really against this statement, but merely stating the same idea in a different form. I would like to take you on this journey, through conversations that many believe are contrary in form, let’s find out how these sentiments are not true, that the brilliance of each argument comes from the similarities in thought and the connection between them.

I wish to join in this conversation where self-realization is discussed, by joining in and comparing the similarities and differences of theories I hope to understand how self-realization can possibly affect writing development. The potential implications it incurs for writers are vast. One would like to argue that the realization of the individual, and the self, both conscious and unconscious experience in life, directly influence and supports development of writers, however with such a broad statement we must understand the opposition to this theory, and look at the theories of writing as a skill to be learned and repeated, we may just find that even though these theories seem remarkably contrary, more often than not they are very similar. The different approaches and styles of development that writing teachers use are varied, let’s begin with Sharples. He believes that the most powerful and developed forms of writing come intrinsically, as a free flowing form, where words spread on the page in an almost unconscious way, he explains this idea as ‘Idea Flowing’; “ Idea flowing is that rare and usually enjoyable state when a writer is fully engaged with the task and ideas flow effortlessly onto paper either as notes or as a draft text. Time flies by and the writer loses track of the surrounding world. Because the activity is only barley moderated by the conscious mind it can be difficult to induce, but it is most likely to happen when a writer is motivated by the writing itself, rather than some external reward, and when the difficulty of the task matches the writer’s knowledge and ability” (58). The zone he describes as Idea Flowing is unconscious, it seems to come from the unconscious mind, in this state we, as writers, have no blockages and writing becomes an organic, natural state, a state of being that many writers struggle to obtain. I would like to find out how to create an intrinsic motivation for writing, and I would like to discuss the possibility of developing Idea Flowing as a skill that can be learned. The development of this skill can have an impact on how writing is developed, and because it seems to be a very effective form of writing, we can possibly reach a new level of consciousness and knowledge, and hopefully learn to fully connect to what we know and then how to express this knowledge in written form. If idea flowing is a rare state that is difficult to achieve, my next question is then, is there a way to develop the unconscious self in order to connect to Idea Flowing?

Idea flowing is that elusive zone in which writers seem to work most effectively. How can we develop this skill, and if we can, what are the potential implications for the development of writing skills. As we begin this somewhat esoteric conversation I would like to open with a quote from Therborn. This quote opens up a realm of questions; these questions may help us develop our unconscious self and writing skills. Let’s examine how these questions can possess the potential development of writing skills, and the potential to realize full personal intrinsic development.  “What exists? What is good? What is possible?”… “What exists, and its corollary, what does not exist: that is, who we are, what the world is, what nature, society, men and women are like”.  It is a hard idea to pose, that we must question essentially everything. How is that helpful to us?  Therborn continues, “In this way we acquire a sense of identity, becoming conscious of what is real and true; the visibility of the world is thereby structured by the distribution of spotlights, shadows, and darkness.” In order to find the answers we first have to pose the question.  We can then start to see what is real and true, what we experience and in what way we experience it, we can begin to experience consciousness. In this conversation Berlin responds to Therborn, the answer “Ideology thus interpellates the subject in a manner that determines what is real and what is illusory, and, most important, what is experienced and what remains outside the field of phenomenological experience, regardless of its actual material existence. Ideology provides the structure of desire, indicating what we will long for and pursue.” (484) Berlin agrees that these themes propel us into the realm of understanding and experience. These ideas, Phenomenological experience, Idea Flowing, the unconscious mind and self realization are discussed, and argued, and seem to be a part of a greater whole, they seem to be the same thought. Could that thought be that self-realization and unconscious mind development is vital and impacts, not only the nature of who we are, but can also help us reach full potential in every aspect, including the skills we have as writers?  Let’s continue.

 In Modern Man in Search of a Soul, Jung describes the importance of the study of dreams, seemingly esoteric; it could be the link to connecting with the unconscious self and Idea Flowing. In many regards dream analysis is vital for the study of psychology, could it also be vital in the development of the individual?  Thus an argument that the development of the self is vital to the development of writing, as Jung states, “ Often enough they (dreams) appear senseless, but it is obviously we who lack the sense and the ingenuity to read the enigmatical message from the nocturnal realm of the psyche. When we see that at least half of a man’s life is passed in this realm, that consciousness has its roots there, and that the unconsciousness operates in and out of waking existence, it would seem incumbent. To sharpen its perceptions by a systematic study of dreams. No one doubts the importance of a conscious experience; why then should we question the importance of unconscious happenings?” (16) The study of dreams may seem a little esoteric to support this argument, but if one realizes and understands that the unconscious mind affects the conscious mind, one can see this simple realization seep into every aspect of life. Self-realization could be a vital tool in the development of an individual; with out the full development of an individual self, that individual most likely cannot realize his or her full potential in writing. “In Carl Jung’s theory of individuation, the individual strives to become whole and distinctive from the collective. In order for an individual to realize her/his specific purpose, connection with one’s unique Self must be achieved. In this context, Self is the whole of the individual, including all aspects of an individual’s conscious and unconscious, often referred to as a paradoxical union of opposites. “(Jung, 1933; Jung and von Franz, 1964) With the union of opposites writing and self will develop and improve, as Sharples says “Sometimes the development of self- reflection in writing can happen rapidly and reveal itself through an obvious improvement in the style and structure of the written product.” (49)
What questions do we then need to ask in order to realize self and develop writing? In Rhetoric and Ideology in the writing class Berlin reviews different forms of Ideology.  “In expressionistic rhetoric, this gift is democratized, writing becoming an art of which all are capable. This rhetoric has usually been closely allied with theories of Psychology that argued for the inherent goodness of the individual, goodness Distorted by excessive contact with others in groups and institutions. In this it is the descendant of Rousseau on the one hand and of the romantic recoil from the urban horrors created by nineteenth-century capitalism on the other. Left to our own devices, this position maintains, each of us would grow and mature in harmony.”

This process is a long journey, self realization and actualization, by understanding who we are as a whole, and in connection, even more importantly, through the connect with others, we then will be able to communicate and write effectively, because when we know who we are, and by that, even more importantly how we connect with others, we then know what we want to write, and say and how we want to accomplish this feat. As King puts mildly, “Individuals become conscious of their whole personality, the Self, to gain awareness of their higher purposes and potential capabilities.” Development of the self brings forth, “Nothing less than a whole new power of human thinking. If we enter into how this (actualization) functions, we become able to employ it deliberately, and find that many ways of thought open from it, which otherwise did not exist. “ (1) Develop the self and the rest will follow.

                  As many great minds have come to realize, we as individuals hold the key to success.  This success is greatly influenced by and developed thru how we as people come to view the world. Our view of the world greatly depends on how we view our selves. Many scholars have argued for and against this theory; that to realize our full potential we must first realize ourselves, those who have argued against are, for the most part, are not really against this statement, but merely stating the same idea in a different form. I would like to take you on this journey, through conversations that many believe are contrary in form, let’s find out how these sentiments are not true, that the brilliance of each argument comes from the similarities in thought and the connection between them.

As we begin this somewhat esoteric conversation I would like to open with a quote from Therborn. This quote opens up a realm of questions that any great writer should ask not only for the potential development of writing skills, but the potential to realize full personal intrinsic development.  “What exists? What is good? What is possible?” The first deals with epistemology, as Therborn explains: “what exists, and its corollary, what does not exist: that is, who we are, what the world is, what nature, society, men and women are like. In this way we acquire a sense of identity, becoming conscious of what is real and true; the visibility of the world is thereby structured by the distribution of spotlights, shadows, and darkness.” Ideology thus interpellates the subject in a manner that determines what is real and what is illusory, and, most important, what is experienced and what remains outside the field of phenomenological experience, regardless of its actual material existence. Ideology provides the structure of desire, indicating what we will long for and pursue.” (484)

As states previously I wish to join the conversation where self-realization is discussed and the potential implications it incurs for writers. One would like to argue that the realization of the individual, and the self, both conscious and unconscious experience in life, directly influence and supports development of writers, however with such a broad statement we must understand the opposition to this theory, and look at the theories of writing as a skill to be learned and repeated, we may just find that even though these theories seem remarkably contrary, more often than not they are very similar. The different approaches and styles of development that writing teachers use are varied, let’s begin with Sharples. He believes that the most powerful and developed forms of writing come intrinsically, as a free flowing form, where words spread on the page in an almost unconscious way, he explains this idea as ‘Idea Flowing’; ” Idea flowing is that rare and usually enjoyable state when a writer is fully engaged with the task and ideas flow effortlessly onto paper either as notes or as a draft text. Time flies by and the writer loses track of the surrounding world. Because the activity is only barley moderated by the conscious mind it can be difficult to induce, but it is most likely to happen when a writer is motivated by the writing itself, rather than some external reward, and when the difficulty of the task matches the writer’s knowledge and ability” (58) I would like to find out how to create an intrinsic motivation for writing as this seems to be the most effective form of writing, when we can fully connect to what we know and then how to express this knowledge in written form. If idea flowing is a rare state that is difficult to achieve, my next question is then, is there a way to develop the unconscious self in order to connect to Idea Flowing?

 In Modern Man in Search of a Soul, Jung describes the importance of the study of dreams, seemingly esoteric; it could be the link to connecting with the unconscious self and Idea Flowing. In many regards dream analysis is vital for the study of psychology, could it also be vital in the development of the individual?  Thus an argument that the development of the self is vital to the development of writing, as Jung states, ” Often enough they (dreams) appear senseless, but it is obviously we who lack the sense and the ingenuity to read the enigmatical message from the nocturnal realm of the psyche. When we see that at least half of a man’s life is passed in this realm, that consciousness has its roots there, and that the unconsciousness operates in and out of waking existence, it would seem incumbent. To sharpen its perceptions by a systematic study of dreams. No one doubts the importance of a conscious experience; why then should we question the importance of unconscious happenings?” (16) The study of dreams may seem a little esoteric to support this argument, but if one realizes and understands that the unconscious mind affects the conscious mind, one can see this simple realization seep into every aspect of life. Self-realization could be a vital tool in the development of an individual; with out the full development of an individual self, that individual most likely cannot realize his or her full potential in writing. “In Carl Jung’s theory of individuation, the individual strives to become whole and distinctive from the collective. In order for an individual to realize her/his specific purpose, connection with one’s unique Self must be achieved. In this context, Self is the whole of the individual, including all aspects of an individual’s conscious and unconscious, often referred to as a paradoxical union of opposites. “(Jung, 1933; Jung and von Franz, 1964) With the union of opposites writing and self will develop and improve, as Sharples says “Sometimes the development of self- reflection in writing can happen rapidly and reveal itself through an obvious improvement in the style and structure of the written product.” (49)
What questions do we then need to ask in order to realize self and develop writing? In Rhetoric and Ideology in the writing class Berlin reviews different forms of Ideology.  “In expressionistic rhetoric, this gift is democratized, writing becoming an art of which all are capable. This rhetoric has usually been closely allied with theories of Psychology that argued for the inherent goodness of the individual, goodness Distorted by excessive contact with others in groups and institutions. In this it is the descendant of Rousseau on the one hand and of the romantic recoil from the urban horrors created by nineteenth-century capitalism on the other. Left to our own devices, this position maintains, each of us would grow and mature in harmony.”

This process is a long journey, self realization and actualization, by understanding who we are as a whole, and in connection, even more importantly, through the connect with others, we then will be able to communicate and write effectively, because when we know who we are, and by that, even more importantly how we connect with others, we then know what we want to write, and say and how we want to accomplish this feat. As King puts mildly, “Individuals become conscious of their whole personality, the Self, to gain awareness of their higher purposes and potential capabilities.” Development of the self brings forth, “Nothing less than a whole new power of human thinking. If we enter into how this (actualization) functions, we become able to employ it deliberately, and find that many ways of thought open from it, which otherwise did not exist. ” (1) Develop the self and the rest will follow.

I want to better understand, and learn about the discovery of the individual self, development of a person’s inner life, and how it can help improve and develop one’s writing skills.

I would like to argue that the realization of the individual, and the self, both conscious and unconscious experience in life, directly influence and supports our development as writers. This argument stems from the processes of writing that I have studied, the different approaches and styles of development that writing teachers use. I would like to find out how to create an intrinsic motivation for writing, although Sharples argues “ Idea flowing is that rare and usually enjoyable state when a writer is fully engaged with the task and ideas flow effortlessly onto paper either as notes or as a draft text. Time flies by and the writer loses track of the surrounding world. Because the activity is only barley moderated by the conscious mind it can be difficult to induce, but it is most likely to happen when a writer is motivated by the writing itself, rather than some external reward, and when the difficulty of the task matches the writer’s knowledge and ability” (58) This seems to me to be the most effective form of writing, when we can fully connect to what we how to express and how we chose so to do. If idea flowing is a rare state that is difficult to achieve, my next question is, is there a way to develop the unconscious self in order to connect to Idea Flowing? In Modern Man in Search of a Soul, Jung describes the importance of the study of dreams, I find this not only to be vital for the stuffy of psychology but also vital in the development of the individual, thus my argument that the development of the self is vital to the development of writing, as Jung states “ Often enough they (dreams) appear senseless, but it is obviously we who lack the sense and the ingenuity to read the enigmatical message from the nocturnal realm of the psyche. When we see that at least half of a man’s life is passed in this realm, that consciousness has its roots there, and that the unconsciousness operates in and out of waking existence, it would seem incumbent. To sharpen its perceptions by a systematic study of dreams. No one doubts the importance of a conscious experience; why then should we question the importance of unconscious happenings?” (16) The study of dreams may seem a little esoteric to support this argument, but if one realizes and understands that the unconscious mind affects the conscious mind, one can see this simple realization seep into every aspect of life. Self-realization is a vital tool in the development of an individual; with out the full development of an individual self, that individual cannot realize his or her full actualization in writing. “In Carl Jung’s theory of individuation, the individual strives to become whole and distinctive from the collective). In order for an individual to realize her/his specific purpose, connection with one’s unique Self must be achieved. In this context, Self is the whole of the individual, including all aspects of an individual’s conscious and unconscious, often referred to as a paradoxical union of opposites. “(Jung, 1933; Jung and von Franz, 1964) With the union of opposites writing and self will develop and improve, as Sharples says “Sometimes the development of self- reflection in writing can happen rapidly and reveal itself through an obvious improvement in the style and structure of the written product.” (49)
What questions do we then need to ask in order to realize self and develop writing? In Rhetoric and Ideology in the writing class Berlin reviews different forms of Ideology. “For Therborn addresses three questions: “What exists? What is good? What is possible?” “What exists, and its corollary, what does not exist: that is, who we are, what the world is, what nature, society, men and women are like. In this way we acquire a sense of identity, becoming conscious of what is real and true; the visibility of the world is thereby structured by the distribution of spotlights, shadows, and darkness.” (18) This process is a long journey, self realization and actualization, by understanding who we are as a whole, we then will be able to communicate and write effectively, because when we know who we are we then know what we want to write, and say and how we want to accomplish this feat. As King puts mildly, “Individuals become conscious of their whole personality, the Self, to gain awareness of their higher purposes and potential capabilities.” Development of the self brings forth, “Nothing less than a whole new power of human thinking. If we enter into how this (actualization) functions, we become able to employ it deliberately, and find that many ways of thought open from it, which otherwise did not exist. “ (1) Develop the self and the rest will follow.

5.) Sharples, Mike. How We Write: Writing As Creative Design. London: Routledge, 1999.

“ A person may be intrinsically motivated to write either because they enjoy the process of writing…” “ Extrinsic motivation is fairly straightforward. The person has been put in a situation, such as a classroom or a job, where they are expect to write so as to pass an exam or satisfy their manager.”
“ Traditionally, the teaching of writing has been concentrated o just one of these for creative processes- writing through high focus problem solving- with students typically taught to plan and pre- structure their thinking. In recent years, some teachers of writing have encouraged a knowledge telling approach, particularly as a way of getting started. Peter Elbow asks students to abandon the deep seated notion that they have to plan ahead, and instead encourages them to start by writing anything- nonsense, or the same word over and over if necessary- until the ideas begin to flow.” (180)
“ Idea flowing is that rare and usually enjoyable state when a writer is fully engaged with the task and ideas flow effortlessly onto paper either as notes or as a draft text. Time flies by and the writer loses track of the surrounding world. Because the activity is only barley moderated by the conscious mind it can be difficult to induce, but it is most likely to happen when a writer is motivated by the writing itself, rather than some external reward, and when the difficulty of the task matches the writer’s knowledge and ability” (58)

“Sometimes the development of self- reflection in writing can happen rapidly and reveal itself through an obvious improvement in the style and structure of the written product.” (49)

Gendlin, T. Eugene. Experiencing and the creation of meaning : a philosophical and psychological approach to the subjective. Publisher: Evanston, Ill. : Northwestern University Press, 1997.
“Philosophy has currently moved almost to the edge where this philosophy begins. The project on which it embarks is still not widely recognized, but with the current “postmodern” debates, most philosophy and most disciplines are on the brink of it. The project is to enter into how concepts (logical forms, distinctions, rules, algorithms, computers, categories, patterns …..) relate to experiencing (situations, events, therapy, metaphoric language, practice, human intricacy …..). Or, we can phrase it: how experiencing (.) functions in our cognitive and social activities. Once we can employ the roles of experiencing (…) to think with and about these very roles, we can think with them about anything else as well. The project requires and makes possible a thinking that employs more than conceptual logic, rules, or distinctions. We become able to think with the intricacy of situations (experience, practice,) but don’t we always employ this already? Logical inferences are never pure. There is always a situation, an implicit experiential context that is more… than any formed form. What can we add to this? Nothing less than a whole new power of human thinking. If we enter into how this more… functions, we become able to employ it deliberately, and find that many ways of thought open from it, which otherwise did not exist. “ (1)

Jung, C. G., William Stanley Dell, and Cary F. Baynes. Modern Man in Search of a Soul. London: K. Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co, 1933.

“ Often enough they (dreams) appear senseless, but it is obviously we who lack the sense and the ingenuity to read the enigmatical message from the nocturnal realm of the psyche. When we see that at least half of a man’s life is passed in this realm, that consciousness has its roots there, and that the unconsciousness operates in and out of waking existence, it would seem incumbent. To sharpen its perceptions by a systematic study of dreams. No one doubts the importance of a conscious experience; why then should we question the importance of unconscious happenings?” (16)

S King. D Nicol -Organizational enhancement through recognition of individual spirituality Journal of Organizational Change Management. 1999 – emeraldinsight.com

More than ever, individuals find themselves in a world of permanent white water, experiencing a lack of meaning in their lives and an attendant sense of spiritual desolation (Vaill, 1989). Consequently, many people are increasingly embarking upon a spiritual journey, seeking to discover their true selves, searching for a higher purpose and meaning to their lives (Conger, 1994). This spiritual journey is not necessarily confined to a religious framework (Conger, 1994) as many might conclude, for, as Patterson (1997) observed, “religions can be viewed as the maps, while you might consider spirituality to be the territory”.
In Carl Jung’s theory of individuation, the individual strives to become whole and distinctive from the collective (Jung, 1933; Jung and von Franz, 1964). In order for an individual to realize her/his specific purpose, connection with one’s unique Self must be achieved (Eddinger, 1972; Harding, 1965). In this context, Self is the whole of the individual, including all aspects of an individual’s conscious and unconscious, often referred to as a paradoxical union of opposites (Harding, 1965). The Self is superior to the ego and is experienced as the center of the personality (Jung, 1933). Although the path to individuation can be quite different for each person, the process tends to be similar (Singer, 1972). Individuals become conscious of their whole personality, the Self, to gain awareness of their higher purposes and potential capabilities.

Elbow, Peter. Writing with Power: Techniques for Mastering the Writing Process. New York: Oxford University Press, 1981.

“Writing with Power” provides readers (and writers) with various methods for getting words down on paper; for revising; for dealing with an audience; for getting feedback; and other recipes for approaching the mystery of power in writing.”

“Sometimes, in fact, when people think too much during the early stages about what they want to end up with, that preoccupation with the final product keeps them from attaining it.”

“You may stay on one topic, you may flip repeatedly from one to another: it doesn’t matter. Sometimes you will produce a good record of your stream of consciousness, but often you can’t keep up.”

“I’m arguing that we can make a better plan if we plan for nonplanning; we can write better if we build in periods where we remove goals from our mind; we can meet the needs of writers better if we sometimes put readers out of mind — especially at early stages.”

Berlin James. Rhetoric and Ideology in the Writing Class. College English, Vol. 50, No. 5 (Sep., 1988), pp. 477-494. Published by: National Council of Teachers of English

“…no philosophy, no proposition – has found or can claim to have found the “truth”. …We are all bound by our economic and social environments, so to speak, we have no independent way of accessing any transcendent truth (10)”

“The operation of ideology in human life basically involves the constitution and patterning of how human beings live their lives as conscious, reflecting initiators of in a structured, meaningful world. Ideology operates as discourse, addressing or, as Althusser puts it, interpellating human beings as subjects.” (15)

Ideology for Therborn addresses three questions: “What exists? What is good? What is possible?” The first deals with epistemology, as Therborn explains: “what exists, and its corollary, what does not exist: that is, who we are, what the world is, what nature, society, men and women are like. In this way we acquire a sense of identity, becoming conscious of what is real and true; the visibility of the world is thereby structured by the distribution of spotlights, shadows, and darkness.” Ideology thus interpellates the subject in a manner that determines what is real and what is illusory, and, most important, what is experienced and what remains outside the field of phenomenological experience, regardless of its actual material existence. Ideology provides the structure of desire, indicating what we will long for and pursue.” what is possible and impossible; our sense of the mutability of our being-in-the-world and the consequences of change are hereby patterned, and our hopes, ambitions, and fears given shape” (18). This last is especially important since recognition of the existence of a condition”
“As we have seen in Flower, the rationalization of the writing process is specifically designated an extension of the rationalization of economic activity. The pursuit of self-evident and unquestioned goals in the composing process parallels the pursuit of self-evident and unquestioned profit-making goals in the corporate marketplace: “whatever your goals are, you are interested in achieving better ways to achieve them” (Problem-Solving 12). The purpose of writing is to create a commodified text (see Clines) that belongs to the individual and has exchange value-”problem solving turns composing into a goal-directed journey” (484)

“In expressionistic rhetoric, this gift is democratized, writing becoming an art of Which all are capable. This rhetoric has usually been closely allied with theories of Psychology that argued for the inherent goodness of the individual, goodness Distorted by excessive contact with others in groups and institutions. In this it is The descendant of Rousseau on the one hand and of the romantic recoil from the Urban horrors created by nineteenth-century capitalism on the other. Left to our Own devices, this position maintains, each of us would grow and mature in harmony.”

More recently-during the sixties and after-the theories of such figures as Carl Rogers, Abraham Maslow, Eric Fromm, and even Carl Jung have been invoked in Its support. (For a fuller discussion of the history and character of expressionistic rhetoric offered here, see my “Contemporary Composition,” and Rhetoric and Reality 43-46,73-81, 159-65).”

“The most important measure of authenticity, of genuine self-discovery and Self-revelation, furthermore, is the presence of originality in expression; and this is the case whether the writer is creating poetry or writing a business report. Discovering the true self in writing will simultaneously enable the individual to discover the truth of the situation which evoked the writing, a situation that, needless to say, must always be compatible with the development of the self, and this leadsto the ideological dimension of the scheme.” (485)

“As Marx indicated, we make our own histories,but we do not make them just as we wish. Our consciousness is in large part a product of our material conditions. But our material conditions are also in part the products of our consciousness. Both consciousness and the material conditions influence each other, and they are both imbricated in social relations defined and worked out through language. In other words, the ways in which the subject understands and is affected by material conditions is circumscribed by socially-devised definitions, by the community in which the subject lives.” (489)
“Among the most important forces preventing work toward a social order supporting the student’s “full humanity” are forms of false consciousness-reification. pre-scientific thought, acceleration, mystification-and the absence of democratic practices in all areas of experience. Although Shor discusses these forms of false consciousness in their relation to working class students, their application to all students is not hard to see, and I have selected for emphasis
those features which clearly so apply.” (490)
“Mystifications are responses to the problems of a capitalist society which obscure their real sources and solutions, responses based on racism, sexism, nationalism, and other forms of bigotry. Finally, students are constantly told they live in the most free, most democratic society in the world, yet they are at the same time systematically denied opportunities for “self-discipline, self-organization, collective work styles, or group deliberation”(70), instead being subjected at every turn to arbitrary authority in conducting everyday affairs.” (491)

“It should now be apparent that a way of teaching is never innocent. Every pedagogy is imbricated in ideology, in a set of tacit assumptions about what is real, what is good, what is possible, and how power ought to be distributed. The method of cognitive psychology is the most likely to ignore this contention, claiming that the rhetoric it recommends is based on an objective understanding of the unchanging structures of mind, matter, and language.”
“In the name of empowering the individual, however, its naivety about economic, social, and political arrangements can lead to the marginalizing of the individuals who would resist a dehumanizing society, rendering them ineffective through their isolation. “This rhetoric also is easily co-opted by the agencies of corporate capitalism, appropriated and distorted in the service of the mystifications of bourgeois individualism. Social-epistemic rhetoric attempts to place the question of ideology at the center of the teaching of writing. It offers both a detailed analysis of dehumanizing social experience and a self-critical and overtly historicized alternative based on democratic practices in the economic,social, political, and cultural spheres. “
“I would also add that even those who are skeptical of the Marxian influence found in my description of this rhetoric have much to learn from it. As Kenneth Burke has shown, one does not have to accept the Marxian promise in order to realize the value of the Marxian diagnosis (Rhetoric of Motives 109). It is likewise not necessary to accept the of Ira Shor about writing pedagogy in order to learn from his analysis of the ideological practices at work in the lives of our students and ourselves.”
“A rhetoric cannot escape the ideological question, and to ignore this is to fail our responsibilities as teachers and as citizens.” (492- 493)

These are the passages that I find most interesting.
I like these prompts to make feed back seem more like evaluation and less cut and dry ‘grades’
-The thinking and ideas seemed interesting and creative
- The overall structure or sequence seemed confusing
- The writing was perfectly clear at the level of individual sentences and even paragraphs.
-There is an odd angry tone of voice that seems unrelated or inappropriate to what the writer was saying.
etc.

“First you improve the faults and then you like it” “First you like it and then you improve fault.”

“The process of evaluation, because it invites us to articulate our criteria and to make distinctions among parts or features or dimensions of a performance, thereby invites us further to acknowledge the main fact about evaluation; that different readers have different priorities, values, and standards.”

- It’s not improvement that leads to liking, but rather liking that leads to improvement
- It’s the mark of good writers to like their writing
- Liking is not the same thing as evaluating. We can often critize something better when we like it.
-We learn to like our writing when we have a respected reader who likes it.
- Therefore, it’s the mark of good teachers to like students and their writing.

Language is an instinct; there is no denying that. Over the millennia humans have had a desire to communicate, it is the root of our being. Seeing the development from the earliest cave paintings, and most primitive languages, to the development of words and writing, human kind has found a way to communicate, it is astonishing at yet the same time familiar, we struggle with, as Pinker states “ the instinct to learn, speak, and understand language.” From the earliest explores, to the children born deaf in underdeveloped countries, we have found, and developed personal, unique ways of communicating. The instinct as Pinker states is in all of us. Language is an instinct, but what happens after we speak, how do we listen? We know that communication is vital to life. Even the most limited, and challenged people will somehow find a way to communicate. Regardless of the disabilities, they will communicate, if they have to learn on their own, or with the help of a teacher. Language and communication is constantly developing, “ complex language is universal because children actually reinvent it, generation after generation- not because they are taught, not because they are generally smart, not because it is useful to them, but because they just can’t help it. In Helen Keller’s case, her whole world opened up when she realized that everything has a name. It was her first link out of total isolation to the outside world. The remarkable thing about people is that we put together millions of sentences that have never been heard before. We create them spontaneously and without question. Helen Keller, never having heard or seen the words before, used symbols to convey a message, to ask a question. When she asks “ Is the sun love?’ we see an almost unfathomable miracle. She put together a thought using her own form of communication. It’s not the conventional way, she reinvented language, and it became her own unique form of communication. She was given the ability to interact with the world. As Noam Chomsky discovered, “ a language cannot be a repertoire of responses; the brain must contain a recipe or program that can build an unlimited set of sentences out of a finite list of words. When do we know that we are capable of hearing these messages and thoughts, and when and how do we know if we truly understand what the other person is trying to say? Is it when Malcolm X stands behind a podium and moves millions of people into action? Do the action that individuals take uphold the original intentions of the speaker? Even Malcolm X emphasizes understanding; ”…of being able to read and understand” he could read and understand, understanding is the key to everything. Do we ever understand, and if so, do two different people have the same understanding of a message, or do we calculate the message and hear what we want to? I can see this disconnect in religious fundamentalism. So many different sects, all seemingly following the same set of rules, and books, yet each has a very different manifestation. Love and peace are defined by different terms depending on the individual and how they process those abstract ideas. I find it interesting when Pinker says “ They know language pervades thought, with different languages causing speakers to construe reality in different ways.” This alludes to several ideas that clearly point to the differences between speaking, listening, hearing and understanding. Speakers are not the only ones who construe reality in different ways, as we listen we construe the speakers words to fit our own reality. I find myself constantly pondering this idea. I find more and more of a disconnection of what we hear, and what is actually said. We are somehow limited in our listening capabilities. It’s not to say we can’t hear, it’s saying that we don’t always hear everything the way we should. It may be a broad statement, and in no way is it so easy to define. The story of the Tower of Babel is a symbolic allegory that powerfully demonstrates the listening and hearing condition as an art to be learnt. The story, as told, is this, one language is spoken among all people and because people can speak to each other they can join together to build a tower that threatened the power of God. Struck down, and scattered, our language was confused, so we could no longer communicate, Pinker believes that “ A common language connects the members of a community into an information-sharing network with formidable collective powers.” Pinker argues that language connects us. It almost seems to me he begins the argument that if we too, all spoke the same language, communication between all people would be flawless and the world better for it. Yes, language is a miracle, its even more; it’s an instinct, a right, and a responsibility. Yet we have so many problems communicating, even in our native tongue. He argues that language is communication, but is it really? He says himself that “Our thoughts come out of our mouth’s so effortlessly that they often embarrass us, having eluded our mental censors”. It’s a double edged sword, at once our words slip and we can embarrass ourselves, now we know our minds might not be as quick as we thought, therefore listening would have to take twice the mental sharpness as speaking. How often is it that we hear some one say something, while our friend standing next to us, swears he said something completely different? How many mistaken orders are carried out, even in the most structured of environments? Could it be that language is an instinct, but listening an art form to be learned? Listening is an art. From the youngest children, to the wisest elder, listening is a constant battle, something we struggle with our whole lives. We hear what we want to and leave the rest out. We automatically judge what is being said, that premature judgment allows us to construct a new reality. Instead of hearing the message of the speaker, we construct a reality that suits our needs. The goal is to live in reality and not create an alternate version of it. Simply by putting aside quick reactive judgments and assumptions, and learning to be in the moment, we might, one day have the ability to understand, and then, we will have real communication. I don’t think one can assume, that because we can speak, we can also listen. The instinct to create language is primal, and should never be underestimated. We must learn to listen, it is a skill and an art, and our responsibility is to develop that skill, and practice that art.

There is a myriad of information in these few pages. I do find it interesting the story of the Tower of Babel was mentioned. I mentioned that same story recently. I find it to be a very powerful story that goes well beyond the credit most people give it. There is a very powerful message trying to be conveyed, and I don’t really believe it is as simple as speaking one language. The story, as told, is this, one language is spoken among all people and because people can speak to each other they can join together to build a tower that could almost reach god, that was too much power for people, so God scattered all people and confused the language, so now we all speak different languages.

Pinker seems to argue that language is the dividing factor. It almost seems to me he begins the argument that if we too, all spoke the same language, communication between all people would be flawless and the world better for it. Yes, language is a miracle, its even more; it’s an instinct, a right, and a responsibility. Yet we have so many problems communicating, even in our same language. He argues that language is communication, but is it really? If communication is, as defined by the Merriam Webster dictionary: “a process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or behavior” Why then, do we rarely understand each other? How often is it that we hear some one say something, while our friend standing next to us, swears he said something completely different? How many mistaken orders are carried out, even in the most structured of environments. Could it be that language is an instinct, but listening an art form to be learned?

I don’t think one can assume, that because we can speak, we can also listen. We can hear yes, but we can usually hear whatever we want to. The instinct to create language is primal, and should never be underestimated. The art of listening is something to be learned.  Maybe its time to focus more on the effects of language and less on the why.

            I find I am my most creative when I am bored. Out of boredom comes the necessity for me to create something, anything, to keep me interested my mind engaged, to ease my boredom. I can only imagine the endless hours of isolation and boredom that come from sitting in a jail cell. With fifteen hours a day looking at the same concrete cell, I would go insane. In that situation, I am sure I would do as Malcolm X did. I would immerse myself in every book I could get my hands on.

            In my present life, I find myself longing for boredom. I wish I could do nothing for a while, be completely and utterly alone. In New York that is a near impossible feat. Especially since of late my apartment has become a shelter for my very interesting, artistic, creative, beautiful yet broke friends. I take them in, and my apartment has turned into a scene from the perfect bohemian life, it’s a scene to rival the best from Paris or Vienna in its prime.  Modern life keeps us busy, too busy, it is rare when we are afforded the time to think, to breathe, to just experience a moment, to just be. I don’t think it’s healthy to be constantly bombarded by images and sounds, more available with technology now than ever before, the real moments of life have become things to record just to put on facebook. We used to just live life to live. Now we live to get more ‘stuff’ to flaunt around.

            A moment of solitude would be beautiful. I find myself longing for the freedom Malcolm X had in Prison. It would be total freedom. Just think about it for a moment. No responsibility, no expectations, nothing to loose. I think that is total freedom, when you have nothing left to loose. Our motivations stem from our desire to build, and gain objects and acceptance, then we are motivated by fear that one day we might loose the precious things we worked so hard for, so we do anything and everything in our power to hold on to them. When you don’t have that pressure anymore you can really find out who you are. In Malcolm X’s case he found out who he was, what he wanted to live for. I hope one day we all can experience that freedom and joy and find out who we are meant to be.