Wilhelm Reich: The Function of Orgasm

By Lida Prypchan
One thing we can say about the life of Wilhelm Reich is that it was troubled. A photograph I have at hand reveals a man with a penetrating stare, protruding lips, deep wrinkles, and an expression of disillusion. Maybe it was because the era in which he lived lacked the understanding necessary for him...

Vincent van Gogh: The Yellow House (1887-1888)

By Lida Prypchan
Vincent van Gogh’s moods often fluctuated with the seasons. He was often chronically ill during the colder, winter months, no matter where he lived. Suffering from an ongoing cough (probably from a prolific liking for tobacco), general malaise (probably from a limited diet that kept him near starvation...

Vincent van Gogh: Oil on Canvas

By Lida Prypchan
The spring of 1885 held both heartache and promise for Vincent van Gogh. On the evening of Thursday, March 26, 1885, Vincent’s father, Dutch minister Theodorus van Gogh, died of a stroke. Vincent telegraphed his brother, Theo, at Theo’s place of business in Paris with just five words: SUDDEN DEATH,...

The Oedipus Complex and Emotional Instability

By Lida Prypchan
“KNOW THYSELF” In 1897 Freud began what can be considered the most heroic act of his life – the psychoanalysis of his own unconscious. The ancient oracle of Delphi had from ancient times encouraged philosophers and thinking persons to pursue the maxim “Know thyself,” but unconsciously resisting,...