Linda's Blogspot

  Princes and Powers: Inside the Historic 1956 Congress of Black Writers and Artists ​In September 1956, some of the most prominent Black intellectuals, writers, and artists from across Africa, Europe, and the Americas gathered at the Sorbonne in Paris for the Premier Congrès des Écrivains et Artistes Noirs (First Congress of Black Writers and Artists). Organized by Alioune Diop and the journal Présence Africaine , the gathering was designed to define global Black culture and chart a path toward cultural and political liberation. ​Among the journalists in attendance was James Baldwin, an African American novelist living in Paris. His report on the event, titled "Princes and Powers" (later collected in The Price of the Ticket ), remains one of the most insightful firsthand accounts of the summit, capturing both its historic solidarity and its fierce internal debates. ​ Core Themes: A Cultural Bandung ​The Paris Congress explicitly framed itself as a cultural parallel to ...

19th-Century Mind-Cure Movement The 19th-Century Mind-Cure Movement served as the essential bridge between early medical hypnosis and 20th-century popular metaphysics. It marked a crucial turning point in Western thought, transforming mental healing from a fringe medical experiment into a complete philosophy of mind, identity, and personal agency. ​ Historical Context: The 19th-Century Healthcare Crisis ​To understand why Mind-Cure took root so rapidly in 19th-century America, one must look at the state of Victorian medicine and culture: ​ Heroic Medicine: Victorian medical treatments were often brutal and counterproductive. Doctors routinely prescribed toxic heavy metals (like calomel and mercury), blenders of opium, leeching, and bloodletting. The public actively sought gentler, non-invasive alternatives. ​ The "Neurasthenia" Epidemic: As America rapidly industrialized after the Civil War, middle- and upper-class urbanites began suffering from chronic exhaustion, se...

20th Century - New Thought Movement  The 20th-century New Thought movement —which birthed influential teachers like Neville Goddard, Ernest Holmes, and Florence Scovel Shinn—was not a sudden invention. It emerged as an American metaphysical synthesis that developed throughout the 19th century, merging European Idealism, mystical theology, 19th-century medical experimentation, and Asian philosophy. ​1. Intellectual & Philosophical Roots ​ Platonic & Classical Idealism: New Thought inherits the core Platonic premise that the unseen world of forms, mind, and ideas is more fundamental than the physical world of matter. ​ Emanuel Swedenborg (1688–1772): The Swedish scientist-turned-mystic introduced the "Law of Correspondences," proposing that every physical manifestation has a direct spiritual or mental cause. His assertion that the spiritual world shapes physical outcome provided the blueprint for 20th-century "mind-over-matter" concepts. ​ American Tra...

  Awakening the Divine Within: Neville Goddard’s Philosophy of Consciousness ​Most human conditioning rests on a single premise: power is external. From childhood, individuals are taught to look outward—hoping for circumstances to improve, seeking approval, or waiting for external forces to change their trajectory. The teachings of Neville Goddard fundamentally challenge this dynamic, asserting that the primary creative force in human experience is not located beyond the clouds, but within the depths of human imagination and consciousness itself. ​By dismantling the notion of separation between the individual and the divine, Goddard’s philosophy offers a radical re-examination of identity, perception, and self-mastery. Dismantling the Myth of External Power ​The foundational barrier to individual agency, according to Goddard, is the assumption of separation. When individuals view their goals, security, or peace as existing outside of themselves, their fundamental state becomes on...

  Why "Follow Your Passion" Is Bad Advice (And What to Do Instead) ​If you have ever felt stuck, unfulfilled, or anxious about your career, chances are someone has offered you this timeless piece of advice: “Just follow your passion.” ​It sounds inspiring. It fits neatly on a motivational poster. But according to computer science professor Cal Newport, author of So Good They Can't Ignore You , it is also flat-out wrong. ​Expecting a pre-existing passion to hand you a dream career is a fast track to chronic job-hopping, anxiety, and frustration. Passion is rarely something you find waiting for you; it is something you build through mastery, impact, and autonomy. ​Here is a breakdown of how Newport’s framework actually works—and how you can apply it to build a career you love. ​ 1. Ditch the "Passion Mindset" for the "Craftsman Mindset" ​The core mistake most people make when thinking about work is operating from the wrong orientation. Newport sp...

  ​ Childbirth: Pleasure, Pain, and Cultural Norms ​Childbirth is often presented through a single narrative in modern society—one defined predominantly by medical urgency, panic, and pain management. However, medical anthropology, midwifery traditions, and human physiology reveal a far richer reality. Across different cultures and individual body experiences, giving birth encompasses a wide spectrum of physical sensations, emotional states, and biological wisdom. ​1. The Hormonal Cascade: Pain, Pleasure, and Euphoria ​The biological design of labor relies on a complex neurochemical dance. Rather than an unbroken wave of pain, physiological labor involves dynamic shifts between intense physical surges and profound states of ease: ​ Oxytocin and Endorphins: During unhindered labor, the body releases massive amounts of oxytocin (the hormone responsible for bonding, trust, and love) alongside high levels of endorphins—the body’s natural opiates and pleasure transmitters. ​ The...