"I'm writing an unauthorized autobiography." --Steven Wright, Comedian
Among all the noias, meta is my favorite. I so prefer it to para. The word, noia, of course, is from the Greek nous, meaning "mind." Paranoia is to be outside or beside one's mind. Meta means "change"; we see it in such words as metamorphosis which is to change form. Metanoia means to change one's mind.
Many of our attitudes, perceptions and incumbent behaviors are imprinted in our brain patterns early in life and thus determine many of our attitudes toward life, ourselves, and our place within the world. Authority may be the largest influence on how these attitudes and behaviors are set.
Of all the spiritual and psychological tasks toward individuation or wholeness, changing one's mind may be the most difficult. I once read a statistical estimate that one acquires over half of what he or she ever learns in the first five years of life. Think about how many misconceptions, falsehoods, and misrepresentations are sealed in our minds during those years of earliest development.
What we observe in word and deed from parental figures such as parents, clergy, teachers, neighbors and parental institutions like church, school, and government becomes the source for the way we view the world and our place within it.
Life is an evolution of the question of authority. The ego, when it leaves the birth canal, asks the question, "Who's in charge here and what are the rules for making it?" Therefore, most of our ego attitudes are adaptive to external authority.
It seems as though, at some point in life, irrespective of age, one arrives at a midpoint and life changes from biography to autobiography. The first chapters are written by external authority. Then, at this midpoint, life hands us the pen and we become the author of our own story and the sole authority. A man came into my office one day and began, "I feel as though I am a character in a novel written by someone else." He was ready to pick up the pen and write a life!
So what causes us to change our mind? That is to say, what is it that causes us to adopt inner authority, find our own values, change our attitudes and behaviors? Unfortunately, it usually comes in the form of a crisis. Old ways don't work anymore. The rules for the first phase of life simply won't serve the demands of the second phase of life.
Some accident, illness, trauma, tragedy or loss will create a conscious crisis that will demand change. This change is metanoia. Such change creates a new and expanded consciousness. Chekov wrote, "A conscious life without a definite philosophy is no life, rather a burden and a nightmare." By philosophy, I believe he would include a theology, a spirituality, a psychology - in other words, a framework or worldview through which to become conscious of, and to interpret, life's vicissitudes.
Christians associate metanoia with repentance and conversion. From the viewpoint of this tradition, changing one's mind is a religious discipline and even a religious experience. From the viewpoint of depth psychology, metanoia is a requirement for new consciousness and maturity. Religions, psychology, spirituality, are all possible frameworks for mind change and growth.
Jung's psychology defined metanoia as a spontaneous attempt of the psyche to heal itself of unbearable conflict by melting down and then being reborn in a more adaptive form.
Metanoia is a substantial concept to both psychology and religion. Rebirth and change are necessary to our lives. The clinical definition of death is cessation of change. If one is not changing, one is dying. Any practice or framework that is not curious and novel stands with its feet in concrete, which may be the definition of any form of fundamentalism.
No matter what time it appears in our life, the challenge and opportunity to write our own autobiography can be embraced as a spiritual practice. It is through this process of authoring our autobiography that we will experience the deepest journey and fullest awareness of our being.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.