Gerda Boyesen, *BetweenPsyche and Soma —An Introduction to Biodynamic Psychology and Psychotherapy*— clear discussion for understanding the body in psychology for psychotherapeutic work, and for an understanding of what it looks like and sounds like for the body to be alive with life, and the impact of love in childbearing. Published in French in 1985. This book emerged from the Biodynamic method of working that Gerda Boyesen was developing in the 1960s. Gerda Boyesen was generally ignored, and her research and understanding has been forgotten in the tide of modern writers, such as Bessel Van Der Kolk’s The Body Keeps the Score, published 2015. However, Gerda Boyesen’s loving and holistic method still stands out from all other methodology. Prior to this, Wilhelm Reich saw in depth into the dynamics of human slavery to fascism, too, and was also widely unheard and uncredited.
Jean Liedloff,The Continuum Concept: In Search of Happiness Lost — clear discussion of the impact of loving childrearing practices on human happiness, freedom and criminality, and the health and wellbeing of babies and children who are brought up in love and respect. Published in the UK in 1976. Many interesting articles are published here. Liedloff described the generational impact of behaviour; change needs to happen at every level for love to fully take hold of a human community, tribe or society; Why Love Matters, saying something very similar, but with more scientific studies and outcome studies, was published by Sue Gerhardt in 2003, and its impact has hardly been felt, either. The human race might be a juggernaut in some ways, and need time to change, but also, change has to come in instant transformation or it doesn’t come at all. The impact of a heart awakened to knowledge: it can’t turn back or forget what it has learned.
Germaine Greer, The Female Eunuch — clear discussion of the dynamics of being female on this planet and the impact of our behavioural patterns on everyone involved. Published in the UK in 1970. Germaine Greer followed up The Female Eunuch with The Whole Woman, an almost identical book (which I read first), published in 1999. Nothing had changed, in fact things had got worse. Of course, Germanine Greer’s message was said 2000 years ago with the New Testament, as well, but no-one listened, with Jesus’s message of love, non-duality and observation to us that we have no chains: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galations 3:28), we are one body “If [one] part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honoured, all the parts share its joy” (1 Corinthians 12-13. See also Romans 10:12, and Colossians 3:11, but neither of the last three references include women. Prior to this, the Old Testament was saying similar things, see Isaiah 61:1 “To proclaim liberty to the captives, release to the prisoners”). We are enslaved by our “sin”, our sinful treatment of each other and ourselves (John 8:34).
Rachel Carson, Silent Spring — clear discussion of the impact of environmental poisons such as insecticides and herbicides, the death of all planetary life. Published in the UK in 1963. Some of the poisons have changed, but many have got worse. Even today, in so many spheres of life, people are arguing that (bio)diversity is not necessarily the most healthy way to live. Use of chemicals in, for instance, flea treatments for animals, chemicals for fish farming (as reported in publications like Private Eye for at least 30 years), insect repellents for humans, insecticides and herbicides on fields and urban environments, fire retardants in furniture, carpets, electronics, treated wood, and clothing,and microplastics are ubiquitous. Rachel Carson died from cancer before her book was published. Permaculture and Forest Gardening farming methods are well understood now: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permaculture, and farms like Gothelney are practicing regenerative farming *agroecology*with environmental and commercial success. Gulia Enders’s book Gut, published 2014, discusses the importance of biodiversity and impact of antibiotics. For more about this, see my article Gut, by Gulia Enders, A Review, “We are made up of diverse ecosystems like a coral reef or a tropical jungle. And the diversity is crucial because ‘High diversity affords protection to all species within the system because their interactions create robust webs for capturing and circulating resources.’ BLASER, Martin. (2014) Missing Microbes, London: Oneworld Publications: p24.”
