By the term "Psyche" we denote, here, the psychological in man for the sake of this chapter, whereas it has been used freely in other works as being the soul. In man there lies an inability or reluctance to disclose his private thoughts, which may be witheld from his most intimate contacts.This varies in degree and some would say is according to the zodiacal type, determined by the date of birth. The failure to seek a sympathetic ear in times of severe stress and depression has led to the deaths of many men, through suicide or the mere emotional stress effecting heart attacks. Therein exists both strength and weakness in the male psyche. This stoicism and silent endurance found its epitome in the American Redskins, taught to endure privations of various kinds and to speak sparingly. This involved a system of initiation found in comparable societies throughout the world, and some authorities suggest it is that process of a maturation ritual which is lacking in our modern society, which with its complex human relationships and obsession with an accumulation of wealth it is so different, but the fear of the loss of self-esteem in the disclosure of private difficulty causes the strong and silent to be prone to what is essentially the brittle nature of the male psyche.This has arisen from the the ancient custom of the warrior, when men took the role of defence and conquest and conditioned to hardships. In Europe it became particularly significant in the culture of the Vikings, unfortunately this had its dark side in the lack of compassion and respect for women. In the days when it was universally the custom to resort to the confessional, the priest provided a valuable source of advice and reassurance in complete anonymity.This provided a safety valve now lost in the prevalent attitude of atheism and agnosticism as taught in most state schools, and has become the keynote of sophistication. In some obscure way the barreness and bleak outlook on life when things go wrong, causes drug taking, addiction and alcoholism, because traditional initiation ( as in the warrior of previous times) has been neglected. In the same fashion we need counselling whenever something "bad" happens, be it personal,or in a member of family or school class. Many of us experienced the traumas and stresses of a world war and bombardments of family homes without any thought of having to get counselled. Is this therefore, a weakness peculiar to modern society?

The Female Psyche in contrast to the male is always ready to discuss the most intimate details of any personal problems with her peers, thus weeping and embraces provide support when it is most needed. In this way the resilience of women is quite remarkable, presenting courage and ability to get on with life in the most hostile conditions without which the the pioneers would have failed in their enterprises. Now there is a move afoot for men to seek similar comfort (The New Age Sensative Guy) in "male bonding" which I think is ludicrous, although the psychologists would doubtless disagree with me.The strength of the male psyche should be bolstered by an adequate philosophy, training and self-discipline, with regard to being less dependant on the ethic of peer groups, the example of which in boys can be disastrous. It is a strange fact that the leaders of such peer groups always manifest the more antisocial tendencies and dangerous habits which the group will follow. To emphasise the need for men to relate to their feminine side arises for the need to respect women and refrain from violence. Esoterically, it can be argued that to ignore the Reflection of the Goddess in Woman and treat with respect and loving kindness wives and mothers is a profound error, apart from the the ethical and moral standpoint. It is not enough to encourage the concept of "The Sensitive New Age Guy", with its tendency to feminise. Men have always refrained from too freely exhibiting their grief publicly, and for the most prefer to do their weeping in private.What is required in these days is to bolster up the masculine features of strength and endurance, but also must be supported by a sound philosophy of life which helps in experiencing the" trials and arrows of outrageous fortune", without resorting to drugs and alcohol. In the first instance, resistance to undesirable peer group pressure and to disciminate wisely in the choice of friends seems paramount even to the point of being excluded from group activity, if necessary. The result is either the building of a strong and independent character, or tendency to emotional breakdown. Unfortunately I have no solution to offer for the bullying which has always been rampant in the schools, having experienced it myself at one stage at the primary school level . Mine own method at the time was to respond with that degree of violence which was enough to put a stop to it and gave me a certain kudos which remained whilst attending that particular school. In girls   bullying usually takes the form of ridicule and exclusion, and the forming of little elite groups in scathing scorn for others, but regrettably violence is becoming more frequent. It is to be hoped that the Christian Ethic of Love will be emphasised more in schools to put a halt to such childish cruelties. Instilling a degree of "frustration tolerance"and ability to put up with disappoinment is going to be crucial in persuading our Youth to resist the Drug Culture which seems to be increasingly accepted in these days of transitional change and confusion.