...a monthly eZine

Dr. Pamela Armstrong
Psychologist, Therapist and Kolbe™ Coach

THE BEAUTY OF YOUR ESSENCE

I was scanning the New York Times this week looking for health-related articles, and came across a fascinating piece describing a new theory of brain development that has been posited by two scientists from very different fields--one a biologist at Simon Fraser University in Canada, and one a sociologist at the London School of Economics. They were reading recent genetic findings and began to "think outside the box" about what might cause changes in the behavior of genes besides mutation.

The idea they propose is that there is a "tug of war" between the genes contributed by father and the genes contributed by mother. The outcome can tip brain development in one of two directions -- toward the more "masculine" fascination with objects, patterns, and mechanical systems; or toward the more "feminine" attraction to social connection and the moods of self and others. The most extreme outcomes on either end of this spectrum are said to be autism on the masculine side and severe mood disorders/psychotic disorders on the feminine side. It is posited that autism and schizophrenia represent opposite ends of a spectrum that includes most psychiatric and developmental brain disorders.

I was so struck by this, in many ways. It is so amazing how much more we are understanding about genetics. Yet how hard it is to fathom how each one of us came together to be born in the first place. Not to mention how our experiences vs. our genetic makeup have shaped who we are. We can now order up a reading of our genetic strengths. We can also choose to become informed of any undesirable and even deadly genes we have inherited.

The essence of a person may be partially shaped by these factors, but our core-- our uniqueness, our individuality, that divine spark-- is something that scientists cannot really explain. Some illnesses seem to strike at the very core and steadily destroy it before our eyes. Those can certainly be the most cruel of illnesses. Some illnesses impair certain parts of an individual's functioning but leave the core visible and intact. Sometimes what is limited is the person's ability to take action. At the end of my father's life, he could not take action because of Parkinson's Disease. At the end of my mother's life, she could take action but could not organize her thoughts behind the actions, as she had vascular dementia.

The essence of you is often quite visible to others. People of course may never express to you what it is that they perceive. But your essence is so amazing, even on the worst day of your life. It contains energy and potential. It contains hope. We can fall out of touch with our essence, almost completely. I have heard a few people say that they in fact never knew who they were in the first place. In some cases, they were not allowed to be separate, to be an individual, to have a self. In some cases, they have been unable to locate people who validate them, and have not had experiences in their work environment or their community that were affirming and validating of their unique strengths.

My essence became so much clearer to me the day I took the Kolbe Index. The results showed me that I was born to innovate. Each result is almost like a fingerprint, because only 5% of people take action in the way you do. In today's difficult climate, it is more important than ever for us to know what saps our instinctive energies, and what comes naturally, what seems almost effortless. The Kolbe System™ also teaches us how to manage stress and to replenish ourselves in our leisure time.

Thanks for reading ZigZag,

Pam

Reference: Benedict Carey, "In a Novel Theory of Mental Disorders, Parents' Genes Are in Competition", New York Times, November 11, 2008, page D4

Thanks for reading Zigzag. Please forward this Ezine to any friends who may share your interest.

Dr Pam is a psychologist, therapist, and Kolbe™ coach. She can be reached at www.instinctivecoach.com

Her office is located in Elkridge, MD. Her phone number is 410-995-0760.

All content © Copyright 2008 - Dr. Pamela Armstrong. All rights reserved.