A participant comments on the First Introductory Seminar
Stelios Kaitanidis is a general practitioner and a homeopath. He attended the 1st Introductory Seminar on Orgonomy, held in Thessaloniki.
I was introduced to Orgonomy through my therapy. I started therapy during my 3rd year of Medical School and orgone therapy helped me balance my personal issues. We all have room to grow and orgone therapy was a tremendous help in that direction. Ever since I started therapy I always wanted to attend a training seminar on character analysis, Reich’s work, Orgonomy etc. At the time, this was only possible in the United States and such a trip was very difficult back then and very few were able to do it; even today not everyone can do it. When I heard that such a seminar would be offered in Greece, here in Thessaloniki, I felt it was a dream come true.
Attending the Introductory Seminar was for me the experience of a lifetime, way beyond the mere acquisition of knowledge. The whole world opened up before my eyes, and I could understand the reasons behind people’s actions and behaviors.
Before the seminar, I always liked observing people, which of course is part of my job as a physician. Also, in my personal and social life I saw people’s behavior and said to myself: “I guess, that’s how people are”. But that all changed after the seminar. Everything became clear and understandable.
As a health care professional it is a great help to be able to understand my patients and people I interact with, to recognize their limitations and their potential, to know how far I can go and ask of things, what to expect from them, in other words their personality make-up.
On the diagnostic front, the homeopathic approach is different, but character analysis is a truly useful tool, in many cases. It helps me really communicate with my patients.
Finally, this knowledge has helped me as a person also, in perceiving the world better, beyond my medical knowledge. My only concern is that this knowledge does not enjoy the widespread recognition it deserves.
RK: The 1st Seminar and how it helped me
• It helped me better understand myself, my character, the origins of its formation and the way I am. By examining the basic character types (my favorite part of the seminar) I understood new things about my parents, their marriage, my childhood, my brother and other loved ones. I believe it helped me understand the reasoning behind some of their traits and “make peace” with them, however much I dislike them; I now try not to take personally what they do or say, as I understand these things are typical to their character and therefore justifiable as defenses; and I also understand how difficult it is for them to abandon these practices. Of course, the previous does not mean I do not allow myself to voice my opinion about something I consider unhealthy or annoying just because now I understand it better, but by understanding their behavior, I dissociate myself emotionally and do not let the situation get to me as before.
• It helped me with my work. I now understand better how my problems (especially my rigid and hard to please superego) influence the way I handle my students and experience the class. I feel that at the end of the current school year (2015-2016) I have a far better understanding of my mistakes and many new ideas on how to change the way I teach in order to make it more pleasant for the students, as well as for myself.
• It helped me with my therapy—or, at least, so I believe. It gave me a push and I believe I have better contact with myself now.
• It helped me feel more comfortable and familiar with the science of Orgonomy, which now became something I could better relate to, beyond my therapy. I understood that Orgonomy, though very interesting and concrete, it is not “the one and only truth”, neither are the orgonomist “completely healthy people”. This realization made me more relaxed and put things in a more realistic perspective. Before attending the seminar I felt awestruck with Orgonomy as I understood it (I had not read very much), but this awe was not creative, because it kept me at a distance. Now, despite the awe I still feel with Reich’s discoveries, I believe they are more accessible to me, and I do not hold them on a pedestal any more.
• Indirectly, it helped me—finally—enter a beautiful relationship. Through the study of characters, the better understanding of myself (and my phallicness, which made me drive away potential partners) and the push I received from the seminar, I was able to evolve in my personal life.
