ABSTRACT
This first chapter introduces the book, which consists of in-depth commentaries by Robin Bagai on two works by Michael Eigen: The Psychotic Core (Jason Aronson, 1986; Routledge, 2018) and Emotional Storm (Wesleyan, 2005). Eigen’s work explores themes whose origins are found across psychoanalysis, philosophy, literature, mysticism, and religious thought. This book highlights a selection of Eigen’s ideas on the difficulties of emotional life and psychotic dynamics in both the sane and insane. This work is the result of 25 seminar talks given to an international online audience during 2020 and includes important aspects of Sigmund Freud, C.G. Jung, Melanie Klein, Donald Winnicott, Marion Milner, Wilfred Bion, Martin Buber, Emmanuel Levinas, and others. These historic figures, notable for their respective contributions, are highlighted and engaged both within Eigen’s own words and through the author’s elaborations. The author uses metaphor to show similarities between training to become a musician and a psychotherapist. Comments from seminar participants are included after most commentaries along with the author’s responses.
