The Medusa Phenomenon

In Greek mythology, Medusa was a monster with a human female face. From her scalp grew living venomous snakes instead of hair. She looked so hideous that gazing directly upon her would turn anyone into stone. In my mind, I regard this fear of turning into stone, very much like the fear of transforming oneself into a new person when confronted with reality, as the Medusa Phenomenon.

Do you know that this phenomenon is exhibited by the self or ego in every individual whenever a fundamental change or direction in lifestyle or thinking is required? We are afraid that if we honestly look at ourselves, our perceptions might change us; we might lose our identity or the comfort zone we have created. It creates the tendency to always look away from ourselves and makes us think that the solution to our problems lies outside us and not within us. This way, we can avoid direct action and make only superficial changes in our lives without disturbing the status quo.

Facing reality is, therefore, like gazing at the Medusa. It elicits the Medusa Phenomenon. Look around you, and you will find the Medusa Phenomenon in action everywhere.

For example, if a person avoids something for fear that it might change his thinking or change his perceptions, it is undoubtedly reflecting the Medusa Phenomenon. It is always easier to hide behind a belief system or a label and become a follower than to question the value system we have created.

When we want to lose weight, what do we do? We go on a diet as if there is a magic formula outside us that will solve our problems. But indeed, it is because we have been consuming more calories than our body requires in 24 hours that we gain weight. So to lose weight, all we have to do is consume fewer calories than what we need in 24 hours. But no, we do not do that. We depend on various diets to teach us to eat less and lose weight. Hence we have a whole industry developed in making money from overweight people.

Again if we look at the problem of smoking in society, it is the same. The smoker usually knows that smoking is bad for his health, yet he continues to smoke. He is led to believe that he needs outside help to give up smoking. He thinks he needs the willpower to give up smoking. Having a weak will is a good excuse not to give up smoking. Hence, a whole industry has been developed to help people give up smoking. Indeed what the individual needs are a change in his perceptions. Smokers are an excellent example of the Medusa Phenomenon in action because they dare not honestly look at themselves.

Alcoholics and drug dependents are other groups where this Medusa Phenomenon operates in full force. They dare not look at themselves for fear that what they see might change them. It is better to blame the past and the world outside them for their misery rather than confront reality. If they were to find themselves on a desert island, they would probably be more concerned with where their next meal was coming from rather than their next drink or pill.

So you can see that solutions to our problems are pretty simple and lie within us. If you are one of those people who dare not look at yourself or hate to look at yourself, you need a change in your perceptions.

Read “The Enchanted Time Traveller – A Book of Self-Knowledge”{ by Dr Mal Mohanlal and learn how to change your perceptions without using willpower. Visit Website: http//theenchantedtimetraveller.com.au/. The EBook version is available at Amazon.com