Page 116 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 23

Comment

In Andrey Lorgus’s very though�ul essay, we read of some of the innate is-
sues, needs and drives of the human person, and some processes, even re-
quirements, which can therapeu�cally assist towards a human’s inner grow-
th and development towards maturity.
In psychology, we tend to bring our sense of who a human person is, and the
concept of self as an indicator of the capacity of a person to reflect upon
things, reflec�ng even upon one’s own being, inner world and experiences.
As Andrey Lorgus men�ons, the sense of self is formed in rela�on to others;
[other things, other beings,] other people in family, community, society –
and also develops (or fails to develop), in the human’s life.
We understandably emphasize and target the human self as the object and
subject of psychological inquiry and of therapy. Yet, isn’t curious that we so
o�en start with the self? Rosemary Steer
When we think about it, we cannot hope to approach an understanding of (Australia)
the life of a fish which is out of its water, or a baby bird outside of its nest, MAPS,
and a pet dog cannot be best understood when isolated from its beloved Over 30 years
family. Surely, so it is with the human being and the ‘self’. And even more Counselling psychologist,
so in the case of the human being, because the en�ty and its context and Team Leader counselling
connec�ons involve – not just the visible, material ones, but also the spiritu- Endeavour Ministries,
al ones, too, for an understanding of the nature of the human being; a being Melbourne Australia
both made of ‘the clay of the earth’ as well as being ‘in-breathed’ by the
Creator. That sense of self, a certain freedom with our choices, a sense of
morality, of values and beliefs, of the worship giving impetus to our goals, of
one’s will in agency, a curious authority and capacity over things in the
world… all point to a higher order ‘creatureliness’ in life, even higher than
our dear fish, or bird, or pet, (or other things, such as sky or water or land…)
for which we sense some responsibility.
We psychologists might ask: What can do more than the Biblical teaching for
our understanding of the human being? What is more capable of supplying
and deeply grounding our understanding of who the human being is, what
we are here for … and even why we have a sense of self, with its ramifica�-
ons for meaning, purpose, direc�on, goals, and development along the jour-
ney of life … what and how “self-realiza�on” might look like – both generally
for the human being, as well as specifically for each unique individual? (I ask
these ques�ons rhetorically, but they can be asked by anyone with a real
sense of seeking, prepared to search deeply.)
Even more, we might ask, what can be more valuable for further explana�-
ons which make sense of what might actually be wrong, and/or make for
obstacles in the life of the human being? (The biblical stories which give a
sense of our Vice Roi place in the created world, along with the story of what
we call “the fall” into sin, with its resultant disconnec�on from our Maker,
and what follows, all provide explanatory content for our life and its con-
text.)
In fact, surely, we psychologists must ask these ques�ons in trying to make
sense, by seeking truth, knowledge, understanding about human nature

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