The Value of Discipline

Manawatu Times, Volume LVI, Issue 7106, 15 March 1933, Page 8

The Value of Discipline

TRAINING OF THE HUMAN MIND Members of the Palmerston North Rotary Club had the pleasure of an interesting vocational talk, when Rotarian Dr. Kenrick Dean spoke on “Discipline.” Rotarian W. G. Black presided. Dr. Dean had some helpful advice to impart on the culture of the human mind, and his talk was one that should prove very valuable to all. Dr. Dean said he proposed to treat his subject more particularly from the psychological and philosophical standpoint. The mind had been the most elusive part of man's make-up ia early times, and it was only recently that we were beginning to understand the mind and the discipline of it. Only one-fifth of our mind belonged to the conscious portion, four-fifths of it belonging to the sub-conscious. The conscious mind could be trained, but the unconscious mind was reached indirectly through the conscious. The mind served as a seat of the emotions, and again as a storehouse of memory. Everything that happened in the course of our life had its place in the sub-conscious mind, although it could not necessarily be called upon at will. The mind was also a source of inspiration. The constant occurrence in war-time of such emotions as fear and despair, with no outlet in positive action, had repeatedly culminated in a shattering of the sub-con-scious mind —commonly known as shell-shock.

“The value of discipline is that it makes a happier and better person, said the speaker. Habits were most important in our life; personal habits were formed in the first 20 years of life, while business habits were laid down in the next ten years, and it was very difficult to alter them after attaining the age of 30. The only way of effacing some disturbing sensation from the unconscious mind was to face the situation which had created the thought. For instance, if a deserter in war time was haunted by a sense of shame or cowardice, he could regain self-respect and contentment only by admitting to himself that he had clone something cowardly. Finesses such as paralysis were sometimes the result of a fault in the subconscious mind, and the affliction would remain until the mind was restored to its usual health. Mcdica men had various methods. of dealing with such diseases, including persuasion, suggestion and hypnotism. - times, however, patients had no Sire to have such a cure effected; they preferred to retain their illness as o mask or a protection from thcwoix. Habits, or tho performing of ceitain things automatically, were aic.-. that made it easier to get throug i life, said Dr. Dean, who gave some valuable hints on tho forming o: new and desirable habits. Emotion was allimportant; it was the key to ' “ C i IVI “J and it was the emotion of Hitler, a., expressed in his speeches an<l ns writings, that had swept him to k present ascendancy in Germany, i • h solini also was indebted to emotion for his phenomenal rise to power. There were many qualities such as health and memory, that could be obtained by first winning serenity of mind. This was to bo had only by practising moderation. If o serve this rule,” concluded Dr. Dean, “you cannot fail to enjoy a prosperous and happy Hie-” A hear tv vote of thanks for an mtercstiim ‘address was accorded tho speaker''on the motion of Vice-Presi-dent W. S. Carter. Visitors to whom a welcome was extended by the club were Messrs. R. Meatvard and J. A. Colquhoun, of Palmerston North.