Description
A groundbreaking, “thoughtful and provocative” (Los Angeles Times) study of narcissism that will relieve hidden anxieties and heal the tension between mind, body, and feelings.
Are you a narcissist? Do you interact with someone who is? Contrary to popular belief, narcissists do not love themselves or anyone else. They cannot accept their true selves, constructing instead fixed masks that hide emotional numbness.
Influenced by forces in culture and predisposed by factors in the human personality, narcissists tend to be:
• More concerned with how they appear than what they feel
• Seductive and manipulative, striving for power and control
• Egotists, focused on their own interests but lacking the true values of the self — self-expression, self-possession, dignity, and integrity
• Without a solid sense of self, which leads them to experience life as empty and meaningless
In this groundbreaking study, Dr. Alexander Lowen uses his extensive clinical experience to demonstrate how narcissists can recover their suppressed feelings and regain their lost humanity. By the use of Bioenergetic Analysis, the psychotherapy created by Dr. Lowen, a new possibility of a fulfilling and authentic life is presented for people with narcissistic characteristics and for those who interact with them.
The book was very insightful, however some parts may be outdated and a bit strange. For example, the whole Freud theory with the children feeling sexual toward the parent of the opposite sex, etc. They are theories that haven’t been proven and there are better and more updated theories out there about child development. This weird obsession with, and theorizing of sex in children is strange and also gross.
Good book
Halfway through the book and it’s doing the job, if the job is to help you identify with your inner/hidden/shadow narcissist
This book isn’t for anyone in denial of any&all narcissist characteristics – it’s a spectrum – not all narcissism is born equal
It’s a heavy read, but not too heavy; it’ll make a lot more sense if you’re open and honest with your own narcissism
I came across this book while reading Andrew Daniel’s book “Awaken to Your True Self” as he’s quoted this book (which I highly recommend reading for those looking to figure out “what to do about it” or how to deal/heal with their own narcissism and get to their True Self, you’ll find it in the chapter “The Most Important Person”).
The ideas here in Lowen’s book that the narcissist doesn’t actually love himself — when contrary to what we’re told, that they only love themselves and are in love with themselves — was such an eye opener. That they love an IMAGE not them or their self. Highly recommended. Bioenergetics is a great approach and fits well with Cinesomatics and movement trauma healing and somatic work.
This book helped me to understand the narcissists that surround me. If you are dealing with a narcissist, I recommend you read this book.