The continuum concept: allowing human nature to work successfully

195 Pages·1985·6.1 MB·English

by  Jean Liedloff

"If the world could be saved by a book, this just might
be the book." -John Holt
| CHILD CARE/ANTHROPOLOGY
THE CONTINUUM CONCEPT
"Basic things about human nature "that we forget or ignore at our peril." *
\ —-PROFESSOR ROBERT ALDRICII, M.D., FORMERLY OF THE NATIONAL INSIMMI
OFJCHDJ) HEALTH AND Hi^tAN't>EyEii)p,MENTt WASIUNGTON, D.C
"Deserves to.be read-by Western parents, child-psychologists, syicLother social engi-
neers cpncerned with restoring self-reliance and well-being, There are'remarkable
insights here."' —THE A7nr YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW
"A book;we:all should read.'..to help us'become,riurturing parents and advocates
for our'own child-within, to understand what we missed;and to restore it."
—Gf.ORLV S^L-INILM
•'We in La Leche League ought to turn Handsprings and Shout for joy.'' —LEAVES
.'"In all of our writings I feel we'liave not come to "the central core-which is .the
t Continuum Concept." —FRANGES XLG, M.D., THE GESPJJ. INSTTILTE
' "Invaluable. Extraordinary sensitive, brilliantly written:..it is wonderful." '
—ASHIJ-Y MONTAGU
r had to choose one booktO give parents-to-be, here it is," —GEORGE LEONARD
JEAN JJEDLOFF, an .American writer, sperlt two and a 'halfyea.rs deep in the South
Am'ericanjungle living with Stone Age Indians. The experience demolished her
Western preconceptions of how we-should live and led-her to a radically different
view of what-human .nature really is. She offers a.tiew understanding of hoVv we
have lost much, of olir natural well-being and show's us.-practical ways to regain it
for'our cliildren and for ourselves."Now living in California. Jean Liedloff practices
N and teaches psychotherapy based on the Co'ntinuum Concept; She lectures and
broadcasts'in many countries where , • . ..
lier view's have earned a substantial
following. US $16.50/$19.50 CAN
Cover design by Diana COC
Cover phoiograph ' by Paul Fusco/
Magnum Photos, Inc.
A MEHLOYD LAWRENCE BOOK
DA CAPO PRESS
A Member ofthe Perseus Books Group

Classics in Child Development
THE CONTINUUM CONCEPT
The publishers are grateful
to the late John Holt
who suggested the first two titles
in this series
Classics in Child Development
also in this series
BABIES AND THEIR MOTHERS
By D. W. Winnicott
Introduction by Benjamin Spock, M.D.
THE CHILD, THE FAMILY, AND THE OUTSIDE WORLD
By D. W. Winnicott
Introduction by Marshall H. Klaus, M.D.
BIOGRAPHY OF A BABY
By Milicent Washburn Shinn
Introduction by T. Berry Brazelton, M.D.
THE LIVES OF CHILDREN
By George Dennison
Introduction by John Holt
CHILDREN'S SECRETS
By Thomas J. Cottle
THE SELF-RESPECTING CHILD
By Alison Stallibrass
Introduction by John Holt

Classics in Child Development
THE CONTINUUM CONCEPT
In Search of Lost Happiness
J e an L i e d l o ff
s
A MERLOYD LAWRENCE BOOK
DA CAPO PRESS
A Member of the Perseus Books Group
Cataloging-in Publication Data available from the Library of Congress
ISBN-13: 978-0-201-05071-4
ISBN-10:0-201-05071-4
Revised edition copyright © 1977 Jean Liedloff.
Original edition copyright © 1975 by Jean Liedloff in all countries of the
Universal Copyright Convention excluding the United States. All rights
reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions.
Introduction copyright © 1985 by Jean Liedloff
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored
in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, elec-
tronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the
prior written permission of the publisher. Printed in the United States of
America. Published simultaneously in Canada.
Da Capo Press is a member of the Perseus Books Group
Cover design by Diana Coe
Text deign by Margaret M. Wagner
Set in Primer by Maryland Linotype Composition Co., Inc.
48 47 46 45
Find us on the World Wide Web at
http://www.dacapopress.com
Contents
INTRODUCTION
Some Reports and Thoughts for the New Edition / ix
ONE
How My Ideas Were So Radically Changed / 3
Seeing first, understanding later, then going back to confirm my observations /
Arriving at the Continuum Concept
TWO
The Continuum Concept / 21
What a human being is evolved to expect from life / His inherent tendencies /
How the continuum works, in the individual and in the culture
THREE
The Beginning of Life / 29
Natural birth and traumatic birth / The expectations and tendencies of the
infant / The in-arms phase and its consequences in the rest of one's life / The
experience of infants and babies within the continuum, and without