Greetings!
My name is J. Ash Bowie,[1] a Wikipedia editor since 2004.[2] I am currently a graduate student in the Clinical Psychology doctoral program at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. Spiritually, I am a practicing Thelemite, although not an orthodox Aleisterian. I lean strongly progressive and might best be considered a Social Democrat.
My Wikipedia Philosophy
My two central interests will be in articles related to Thelema and clinical psychology. I am a big fan of assuming good faith and being polite. I do my best to respect others, and ask the same in return. I choose to be a bold editor, so I fully expect to step on toes and irritate people...which is utterly not my intent. If I do so, please let me know. If you ever ask yourself, "Who the hell does this guy think he is?"...the answer is "A guy who loves Wikipedia and is passionate about improving it one edit at a time." Please know that I am happy to compromise when necessary and am always open to dialog.
I am a moderate Inclusionist which I suppose makes me a member of the AWWDMBJAWGCAWAIFDSPBATDMTD
Thelema
I am an adherent of Thelema, which I see as a path of self-realization via apprehension and expression of True Will.[3] My own take on Will is that it is, at the core, the universal drive to manifest. The fact that the universe continues to change from moment to moment is the ultimate expression of Will. Humans also express Will, but we do so beyond simply obeying physical laws...we can make choices. Will becomes expressed through the vehicles of biology, psychology, culture, and individual life experiences, all within the context of current life issues and the ever-occurring now. The duty, to my mind, of the Thelemite is to find a way to tap into that original point of Will, so that he or she might act in a state of maximum genuineness, in harmony with the Self and Nature.
Psychology
There are several areas within clinical psychology that are of particular interest to me. The first is Positive Psychology, which posits that well-being and optimal states are more than simply the lack of negative stimuli. There are particular elements that are required for things like happiness and life satisfaction. The leading proponent of this sub-field is Martin E.P. Seligman.
I am also interested in Evolutionary psychology, which is going a long way to explain the nature and origins of the human mind by using the framework of natural selection. I believe this field will eventually overtake all other theories of psychology in terms of functionality and purpose. Combined with Neuropsychology, the primitive days of Sigmund Freud will finally be history.
Finally, in regards to clinical psychology, my future profession, I am currently fascinated with Gestalt Therapy (which focuses on the experiential "here and now") and Dialectical behavioral therapy, which is showing a lot of promise. Both try to integrate ideas from the East and West, which fits in nicely with my own spiritual practices.
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This user contributes using a Macintosh computer. |
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This user is bold, but not reckless, in updating pages. |
Footnotes
- ^ No, Ash isn't my given name. I took it in 1997 because I wanted a name that represented how I saw myself (and John wasn't covering it). I'm not sure how Ash came to me, but it has several meanings, including "fire" in Hebrew; Yggdrasil the "World Tree" in Norse mythology is a gigantic ash; it's a name for the Philosopher's Stone; it's an ancient Egyptian hawk-god; and on Ash Wednesday, it is a reminder of our mortality.
- ^ With the account User:Ashami and a couple others used for legit purposes, never as malicious sockpuppets. I created this account because I wanted to start crediting the name that I use in real life.
- ^ For those who care, I do not consider Aleister Crowley to be a prophet, nor his works as definitive of Thelema. I am neither pro nor anti Crowley; he wrote a lot of very good material, and much more that was worthless or now outdated beyond repair. I am a long-term member of OTO, but my participation in that Order has effectively ceased.
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