PREVIOUS: Basics #5

SITE: Extensive portraits of each of the 16 types 

☆ S-P:  Kinesthetic Intelligence
☆ S-J : Organization Intelligence

★ Se : Experience – Natural intel.
★ Si : The Instructor – Practical Intel.

MBTI & Psychological types

Inner Dichotomy STACK Preferences 

A PERCEIVING Function – They (S & N) are considered “irrational” because they’re the type of info we take in from the world, considered an unconscious preference. If the brain is a hard drive, perception is input.

S – SENSING (Simplicity) S-types gather data in the physical world, through the 5 senses & concrete details. Info is to be experienced.
EXP:  Likes/Dislikes the smell of pies

Se – Extroverted SENSING, directed outward
As DOM : ESFP & ESTP  // As AUX : ISFP & ISTP
Nicknames: Experimenting, Sensations

Spot them by: Being quick to act, aware of the environment. Acts on concrete data in the here & now.
Trusts the present, then lets it go.

Q: “What is happening right now & how can I experience it?”
Potential STRENGTH: adventurous, fun, spontaneous
Potential WEAKNESS: reckless, shallow

Basic Desire: Live in the moment, experience life

Se perspective: Sensation, Realism – “Something’s happening right NOW!”
Se is about exploring new sights, experiences, tastes in the physical world, & to keep up appearances. Looks to be what can be experienced tangibly. Gathering of ‘what is’, SO – Likes/Dislikes the smell of pies, based on the smell itself

IMAGE: Like a camera, recording everything around it, fully taking in every detail
GIFT: Hands-on practicality
Physically: As Dom – visibly every present, looks natural wherever they are. Calm in tense situations, smooth body motions

• Se Dom types are highly attuned to their environment, constantly scanning their surroundings
• Se Doms are almost always present & engaged when in conversation, unless something in the immediate environment is distracting
• Se users tend to be ‘up for anything’, & don’t mind changing or going with last minute plans.
THEY:
• may be more physically ‘wired’ than other types, so have trouble sitting still
• tend to make very direct observations about people & situations – not beating around the bush – & are masters of saying what everyone else was secretly thinking
• enjoy slapstick or ‘obvious’ humor
• enjoy the ‘finer things in life’, can be particularly attracted to expensive gadgets or high fashion
• These types usually advocate ‘Just going for it’ – following gut instinct & approaching what you want directly.

===========

Si – Introverted SENSING, inner directed
As DOM : ISTJ & ISFJ //  As AUX : ESTJ & ESFJ
Nicknames: Recording, Memory

Spot by: Having Past experiences, knowledge. Compares present facts and experiences to past experience.
Trusts the past. Stores sensory data for future use.

Q: “What was before, & how does that apply now?”
Potential STRENGTH: loyal, consistent
Potential WEAKNESS: hesitant to change, unadaptable

Basic Desire: Remember the past, make memories

Si perspective: Memory, Past –“Something happened yesterday”. Si is about routines, habits, preserving the “tried and true” traditions. Its framework is built on of previously experienced physical info, based on what’s been proven true in the past. A collection of ‘what was’, SO – Likes/Dislikes the smell of pies, based on how it relates to past experiences.

IMAGE: Like a calculator, having all the info it needs, stored within itself, & it remembers
GIFT: Prudence, Sensitivity – the ‘equalizer’ in extreme situations
Physically: As Dom – level stare, posture restrained. Use whole mind to review past events

• Si users have excellent memories when it comes to specific facts and occurrences and will usually remember things you’ve mentioned only in passing.
• Si users tend to place a higher value on tradition, social conventions and status than other types.
THEY:
• are incredibly detail-oriented, & usually ask for specific clarifications in conversation (“Where did you meet up? What day?”)
• are uncomfortable with the ambiguous, so in conversation they prefer providing relevant facts to speculation. EXP:  when discussing possibilities for the future, they’ll point out what has happened in a similar situation in the past
• enjoy plans that are predictable
• These types usually advocate using tried & true ways, referring to the available facts on a subject, assuming the future will resemble the past

NEXT: Intuiting

PREVIOUS: Stacks – #4

SITE: Developing Type over Time (re. 4 functions)

ORDER OF PREFERENCE (cont.)

STACKS can be understood as either:
a. an ABILITY- describing how well or poorly we’re able to express each preference.
EXP:  For INFPs, the ‘Mediators’, their Auxiliary is Ne (externalized Intuition) & Tertiary is Si (internalized Sensing), so they may not notice their surroundings very well – being so much in their head – because these 2 functions interfere with each other. However, INFPs are very gifted at absorbing how others feel, & can empathize
-AND/OR-
b. a PREFERENCE –  indicates the intensity of & way we want the functions to be used, rather than how well we can use them, as in exp. a.
So ENTPs, the ‘Designers’, with Ne-DOM & Ti-TER, will want to focus most of their energy thinking up (T) creative/innovative ideas (N)

⬇️ CHART: The 2 AXES of Personality show the purpose of each preference combo:
🚦The vertical indicates the CORE of the Self. A person’s INF complements as well as challenges the DOM, so if/when these opposing forces are developed & integrated, it allows the True Self to individuate (S & I).
EXP: At worst, an ENFJ or ESFJ with the Fe-Dom / Ti-Inf combo can easily be cunning & manipulative if they have intense empathy along with a cynical outlook on life.

🚥 The horizontal defines ones IDENTITY, & if the person matures, the True Self can become visible. This axis is about relationships, indicating how we want to treat others & be of help, as well as being treated by them & receiving help. This works by the ability to notice – at a glance – the motivations & intentions of others.

REVIEW: Perceiving (P) is how the brain takes in information, &
Judging (J) is how we make decisions based on that info.
These are the brain’s most basic functions, along with keeping us alive – such as telling us to eat & breathe.

The 8 cognitive functions (S,N,T,F) form stacks ⬇️, based on Carl Jung’s Personality Type theory, which accounts for the fundamental differences in our personalities. Over a lifetime a person can develop all functions to a reasonable level, but the order of the stack cannot change.

This CHART ➡️ lists the 16 MBTI personalities by Order of Preference (stack) for each type.

NOTE –  Pairs of Types (the NFs, the STs….) have their preferences in the same order, but on opposite sides of the E-I center line, which makes all the difference in how we present ourselves, & how others experience us.

MBTI STEREOTYPES – we too often see other Cognitive Function types thru the lens of our own type’s bias. (Circles by Erik Thor)
ACTUALLY:
▪︎ Js are not normally constrained or compulsive, but proactive
– unless in P mode, then seem reactive, losing their initiative
▪︎ Ps are not reactive or a push-overs, but adaptive
–  unless in J mode, then seem overly constrained. Normally, they do have strong control over their own life & decisions

▪︎ Is are not passive, but are normally very active & calculated – unless trying to act like Es, then seem rushed & restless
▪︎ Es are not rushed or restless, but steady, calm, & mobile, who can make quick decisions calmly & rationally
– unless in I mode, then seem passive & disengaged

ALSO:
▪︎ Ss tend to see Ns as naive or unrealistic, BUT actually have a very broad perspective.
– IF an Si is in N mode they seem naive
▪︎ Ns tend to see Ss as shallow, BUT are actually very realistic.
– IF an Ni is in S mode, then seem shallow & superficial

▪︎ Ts tend to see Fs as weak, BUT are actually deeply connected to other people.
– IF a Ti is in F mode, they seem hurt & vulnerable
▪︎ Fs tend to see Ts as cold, BUT they actually do have strong emotions.
– IF an Fi is in T mode, they seem unemotional & insensitive

🚗   🚗   🚗

OVERVIEW & comparison of the 2 Perceiving functions

OVERVIEW & comparison of the 2 Perceiving functions

NEXT: SENSING

PREVIOUS: Stacks Basics #3

SITES:  • How to use Stacks for Growth

• Personal Growth using MBTI

ORDER OF PREFERENCE (cont.)

Primary Cognitive Engine: Combined Dominant + Auxiliary, sometimes called the  function pair,  comes from the 2 middle letters of our personality type (INTP, ESFJ.….), which produce most of our communicating, decision-making & processing skills.
✯ Together Dom & Aux are about 90% of our personality – on a good day 😉

It can help to balance: 
• Extrovert & Introvert, so Es can turn to their inner world at times & Is to the outer
• the J functions, so we can take in new info (T), & make decisions about that info or have closure (F)
• the P functions, so we can pay attention to the outer world & take actions (S), as well as pause for reflection to notice the inner one (N)

AGES
Jung believed that all the functions are largely unconscious & undeveloped in infants.
DOMINANT (Dom)
0 – 6 years = use all 4 functions indiscriminately, trying each of them on for size, to decide which ones work best
6 – 12 years = The Dom begins to develop & assert itself. There will be glimpses of the AUX as well, but underdeveloped & unbalanced

AUXILIARY (2nd) 13 – 21 years
A powerful support to the Dom – this is an important time of “self-identification”. A weak AUX can cause real problems. For Introverts, it will be the function most visible to others, while the Dom is more in the background.

TERTIARY (3rd) tends to develop in ones 30s & 40s
21 – 35 years – Begin using this function more often & with better success. Not as strong as Dom & Aux, but helps to balance them, if developed properly. Tertiary kinds of activities are recreational or very relaxing

INFERIOR (4th) At midlife or later
35 – 50 years There’s a pull to develop & use it more effectively, which is very possible
50 onward – All 4 are accessible. The basic Type continues to assert itself, & functions are used in a more disciplined, differentiated way.

5th – 8th = Shadow Functions (INFJ as EXP ➡️)
• There are 4 additional levels, the exact E/I unconscious reverse opposites of our 4 conscious ones, called ‘shadow’ functions. Regardless of their order, they’re not well-suited for the light of day because they’re unpredictable.

• For most people, our conscious level 1 & 2 preferences develop with very little effort. They simply work, & work well.  90% of the time we use them to tackle just about everything. Our TER characteristic contributes about 5% to our style, & the other five positions (conscious ‘Inferior’ + 4 unconscious) have to fight over the last 5%.

• But if ones conscious Dom & Aux aren’t ‘on’ – suppressed for some reason – one or more of these lower 4 will take over, being playful, mischievous or harmful.
Eruptions from one or more of them can last seconds (blood sugar crash, over-reacting to some annoyance) to decades (wrong career, toxic marriage, addictions….). (MORE….)

• To develop one of the lesser functions, we can focus on the third one. We’ll get the most out of it, because, unlike the rest (4-8), it’s still usable & somewhat competent, like a teen driver with a learner’s permit, while the rest of the functions are more like toddlers & young children. (1-4 detailed in Part 2)

⬇️ DIAGRAM (by QuickTwist) of the relationship between the 4 conscious & 4 unconscious functions.
The “Greater Personality” is when a person has found a way to combat their Shadow, & can use both levels simultaneously.

In the healthy person, the Unconscious Function (UF) is filtered through its corresponding Conscious Function (CF), because they’re less out of balance.
Their CF gets its energy from the corresponding UF, which combines in the Shadow & is then expressed consciously as an act of WILL, in behavior.

In an unhealthy person, the Dom & Aux (conscious) have been overused, so their UFs are over-accentuated = rather hysterically in Es, & neurotically in Is.

 LISTs ⬇️ from PICK LUCK mbti.info and ODYSSEY

NEXT: Stack basics #5

PREVIOUS: Perfectionism Review

🎇 REMINDER: There are severely debilitating effects of growing up in an alcoholic / dysfunctional home & community BECAUSE we:

▪︎ weren’t allowed to think for ourselves
▪︎ didn’t learn how to think clearly, logically
▪︎ often got very limited or distorted information – about ourselves, our family members, & how the world works.

This has nothing to do with our native intelligence nor with our to ability to learn!  The clearer & more accurately we can think – the more empowered we are. So we need the right info – & then practice what we learn.

👄 👁 👂🏾 🧠
Human NEEDS – 3 baskets
UNIVERSAL : All normal needs, common to everyone (respect, info, love, safety….). These are our rights.UNIVERSAL : All normal needs, common to everyone (respect, info, love, safety….). These are our rights.
PERSONAL : A unique combination of needs specific to your personality, similar to others like you, but still different from everyone else
ACoA / WOUNDED : Needs caused by childhood abuse & neglect, some of which may go away with Recovery, & many can diminish enough to no longer be a constant irritant or block

‘FEELINGS‘ – 3 uses
PHYSICAL : anything to do with the body (tired, thirsty, horny, achy….)
EMOTIONAL : a visceral (gut) response to an internal state (thoughts) or external events
MENTAL : what one is thinking (opinion, belief, assumption, conclusion….)
EXP: “I feel that we should…. I feel like she doesn’t like me”
This is the only category that is NOT about feelings!!

THINK vs FEEL (amount)
FEELINGS – emotions are always ONE word things (happy, sad, pleased, annoyed….). We can have more than one at a time, even contradictory ones!
THOUGHTS – always a sentence, whether short or long (“I don’t think I’ll hear from him again”, NOT “I feel like I won’t….”)

REACTING (Triggered)
DENIED – when someone’s comments or behavior annoys/ angers you, which is a character defect of your own you can’t or won’t admit to (accusing others of dishonesty / over-disclosing (TMI) / being judgmental….)

BUTTONS – hating or fearing something in others – that causes you pain – which you repeatedly experienced growing up, (done TO or around you), but which you do not do (be consistently late / undependable, not listen, rage / fight / tease….)

DAMAGE – reacting badly to behavior or patterns in PPT (people, places, things) caused by long-term trauma, physical illness or emotional pain – aggravating your nerves (loud sounds, fluttering paper or leg swinging, crowds, pile-up of problems, waiting in line ….)

NOTICE: Cat’s shadow is normal proportion

The 3 As
AWARENESS – become conscious of something you didn’t know before, OR that you’d unconsciously hidden from yourself
ACCEPTANCE – a deep & absolute acknowledgement of what is real / true, no matter how unpleasant. Usually done in increments, over time
ACTION – any behavior, especially as a pattern throughout life, and which has an effect on oneself &/or others

T.E.A. THOUGHTS, EMOTIONS, ACTIONS
When talking about something, be clear which of these categories you’re referring to. If asked how you feel, you’re more likely say what you’re thinking, or even sometimes what you did – rather than emotion.
What kind of info was the person actually asking you for?
T: “That’s very interesting. I’d like to hear more about it”
E: “Are you relieved or upset about your breakup?
A: “They went to the footfall  game yesterday”

ANGER – 3 Causes
FEAR – Anything that scares us in the present, usually tapping into something old (if it’s hysterical, it’s historical),
HURT – when our feelings are injured by a statement or reaction by others, regardless of why they did it, or why we’re bothered
FRUSTRATION – when we want or need something badly which is out of our reach, or which is not possible – from a particular person or situation (connection with a narcissist, institutions to be fair, a person who has died – to still be alive….)

ANGER vs RAGE
ANGER – Rational, cool, for connection, creates true intimacy
RAGE – Hot, irrational (without thought), from real or assumed danger, to push way – to feel safer

SHAME vs. GUILT
SHAME – an emotion caused by any NEED which was abused or neglected as a child
GUILT – an emotion caused by breaking a law or rule we deeply believe in, especially TOXIC family rules we grew up with

NEXT: MBTI functions

PREVIOUS: Misc. Pyramids

SITEs: • The many faces of perfectionism

• Profound Shift that Frees from Perfectionism

• “How To Overcome Perfectionism: 4 Secrets From Research

DEF: “Psychologically, it’s a maladaptive personality trait expressed as striving for flawlessness & setting high performance standards, accompanied by critical self-evaluations & concerns regarding others’ evaluations…. which drives perfectionists to try achieving unattainable ideals or unrealistic goals… inevitably setting the person up for disappointment”

Normal ‘idealists’ are more inclined to pursue high standards without compromising their self-esteem, and derive pleasure from their efforts.
Neurotic ‘idealists’ are prone to strive for impossible outcomes, and feel dissatisfied when they can’t reach them. (D. E. Hamachek, 1978)

ACoA / co-dependent PERFECTIONISM is a Cognitive Distortion (CD) – an expression of hidden self-hate (S-H), the reaction of any child growing up in an unhealthy family, in reaction to constant, overwhelming abandonment in all 4 PMES forms.

Children who experience feeling unwanted & unloved believe it’s their fault. So if they can be perfect, they will receive the nurturing, care & love everyone needs & has a right to.  Such children (ACoAs) grow up believing they are failures (a “Toxic family Rule“), since no matter how hard they try, wounded parents cannot provide the kind of care that is needed for a healthy upbringing.

NOTE: A mistaken saying in Recovery is: “I don’t have to be perfect” – as if we had a choice. NOT SO.
It assumes we actually can be perfect (more than human, god-like) IF we wanted to. W-r-r-rong!!
This is the Serenity Prayer backwards.
(3 Posts : “Emotional Immaturity“)

REALITY: NO human being can be perfect. Therefore we cannot BE a failure!
We can fail in our ACTIONS, but that doesn’t represent our identity, our True core Self. (3 Posts: “Emotional Maturity“)

MORE SIGNS of Perfectionism
▪︎ Avoid activities & situations we think we can’t excel at. Often set initial goals out of human reach (unrealistic)
▪︎ Can only see achieving the goal / end result – nothing else matters
▪︎ Can’t trust others to do things right, so rarely delegate

▪︎ Decision-making & efficiency is decreases, procrastination increases
▪︎ Fear, frustration, disappointment, depression Increases

▪︎ Have all-or-nothing thinking (another CD). Constantly use ‘I should / shouldn’t ….’
▪︎ Have trouble completing projects – there’s always more that has to be done
▪︎ Look for tiny imperfections & fixate / obsess about an irrelevant ‘flaw’ or actual mistake 

▪︎ Not able to focus on process or enjoy accomplishments – stress level is raised thru the roof
▪︎ Pushed toward goals by anxiety over not reaching them – & see anything less than a perfectly met goal as being weak or incompetent
▪︎ React defensively to any constructive suggestions or requests – since any imperfection is experiences as terrifyingly shameful

REMINDER
Al-anon saying:
PROGRESS, NOT PERFECTION!

NEXT: MBTI Preferences

PREVIOUS: Reversed #2

SITE: NEEDS – MET vs UNMET

♦ FOOD
In 2005 the U.S. Department of Agriculture released a new food pyramid, which breaks food categories, into a spectrum to emphasize variety. It’s more flexible and accurate, understanding that one version can’t apply to everyone. What works will depend on a person’s overall lifestyle, how much exercise they get during a week, or if they’re trying to lose or gain weight.  Exercise was introduced as a component of the food pyramid, & 12 individualized intake profiles were added.

10 Most Pervasive Food Pyramid  MYTHS
The new Pyramid clarifies many of the old confusing Qs about nutrition, expanding health education by debunking some of the most pervasive Food Pyramid myths that still exist.
EXP of MYTHs
 ‘”Our diet should consist mostly of bread and pasta”
“What you eat and how you exercise aren’t related” ……

♦ PROCESS
How to tasks provide satisfaction? Stephen P. Anderson’s book Seductive Interaction Design:….  provides several ideas from psychology:
Sequencing: tasks are broken down into smaller tasks
Appropriate challenges: a balance between overwhelming & boring
Status: constantly assessing how interactions add to or diminish our standing relative to others & our personal best.
Achievements: we’re more likely to keep going when meaningful achievements are recognized

And, what make us want to continue the process:
Feedback loops: need to see our actions modify subsequent results
Curiosity: given a bit of interesting information, we want to know more
Visual imagery: vision trumps all other senses
Recognition over recall: It’s easier to recognize things we’ve personally experienced, than from just hearing or reading them. (More….)

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♦ FRAGRANCES
The “fragrance pyramid“ concept embodies the classic three-tiered French structure, where the denouement reveals distinct phases resembling a 3-D presentation.  The tightest traditional perfume structures, the “chypre” is the harmonious blend, like a musical sonata, with a clear progression of themes, from elegantly sour to resinous/sweet, down to mossy/earthy, becoming more than the sum of their parts. (More….)

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♦ Training HORSE RIDERS
For beginners START with teaching —
1) the balanced seat on the lunge line, until the rider can separate their limbs, then teach them the aids and set them free.
2) the aids for controlling your horse – with kids it’s usually on a lead line, with adults they usually ride independently – and teach the balanced seat as they go, typically just riding around the arena…
(More….)

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♦ DOG’s ⬅️ LOVE for their owner

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♦ N. American MILLENNIALS
Level 1 Base: “Given the context of the generation’s upbringing  –  the cultures, standards, attitudes & industries with which they’ve been surrounded  –  there’s usually a layer that represents the largely subconscious question of, “On a daily basis, do I feel like my surroundings, & I are stable enough for me to accomplish something more than ‘barely squeaking by’?” (MORE….)

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♦ NEED for CHOCOLATE

⬆️ Cartoon by pongo    Nuf’ said!

➡️ Sister Alma Rose: thinks that perhaps the greatest flaw in Maslow’s theory is its failure to account for the importance of chocolate at every level of human experience. She’s taken the liberty of modifying his pyramid to indicate that the more spiritualized one’s existence, the greater one’s need for chocolate!

NEXT: TRAUMA

PREVIOUS:

SITE: Word Definitions (Christian)

♦ CHRISTIAN Transcendence
Both Christianity & Psychology are concerned with answering Qs & discovering As about human actions & functions of the mind, to benefit individuals & society.

There’s truth in Maslow’s theory, which is why it’s been so widely adopted in Western education & business practices.  However, critically thinking Christians understands that his hierarchy ignores our animal instinct is not always noble or good, & that humanity cannot transcend those base reactions without divine help & inspiration.

A truly Christian understanding of human transcendence contradicts Maslow, the humanist, who said that man provides for his own needs – or fails to grow.
Instead – in Luke 12:7 – Christ is saying: “Let everything rest on me. Let our relationship be your balancing point. Let me transcend your hierarchy of needs into something glorious.”  (More…. article #3) and (More….)

♦ SPIRITUAL FOOD
In I Timothy 1:1-19 the Apostle Paul tells us that Sound Doctrine (the Scriptures) is Healthy instruction (teaching).  Heb 5:14 says that “…. But solid food is for adults, that is, for those who through constant practice have their spiritual faculties carefully trained to distinguish good from evil.”

The New Testament prescribes a healthy diet of spiritual food made up of:
CHRIST – as our center – “For to me to live is Christ.” Phil. 1:21
LOVE – “….that ye love one another, as I have loved you.” John 15:13
GRACE – “the grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, I Tim 1:14 ….He hath given us everlasting consolation & good hope by grace …” 2 Thess 2:16
GOSPEL – “the gospel of your salvation, having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise” Ephe. 1:13
EDIFICATION (encourage & instruct Truth) “Therefore encourage one another & build up one another…” I Thess 5:11.
“All Scripture is inspired by God & profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness” 2 Tim 3:16
(Pyramid)

♦ DISAPPOINTMENTS
Life can be full of disappointments – from people, circumstances …..  which come from our expectations not being met. Then some of us cry out “Why, God, is this happening to me?”

If we make the decision to let disappointment fester, we’ll feel discouraged. If unchecked, it becomes disillusion. The wedge is driven deeper, proceeding to depression… and ultimately we end up defeated.

This is one of the ways the Evil One uses our human weaknesses to :
a. take things personally (very little is about us!!)
b. keep us from taking responsibility for our own actions & desires
c. keep us from believing that “All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Rom 8:28

When faced with life’s disappointments, we can choose to focus on them, or on our God. We can choose to be thankful…for something…anything! which turns our attention from our ourselves, no matter what we’re going through. A heart of gratitude will change our attitude! (Pyramid)

 

1. BROAD – We can use this pyramid to make lists of People, Places & Situations to pray for every day – from the bottom up.
Then the next chart deals with one’s personal self-issues.

The 6 parts of the Lord’s Prayer:
a. We benefit by accepting God as our Savior, but this is never forced on anyone
b. Trusting God is not easy – it means giving up control & relying on HP instead of self or other humans
c. God knows what we need, but having free will, we need to decide what we want, & then ask
d. We need food for the body & the soul, but it’s God who provides a sense of deep peace, whether in good times or bad
e. We’re not perfect, & cannot undo our sin nature or sinful behavior – which must be acknowledged to lose their sting
f. When wants define our lives instead of needs, we’re subject to jealousy, greed, & selfishness. The good news is that God will fight for our soul even when we go astray (MORE….)

NEXT: Beliefs #2