The Origin of Illness: Psychological, Physical and Social

By Norberto R. Keppe

Drawing on 30 years of clinical research, this book asserts that envy is humankind's primary pathology, the root of all ills. Norberto R Keppe has created a scientific methodology that can help... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0966430220
• ISBN13: 9780966430226
• Release Date: January 2002
• Publisher: Campbell Hall Press
• Length: 162 Pages
• Weight: 0.78 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

This book is fundamental reading for anyone!

This book is fundamental reading for anyone who desires a deeper awareness of himself and others and especially the world in which we live. It is also basic reading for a better understanding of the unique and innovative work of the renowned psychoanalyst, philosopher and social scientist, Dr. Norberto R. Keppe.In "The Origin of Illness" Keppe describes the three stages that lead us all to these conflicts and difficulties, and how through consciousness of this vicious circle we can improve our lives, our relationships and society. The author gives many practical examples, which we all can relate to, including excerpts from a number of his client's analysis sessions.The first part of the book deals with the fundamental human problem, which is envy. This deep and hidden envy which is in everyone, to a greater or lesser degree, makes us blind to all that is good and beautiful in life, and consequently hinders or even destroys, all opportunity for development and progress. The second part of the book addresses our fear of perceiving and dealing with our shortcomings. Keppe explains that the problem isn't having a problem, but in not seeing the problem. And this is our dilemma: how can we solve our problems when we do not admit that they exist? The final section of the book deals with projection, which is the process of seeing all of our own problems or qualities in other people and things. Because of our enormous resistance to self-knowledge, we turn our eyes to the external world in an attempt to ignore our internal psychological life. Instead of seeing that the cause of the dissatisfaction is inside of me, for example, I blame my partner, my parents, my workmates, the city in which I live, etc. Projection is the cause of human conflicts, and the end result is that we to lose contact with reality and ourselves.This book gives a whole new expansive perspective of the psychopathology of the human being and the civilization we have built. It provides answers to the question of why we experience so little true happiness in our lives and why we destroy the good in ourselves, each other and life in general.

Keppe's Method Works!

The Origin of Illness should be in every library and on the book shelf of every person who works with or around people. The work of Norberto Keppe, a Brazilian psychiatrist, is quite arguably the best bet to develop a unification of philosophy, theology and science of all the current psychological theories. The Origin of Illness is based on over 30 years of careful scientific analysis by Norberto Keppe. The scope and importance of his work can be explored by looking under the term Analytic Trilogy on your search engine.Warning! This is not a easy fix, magic bullet, self-help book. The Origin of Illness is not an easy read, i.e., do not skim and expect to get the gist of it. Do not let the fact it is "thin" book fool you either. The writing is direct, spare, and precise. It is a profound well written book. Each page offers wisdom and insights when you carefully attend to what Keppe is saying.The reader needs to carefully note and hold in mind the meanings Keppe gives to terms. If you don't do this you will not understand the significance of what he has discovered about the phenomena being discussed. For example, he uses envy to describe a condition of not being able to see the goodness, the truth, and the beauty in our world. Another example is the use of the word unconscious to entail negating consciousness of our problems, i.e., the unconscious is not a container or a compartment in which things are stored out of our awareness. Happily, the task of keeping the terms in mind has been made easier by including a glossary of terms at the end of the book Keppe's inclusion of samples of actual analysis sessions is helpful and demonstrates the terms in use. They also give the reader an opportunity to insights about their own blind spots. The method used by Keppe takes spiritual courage: You constantly strive to become ever more aware of the things you and others are doing that lead to psychological, physical and social illness. This awareness becomes the basis for dealing with problems. Problems never go away but you can constantly choose to go towards the good, truthful and beautiful in life.I have to admit I have a very strong bias in favor of Keppe's work based on my 40+ years experience in the human service field in mental health, education, and corrections. All those years I was constantly looking for practical ways to assist people overcome their problems. Then I discovered Keppe's work. Keppe is on to something important about the human condition. Simply put, IT WORKS! Keppe's therapeutic model is highly ethical, respectful and radical in that it goes directly to to source of the problem --- our lack of awareness of how we attack the good in our life and in the lives of others.In closing, The Origins of Illness is, to me, both a practical aid and spiritual guide. I am currently incorporating his approach in groups for court referred domestic violence perpetrators, anger management classes, and addicts in a residential program with excellent resu

Getting to the heart - and soul - of the matter

I loved this book! Over the years, I've dabbled in many different disciplines and philosophies looking for some answers to the unfulfillment I felt in my life as well as the massive problems we are facing in the world today. It was a completely welcome, albeit unexpected, pleasure to find the answers to both in one book. The significance of this should not go unnoticed. Brazilian psychoanalyst Dr. Norberto Keppe has managed an astounding feat: to get to the essential, underlying reason for all of the troubles on earth and in the human heart, mind and soul.His expansion and larger understanding of the serious problem of envy begun by Melanie Klein is impressive. One can begin to glimpse through this book the source of so many problems stemming from this single existential point: our envy of goodness, truth and beauty is causing us to destroy them at every turn - personally, collectively, scientifically, politically and economically.Dr. Keppe's clinical examples are illuminating, the breadth of his thinking is massive and his discoveries have significance for all areas of human function. This is a truly extraordinary journey beyond the surface symptoms we in North America are accustomed to dealing with. This wonderful little book cuts to the root of our individual and collective problems and shows us how we can begin to clear the way for a more realistic and humane world.Dr. Keppe's ideas rank with the greatest of human ideas. I can't recommend it highly enough.

Necessary reading for living a constructive life

This book is really a profound experience! Norberto Keppe reaches the most inner problems of the human being, when he explains about our resistance to what is good, our fear of seing ourselves as we are, and how we often project our own problems and caracteristics onto others. The book can help the reader to prevent himself from destroying good things in life and at the same time it shows the way to accomplishment and joy, through conscientization.

A book for insights

This book give a whole new meaning to the term of envy.It has been a good help in the process of understanding various problematic areas in my life. I find it as a very important book that could help many people to a better life, through conscientizing what actually impedes us to be happy-our denial of good.