Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Psyche.
Inner Space
In the corner of my backyard out of view from the house, I have a ring of black stones that forms an imaginary well. Like a character from a Murakami novel, I often imagine climbing down to the dark bottom of that well, where I find all sorts of other spaces: caverns, chambers, libraries, and laboratories, as well as entire imaginary landscapes, usually beaches or lakesides, sometimes a yawning abyss. It feels like there is an entire cosmos down there, big enough to swallow galaxies like raindrops. The goal of this idle reverie is the Delphic maxim, “know thyself,” and we understand ourselves with metaphors of space.
By Breckenridge Hood5 years ago in Psyche
A Mother's Journey
Nina stared deeply and fervently into the peaceful sea that served as an escape from the peeling walls and rusting pipes that defined the atmosphere of the room in which she was locked. Within the rustic frame, the painting of the ship on the horizon continued to slowly degrade in the moist air that encapsulated the room, it felt like the oxygen was being pilfered in an attempt to get her to break. Nina raced to the door to make it be known that she was still angry, banging on the creaky wooden door that slowly conceded to her force and pushed forward with a mighty groan.
By Tamara Tatevosian-Geller5 years ago in Psyche
Men do not cry!
''Are you crying? No you should not cry! Men do not cry! Oh my god, you are so weak! I am embarrassed to be related to you!" Now I have a question, did the term vulnerability originate with a specific gender or we assigned it with one? I am pretty sure you and I, and many of us are quite familiar with the statements given above, and if I talk about my personal experience lets just say I hear it on an everyday basis. Not only that, but also people around us make it seem like crying is only meant for women, you know it is almost like using a ladies restroom where if by chance a man enters, because there was an emergency, he is shamed for the rest of his life. Crying is the same. Our society has established this notion that crying should only be limited to women and men should always carry a bold and a brooding look on their faces, which in their opinion makes them look stronger. I'd rather say not. Nobody is born with this notion that emotions are gender oriented and only if a certain gender is making use of it, the others should be despised. It is almost like admissions should only be limited to a certain group of individuals, and everyone else should be precisely ignored. It does sound illogical right? When we repeat a certain set of behaviors for prolonged periods of time, it becomes a habit, that is in the words of Ivan Pavlov, individuals becomes conditioned to react or behave in a certain way, when exposed to the stimulus. Similarly, we tell young boys not to cry in a situation of crisis, no matter how bad, as in the words of an orthodox person who fail to change their opinions, "BOYS DON'T CRY! YOU ARE NOT A GIRL!"
By Nandini Sehgal5 years ago in Psyche
The Art of Healing
As a Cultural Psychologist and Artist, I have spent the better part of my life using art to work in nonprofit with at-risk kids and the culturally diverse oppressed. So, when I reconnected, after almost 40 years, with a former classmate 8 years ago, I was impressed with his go getter attitude and integrity to always do better not to mention his beautiful blue eyes and amazing silver hair that was coal Black when younger. What DIDN'T impress me was his lack of empathy for the less fortunate and the inability to understand my need to give back and help other for free. I fell in love with him anyway (those blue eyes and his wicked sense of humor) and we went on to build an amazing life together.
By Rhoni Bluehen5 years ago in Psyche
A smile on the outside is only smile
A smile is just a smile on the outside because people see an illusion, when I smile it’s because I have too because, in reality no one cares about how you feel or how you think. This picture was taken in New Zealand back in 2015, and before I came to New Zealand I was going through an experience that no one else could understand. My parents had separated and I was more than happy about it because, they were just not right for each other. My Mother, had always smiled because she had too, she didn’t have the skills to adapt to a new country, so she married someone back in the 80s. My Father, had gone to a new family or wherever he was going and it was hurtful but it was okay, nothing knew, so I would just smile and say, he left for work overseas – which is what he always did, worked overseas but was doing something else.
By Frances Helena5 years ago in Psyche
Please Remember, Unless I Say Yes, I DO NOT Consent.
Many times in my life, I have dealt with unwanted sexual touching and rape. I haven't said or done anything to bring this on myself, and as I was covered most of the time, I soon learned that what I was wearing made no difference. These weren't just men, they were women too. There is an obvious difference between someone who wants you to touch them, and someone who does not. If a person whether male or female pushes you away but doesn't verbally say stop, then she or he is telling you that they do not want touching in that way. It is NOT an incentive for you to carry on, just because that person did not verbally say it. I have seen both men and women get mad when a person rejects intimate touching and say some offensive things like:
By Carol Ann Townend5 years ago in Psyche
You Can Also Write When You're Sober
One of my biggest reservations about quitting drinking was that I thought I wouldn't be able to write. Alcohol lubricated my fingers as they swept over the keyboard, typing out what was flowing from my head. Sometimes it was a breached dam and other times it was a gentle, meandering creek. Whichever it was, alcohol was my canoe.
By Aly Gulamhusein5 years ago in Psyche
