23 FEBRUARY 2014

Anugraha – New Age therapies and New Age psychological techniques from the Franciscan Capuchins

My July 2009 report titled SANGAM INTEGRAL FORMATION AND SPIRITUALITY CENTRE, GOA-NEW AGE PSYCHOLOGY, ETC. recorded the dissemination of New Age therapies and New Age psychological techniques by the Dindigul [Tamil Nadu-based] Franciscan fathers as far afield as at the Sangam institute in Goa.

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/SANGAM_INTEGRAL_FORMATION_AND_SPIRITUALITY_CENTRE_GOA-NEW_AGE_PSYCHOLOGY_ETC.doc

HEALING THE INNER CHILD by FR. S. S. SAHAYARAJ, OFM. Cap.

Many of the pains, problems and weaknesses that we face today can be traced to the hurts we received as children. This seminar aims at healing the hurt child and liberating the joyful child that lives inside each of us. The seminar will cover multiple topics necessary for an integrated personality growth namely, walking in the light and turning from that which binds you, healing your childhood memories, learning to forgive, healing life’s hurts, your adult wounds, traumas of life, dealing with fears and traumas, dealing with anger and traumas, journey to wholeness, and release from losses in life.

Fr. S.S. Sahayaraj OFM Cap comes from ANUGRAHA, Institute for Counselling, Psychotherapy and Research, Tamil Nadu. Anugraha offers professional psychotherapy training, counselling training and supervision and various programmes, workshops and seminars to enhance and enrich human dignity and understanding. Fr. S.S. Sahayaraj has a Masters of Arts degree in Psychology and has done post-graduate studies in Counselling. He has several years of experience in this line. His expertise includes working with couples to enhance their relationship as well as working with individuals and families. He has additional training with grief, depression, abuse and trauma issues, and spiritual growth.

Venue:
SANGAM 10, Miraton Gardens, Airport Road, Vasco-da-Gama,
Goa.
Dates: 1^st-5^th August, 2009

Time: 9.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. everyday except on the 1^st (Sat) when the programme will be from 3 p.m. till 6 p.m.

Fees: Rs.1500/- (Lunch and tea will be provided).
Register at Sangam office from 10 am till 12 noon, call 2541188

WHAT IS ANUGRAHA?

From The New Leader, March 1-15, 2008, Full page advertisement, page 14:

ANUGRAHA Capuchin Institute for Counselling, Psychotherapy and Research, recognized by the Canadian Association of Pastoral Practice and Education and Affiliated to Madurai Institute of Social Sciences

Healing the Inner Child 25 March-1 April (in Tamil) 12-19 April, 26 April-3 May (in English) Rs. 2000

Counsellor Training Programme 5-31 May, 1-27 September, 5-31 January 2009 (in English) Rs. 7000

Contact: The Administrator, Anugraha, Nochiodaipatti, Dindigul 624 003, Tamil Nadu Ph: 0451 3205671, 2550100, 2550839, 2550324 Email: anugrahacap@yahoo.com; Website: http://www.anugraha.com

The New Leader, November 1-15, 2008, Full page advertisement, page 36, similar to the above.

EXTRACTS FROM THE ANUGRAHA WEBSITE:

http://www.udhayamcaps.org/anugraha%20-%20prospectus.htm

MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the Capuchins of Amala Annai Province is to assist individuals and groups to further the Kingdom values and to keep alive the charism of the Franciscans as embodied in the life of St. Francis of Assisi, founder of the Order. The mission of Anugraha is to promote excellence in the fields of psychotherapy, counselling, training, supervision, and related research. The training here is designed to impart human, spiritual and intellectual formation according to the Indian situation, keeping in line with the charism of St. Francis. The core model we use is Gerard Egan’s approach, Gestalt therapy, transactional analysis (TA), related humanistic approaches and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) also contribute to our work. Counselling model offers a framework for counselling within a person-centred perspective. Counsellors training at Anugraha promotes personal regard and respect within a style of counselling and care which is non-judgmental, nondirective and of a reflective nature and which encourages clients to work through their issues.

HISTORICAL NOTE OF ANUGRAHA

…Anugraha which proved itself as a veritable resource of healing has Fr. John Antony, the Founder and Director as its cornerstone and many other friars as its pillars. Initially Fr. John Antony designed a one-month counsellor Training Programme for the benefit of the first year students of Capuchin Theologate. He inaugurated the course in Amalashram, our Capuchin Theological Institute in January 1989. The participants found the course immensely rewarding and intriguing. They suggested to have the course open to outsiders. Hence
from the following year 1990, priests, religious, and lay began to attend the course. But soon changes in the staff and curriculum of the Theologate necessitated a different place to run the course. At this critical juncture, Fr. S. Arockiam persuaded Fr. John Antony to shift the course to Assisi Ashram, Pampanvilai, Nagercoil in January 1991. Assisi Ashram happened to be an animation centre and our Capuchin Novitiate. The transfer of the course was a mighty struggle and a great providence. Very soon Fr. Arockiam and Fr. I. Joseph joined the staff and nurtured the growth of Anugraha. It gained wider circles and greater popularity. We named our Institute “Anugraha” in 1992.

As our course became an annual feature in Tamil Nadu, we looked for a separate location connected with bus and train routes. Dindigul at Sirumalai foothills was found ideal, central and climate-wise fine. We spotted a land ten kilometres away from Dindigul on Natham High Way. Two priests of Trichy diocese volunteered to pay the cost of the land of six acres. The province contributed its mite to buy another five acres of land adjacent to the first purchase. We constructed our Counselling Institute the first of its kind in India by its focus on personal growth, professional proficiency and community building, the last of which directly flows from the Franciscan brotherhood in joyfulness. We blessed and opened this centre in November 5, 2001.

We re-shifted the course to this third and final place in May 2002. We have adequate infrastructure for learning, experience and blooming. These years, Anugraha sees efflorescence in all spheres of activities and the flowering of creative inspirations of our staff. Having made significant strides in counselling field, Anugraha is expanding its horizon by offering a multitude of courses and seminars relevant to counselling.

We get candidates from all over India. We have trained 590 persons over these 14 years. Thousands from all over India have attended our various seminars and workshops. Anugraha building has 72 self-contained rooms and every room can also comfortably accommodate two persons when needed. But we limit accommodation to sixty persons at a time. It is our permanent edifice for our special ministry of counselling.

TRAINING STAFF

Fr. D. John Antony OFM Cap — Founder Director

Fr. S.I. Wilson OFM Cap —Director

Fr. Lawrence OFM Cap — Assistant Director

Fr. I. Sathian OFM Cap — Administrator

Fr. S. Arockiam OFM Cap — Course Co-ordinator

Fr. S.S. Sahayaraj OFM Cap — Staff Member

Fr. Alphonse Charles OFM Cap — Staff Member

Sr. Selva S.C.C. — Staff Member

Sr. Genevieve S.C.C. – Staff Member

THE PROGRAMME OUTLINE

CERTIFICATE AND DIPLOMA IN COUNSELLING AND PSYCHOTHERAPY

UNIT I

Year- Course Code -Mode -Title -Credit

1 CPSY 1006 L & P Neuro Linguistic Programming 2

1 CPSY 1007 L Transactional Analysis 1

1 CPSY 1010 L& P Homeostasis Reality Therapy (HRT) 1

1 CPSY 1014 P Personality Tests (Myers-Briggs, FIRO – B & F) 1

1 CPSY 1017 P Yoga (Optional) 1

UNIT II

Year- Course Code -Mode -Title -Credit

2 CPSY 2004 L Enneagram 1

2 CPSY 2009 L & P Genogram 1

DIPLOMA IN PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC COUNSELLING (Part Time) Course Code CPSY 3000

This is an integrative process model, broadly derived from the work of Gerard Eagan and others. It assumes that three themes—relationship, content and reflection/planning—are developed throughout the different stages of counselling. The core qualities of counselling—empathy, warmth or respect, and genuineness—are emphasised.

SPECIAL INTEREST AREAS: Topics such as HRT,
Yoga, bioenergetics, and other courses may be offered, reflecting the interests of the staff and the course group.

NEUROLINGUISTIC PROGRAMMING
Course Code CPSY 1006

This module aims to introduce students to methods of Neuro Linguistic Programming and its application in a range of counselling contexts. It offers a few of the most important NLP techniques useful in helping people to solve their problems and to grow healthily. Anchoring, V.K. Dissociation, New Behaviour Generator, Swiss Pattern are the few techniques taught in this module.

YOGA (Optional) Course Code CPSY 1017

Every day starts with Yoga practice to deepen self-awareness, to enhance the growth of mind, body and spirit as well.

ENNEAGRAM Course Code CPSY 2004

This module uses guided imagery, writing and test to understand the relationship between personality-type and life. It explores how our addictions or compulsive behaviours can be attempts to deal with childhood wounds and current stressors. It helps students with self-discovery and transforming addictions into redemptions.

Focusing Course Code CPSY 2007

This module takes the new approach of Eugene Gendlin, inventor of a new method in addressing problems. This method avoids reasoning and using the mind to figure things out. It also avoids “getting in touch with feelings” and expressing intense emotions. It helps students get in touch with body sense or “wisdom of the body” or “felt sense.” The method involves focussing on the “felt sense” and addressing problems

GENOGRAM Course Code CPSY 2009

Genogram highlights influences of the past generations on the life of an individual. This module provides opportunity for trainees to examine how the structure, function, culture, values, found in their family tree can influence their life and activities. This pictorial representation of the person’s family tree, normally reaching as far back as the person’s grandparents records information about family members and their relationships, spanning at least three generations. This visual aid quickly points out the patterns and multi generational transmission of the family system.

… Self-analysis: (personality tests)

It facilitates self understanding by exposing the participants to various personality tests like Enneagram, Myers Briggs Temperament Sorter, Genogram and so on.

GUIDED RETREAT BASED ON ENNEAGRAM (Six Full Days)

Enneagram is a tool of self-exploration and healing that anyone can approach. Our Enneagram Retreat will involve becoming familiar with our own personality-type among the nine existing. We will learn how to develop the Inner Observer to facilitate the conscious path between the limits of our personality and the infinite possibilities of the Soul. This retreat will include presentations, prayer experiences, time to meet individually with the director, and time for quiet reflection.

In this retreat, we will:

1. use guided imagery, inner-child work, writing and test to understand the relationship between personality-type and life;

2. explore how our addictions or compulsive behaviours can be attempts to deal with childhood wounds and current stressors;

3. undertake self-discovery and transforming addictions into redemptions;

4. start our day with Yoga practice and deepen our self-awareness to enhance the growth of our mind, body and spirit.

SEMINAR IN SPIRITUAL QUOTIENT
(Six Full Days) (IQ and EQ, it’s now Spiritual Quotient)

After intelligence quotient (IQ) and emotional quotient (EQ), it is now the turn of the spiritual quotient (SQ). Many Western authors now are increasingly considering spiritual intelligence as the most important attribute of a human being and the foundation for both IQ and EQ. Institutions are increasingly falling on spiritual awakening programmes, retreats, soul searching camps and meditation workshops for the spiritual development of their members. Spiritual Intelligence is like an IQ. It is something we are all born with. It differs from an IQ in that it can be developed. It differs from the concept of an EQ because it is not something that you automatically use. It involves a conscious choice to be spiritual at all times and seasons. When one is spiritual, one will see, hear and act with high SQ behaviour and when one is not, one will react with low SQ behaviour. The training in this seminar is primarily on how to preserve spiritual strength and use it to develop the innermost potential of the body, mind and soul. An understanding and practice of the same enables one to tackle any kind of negativity and face tough situations with ease in day-to-day life. The participants are taught to work over their negative emotions hidden deep within and prepare themselves to experience tranquillity and peace of mind. The special meditation techniques are simple, effective and effortless so that anybody can easily practise them. The programme includes practical sessions on Yoga, various types of meditations and relaxation techniques.

ADMISSION: You may wish to print out the booking form below; alternatively, please send the information to the Course Registrar by letter or email to the address below… We would be delighted to welcome you to Anugraha, should you decide that you want to study counselling and psychotherapy or related subjects with us.

POSTAL ADDRESS:  The Director, Anugraha, Nochiodaipatti Post Dindigul East – 624 003 Tamil Nadu, India Tel. No. (0091) (451) 2550100 / 2550839 / 2550324 E-mail capanugraha@yahoo.co.in

GENERAL READING LIST

Below is a list of books that have helped shape the development of this programme.

John Antony, D. Dynamics of Counselling. Nagercoil, T.N., India: Anugraha Publications, 1994.

John Antony, D. Skills of Counselling. Nagercoil, T.N. India: Anugraha Publications, 1995.

John Antony, D. Types of Counselling. Nagercoil, T.N., India: Anugraha Publications, 1996.

John Antony, D. Psychotherapies in Counselling. Dindigul, India – 624 003: Anugraha Publications, 1996.

Also see http://www.udhayamcaps.org/anugraha.htm

MY COMMENTS:

The above is only an extract from the information available at the Anugraha site.

This writer, though a trained Catholic pastoral counselor, is no expert in the disciplines of psychotherapy, psychotherapeutic counseling, psychology, psychoanalysis to be able to evaluate the contents of the different courses. However, it does not require an expert to be aware that over the last decade, there is a mushrooming of advertisements in Catholic periodicals from Catholic organisations run by priests and nuns inviting the faithful to sign up for various types of courses. The range on offer is mind-boggling. A look at the syllabus of Anugraha will give one an idea. It is of great significance that the training in counseling on offer is neither Biblical nor pastoral. Except for the frequent use of the word “spiritual” one might not even suspect that the courses are related to spirituality or are being offered by Catholic priests. There is no reference anywhere to the Word of God which is the Source of all Wisdom, or to the writings of the Early Church Fathers or the great Catholic mystics. Apart from the four books by Anugraha Founder-Director Fr. D. John Antony, the dozens of other recommended books are secular. While that in itself should not be a problem for Catholics, there is always the possibility — and a high probability — that the philosophies and methodologies of these authors would contradict and oppose Catholic spirituality. I lack the academic background to evaluate this, but I am sure that if Catholic psychologists who are faithful to orthodoxy were to analyse these courses and related books, they would be able to confirm my well-founded apprehensions.

PSYCHOLOGY

On this ministry’s website, there is a series of Sixteen articles which will help the Catholic to understand the limitations and the inherent dangers of secular [human sciences-based] counseling techniques, and hence that of the Anugraha courses:

PSYCHOLOGY 01 STRESS MANAGEMENT

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/PSYCHOLOGY_01_STRESS_MANAGEMENT.doc

PSYCHOLOGY 02 COUNSELING

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/PSYCHOLOGY_02_COUNSELING.doc

PSYCHOLOGY 03 SIN OR SICKNESS?

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/PSYCHOLOGY_03_SIN_OR_SICKNESS.doc

PSYCHOLOGY 04 SELF ESTEEM

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/PSYCHOLOGY_04_SELF_ESTEEM.doc

PSYCHOLOGY 05 PHOBIAS

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/PSYCHOLOGY_05_PHOBIAS.doc

PSYCHOLOGY 06 INFERIORITY COMPLEX

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/PSYCHOLOGY_06_INFERIORITY_COMPLEX.doc

PSYCHOLOGY 07 PERSONALITY DISORDERS

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/PSYCHOLOGY_07_PERSONALITY_DISORDERS.doc

PSYCHOLOGY 08 NARCISSISM

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/PSYCHOLOGY_08_NARCISSISM.doc

PSYCHOLOGY 09 PARANOID PERSONALITY DISORDER

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/PSYCHOLOGY_09_PARANOID_PERSONALITY_DISORDER.doc

PSYCHOLOGY 10 OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/PSYCHOLOGY_10_OBSESSIVE_COMPULSIVE_DISORDER.doc

PSYCHOLOGY 11 ANTISOCIAL PERSONALITY DISORDER

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/PSYCHOLOGY_11_ANTISOCIAL_PERSONALITY_DISORDER.doc

PSYCHOLOGY 12 SCHIZOID PERSONALITY DISORDER

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/PSYCHOLOGY_12_SCHIZOID_PERSONALITY_DISORDER.doc

PSYCHOLOGY 13 DIALECTICAL BEHAVIOR THERAPY

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/PSYCHOLOGY_13_DIALECTICAL_BEHAVIOR_THERAPY.doc

PSYCHOLOGY 14 MYERS-BRIGGS TEMPERAMENT INDICATOR

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/PSYCHOLOGY_14_MYERS-BRIGGS_TEMPERAMENT_INDICATOR.doc

PSYCHOLOGY 15 RATIONAL EMOTIVE BEHAVIOUR THERAPY

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/PSYCHOLOGY_15_RATIONAL_EMOTIVE_BEHAVIOUR_THERAPY.doc

PSYCHOLOGY 16 – TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/PSYCHOLOGY_16_TRANSACTIONAL_ANALYSIS.doc

These articles were written by a Catholic priest who has a doctorate in Canon Law.

In my library, I have two books produced by Anugraha. One of them is the 60-page Counsellor Training Programme whose contents we have seen as excerpts on the earlier pages. Interestingly, this book is part of the library at the Saccidananda Ashram, Shantivanam [see my report on the Catholic Ashrams].

It is not surprising that Catholic Ashrams would find such a programme compatible with their spirituality.

The second is Psychotherapies in Counselling by Fr. D. John Antony, OFM. Cap., Anugraha Publications, 2003.

What are the contents of this book which is written by a Catholic priest and meant for the reading and training of Catholics?

The book deals with the various theories and models of psychology and psychotherapeutic counseling.

While it is very informative, it does not seem to me to be a very original scholarly work in the most part, and anyone with a basic knowledge of the computer and the internet could have put together the basic teachings of the different psychologies and therapies [psychoanalytic, psychodynamic, cognitive, behavioral, operant reinforcement, homeostasis reality, neurolinguistic, humanistic-existential – including psychosynthesis, transactional analysis and Gestalt, etc.,] and the biographies of their founders, Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, Erik Erikson, Alfred Adler, Melanie Klein, Erich Fromm, Karen Horney, Harry Stack Sullivan, Albert Ellis, Aaron T. Beck, Donald Meichenbaum, George A. Kelly, Ivan Pavlov, B.F. Skinner, William Glasser, Arnold A. Lazarus, John Grinder and Richard Bandler, Viktor Frankl, Rollo May, Carl R. Rogers, Robert Assagioli, Arthur Janov, Erich Berne, Frederick Perls, etc.

Is there a conflict between these psychotherapies — which are taught and applied in Anugraha’s courses and counseling training programmes – and Christian psychology or in Catholic pastoral counseling? Many of them are influential New Agers, named in the Vatican Document of February 2003.

The above series of 16 articles explains – while addressing different psychological problems – how Catholic pastoral counseling is vastly superior to the psychoanalytical counseling of human sciences.

In addition, other articles on psychology and New Age by this writer are available at this ministry’s website:

PSYCHOLOGY AND NEW AGE SPIRITUALITY 01

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/PSYCHOLOGY_AND_NEW_AGE_SPIRITUALITY_01.doc

PSYCHOLOGY AND NEW AGE SPIRITUALITY 02

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/PSYCHOLOGY_AND_NEW_AGE_SPIRITUALITY_02.doc

PSYCHOLOGY-A TROJAN HORSE IN THE CHURCH

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/PSYCHOLOGY-A_TROJAN_HORSE_IN_THE_CHURCH.doc

PSYCHOLOGY-DR EDWIN A NOYES

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/PSYCHOLOGY-DR_EDWIN_A_NOYES.doc

There is therefore no need here to go into a detailed analysis of everything that Anugraha espouses.

“PSYCHOTHERAPIES IN COUNSELLING” by Fr. D. John Antony, OFM. Cap. – AN ANALYSIS
We will examine some sections of
Fr. D. John Antony OFM. Cap. of Anugraha’s book Psychotherapies in Counselling.
[The standard of English used in Fr. Antony’s original inclusions in the book — illustrations or case studies for example — leaves much to be desired. For this writer, it was painful reading.]

My comments follow the extracts.

“The number of psychotherapies is ever on the increase as time passes by. At present it is more or less estimated that there could be about 400 types of psychotherapies.” Page 29

With the plethora of models and theories available, which model will a psychologist choose for his client/ patient,
Martin and Deidre Bobgan in Prophets of PsychoHeresy I, Eastgate Publishers, 1989, page 18, ask:

“Is the psychologist going to explain the data according to a Freudian, Jungian, Skinnerian Adlerian, Maslovian, or Rogerian point of view? What theoretical, philosophical influences will determine how the data is explained? Will it be psychoanalytical, behavioral, humanistic or transpersonal?”

I have always asked the same question of Catholic nuns who offer a range of New Age therapies like Pranic healing, reiki, acupuncture, reflexology etc. at their holistic health centres. Which therapy would they select for treatment of a patient with a particular complaint? Would they use the same therapy to treat different patients with the same complaint? The answers have always been evasive or contradictory to one another.

The reason is that the different therapies and their founders, like the different schools of psychology, are themselves in disagreement with one another and are not scientific despite claims to the contrary.

On page 35 of his book, in his Introduction, Fr. John Antony gives an example of a person named Suresh who he was counselling.
“Suresh had fallen in love with a spinster older than he was… There were enough of phone calls, meetings, physical touch and sexual intimacy.”
The woman had ditched Suresh, he was inconsolable and had come to Fr. Antony for counseling. How does Fr. Antony analyse and treat the problem? He presumes that Suresh had some similar problems and rejections earlier in his life and attempts to relate this incident to it. The important point for us to note is that nowhere is there any moral judgement made by the priest against this sinful sexual relationship. And that is one of the main problems with psychoanalytical counseling and which should seriously concern Catholics who attend these courses or go for such counseling: there is no concept of sin or sin-related guilt. This aspect we will take up later.

On pages 185, 186, there is an illustration about Sudha,
“a young lady of 37 years with two children. She had some extramarital relationship due to which she is feeling guilty.”
How does Fr. Antony counsel her [treat her with one of the forms of psychotherapy] about her feelings of guilt because she was sleeping with her husband’s best friend?

He makes her write on a piece of paper about the extent of her feelings of guilt, percentage-wise, starting with an initial level of “I am feeling guilty of committing adultery, 90%”, “reliving the experience” each time and reducing the guilt level in stages till she can write on the paper,
“I am NOT feeling guilty of committing adultery,
50%“, which is enough for Sudha to say, “I feel a bit confused but there is a sense of relief.”

Is this what Catholics want to experience or learn from attending courses conducted by Anugraha?

Much of psychology is such ‘enactments’ or ‘pretend techniques’.

There is also a lot of “dream therapy“, analysis or interpretation of dreams or what is known as “dreamwork“.
Fr. Antony touches on the subject, page 54 under
Freud, page 292 under
Perls’ Gestalt Therapy, etc.
Much of Dreamwork is New Age and it is the subject of another article.

But, it must briefly be said here that this has nothing to do with the biblical Christian understanding and analysis of dreams. All analyses are based on one or the other of the secular or New Age psychoanalytical approaches, are at best a harmless psychological palliative, at worst something that could be dangerous to trust with one’s full confidence. In the same way, the
Genogram
is something like what some Christian ministries describe as “Healing the Family Tree” and which is carried out in a prayerful situation. Attempted with secular psychological approaches, these areas are fraught with dangers and consequences.

More reasons why the Catholic Christian should be wary of such psychotherapists:

Page 39 of Fr. Antony’s book, while differentiating between ‘Counselling’ and ‘Psychotherapy’, explains that in psychotherapy
“The therapist is an authority figure [and] has authority over the client. Here the interest is in restructuring of the personality [of the patient].” Does a Catholic want to have his or her personality “restructured” by a priest who does not recognize the problem of sin and its effects on a person?

Let me quote Fr. Antony from pages 46, 47 of his book on the subject of
Sigmund Freud‘s Psychoanalytic Therapy. “We are in a way conditioned by psychic energy and early experiences…
Since human beings are energy systems, the psychic energy
is distributed to the id, the ego and the super ego.
As the energy is limited, any one system could have control over the available energy at a given time at the expense of the other two systems. The id is the original system of personality with which we are born…”

“Freud’s posited that it is life instincts (known as Eros) that maintain the survival of the individual and humankind. Life instincts were identified with libido, which originally meant sexual energy.” Page 46 As a consequence of that theory, a patient is analysed by six stages in his/her life, all of which have sexual labels. People thus exhibit oral- or anal-aggressive behaviour; men suffer from ‘Oedipus complex’ and ‘castration anxiety’ and women from ‘Electra complex’ and ‘penis envy’. Psychologist Karen Horney, pages 83-85 of the book, as explained by Fr. Antony,
“discredits Freud’s concept of penis envy as the determining factor in the psychology of women. She was of the opinion that feminine psychology is based on lack of confidence and an overemphasis of the love relationship and not on the anatomy of her sex organs.”
No two theorists agree with each other, hence the preponderance of theories.

German psychotherapist
Erich Fromm
is discussed on pages 80 to 82 of Fr. Antony’s book. Erich Fromm is listed in the Vatican Document on the New Age as one of the world’s most influential New Agers, Notes 15.

Carl Jung, the founder of analytical psychotherapy, follows with his theories of the anima/animus [man is basically bisexual], the ‘personal unconscious’ and the ‘collective unconscious’.
Carl Jung is ranked New Ager number 2, Notes 15

In an illustration by Fr. Antony of psychodynamic therapy on page 102, a woman who felt unloved is led by him, as her counselor, to visualization and affirmative action, and his final advice is,
“Sheela, you have a little homework. Wherever you go and whatever you do, you should take your younger self with you and fondle her and put her to bed with you and report to me after three days.”

Camila, who was falsely accused in her childhood by her father of stealing a coin, is advised, page 105,
“Close your eyes, be whatever age you were at that time, and relive that painful experience. Tell your younger self that she is innocent and did not steal the coin.”

About
Neurolinguistic programming, Fr. Antony writes,
page 192,
“NLP was based on the works of Virginia Satir, a family therapist, Fritz Perls, the founder of Gestalt therapy, Gregory Bateson, an anthropologist, and Milton Erickson, a hypnotist.” Gestalt therapy is New Age. And so is NLP:

NEURO-LINGUISTIC PROGRAMMING

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/NEURO-LINGUISTIC_PROGRAMMING.doc

Gregory Bateson is listed in the Vatican Document on the New Age as one of the world’s most influential New Agers, coming in at number 6, Notes 15.

American humanistic psychotherapist
Carl Rogers
is discussed on pages 232 to 238 of Fr. Antony’s book. Carl Rogers is listed in the Vatican Document on the New Age as one of the world’s most influential New Agers, listed at number 4, Notes 15.

Roberto Assagioli, whom we have mentioned earlier, is dedicated six pages, 239 to 244, in Fr. Antony’s book. Fr. Antony writes,
“Assagioli, a student of Freud… later got disillusioned with the theory of Freud. In 1910, he formulated a holistic theory of human development that is called ‘Psychosynthesis’… Like Jung, Assagioli postulated a realm called
collective unconscious…”

Roberto Assagioli is listed in the Vatican Document on the New Age as one of the world’s most influential New Agers, Notes 15.

Eric Berne, the Canadian founder of Transactional Analysis, gets almost twenty pages, 249 to 277, in Fr. Antony’s book. This ‘expert’ in psychoanalyzing others had three of his own marriages ending in divorce.

Writes Fr. Antony,
“His personal life reflected extreme paradoxes of his personality. The reason for the failure of Berne’s three marriages remain unclear. He ‘died of a broken heart’, having not been able to sustain love and to allow himself to be loved by others.”
Evidently, not someone whose teachings can be considered authoritative for psychoanalysis.

Read the following extract from the Pastoral Instruction of the Archbishop of Miami:

PASTORAL INSTRUCTION ON NEW AGE by the Archbishop of Miami

Concise and thorough study about the characteristics, practices and philosophies of the New Era*.
http://es.catholic.net/catequistasyevangelizadores/90/1915/articulo.php?id=32065 Miami, USA, November 1991 EXTRACT:

The Archbishop of Miami worried about the breakthrough of this new movement and noting the subtle damage that occurs in the faithful, a concise and thorough study about the characteristics, practices and philosophies of the New Era. El Movimiento de la Nueva Era, como se conoce hoy día, tuvo su comienzo en California en la década de los 60 con la difusión de filosofías orientales, particularmente el Budismo que fue tan popular entre los americanos de clase media desilusionados en ese entonces con la guerra de Vietnam.The New Age Movement, as it is known today, had its start in California in the ’60s with the spread of Eastern philosophies, especially Buddhism, which was popular among middle class Americans disillusioned with the Vietnam War. Este movimiento, como lo conocemos hoy día, tiene sus raíces en un sin fin de prácticas y disciplinas religiosas, filosóficas y teosóficasThis movement, as we know it today has its roots in a number of religious practices and disciplines, philosophical and Theosophical… *New Age

Chapter 2 Appendix [Going alphabetically, the Archbishop has listed New Age personalities, organizations and therapies in this long document. The following is under the alphabets “P” and “T”]:

parapsychology, humanistic and transpersonal psychology, […] transactional analysis, transcendental meditation and
transpersonal psychology.
NOTE: The Archbishop of Miami issued this warning 12 years before the release of the Vatican Document.

We have already noted that
Frederick (Fritz) Perls’ Gestalt Therapy
is New Age.
Pages 278 to 293 in Fr. Antony’s book, deals with this psychotherapist and his methods of counseling.

The front and back outer covers of Fr. Antony’s book have the photograph of a toddler on his or her tummy. The forehead of the child has a disproportionately large black-coloured bindi or dot. Now, that is not the normal South Indian decorative bindi. It is a very prevalent custom among South Indians, especially in Tamil Nadu where Anugraha is located, to mark the faces of their little children with this large black dot, most often on the right cheek,
to ward off the “evil eye”. This is called “drishti“.

See BINDI OR TILAK MARK ON THE FOREHEAD-INDIAN OR HINDU?

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/BINDI_OR_TILAK_MARK_ON_THE_FOREHEAD-INDIAN_OR_HINDU.doc

SUPERSTITION 01-DRISHTI OR THE EVIL EYE

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/SUPERSTITION_01-DRISHTI_OR_THE_EVIL_EYE.doc

On page 384 of Fr. Antony’s book, in the section under Bibliography, one finds the following inclusion:

“Vas, Luis S.R.
Master Approaches to
New Age Alternative therapies, Bangalore, Pustak Mahal, 2001.”

WHO IS LUIS S. R. VAS?

He is the author of
“Meditation Masters and their Insights”, St. Pauls Better Yourself Books,
in which he has explained all the major non-Christian meditation systems and the esoteric philosophies of their founders.

I have written about him in several of my earlier reports and I will quote from one of them here:

I reproduce from The Examiner [the Archdiocesan weekly of Bombay] of 3^rd August, 2002, a letter to the editor by Dr. Trevor Colaso of Bandra, Mumbai, titled ‘The ‘JE’-‘SUS’ prayer’.

“Sir, Luis Vas in ‘Journey into Silence’, The Examiner July 13, 2002*, enlightens us on the Jesus Prayer- ‘Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me’ which was first attributed to an Orthodox Christian spiritual classic, The Way of a Pilgrim.

Here, I would suggest a terse ejaculation- ‘JE’-‘SUS’, which could also suit those who practise yoga. For example, in pranayama or breath control, focus on Christ, either mentally, or before a Crucifix, or His Image of the Sacred Heart or Divine Mercy. Inhale the word ‘JE’ slowly and deeply; hold for some time and gradually exhale the word ‘SUS’. Breathe thus ‘JE’-‘SUS’ often, and experience the sweet fragrance of His Holy Name and spread it. This exercise can be quietly performed in the confines of a room, before the Blessed Sacrament, or even while travelling…”

While I do not want to judge Dr. Colaso in terms of his personal spirituality, I would like to refer to Luis S.R. Vas’ book, Discover the Power of Your Inner Self- Effective ways to Enhance Your Well-being and Spiritual Growth‘, St. Pauls Better Yourself Books. It is one of the MOST OCCULT and NEW AGE books by a Catholic author. Vas recommends New Age techniques like Gestalt Therapy, Hypnotism, Neurolinguistic Programming, Sufi Heart Rhythm Meditation, Zen meditation, Vipassana meditation, etc.

The Examiner, July 13, 2002 issue had a three-page article by Luis S.R. Vas on the
World Community for Christian Meditation [WCCM].
Does the WCCM promote genuine Christian meditation? No. It is a New Age organisation disguised as Catholic.

See my report FR JOE PEREIRA-KRIPA FOUNDATION-WORLD COMMUNITY FOR CHRISTIAN MEDITATION at
http://ephesians-511.net/docs/FR_JOE_PEREIRA-KRIPA_FOUNDATION-WORLD_COMMUNITY_FOR_CHRISTIAN_MEDITATION.doc.

Quoting from the
Ayushya Medical Mission Sisters
New Age website
http://www.ayushyamms.org:

“Homeostasis Reality Therapy [HRT]
is a system of clinical counseling and psychotherapy to deal with mental and emotional problems. This system is researched and devised in India by Dr. Berkmans Koyickal, Indian Clinical Psychologist who has done his study in USA. HRT is an innovative dynamic oriental system. It is a drugless, holistic treatment in which counseling and therapy are incorporated. Diagnosis is done with clinical tests in which high intensity symptoms and events of Fear, Loss, Anger and Guilt (FLAG emotions) are identified. The tests provide personal awareness and insight about the root causes of the problem as well. Based on the principles of laterisation of the brain, the inequilibrium experienced in the left and right hemispheres of the brain due to high intensity events in the clients’ life from childhood to the present are diffused through counseling and therapeutic procedures. The brainwave synchronizer is effectively used for therapy. During the therapy the ALFA, BETA, DELTA, THETA brain waves are modulated with light and sound in the machine and the memory intensity of the event is reduced, thereby the problem/illness is healed.

The client who has no belief in the system, non-cooperative, non communicative, violent, out of reality, blind or deaf and those who have had shock treatment (ECT) will not get the desired result from this treatment.”

From the above, it is clear that this oriental, non-drug treatment using pseudo-scientific jargon and dubious “scientific” instruments, is subjective — the patient has got to “believe” in the system — whereas allopathic treatment is objective and scientific, it works because under specific conditions two plus two always equals four. If one does not “believe” in HRT, the therapy will give no result!

It may be added that most alternative therapies are subjective, since they aim at holistically* treating the mind and spirit of the human person, not just the body alone which is the case with allopathy.

From The New Leader, November 1-15, 2004, Letter to the editor.

Christianising Psychology by R. P. Coelho, Bangalore 560005

I read the article on psychology with great interest, particularly because on the cover it was “Mental Health and Religious Faith”.

I was disappointed that spirituality is dismissed as an enhancer, and God is not mentioned.

I hoped he would go beyond the statement that religious involvement exhibits both preventive and healing effects on mental health… Fr. Parappully wrote as an expert, limiting himself to a psychology devoid of moral dimension.

This limited or truncated view of the human person in professional psychology is extensively applied in our Marriage Preparation Courses. R. P. Coelho

Coelho was referring to the Cover Feature of the October 1-15, 2004, issue of The New Leader, “Ways to avoid mental illness and enjoy mental health” by “Clinical Psychologist
Fr. Jose Parappully, SDB., Founder-Director of Bosco Psychological Services, New Delhi, on the occasion of World Mental Health Day observed on 10 October.”

As Coelho noted and remarked, God was completely missing in this Catholic priest’s four-page article.

But New Age psychologist [the Vatican Document on the New Age lists him as New Ager number 2] Carl Gustav Jung gets an honorable mention in his article.

And that is the reason for this report. The humanistic psychologies espoused by our Catholic psychologist-priests are just that – humanistic. The spiritual aspect is completely obfuscated.

As the series of 16 articles on Psychology reveals, in secular psychology there is no sense of guilt and sin as Christians understand it. And the devil naturally does not figure in their scheme of things.

For a Catholic analysis of how the secular humanistic psychoanalytical approach has replaced the confessional, please do read the section PSYCHOLOGY, SIN AND GUILT. REPENTANCE, CONFESSION AND HEALING of my SANGAM report, pages 49 through 58.

And understand the extent to which the deception is prevalent among the clergy, read

THE SALESIANS, OSWALD CARDINAL GRACIAS AND NEW AGE PSYCHOLOGIST CARL ROGERS

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/THE_SALESIANS_OSWALD_CARDINAL_GRACIAS_AND_NEW_AGE_PSYCHOLOGIST_CARL_ROGERS.doc

Anugraha continues to offer even more insidious heavy occult programes. I recently received the following information by email circulated by one D. Alphonse Gnanaseelan, 76, State Bank Colony, Ezhil Nagar, Tirunelveli – 627 007 Phone No:9366716996 agseelan@gmail.com:

Further Details Please Contact Ms Percy, Mobile No: 98420 99963 Email: gmcksoasis20@gmail.com

Percy Moses, Oasis Trust

See
PRANIC HEALING-SUMMARY

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/PRANIC_HEALING-SUMMARY.doc

Every issue of the New Leader [“India’s leading Catholic magazine since 1887”] carries at least one [usually there are three or four] advertisement by Catholic organizations/institutions for courses in New Age psychology or New Age ‘counseling’. Details are available in the SANGAM report.

Categories: new age