Hi there, finally getting back after I found this query today which is pertinent to our last contact. The search for understanding how our mind works is a different focus than how our brain works neurologically. Some psychiatrists believe all emotions begin with an observable or appreciable level of electrical activity. Very medical model theories partly true.Then there is the huge body of work based on how we create meaning by how we label our perceptions and what our inner story line is. As far as gaining insight into our mind or thinking goes I believe the best start is the most basic beginning level cognition based on boundaries, and then work our way up from there. I recommend the information based on authors such as Melody Beattie-"Codependent No More", writing about identifying tendencies to get caught in someone else's story line, while ignoring or misidentifying ones own inner life ie; self abandonment. One of my favorite books as a primer on basics is by David Richo- "How To Be An Adult". Another primer is "Facing Love Addiction" by Pia Mellody. Also "Leaving the Enchanted Forest by Stephanie Covington/L.Beckett". I especially respect Anne Wilson Schaef on "Co-dependence Misunderstood - Mistreated". Since several of her works address the patriarchy's tendency to pathologize the feminine perspective.Any books by Alice Miller will rock your world view pretty thoroughly. Such as the series of books beginning with "The Wounded Woman-Healing the Mother Daughter Relationship" and further exploration into "Making Sense of Suffering" - The Healing Confrontation with Your Own Past" and Breaking Down the Wall of Silence" and the classic "Thou Shalt Not Be Aware"

Moving eventually into the Jungian and transpersonal theories, along with 'feminist' perspectives, my favorite author is Marion Woodman, various works. The short condensed version I find most sums up her voice is "Conscious Femininity". Feminine thought being of course, very different than the usual theories by Freud and even Jung, we need some background in how women experience life very differently. I like anything by Harriet G. Lerner such as "Women in Therapy" or Phyllis Chesler(?)- "Women and Madness". Loved "Women Sex, and Addiction", by Charlotte d. Kasl who re- defines the 12 step process as it would be if it focused on the reality of women's real relationships and lives. More transpersonal still might be Eva Pierrakos work on "The "Path-work of Self Transformation" and "Fear No Evil". Moving along to "The Spirit of Shamanism" by Roger Walsh, and work by David Harner on Shaminism. Can't remember the book title right now.

Lots of great shamanistic work like "Soul Retrieval" sort of New Age thought. And then forward again into the varied schools of spiritual teachings too numerous to go into here. Jullian of Norwich is a favorite of mine.(she wrote All is well, all will be well....) along with the autobiography of St Theresa. or "Toxic Faith" on the misuse of power in Christian Fundamentalism.

Hindu philosophies are fun if not forgetting the context from the perspective of cultural differences. They are endless as well, and usually best introduced by access to a school which teaches hatha yoga along with some practical theory. They do need to go together to be integrative and useful in my personal experience. Helps to have body awareness if one truly wishes for higher conscious awareness as well.

In Jungian work one of the best I have read so far is "Meeting the Shadow-The Hidden Power of the Dark Side of Human Nature"- by about 30 of the best know minds of modern thought. Any of which might take you down a worthwhile journey on the way. If you can find "Healing the Split- Integrating Spirit Into our understanding of the mentally Ill"--by John E. Nelson- it would clarify much theoretical confusion.

Ken Wilber is sort of the "kiing of transpersonal theory" and his work A " Brief History of Everything" is truly as awesome as the title suggests. He is an incredible mind who is well regarded even reverred by many. His personal story is told in the book called "Grace and Grit" about his wife's deah from ovarian cancer and how it broke his heart wide open for his later works. Quite impressive works.

My further suggestion on the transpersonal journey would be to begin reading Hamid Ali or sometimes know as A.H. Almas, and his work on "The Diamond Approach", evolving his theories into the work called "The Inner Journey" and on into "The Point of Existence", (which has the best description of Narcissistic Rage I have ever found in Chapter 32.) His later works are also weightlifting props and not for bedtime reading. you've been warned!

Neuro Linguistic Programming is extremely effective in how we understand language and how our minds make the body- mind connection. I believe it should be required learning for any therapist or person who is in a position of power or authority. It is sort of stand alone type of theoretical knowledge based on a brilliant synthesis of different theories.[Along with the works on Object Relations Theory ...] Bandler and Grinder based their version of NLP on the original works of Milton Erickson, the father of medical/therapeutic hypnotherapy. The process of NLP modernizes and codifies how it all worked for Erickson. NLP truly does wondrous things for how we organize meaning in language. NLP creates change by working content into a matching context. Fairly scientific and worth understanding if we are ever going to communicate congruently with our own minds or others minds.

Excellent works, more up to date are in the bookstores. I have the "Heart of the Mind" and " Change you Mind and "Change Your Life" by Connierae and Steve Andreas. [I was certified in NLP in 1992.] I also got much from reading the bestseller called "Loves Executioner" by Irwin Yalom and especially good is "My Voice Will Go With You-The Teaching Tales of M. Erickson"- by Sidney Rosen. Really fascinating stuff.

Obviously the process of understanding our mind requires a fairly high degree of ardent desire to learn, combined with curiosity and comparative witnessing. Along with the willingness to digest quite a bit of reading material. Most all of these books can be had via a library, so there is no reason to go broke. Most can be bought second hand even on Amazon if you really want to build a library. I have moved quite a bit but keep the core library and it does come in handy. if only to give you my list of topics.

Many websights no doubt exist and are unknown to me, where the discussions will sharpen our understanding and encourage integration with application of the methodologies. The process can also foster intellectual pride and arrogance. One of the benefits of having a stroke, after I read all these books, (and many more), was the clarity that I would never understand the Mind as such. it felt like a relief to be honest. Mind is as great as the Universe, because all existence is both intrinsic and extrinsic, within is equal to without. As Above, So Below..... It is like claiming to hold the ocean in a teacup, impossible.

My journey pretty much ended with where it began. Only real experience helps in the end. However the paradox is that being able to discriminate and then articulate ones inner world takes quite a bit of devotion to clarity and congruence and practice. What one reads and then attempts to assimilate without relying on sound bites, jargon or pedagogy, matters on the soul building level, and takes time to integrate and interiorize. Always the intellectual temptation to remain on the surface and claim the wisdom for oneself, whichnever improved emotional education as far as I could tell.

I like the basic view of one of my best teachers who is a master of yoga philosophy called Samkhya Yoga. Baba Hari Das says repeatedly, that "philosphy is not practicallity". How very true, and someday I am going to make it into a bumper sticker.

Have fun exploring and just try to keep a curious and open mind. Along with some skepticism to remain comfortably comparative, for your own needs in life are uniquely yours. you will undoubtedly evolve over time without even knowing. It happens by itself when you are excited about learning. Every peak is the 'highest', until the next one shows itself. Amazing how that repeats endlessly. We are rarely finished in human lifetimes so it might as well be fun. Best of Wishes to You on Your Big Adventure, Tinglytoes