Today we talk with Robin Perry Braun about how the eyes are the windows to the soul, and we talk to Dr. Richard Enander about how to deal with grief.Here are Robin's notes: What is the def of the soul?Mind, will, emotionsHow does looking at things affect our soul?

• What we look at burns images in our brain and we attach meaning.
  • Often men look at porn sites like www.m-porn.xxx once and it becomes a hook – especially children – deeply imprints
• Trauma usually involves images burned on our brain
  • Even horror movies traumatize people
• We lust and covet after things and can become obsessed with them –
  • this steals our peace and contentedness.
  • It can cause jealousy and competition and envy
  • The ad industry depends on lust and envy to sell products – it programs us because we stare at the images.
• Law of expansion says whatever we FOCUS on we give power/energy to and it expands.
  • When we focus on what we don’t have we lose perspective and joy and peace. Gratitude is connected to joy
• When we look at beautiful, peaceful joyful things, we actually wire our brain and strengthen our pleasure and joy centers which give us the ability to better combat depression and negativity.
• We do not need to fill our thoughts with negative information – it does not serve us to do so - what we focus on will affect how our soul operates and whether we vibrate at a high frequency or low frequency.

Here are notes from Dr. Richard Enander:

• Separating depression and grief, as they can sometimes appear to be the same thing, people will often say “I feel depressed” after a loss
  • Previously in DSM-IV there was an exclusion to MDD for 2 months after grieving
    • Ex. Someone dies, you have 2 months to grieve, after that considered depressed
  • Not part of clinical dx, but anecdotally, hope is a compelling factor

• Elisabeth Kublar Ross’s Five Stages for death and grief
  • Originally formulated to help people deal with their own death, then adapted for those grieving as well
  • Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance
    • Value in each step

• Connecting with others and finding support is important
  • Grieving can be a learning experience, we can be made more aware of what is important in our lives and therein reach out to others
  • People seek to reconnect with what is important to them, may turn to religion, family, friends, or other social groups