Death cures psychoneurosis. In a sense all these neurotic concerns–fear of rejection, interpersonal concerns–seem to melt away, and people get another perspective on their lives. The important things are really important, and the trivia of life is trivialized.
IRVIN D. YALOMMirroring, softly, barely audibly, just under the membrane of consciousness.
More Irvin D. Yalom Quotes
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Despite the staunchest, most venerable defenses, we can never completely subdue death anxiety: it is always there, lurking in some hidden ravine of the mind.
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Living safely is dangerous.
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Some piece of ourselves, not necessarily our consciousness, but some piece of ourselves gets passed on and on and on.
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A free man who lives among the ignorant strives as far as he can to avoid their favors. A free man acts honestly, not deceptively.
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Psychotherapy is a cyclical process from isolation into relationship. It is cyclical because the patient, in terror of existential isolation, relates deeply and meaningfully to the therapist and then, strengthened by this encounter, is led back again to a confrontation with existential isolation.
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I thought a lot about how someone very old is the last living individual to have known some person or cluster of people.
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If you want to choose the pleasure of growth, prepare yourself for some pain.
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A focus on this deep dissatisfaction is often the starting point in overcoming death anxiety.
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Never take away anything if you have nothing better to offer
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Mature love is loving, not being loved.
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Death, however, does itch. It itches all the time. It is always with us, scratching at some inner door.
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Specialness as a primary mode of death transcendence takes a number of other maladaptive forms.
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And if you do the latter, you’re not so worried about the everyday trivialities of life, for example, petty concerns about secrecy or privacy.
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Pandora’s box, but to re-enter life in a richer, more compassionate manner.
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Only the wounded healer can truly heal. (97)
IRVIN D. YALOM