FRANKL AND THE MOUNTAINS
A CONTRIBUTION BY ELISABETH LUKAS
Frankl’s Conception of Humanity
Geniuses aren’t geniuses from birth. They evolve over the course of their life. Whereby it is not the conditions of their development that make them geniuses but rather their personal ability to use the respective conditions of their development in a constructive manner.
In the case of Viktor E. Frankl, there were a lot of conditions shaping his development that could have massively hindered his career as an exceptionally gifted psychiatrist. Domestic poverty, his slight build, antisemitism, economic slowdown, and not least of all two dramatic world wars overshadowed the first half of his life—and that is a long time. But Frankl gained insights that would prove ground-braking for the epistemology of psychotherapy from precisely those factors. He was able to prove that humans are not merely a passive victim of their conditions but an active participant in every conscious moment and that, therefore, they always have a choice on how to handle their respective living situations. The more meaningful these choices are, the more open-mindedly and responsibly a person makes them, the more successful is their life. Frankl focused the emphasis of the therapeutic discipline he founded, »logotherapy,« on motivating people who were looking for advice and were enmeshed in conflicts to make sensible choices.
Frankl’s »Alpine Inspirations«
It is possible that the young Frankl’s passion for mountaineering and climbing has inspired his theories. High above, in the rocks, every single step and grip, every individual hand movement determines the progress of the whole endeavor. »Sensible or less sensible choices« are the masters of life and death. The climber doesn’t benefit from using unfortunate circumstances such as slippery walls or bad weather as excuses. Dangerous crevasses, storms, and the cold just have to be factored in carefully, and the risks must be minimized early enough. The question of whether a certain route is sensible for a specific person or not must be negotiated reasonably and responsibly. There is not much difference to normal everyday life, only that the stakes are higher. But even amidst our daily routine we keep having to reevaluate what to do and what not to do at any given moment and what that moment demands of us. Those who refuse to do so fall easily.
Frankl’s Criticism of Sigmund Freud
It is not surprising that the young Frankl distanced himself from the theories of Sigmund Freud, the »king of psychotherapy« at the time, in the early 1920s, even though the latter recognized Frankl’s aptitude and was inclined to support him. But pandeterminism stood between the two, the ageing and the up-and-coming genius, like an insurmountable chasm. For Freund, there existed practically no free choices nor meaning. In Freud’s opinion, the quality of the experienced childhood and the history of drives determined the fate of a person and those »asking for meaning had a mental disease«. It sounded as though one could claim that the way a climber started out possessed omnipotence over their future course and that it was illusory, therefore, to search for suitable routes. The initial variables would inevitably catch up with the climber. Frankl objected to this vehemently. Bad starting conditions were unfortunate, according to Frankl, but the deliberate climber could find a route in almost every here in now that would get them safely to the destination or, alternatively, home.
Frankl’s Concept of Conquering Fear
Frankl saw man as the »unconditional man« who can defy his situation if necessary. Mind you: can but doesn’t have to. When it came to Frankl’s fear of heights, for example, it was smart to resist it. Had he let it run riot, it would have spoiled many happy hours in his beloved mountains. It would have robbed him of wonderful and triumphant experiences and made his life more difficult. Such unnecessary and, given the circumstances, inappropriate fears are called »irrational«.
Many people suffer from irrational fears that can escalate into panic attacks. The afflicted people fear quite improbable threats such as suffocating in small spaces, being bitten by spiders, embarrassing themselves horribly at parties, collapsing in department stores, and so on. Frankl realized very early on that it’s not very helpful to search for possible reasons for these kinds of excessive worries. Today we know that a diverse combination of genetic material, environmental impacts, and a person’s own participation are involved here. The physical, the mental, and the social are closely interconnected. The mental being, however, carrier of all these connections, can rise above it all to some extent. They can wrest something from themselves, in extreme cases they can even plan on spending the next »holiday« in precisely those small spaces they fear, to make friends with all the spiders, to entertain guests at a party with fabulous jests, or to catch up on lost sleep with refreshing blackouts in department stores … There is nothing that raises us as high above ourselves as humor!
Frankl’s Concept of Meaning
On the other hand, not every fear is irrational. Many fears keep watch over us and protect us and nobody knows this better than the hardworking men of the mountain rescue who have to deal with those reckless ones who didn’t listen to their »rational« fears. Being afraid of venturing into the mountains in shorts and sandals shows an excellent fear that the person in question should definitely not resist. When someone is afraid of walking out into the fog holding a small child by the hand, resistance is also not called for. The »powerful defiance of the mind« that Frankl talked about and that he was able to mobilize successfully not only within himself but also within his patients is reserved for situations that truly warrant it. And it must wait silently in situations that require obedience, surrender, adaption, and submission. Skiers must surrender to the power of an »avalanche risk«. Injured persons must submit to the medical verdict of »surgery absolutely essential«. Us humans reach certain limits and wherever we are unable to push beyond them bravely, we must accept them with humility.
But who decides whether courage or humility is the need of the hour? Whether the mobilization of heroic defiance or the simple acceptance of an inconvenience is called for? Sense is the referee. Not some arbitrarily dreamed-up sense that you could high-handedly »make« according to your own wishes (even though sense can be made in colloquial speech). No, it is the kind of meaning one cannot make up but only ever find because it lies encrypted in the various constellations of life and that is only accessible to those who seek it honestly and assiduously. When Frankl arrived at the conviction that—contrary to Freud’s opinion—»those who ask for meaning are astute and intellectually mature,« the foundation for his form of psychotherapy, which centered on meaning, was laid.
Frankl’s Reaction to Stress
Internal equilibrium is without a doubt an important asset in the backpack of every mountaineer. It’s not professional to run off, stumbling along gasping for breath, only to wander about frantically once more. Unfortunately, such a modus operandi resembles the modus vivendi of many people nowadays who wear themselves out to the point of burnout and then fall by the wayside dejectedly.
Frankl was quite busy in the second half of his life. On the face of it, one might even call the magnitude of his pursuits »gigantic«. He was the head of the Department of Neurology at the Vienna Polyclinic, wrote excellent textbooks, gave lectures in Austria and abroad, and not least of all he was a devoted husband and father (which, as we all know, costs time). But he would never have gotten to the point of suffering a »burnout.« Just as the successful summiteers proceed at a constant, leisurely pace and don’t let themselves be distracted nor completely exhausted, Frankl pursued his journey with perseverance and thus created, piece by piece, a life’s work that quite resembles a »first ascent«. No one before him had advanced into these kinds of intellectual heights within psychotherapy. No one else lifted psychiatry to such a philosophically sophisticated level and connected it to traditional wisdom from the cultural treasure of humanity as he did. And despite all his brilliant achievements Frankl knew how to protect himself from the stress of frantic work and to preserve a joyful life for himself and his family. At the end of the day, maybe this was his biggest achievement of all!
Frankl’s Area of Recreation
Could we learn something in this regard by watching him? Certainly! Frankl was a deeply humble man who refrained from excessive luxury. He didn’t build himself a grand villa with a swimming pool, he didn’t buy a yacht, and he didn’t like being admired by fans. Instead, he practiced mental hygiene at its best. On his free weekends, he set out on his »backyard mountain,« the Rax, in order to refuel his inner serenity. The physical activity of climbing offered an ideal balance to the exhausting cognitive activity during the week. The exercise on the Rax plateau was his compensation for sitting in his practice and standing in the lecture theater. The absence of noise and the fresh air high above were the utmost indulgence in comparison to the noise and the smells of the city. Frankl found the mental balance that allowed him to avoid tensions and bottlenecks and to take the criticism of those who envied him in his stride in a perfectly balanced alternation between tension and relaxation. Gazing out over the clouds and landscapes widens the chest and wipes away small nuisances. Nowhere else can you put as much distance between yourself and the bottom of the valleys of human trivialities. Frankl once told me himself that he came up with the most brilliant of his ideas in the solitude of the Rax.
Frankl’s Advice of Venturing Out into Nature
Each of us should create a similar refuge for ourselves. Today’s youth spends more time walking through virtual spaces than through reality. This estranges them from the healing gardens of nature. Due to the incessant online communication they forget how to endure silence and be alone with themselves. It doesn’t have to be the grandiose panorama of the mountains that re-aligns them with themselves and their most inner self, they could also be deeply moved by forests, lakes, heathlands, or the night sky. But occasional silence and taking a break amidst the machinery of daily life are vitsl for reflection. To examine one’s course and to correct it if necessary. Where should our journey go? Who do we ultimately want to be and have become? Machines getting more and more intelligent but they cannot answer these kinds of existential questions. We have to spell out and formulate our own individual answers.
Frankl’s Advice of Dedicating Yourself to A Task
Frankl pointed out that there are not just psychosomatic diseases but also »psychosomatic health« insofar as our organism grants us enough strength to fulfill an important task that we have set for ourselves. Provided, of course, that this task is within the scope of our resources. As Goethe, too, had realized: people grow with their challenges—and stagnate with the lack thereof. Frankl did not grow tired of warning us of the consequences of an »existential vacuum« that manifests itself in languor, boredom, indifference, and a feeling of powerlessness and emptiness. When people feel like they are at the mercy of something, be it domineering authorities, painful experiences, or other forces, they scale down their initiatives and let themselves drift helplessly. »Those who think their fate is sealed are incapable of conquering it,« Frankl taught. But those, on the other hand, who dedicate themselves to a self-imposed task increase their vigor instantaneously. Therefore, it is advisable to take on small, personal tasks throughout your life. They keep body and mind fit.
However, the task one would like to fulfill shouldn’t be instrumentalized for one’s own use. Frankl explained this realization by using sports as an example. In sport, victories stand and fall with the intention with which they are pursued. Whereby there are two rules that must always be heeded: Firstly, don’t compete with anyone but yourself! Secondly, don’t strive for victories but act according to the best of your ability! What did Frankl want to tell us with these two rules?
Frankl’s First Rule of Sport
On the first rule: Competition as not as »invigorating« as our economic leaders would like to make it out to be. Competitiveness is characterized by jealousy, rivalry, and often by shabby defamations and deviousness. The rival is denied respect and appreciation. This is not worthy of humans and especially not of athletes who should champion fairness. Contrary to that, not begrudging an opponent their victory if they deserve it is a sign of mental maturity and sovereignty. In general, being able to share the joy of others and not secretly wishing it would disappear is a sign of moral fiber.
Those who rest confidently don’t constantly compare themselves longingly to others who are doing a little bit better, possess a tiny bit more, in short, who live on the side of life that is a little bit sunnier. Those who are smart enough never forget that there are millions of others on our planet that have a significantly worse fate and are forced to lead their existence on the »dark side,« which is sad enough as it is. Basically, comparisons are unproductive, since everyone is exceptional and unique in their own way and has to contend with their own indolence and corruptibility that could hinder their positive development and not with rivals from the neighborhood.
Frankl’s Second Rule of Sport
With the second rule Frankl wanted to shed light on the problem of »hyperreflection« in his capacity as psychiatrist. »Hyperreflection makes the intended impossible,« he used to say. Hyperreflection means the excessive overthinking of oneself and one’s desire. In the case of the athlete this manifests itself in thoughts that get stuck on the desired victory. Numerous studies confirm: The more someone focuses on their victory, the higher are the odds that they will fail. The role of the brain in this is easy to explain. Large parts of the cerebral energy are used towards the stubborn wish to force the victory and are no longer available for the dedication to the task in front of us. In addition, a vague fear sneaks in through the back door and tires out the athlete in question. Because those who want to win at any cost must fear defeat.
The right intention is inevitably linked to self-forgetfulness. It is aimed at a good thing, at a merit one aims to realize, at a beloved person, at a contribution to the success of the community to which one belongs. Never do people rest as intensively within themselves, never are they so free of nervous bustling in their soul as when they give themselves to something bigger than themselves. Potential victories, successes, rewards and so on are unintended side effects of intentions that transcend the self. By no means does this only apply to athletes. It’s a general recommendation to all of us.
Frankl’s »Tragic Optimism«
In an interview with Franz Kreuzer, which was published in the Piper Series in 1986, Frankl, who was 81 at the time, remembers the following incident:
»I was climbing the Preiner Wall once and was led by Gruber-Naz and as he is sitting there belaying and letting me follow him along the rope, he says: ›No offence, Professor, but the way I see it, you’re all out of strength. But you know how to make up for it with refined techniques, climbing techniques, I must say, we could all learn how to climb from you.‹ Imagine, this was said by a man who just returned from an expedition to the Himalaya!«
Yes, that was Frankl’s skill: To make up for inadequacies with superior tactics. He taught this art to his patients and they thanked him for it later. Most of them had a similar lack of strength as Frankl had on the Preiner Wall. They barely had the strength to keep affirming their life. They were stranded after extreme odysseys, were battling with neuroses, psychoses, or nervous diseases, had stumbled into misery due to misfortunes, had lost their grip … Usually, they were very desperate people. This did not dull Frankl’s »tragic optimism.« In each of them he saw a precious, cognitive person, wholly welcome in the communion of creation and able to take on the part waiting for them masterfully.
Frankl’s Accentuation of the Present
It was by no means Frankl’s aim to rake up old tragedies and to make his patients recall the ghosts of their past. Dealing with the events of yesterday and the day before yesterday does not take precedence in logotherapy. He operated in his charges’ present, because only the present can be steered and shaped. In it lies dormant the »meaning of the moment,« which Frankl strived to capture in his therapeutic conversations. He showed the patients that they had a lot to give despite their suffering, even if it was just their example, their message, their charisma on their environment. He referred to the importance of their internal attitude that could always be changed even when everything else was irremediable. He carefully drew their attention from self-pity and from »stewing in their own juices« and opened up the patients to new perspectives. The cautious began to laugh at their caution, the angry started to forgive their enemies, the stressed began to revise their lifestyle, those with compulsive diseases started to ironize their compulsions, those with insomnia started to ignore their nightly torments, the sexually frustrated began to devote loving attention to their partners … Their lives soon gained in qualities that were worth affirming.
In his interventions Frankl preferred the »Socratic method,« i.e. an indirect escort to the solution of the problem. But when his patient had severe problems in understanding him, he also gave a little »rope aid«; a metaphor that he himself used in front of his students. He was referring to the fact that the belaying member of a roped party usually doesn’t pull up their companions who are following and only holds them in case they slipped. But if a fellow member is unable to move backwards or forwards all of a sudden, a little tug of the rope can prevent an accident.
Frankl’s Perspective on the Future
When a patient was finally able to master their present again, Frankl shifted the focus of their therapeutic conversations onto the near future. (As the climber who has found their current position shifts their gaze towards the next ridge that needs to be overcome.) So, what was it then that could be waiting for a particular patient? For what purpose had they been »kept around,« for what would they be »perfectly equipped«? Nightmares changed into dreams. Disappointments into hope. Traumata into competences. Plans were made and intentions chosen. Happiness is not being able to say: »I’m doing well,« but rather being able to say: »I have a purpose person on this earth without exception can have a purpose, they just need to discover it. Frankl introduced his patients to Nietzsche’s saying »He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.« They worked out their why and their wherefore and it was sealed into their tomorrow.
It’s true that one can picture visions in great detail in anticipation and thus become capable of freeing oneself from the pull of resignation and apathy even in times of the worst suffering. Living in the hell of the Holocaust, Frankl, for example, saw himself »mentally« not only in dizzy heights on rock spires but also standing in front of the lectern in a warm, bright auditorium giving lectures on the psychology of the concentration camp. Of course, not all imaginations come true, but as a mere vision alone they fuel the will to survive and it is a special gift of mercy if they do indeed become reality later on.
Frankl’s Perspective on the Past
When an indication appeared in a patient to look back onto their past, Frankl didn’t shy away from it. He just deferred the retrospection to a secondary rank. (As the climber would only look back into the abyss below them once they reached a solid spot, relaxed and at ease.)
In his guidelines on retrospectives Frankl used another metaphor from the world of mountaineering. He pointed out that mountain ranges are measured by their highest peaks and not by some valley in between. One is amazed to hear about the 6.960-meter high Aconcagua in the coastal cordillera. But the fact that there might be numerous valleys in the Andes found at heights of 700 or 800 meters is of far less interest. Likewise, Frankl argued, would a human life be measured by its highest peaks, its most impressive achievements, its most blissful experiences, its most glorious ideas, its most courageous triumphs. For that reason he urged patients not to cling to mourning the »valleys« filled with grievances and guilt that one had crawled through. The retrospective should primarily focus on the »highlights« of one’s life and flood the heart with pride, satisfaction, and joy. When we confront ourselves with the negative chasms of our life’s story afterwards it’s easier to fill those »valleys« retrospectively with generous reconciliation, honest remorse and—if possible—with trust in God.
Frankl’s Psychiatric Solace
This metaphor was incredibly comforting to Frankl’s grieving patients. They, mourning the loss of a beloved, were uplifted by the thought that they had been allowed to enjoy this relationship full of love at least for a little while. That the experience was part of the chain of their biography like an immovable massif and had once made their emotional peaks possible. Nothing on earth could deny them the fact that they had reached the summit of this massif. They had had, so to say, their Aconcagua! The tears for what has been lost trickle off into the gratitude for what was.
Frankl generally argued that no one should close their eyes forever before recalling the best parts of their life. What he had in mind here was the »Alpine glow« in the Dolomites, when the setting sun illuminates the rock formations high above the tree line in a red and golden light while the valleys below have long since faded into twilight. In the end all that counts is the meaning that has worked and that has been effected in a person’s life, that was Frankl’s credo.