The Feeling of Meaning: A Meditation on Coordinated Meaning Making

Abstract

The term “psychosis” is used as if it denotes an organic brain abnormality, either known or yet-to-be-discovered. However, I believe its only meaningful use is to describe speech or behavior we do not understand and which frightens us. In this article, I explore how I came to an understanding of how “reality” (which we might also call “meaning” or “clarity” for this purpose) arises in the space between people, as well as how this process can go awry. I offer some objects of attention for implementing these ideas in a clinical context.