Pat Black and Andy Smith (patandandy@diversity-matters.co.uk) from Edinburgh, Scotland, POP Diplomates were awarded the European Social Fund award for Life Long Learning and The National Training Award for the process oriented work in changing workplace practice. Pat and Andy got these awards for their university course (with about 200 students) that trains teachers to support people with learning difficulties.

October 2005

Our London student and teacher, Phelim McDermott with his creative group, the Improbable Theatre” (and co directed by Dr. Arlene Audergon, one of our process work Diplomates in London), produced and is now showing “Spirit”. This play is about war and dreams. See it in New York’s East Village until October 9. The short video and raving New York Times review gives a preview. We were tickled to notice how the actors picked up a secondary process and improvised; Even the NY Times reviewer noticed; “I almost forgot to mention the fourth actor in this production, who fleetingly stole the spotlight when I saw the show. That was a blue-bottle fly, or I think it was. It was hard to identify it from the audience, but it definitely landed on the stage, inspiring much rumination and argument among the actors. There is no guarantee that this special guest star will be available on other nights.

September 2005

September 2005

July 2005

The following interview was done with Arny by Dr. Nita Vallens at KPFK 90.7fm in Los Angeles occurred on July 26. KPFK is a socially aware, activist oriented station bringing new ideas, that can be heard live in L.A. and everywhere through internet-live streaming. (www.kpfk.org - go to the " live listen" area). This interview was especially interesting to us because it followed the terrorist attacks in the UK and Egypt, and because Nita was interested in psychology as a whole."

Listen to the interview ... (29MB MP3 file)

We are excited by Sara Halprin’s new book, “SEEMA’S SHOW, A Life On The Left,” appearing in August 05 published with the University of New Mexico Press. It’s exciting to travel through Seema’s rich and amazing life guided by Sara wonderful writing. See also David Roomy’s new book, MUSLIMS LIKE US, by iUniverse Press.

June 2005

Thanks to Susan Kocen (susankocen@juno.com) for describing what we have been feeling while traveling recently.

Our experiences in Japan on the Sumido River were very deep. We went to Japan because we love our many friends there, and because we dreamed we were called by the Sumida river. We were touched once again by the team dancing in Tokyo. In Zurich, recuperating from jet lag, we were thrilled to see so many old and new friends, colleagues and students. The circle dance we experienced there was singularly wonderful. In St. Petersburg we worked at an old castle in the port area of the Gulf of Finland. St Petersburg is in many ways is at the edge, between west and east, north and south where many peoples came together, a place of mysteries and reason. Again, the circle dance was amazing. In London, reuiniting with old and meeting new friends from everywhere, just enriched the good learning atmosphere we found there. Finally, there is nothing like home, Portland, the Oregon coast and the many people we love here.

Click for larger size image

May 05

Mrs. Schiavo died at the end of March. While Mrs Schiavo was dying, Portland Oregon “Oregonian” newspaper front page portrayed an articles about “binary communication”. Apparently the term Arny used in his Coma, Key to Awakening written originally in 1986 has become main stream.

We were happy to hear that Gail Lawrence was allowed to die in Portland Oregon after her husband apparently established a form of binary communication with her (and therefore decided to remove her life support in the Portland hospital). We, Amy and Arny are wondering why Coma has become such an important worldwide topic. Besides the immense problems, feelings and experiences linked to death and dying, we suspect interest in coma is due in part to the projection of that part of everyone’s life which is dreamy, “vegetative”, “comatose”, “dead” or “down” when alone, when in relationships and public situations. Politically, we feel that many are “persistently vegetative” in the sense of feeling, but not quite being aware of feelings or making conscious responses to what we notice and feel.

April 5, midnight

At about midnight on the Oregon Coast, Amy just returned from the outside deck where she had been doing a vision quest and singing to the spirits. She came indoors. Amy and Arny were talking about the power of nature, and there was a huge noise. The same or another black bear that had visited us in December was back (again). This time she/he came to the front door and was making LOTS of noise by sniffing around. We prayed, got our out air-boat-fog-coastal-horn, and sounded the loud horn. To our relief the bear moved gently away. But in a funny way, we were so very, very touched that she/he had come again. We love him/her so much. Black bear, very furry, nosey and present!

March 2005

Many people are wondering about the fate and agonies of Ms. Schiavo, the U. S. woman in the coma (or rather a persistent vegetative state) around whom so much media attention and debate is presently happening.

For us, the questions being asked by the courts and the media are important but not the right questions. The media and the courts, like most of us wonder about whether or not to remove or reinsert life support, whether to follow the hospital’s medical community or Ms Schiavo’s family, whether to follow one side of the family or the other side of the family. Many are asking whether or not to follow the wishes Ms. Schiavo had about her dying process, wishes she had before she went into the coma or persistent vegetative state.

For us, everyone's feelings and beliefs are important. Everyone needs to be understood. However, our basic question is WHAT DOES MS. SCHIAVO HERSELF INDICATE RIGHT NOW in the midst of her persistent vegetative state/comatose state. For us, there is one central ethical question that can help answer most of the other questions. And that question is: “WHAT ARE HER RESPONSE SIGNALS TO BASIC QUESTIONS POSED TO HER about herself?”

First of all, as process workers, as coma workers, our job is to attempt to establish a feedback system with the “client” (as described in Amy’s “Coma, A Healing Journey”, or Arny’s “Coma, Dreambody Near Death”). We understand that it is an art and science to establish that feedback system. This is not something that can be simply learned, though specific techniques are very helpful. Such work, like all therapy, is a bit of an art. But the result can be videoed and measured, as can other definitive variables in science.

In any case, assuming this feedback loop has been created, once that feedback system is established the next step is to pose important questions in a compassionate and related manner about everyday life, and about the meaning of life, death, relationships, etc. Finally, assuming this connection has been created, finally the questions about life support can be asked, videoed and shared with the whole world, if that is what is needed.

The fact that such a relatively “simple” feedback loop has not been created-- or perhaps even asked for, indicates to us that the general public is still about 15 years behind the original research we did in Switzerland some years ago. Naturally, there's always a time lag in these things but we hope that time lag can be reduced so that everyone’s suffering may be alleviated.

Tsunami 26 December, 2004

The 9.0 magnitude quake that happened off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra early Sunday, the 26th their time set off a group of highly devastating tsunami waves. We were so upset about the enormous suffering that we hoped to be more helpful than answering individual emails about the tsunami or pointing to what we have written about trauma.

See Arny’s “Sitting in the Fire”, also see general comments on the subject of trauma in the Gary Null Interview. Perhaps allow the following abbreviated, quickly written notes to be a small contribution to a huge topic. May they be a help to some in thinking about and supporting relief efforts everywhere.

1. Support The Relief Worker In Those Who Are Suffering, And In Yourself

If you have contact with groups or folks in the midst of disasters, financial help is very important. Support relief work. Please also support the relief workers. Support them in simply being and listening, crying and hugging. It takes lots of support to endure such terrible scenes.

2. Thoughts About The Process Of Relief Work

To our knowledge, there is no single guideline that helps relief worker to help everyone who is suffering. Each helper and each suffering person is a very special individual. But perhaps some of our experiences may be useful in dealing with suffering. Use these if they seem helpful.

a. Avoiding Thoughts: A wide-awake relief worker who at first avoids unneeded conversation about the disaster may help many who suffer. Just listening compassionately may be all what is needed at a given moment. In the next moment, it can be important to think about the practical “what next” questions.

b. Making Sense Of The Disaster: At another point, when there is an “opening”, that is when someone asks “why, why why?”, talking very very briefly about either the original earthquake or the great wave(s) may be a help. Acting out the originator of the disaster, in this case the earthquake or great tsunami wave for a few seconds only, showing not only the destructive power, but also the powerful push for new opportunities, may be relieving. But remember, do this so quickly at first that it might even go unnoticed. Just doing this briefly can potentially save some from suicide…but every situation is individual.

There is no one way to make any sense out of death. Just talking about the death of loved ones can be helpful for some, but be careful about making anything a general rule for all. It is often helpful to ask the person thinking about a dead loved one, “what would she or he want me to do now?”

c. Following The Process: The times direct the processes. When the time is appropriate, the first biggest edge is to avoid the past and talk about the future. Then the next edge is to find something meaningful in an otherwise meaningless, random, and excruciating slam from fate. Sometimes, small groups are better than one to one discussion in processing things.

Here are some thoughts to ponder about working with sadness and depression: We need to remember that depression is natural and important. Within the arms of the right relief worker, the door can be opened to feeling the unmentionable hopelessness and sadness in the fore and background. Medicating a depression can save lives. But occasionally for some, medicating depression may postpone violent,

later reaction that makes life more difficult. In any case, lingering depression itself may be the worst aftereffect of such events. Processing otherwise incomprehensible events and making sense of apparently meaningless disasters, is the great work of dreams.

We understand quick thoughts will never be a substitute for the love, wisdom and endurance that are needed. Our hope in writing this is/was to send love to all.

Dreaming by Craig Huber

Footnote

Perhaps the example of a child who witnessed the death of his mother in an avalanche in the French Alps will be of help. Several weeks after the tragic accident, the young child continuously stuttered “Oh Mama, Mama,” looking up towards the sky. He was not catatonic, but was apparently in some form of shock. The father did not know what to do. We asked the child to say “Mama” and look up. “Tell us what you see.”

The little boy said he saw a “white wall coming down”. Apparently he meant the dreaded avalanche. While the father shouted no! to the “white wall” from the corner of our office, the child just continued to stare upwards towards the ceiling. As we began gently acting like the “white wall,” the child began to put up his own hand ever so slightly in the beginning of a “stop”-like gesture. While slowly moving towards him as “the white wall”, we encouraged him to put his hand up more forcefully. Suddenly we were involved in a “pushing” struggle. He was pushing up against the wall as we, playing the wall, pushed against him.

A few minutes later he was smiling. Now he said, “I am “strong” like the avalanche”. Apparently such signs of strength were very new for him. In any case, for the first time, the child seemed happier and was no longer repeatedly crying for his mama.

January 2005

Exo-physics is a relatively new description of modern physics, that is the description of the physical world from the outside. Adopted early as the paradigm of mainstream science, the notion that human-beings can achieve objectivity from a position plainly inside the world-system has yet to be validated and may be one sided. Endo-physics is about investigating the world from inside — which is the actual situation of humankind with respect to the rest of nature. “A workshop to explore this paradigm, Endophysics, Time, Quantum and the Subjective, will be held in Bielefeld (Germany) in January 2005.

Researchers in physics, psychology, neuroscience, mathematics, philosophy, artificial intelligence and biology will converge across the world for an intense, cross-disciplinary exchange over some fundamental and perplexing questions. These revolve around the nature of time, interpretation of the paradoxes of quantum mechanics and the status of the first-person (or subjective) perspective. Can the adoption of an endo-physical paradigm help resolve such issues?“

The organisers think it may. The workshop is motivated by the growing feeling of many leading scholars that in order to get deeper insights into the nature of time, the quantum world and of the human psyche as well, a radically new paradigm has to be adopted.” These words are adopted from the advertisement about the interdisciplinary Endo-physics workshop in Germany
http://www.sciencealert.com.au/stories/misc/impossible.htm.

January 17 2005

We will not be able to attend the NATO sponsored northern Germany Research Meeting of astrophysicists on the “”: Though we appreciate being invited and support the direction of this research group, sadly, we shall not be able to speak because this meeting is too close to our process work intensive course this year