Each of us has our own idea of the existence of people. Someone believes in fate, that everything in our life is predetermined by the Almighty, and we, as puppets, are left to obediently follow the threads of fate. Others believe that a person himself chooses where and how to live, what to be, which way to go … “Fate cannot be ignored, we cannot simply erase it or replace it with something else. But we can choose how we respond to our destiny, using the abilities bestowed on us,” said the great psychologist Rollo May. After all, it is true that accidents are not accidental, which means that there is fate, but does a person really have no choice? May devoted the last years of his life to this very issue.
General information
Full name - Rollo Reese May. Date of birth: April 21, 1909 Date of death - October 22, 1994 Place of birth - Ada, Ohio. Place of death - the city of Tiburon, California.
Parents: mother - Earla Title May, father - Mathy Boughton May. Family: Rollo May was born into a fairly large family of 7 children (the oldest sister and the other 6 brothers, Rollo May was the eldest of them). Location: almost immediately afterthe birth of a child, the family moved to another city in the state of Michigan, Marin City, where all the childhood years of the psychologist took place. Cause of death: prolonged illness.
Psychologist Rollo May's family was not as positive as one might imagine. The father and mother were uneducated people who were angry that their children were developing intellectually. Both mother and father had no time to work with their children, so the kids had fun and developed themselves.
Shortly, the parents could not live together and filed for divorce. Perhaps this was the first impetus on the path to a career in psychology. Thus, the atmosphere in the family was not the best, the boy often ran away from home, and even from school, to be in silence, alone with nature. There he felt calm and happy. In addition to communicating with nature, the psychologist from an early age began to be interested in literature and fine arts, which later accompanied him all his life.
Rollo May entered the institute, but was soon expelled from it for rebelliousness and wayward character. However, he entered Oberlin College and successfully graduated.
Beginning of adult life
After graduating from college, Rollo May went to Greece and began teaching his native English there at one of the local schools.
At the same time, the psychologist was discovering new places by traveling to beautiful cities in Europe. He revealed the culture of each country, delving into the understanding of himself and the person as a whole. He was also interested in medicine, namely clinicalpsychology, that is, how a person copes with his illness and whether this can somehow affect his future life.
Understanding one's own role in life
At the age of 30, Rollo May faced a terrible disease - tuberculosis. In those days it was an incurable disease. He went to a sanatorium, where he had to worry a lot, realizing the approach of death. He began to understand that the physical state of a person is inextricably linked with his emotional component. Observing patients who were in the same sanatorium, Rollo May found that those who stopped fighting for life died before our eyes, and those who strove to live most often recovered. It was then that he realized that there is a fate, that is, a disease, but to accept it or fight it is a decision that the person himself makes. Wrote Rollo May "Man in search of himself", where he tried to understand himself, in his life and helped the people around him in this.
The main problem of humanity is anxiety
Rollo May began to write books, to know himself and others. He devoted years to studying the works of great classics such as Freud and Kierkegaard.
And as a result of his many years of research, the psychologist realized that a person can conquer everything: illnesses, problems, troubles and even death if he can overcome the feeling of anxiety and fear in his mind. And for this, each of us must engage in self-knowledge.
Proceedings of a psychologist
Realizing that moment that the problem of humanity is the fear ofunknown and constant anxiety for himself and his future, Rollo May wrote down all his thoughts on this subject in a dissertation, which was published in 1950 under the title "The Meaning of Anxiety". This was his first major publication, after which the psychologist began to immerse himself even more in the knowledge of himself, the relationship of the world around him and the person, personality.
This gave rise to his publications, editions of books and guides to self-study. The psychological help provided by the psychologist was able to revive many people to a happy life. Most famous books:
1. "The meaning of anxiety."
2. "Discovery of being".3. "Love and Will".
Homecoming
After a few years, Rollo May returns to the United States, where he writes his first and still best publication on psychology ("Guide to Counseling"). At the same time, he was studying at the seminary and became a clergyman. There is nothing accidental in life, every occupation, every action and every choice is designed to lead a person to where he is destined to go, but by the power of will and self-knowledge, everyone can change their future. Many people tried to get a personal appointment with a psychologist after reading the book "Psychological Counseling". Rollo May tried to find an answer, to reveal the truth to everyone who came to him for help.
Bestseller in the history of human psychology
The plot was based on self-awareness (Rollo May). "Love and Will" became the most published and read book by Rollo May. She iscame out in 1969. Literally a year later, she was awarded the Ralph Emerson Prize. This book analyzes the natural components of a person.
This is directly love for oneself, for everything that surrounds us, and the will, the ability to choose and follow the chosen path. The author points out that in order to expand your zone of comfortable life, these two criteria must merge together. Only in the favorable coexistence of love and will will a person be able to rediscover himself and enter a new step in his life path.
Fundamentals of the psychologist's teachings
During his entire life, Rollo May, unlike other psychologists, did not establish his own school. He believed that this only distracted from the truly important aspects of the teaching. He considered it his main task and goal to make people feel free. This is the basis of a happy life, to feel free from all prejudices, fears, insecurities and worries. Throwing away all doubts, believing in himself and his "I", a person is able to overcome even death. The art of psychological counseling helped the psychologist to become a guide to everyone who turned to him. He said that it was in his power to help a person make a choice between remaining a victim, strictly following fate, or taking himself and his path into his own hands.
Conclusion
Rollo May is a great psychologist who managed to know himself and his role in this world. He was able to help and still helps people through his books to choose freedom,love, a life full of meaning, peace and adventure.
The psychological assistance he provided contributed to the removal of a person from his own crisis. Thanks to his ability to help people, Rollo May lived a long and happy life, in his own way.
