Part-ego stage

This isn't my favorite song from Gregory Alan Isakov's album 'The Weatherman,' but one that relates to some clinical and theoretical thoughts as of late.


I've discussed conceit tensions in the altruist. Feeling presumptuous in being the leader, being the center of attention/getting praise or compliments, and saying no to others are common examples in the clinic. In this song is the further development of being good by giving silence. Along with it is the part-ego sense of both people and the landscape comprising the ontological relation. There are other levels of Being in confluence, as usual, and the wounded feet and reference to beauty also expresses an object egoistic sensibility, but giving warmth and silence still strikes me as altruistic and is likely at the part-ego stage. I've also had thought about the earlier auto-erotic relation and ties to breath/inhalation. Although it might strike people as strange that taking full breaths are a matter of conceit, anyone who has taken a somatic approach (a la Reich, Lowen, Kurtz, etc.) can attest to the poor breathing found in many schizoid/borderline cases. To work with the breath of these patients often leads them to express that full breathing feels unseemly or wrong in some way. Sloppy is another word I've heard, and these words clearly reference the offense to others and are inhibited by being 'nice.'

the Universe, she’s wounded
she’s got bruises on her feet
I sat down like I always did,
and tried to calm her down

I sent her my warmth and my silence
and all she sends me back is rain . . . rain

the Universe, she’s wounded
but she’s still got infinity ahead of her
she’s still got you and me
and everybody says that she’s beautiful

the Universe, she’s dancing now
they got her lit up, lit up on the moon
they got stars doing cartwheels, all the nebulas on the tune
and the Universe, she’s whispering so softly I can hear all
the croaking insects, all the taxicabs, all the bum’s spent change
all the boys playing ball in the alleyways
they’re just folds in her dress

the Universe, she’s wounded
but she’s still got infinity ahead of her
she’s still got you and me
and everybody says that she’s beautiful
and everybody says . . .