The Institute for Human Conceptual and Mental Development (IHCMD) engages in research and
study, and advocates, promotes and facilitates making the 21st Century, the Century of the
mind, mental existence and mental development. Establishing the necessary internal mental
conditions for a sustainable, secure and peaceful future.
Changing, at the
level of the mind and mental existence, how we understand and manage existence and
development. Understanding and managing existence and development from the ground up and
from the inside out, at the level of the natural conditions of existence, from within the
mind and mental existence. Consider the direction we need to take in conceptual and mental
development to deal with and move beyond the problems -- persisting and growing cultural,
religious, political, social, economic-financial, environmental, interpersonal and
individual problems, difficulties and crises, conflict, confrontations and violence, and
associated results and consequences -- we face and we create as a species locally and
globally around the world today.
Consider and address the
problems and difficulties we face and we must deal with at the level of their common
root-causes -- how traditionally and today we view, understand, organize and manage human
existence and development, limits, shortcomings and contradictions. Particularly and in
the first instance, how we understand and manage the mind and mental existence. How we
understand and manage where we consciously exist and act, where we experience, become
aware, and must consider the conditions of existence and how to deal with them. Where by
nature we are individually in charge and in control, where we must actively be engaged,
and take responsibility for what takes place and what we do. Where we make choices and
decisions, where we define aims, goals and objectives, and where we must consider, plan,
organize and manage our behaviour and actions.
What takes place and what we do in the mind and mental existence defines and governs how
we understand and manage existence and development. It defines and governs how we view,
understand and conduct ourselves individually, how we relate and interact, connect,
communicate and cooperate with each other, and how we relate and interact with the world
around us, with nature and the natural environment. The mind and mental existence is where
problems and difficulties, limits and shortcomings, errors and mistakes in what we do and
what we engage in have their roots and beginnings, and where answers and solutions must
start.
Dealing with the problems
and difficulties we face around the world today we need to go beyond instant relief, short
and medium-term measures addressing and controlling only symptoms, results and
consequences, managing only from crises to crises. We must deal with the root-causes and
underlying developments. The problems and difficulties we face are the results and
consequences of human actions. They are the results and consequences of how we view,
understand and manage human existence and development.
Specifically, they are the
results and consequences of what takes place and what we do in the mind and mental
existence. They are the results and consequences of limits, shortcomings and
contradictions of how we understand and manage the mind and mental existence, how we
understand and manage what takes place and what we do in the mind.
Traditionally, the mind and mental existence have been understood as the human spirit or
soul, our connection to a supernatural-spiritual world. The mind and mental existence are
viewed as the battleground between good and evil, trying to control us, control human
behaviour and actions. The mind and mental existence are managed through appeals and
offerings to supernatural spirits, forces and gods for favours and protection from evil
forces and temptations.
In psychology and psychiatry
the mind and mental existence are understood from the outside, through observing, deducing
and concluding from overt behaviour and actions about what takes place and what we do in
the mind and mental existence. Mental problems and difficulties are address through
psychoanalysis and psychotherapy.
In science, the
"sciences of the mind" -- cognitive science, neuroscience, behavioral genetics
and evolutionary psychology -- the mind and mental existence are understood through the
study of the physical-biological roots and foundation and the genetic-neurological
structure and processes behind the mind, mental existence and mental faculties. Mental
problems and difficulties, problems and difficulties understanding and managing mental
conditions, demands and challenges are dealt with through psychotherapy and psychiatric
medication and drugs.
Today, we have yet to understand and manage the mind and mental existence from the inside,
as the place where we consciously exist and act. The place where we experience, become
aware, and must consider the conditions of existence, our own mental and physical
existence and the world around us, and how to deal with them. We have yet to understand
and accept by nature we are individually in charge and in control, we must actively be
engaged and take responsibility for what takes place and what we do in the mind and mental
existence. No one besides ourselves individually exists or acts in our mind. We have yet
to understand and manage the mind and mental existence as the place where problems,
difficulties, failures, errors and mistakes, conflicts and confrontations have their roots
and beginnings, and where answers and solutions must start.
Addressing the problems and difficulties we face requires making the 21st Century the
Century of the mind, mental existence and mental development. Not the scientific study of
the physical-biological roots and foundation or the genetic-neurological structures and
processes behind the mind, mental existence, and our mental faculties. It requires
understanding and managing the mind and mental existence from the inside. Understanding
and managing from the inside where we consciously exist and act, where we experience,
become aware, and where we must consider the conditions of existence and the world around
us, and how to deal with them. Dealing with the problems we face requires establishing the
necessary internal mental conditions to understand and manage existence and development in
sustainable, secure and peaceful ways.
The Institute over the past 20 years, beginning in the late 1980s, has conducted research
and study understanding and managing existence and development from the ground up and from
the inside out, in a comprehensive way, in their essence, in depth and detail, in a
differentiated, but integrated, connected and related way. Particularly, understanding and
managing the mind and mental existence from the inside. Understanding the natural
conditions, demands and challenges of human existence and development, including the mind
and mental existence, our role and responsibility in them, and how to manage them. How
traditionally and today we understand and manage existence and development, the mind and
mental existence, and the problems and difficulties we face and we create. The origins,
beginnings, the historical path and direction of how as a species, in our conceptual and
mental self-development, we got to where we find ourselves today. And the direction of the
answers and solutions, the direction we need to take in conceptual and mental
self-development and growth. The direction we need to take in thought and practice, in
understanding and actions, individually, as society and as a species, to understand and
manage existence and development in a sustainable, secure and peaceful way.
Within this context, the Institute has developed a free public service website, Mental Problems / Problems of the Mind,
dealing with mental problems, the mind and mental existence from the inside. The purpose
of the website is to de-stigmatize mental problems and demystify the mind and mental
existence. Dealing with individual mental problems and difficulties through active
individual mental engagement, individual mental work and effort, understanding and
managing the mind and mental existence from the inside.
To learn more about the work of the Institute, the research and study, go to Lecture
Presentations, on the right-hand side of the web page. Here you find a series of lecture
presentations setting out the conceptual foundation, framework of understanding and
approach of work of the Institute. The lecture presentations are available in both
PowerPoint and Adobe PDF format. Just click on the titles.
For a report on the environment, Beyond Managing from Crisis to Crisis Dealing with
the Environment: Creating the Necessary Conditions for a Sustainable, Peaceful and Secure
Future, considering the causes behind environmental problems, the answers and
solutions, at the level of the mind, mental existence and mental development, look at the
right-hand side of the web page. The report considers the environmental problems,
difficulties and crisis we face today within the context of understanding and managing
existence and development from the ground up and from the inside out. Discussed are the
human causes behind the environmental problems and crisis; the limits and shortcomings of
the conventional approach, views and responses; and the direction of the answers and
solutions; the direction we need to take in conceptual and mental development to
understand and manage existence and development in sustainable, secure and peaceful ways.
To learn more about the conceptual foundation and framework of understanding behind the
work of the Institute, go to the left-hand side of the web page, and click on Conceptual Foundation.
To find out about programs and services advocating, promoting and facilitating
understanding and managing existence and development from the ground up and from the
inside out, in a comprehensive way, starting the mind and mental existence, on the
left-hand side the web page click on Programs and Services.
For more information, to support, contribute or participate in the work of the Institute,
please contact info_at_ihcmd.org.