November 2nd, 2008

Akor ama asongo idem, enang abere (When the gate is strong, the cow would lean on it)

The cow is a heavy animal and farmers often build a fence to keep the animal safe. For such fence to last and fills the need, it must be sturdy enough to stand the weight of some cows that might wander and push its weight on such fence. Our Annang forebears observed that when a fence is sturdy enough, the cow can and do use it as a something to lean on. In the event that a weak fence is erected, such fence rather than protects becomes a danger to the livestock. Our people believed that the fence that is strong does much more than protect, it becomes a source of support. What is built to last and that which endures, it is inferred, would become a source of support no matter how hard and difficult the situation that we find ourselves. Just as the cow is heavy but could lean on a strong fence, those with a heavy load may also find support on what is strong and what is capable of withstanding the fleeting moments of sorrow and despair.
Sigmund Freud, the German psychologist and father of psycho-analytic theory described how our personality is formed. He taught the world that we humans are made up of complex drives which push us to satisfy our needs. The problem comes because, try as we may, some of our actions do not bring desired results. For example, some activities that should bring us happiness fail to produce desired results. Consequently, we try to manipulate our environment including our relationships with others and things that are outside of ourselves through what he called the ego. Such manipulation requires a development of a general moral principle which in turn is how we have conflicts and anxiety. To deal with these stresses we develop a series of defense mechanisms to cope with our anxieties including repression, projection, sublimation and rationalization. We act without knowing (repression), we become attached to something or others (projection), we direct our energies to other things (sublimation) and we make excuses for our actions when others say that they are unacceptable (rationalization). Thus it is possible to get caught up in actions and activities when in fact you are running away from something in your mind. It is possible to get attached to something or someone because you are seeking shelter from the storm that is in your mind. It is, therefore, easy to make excuses for your behavior and actions because you are looking for help.
A few years ago a man walked into my office in a sub-urban church and confessed that he was addicted to internet pornography. I knew this man and his family well. He was a member of the churchs board of trustees and had a successful business. But there he was sobbing about his inability to conduct his business because he spent hours and money paying for pornography on the World Wide Web. In the weeks that followed we explored his history to help him learn about what he was running from. The internet activity to this man was just a projection. Freud had said that we humans have the capacity to learn from our experience and to learn from the world as it is. The problem with the man who walked into my office that morning was that he was trying to lean on something that was not strong enough to hold his weight. He was seeking satisfaction from what was becoming expensive and was ruining his marriage. It took away his ability to work effectively. My task was to help him to learn about effective and sturdier things to lean on and to confront those needs that were driving him to seek shelter on things with a shaky foundation. Our elders knew that leaning on such things may result in the breakdown of the fence and become a security risk to other livestock. When we lean on things that are not strong enough to handle the problems that we carry, we run the risk of a fall. What are you leaning on? What troubles are you facing? Do you find yourself engaging in activities that you do not like? How are you using your free time? Have you developed habits that can build your life rather than destroy? Do you have things that you direct your energy towards and could also help you? May you discover and build strong foundations and may you find shelter when you are faced with the storms of life.

Full Version

Annang Wisdom is an inspirational letter produced as a service of the Annang Heritage Preservation Project. No part of this publication may be transmitted, forwarded, copied, stored or recorded without the permission of the Annang Heritage Preservation Inc. Please send all comments and requests to ancientwisdom@annangheritage.org.

November 2nd, 2008

Akor ama asongo idem, enang abere (When the gate is strong, the cow would lean on it)

The cow is a heavy animal and farmers often build a fence to keep the animal safe. For such fence to last and fills the need, it must be sturdy enough to stand the weight of some cows that might wander and push its weight on such fence. Our Annang forebears observed that when a fence is sturdy enough, the cow can and do use it as a something to lean on. In the event that a weak fence is erected, such fence rather than protects becomes a danger to the livestock. Our people believed that the fence that is strong does much more than protect, it becomes a source of support. What is built to last and that which endures, it is inferred, would become a source of support no matter how hard and difficult the situation that we find ourselves. Just as the cow is heavy but could lean on a strong fence, those with a heavy load may also find support on what is strong and what is capable of withstanding the fleeting moments of sorrow and despair.
Sigmund Freud, the German psychologist and father of psycho-analytic theory described how our personality is formed. He taught the world that we humans are made up of complex drives which push us to satisfy our needs. The problem comes because, try as we may, some of our actions do not bring desired results. For example, some activities that should bring us happiness fail to produce desired results. Consequently, we try to manipulate our environment including our relationships with others and things that are outside of ourselves through what he called the ego. Such manipulation requires a development of a general moral principle which in turn is how we have conflicts and anxiety. To deal with these stresses we develop a series of defense mechanisms to cope with our anxieties including repression, projection, sublimation and rationalization. We act without knowing (repression), we become attached to something or others (projection), we direct our energies to other things (sublimation) and we make excuses for our actions when others say that they are unacceptable (rationalization). Thus it is possible to get caught up in actions and activities when in fact you are running away from something in your mind. It is possible to get attached to something or someone because you are seeking shelter from the storm that is in your mind. It is, therefore, easy to make excuses for your behavior and actions because you are looking for help.
A few years ago a man walked into my office in a sub-urban church and confessed that he was addicted to internet pornography. I knew this man and his family well. He was a member of the churchs board of trustees and had a successful business. But there he was sobbing about his inability to conduct his business because he spent hours and money paying for pornography on the World Wide Web. In the weeks that followed we explored his history to help him learn about what he was running from. The internet activity to this man was just a projection. Freud had said that we humans have the capacity to learn from our experience and to learn from the world as it is. The problem with the man who walked into my office that morning was that he was trying to lean on something that was not strong enough to hold his weight. He was seeking satisfaction from what was becoming expensive and was ruining his marriage. It took away his ability to work effectively. My task was to help him to learn about effective and sturdier things to lean on and to confront those needs that were driving him to seek shelter on things with a shaky foundation. Our elders knew that leaning on such things may result in the breakdown of the fence and become a security risk to other livestock. When we lean on things that are not strong enough to handle the problems that we carry, we run the risk of a fall. What are you leaning on? What troubles are you facing? Do you find yourself engaging in activities that you do not like? How are you using your free time? Have you developed habits that can build your life rather than destroy? Do you have things that you direct your energy towards and could also help you? May you discover and build strong foundations and may you find shelter when you are faced with the storms of life.

Full Version

Annang Wisdom is an inspirational letter produced as a service of the Annang Heritage Preservation Project. No part of this publication may be transmitted, forwarded, copied, stored or recorded without the permission of the Annang Heritage Preservation Inc. Please send all comments and requests to ancientwisdom@annangheritage.org.