Okonics 2

Welcome to the second part of my review of Okonics.

Chapter Two describes What is OKONICS?.

The OKONICS system will teach you how to become fully healed; you will learn to think about your body and your life differently and get back in charge of your life. Full healing is to be joyful and at peace with life.

There are three stages in OKONICS (EoR isn't sure why Ms Schulze capitalises the word, but he will follow her standard - hell, he doesn't even know what the word actually means). Stage One is "Relieve the Pain".

This, the "crisis" stage, is very gentle with caring treatment and sound advice. It is a stage where you need the support of others about ninety percent of the time.

Some examples of "crisis times" include severe injuries, addictions, anything that requires hospitalisation, high levels of physical pain, depression and suicidal ideation.

Stage Two is "Repair the Problem".

When the pain starts to ease you can then work out why the pain was created in the first place. [...] Physically during this stage you will be sorting out your diet, exercise, toxin intake, body alignment, muscles, balance, joint stiffness and much more.

Like the rest of the book, this is low on specifics, but this seems to mean that when the problem has resolved, you can spend time practicing the alternatista catechism of 'real' reasons for pain.

Stage Three is "Restore full Health and Happiness".

During this stage you would be setting goals for what you do want rather than trying to fix what you don't want! [...] The end result of the OKONICS system is to heal your pain or be at peace with the pain.

Okay... So my leg is still broken, but at least I'm at peace with it. Nirvana.

Chapter Three (Beliefs) is only two and a half pages long. Such is the depth of information this little book provides.

Fear is the greatest limitation to living a healthy, wealthy and fulfilled life. [...] Your beliefs create your reality. [...] Beliefs are just beliefs they are not the truth. [...] The OKONICS system challenges you to review your beliefs on healing so that you can take charge and get back in control of your life.

This sounds like Ms Schulze has simply rebadged Positive Thinking as OKONICS. And she seems confused about her definition of truth which I discussed in Okonics 1 (truth is whatever you want it to be) - why aren't beliefs the truth?

As to the stoner philosophy of beliefs creating reality: Ms Schulze, please stand in the middle of the road in front of a semitrailer and repeat "I believe I am standing on a lovely tropical beach". We will discuss your maxim after your discharge from hospital (or with your next of kin).

Chapter Four (Healing in this moment) is only two pages. Could Ms Schulze be running out of steam? This chapter is a bit confusing (well, more confusing than the rest of the book so far), but Ms Schulze helpfully gives an example of bad thinking:

I'm more attractive if I don't smell of bad body odour. Therefore I will use TOXIC underarm deodorant.

as opposed to good thinking:

I'm more attractive if I don't smell of bad body odour. I know that my natural pheromones are incredibly attractive. I will shower regularly and wear natural fibres and keep my natural attraction.

More of the usual chemicals=bad, natural=good unthinking dichotomy. And why does she shower all the time if she thinks her body odour is so attractive?

Chapter Five (Change) is down to only one page (the chapters get a little bit longer after this again, but not by much). This chapter seems to be a collection of deep and meaningful sayings collected from the internet, and published here without any attribution as the profound work of Ms Schulze.

Nothing ever stays the same. [...] The only constant in life is change. [...] The first sign of madness is doing the same thing and expecting different results.

Oh, hang on, what if my 'truth' says I can get different results? Is Ms Schulze denying my truth? Hardly holistic or newage. Hardly consistent with her earlier chapters (but then, consistency is not a failing that alternatistas are usually liable to).

She also quotes Heraclitus, again without attribution:

You can't dip your foot in a river in the same place twice because of the movement of the water, and you can't have this moment in life back ever again.

though Heraclitus was a little more succint:

We step and do not step into the same rivers, we are and we are not.

Heraclitus also said, EoR feels compelled to point out

I honour more those things which are learned by sight and hearing.

and

It is better to hide folly than to make it public.

Ms Schulze, please take note.