Self Inquiry Workshop

After reading Gabor Mate's newest book, The Myth of Normal, he encourages us to practice self-inquiry weekly. Dr. Gabor Maté's book highlights the concerning increase in chronic illness and general ill health in Western countries, despite their advanced healthcare systems. The statistics are alarming: nearly 70 percent of Americans take at least one prescription drug, more than half take two, every fifth person in Canada has high blood pressure and over 30 percent of Europeans are diagnosed with hypertension. Furthermore, adolescent mental illness is also on the rise. During this meet-up, we will discuss what is "NORMAL" when it comes to health and how our culture is attributing to normalizing toxic and inessential ways of living.

We will begin our session with introductions and then engage with his self-inquiry activity together. Please bring a pen and paper.

We will then share what we feel comfortable with and discuss the following questions as a preliminary exercise since not everyone would have read the book. Consider this as a brainstorming exercise into the realm of healing and psychology.

• Why is normal a myth, and why does that matter?
• How are women society’s shock absorbers and more susceptible to illness in this culture?
• What is addiction really all about?
• Why your impression that sociopathy is rampant is true (and what you can do about it)?
• How do race and class impact health and well-being?
• What can you do before your body says NO with illness?
• What would a saner society look like?