We consider a fever to be a symptom, a sign of a problem, perhaps of a disease. Some investigators now consider a fever to be a health function, a way that the body attempts to cleanse itself of an unhealthy condition. A symptom then signals a disease condition and a health function. A symptom plays a dual function in the body and in the whole psyche. This book is an investigation of this dual function of the symptom.

I would like to use the Infinity Core Diagram below to illustrate how a symptom represents both a disease condition and a health function.

James Bugental introduced the Who Am I? Technique in the 40’s. (Bugental, J. and Zelen, S. "Investigations into the Self-Concept, The W-A-Y Technique, Journal of Personality, 1950, p. 18)

The Infinity Core Diagram above is an adaptation of Bugental’s original idea as it would apply to symptoms:

The Personna Circle is the personality, the social self that we present to the outer world, as well as the idealized self we present to ourselves when we look in the mirror.

The Shadow Circle is the not-me dimension, the repressed self, the anti-social self.

The Belief Circle is the wall of ignorance that divides the dualistic outer world of opposites, the Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde phenomena, from the Real Self. The unawareness of this slender circle of beliefs is what energizes the two outer circles and makes victims of us.

Most people vacillate back and forth between the personna and the shadow, between me and not-me, between the good-me and the bad-me.

The center circle is the Infinte Core, the True Self, the Atman, the Christ pattern. We rarely penetrate the wall of beliefs far enough and often enough to experience the illumination of the Infinite Core on a consistent basis. This is the light hidden under the basket to which Jesus referred when he said "You are the light of the world" and "Know ye not that ye are gods?"

Unless and until we discover this Inner Light, this Infinite Core, we will continue to live the symptomatic life of the Persona Circle and the Shadow Circle. Symptoms indicate the disease condition of the Persona/Shadow story, and the health condition of the Infinite Core