Learning to Live Contentedly

"The healthy mind rises to a new view of life."

hus wrote Catholic psychologist James A. Magner 60 years ago, when the stresses of modern industrial life - and two wars which ravaged the world in 30 short years - first made their disturbing appearance. Now, they are full-blown societal poisons. But the solutions were clear, and are just as clear today.

Dr. Magner, a practicing psychologist and Catholic, calmly outlined the challenges to families...the daily emotional disturbances...the inability of some people to say no when they should...loneliness for some people...too much activity for others...unhappy homes or divorce...children brought up with household dissension...the effect on hearts when taboos are eliminated.

He sharply distinguishes mental-emotional failure from what he describes as "the normal crises in the life of every individual," lest people under temporary strain think there is something worse going on. Dr. Magner distinguishes, for example:

• mere passing troubling thoughts
• stronger "shadows"
• heavy burdens
• "a growing pain that may become chronic"

...and he brilliantly walks readers through steps to "a sound mind in a healthy body" - or for solid improvment in an already-bascially-healthy person. Dr. Magner also makes much of the potential for damage to those who live with more possessions than is good for them - all too accurately anticipating our national crisis. But in this condensation of his larger book on mental health in our world, Dr. Magner focuses mainly on our ability to make a happier life, even in hardship. He summarizes his common-sensical advice:

"...Nor is the healthy mind necessarily brilliant. Persons of all degrees of talent, ability, and intelligence can cultivate mental health....The emotional reactions to the experiences of life, such as sorrow, anger, disgust, indignation, and disappointment, are unavoidable in the average life, and may be well regarded as evidence of healthy functioning of the mind."

"...We may take note of two mental types...the introvert and the extrovert. The introvert is likely to find symptoms of psychological defects and mental quirks where there are none. The extrovert normally rides along blissfully unaware of his defects, which have long since been known to the rest of the world. A compromise or combination of the two types or temperaments may be recommended as producing the best results in any planned program [for better] mental health."

By: James A. Magner
Softcover