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Lesson 30 The Transferential Probe I

Using the explanations given in the previous lesson, one can now approach relatively profound studies of the symbols and allegories produced both in individual situations (dreams of sleep, reveries of semi-sleep and vigil, etc.), and collective situations (the stories, legends, myths, poetry, art, and religion of a culture). One may also study individual and collective behavior from symbolic and allegorical points of view. In the Self Liberation system, however, our interest is focused principally on using this knowledge as an important auxiliary to the transferential techniques. Reviewing briefly, we remember that we use cathartic techniques to produce discharges of tensions impossible to achieve by other means, and transferential techniques to unfix and integrate frozen or isolated psychological contents. From the previous lessons one should already be familiar with the circumstances in which to use one or the other technique.

I. Indicators When one works with cathartic techniques, the rationalizations, concealments, forgetfulness, or blockages that occur in general indicate resistances to the cathartic abreaction. Overcoming these resistances so the tensions can be expressed as discharges towards the periphery is a technical problem that can be solved following the guidelines previously given. Similarly, fixed contents will offer resistance when one tries to mobilize and integrate them into the on-going processes of the consciousness. In principle, the indicators of resistance in the transference are the same as those that appear when one applies the cathartic techniques. However, in transferences there are in addition other indicators related to the configuration and dynamics of the images. We now give the basic principle valid for the whole of Operative, both Catharsis and Transference: One works to detect and overcome resistances. To do this successfully, one needs to understand the various indicators of resistance, and also the indicators of when a resistance is overcome. In the case of Catharsis, we have already studied these indicators sufficiently, but we will now explain them further for the case of the Transference.

II. Indicators of Resistance One of the first conditions needed for a successful transferential process is that the subject associate thoughts freely, if possible using visual images. For this condition to be easily fulfilled, the subject seeks the level of active semi-sleep. He then describes his mental scenes to the guide, while the latter limits himself solely to directing these images. This point requires very special attention: the idea is not for the guide to suggest images to the subject, because the guide would then merely be transferring his own contents to the subject. Rather, given the scenes narrated by the subject, the guide’s function is to direct the images. The guide assists the subject in moving to different vertical levels within the space of representation, and at a given level, the guide operates to help the subject achieve any transformations, contractions, and expansions of his own images that he needs to do, depending on what indicators of resistance appear. During the transference, the guide is always careful to work with the subject’s own images. The principal indicators of resistance are: 1. Resistances of rationalizing, concealing, forgetting, and blocking indicate the presence of strong tensions. In such cases, the guide proceeds with the Cathartic Feedback Probe until the resistances are overcome. If the difficulties persist, the catharsis needs to be deeper. 2. Difficulties in vertical movements are indicated when the subject cannot ascend towards the “heights” or descend to the “depths.” The subject must learn to successfully move vertically through repeated practice, and the guide can also supply the subject with help in the form of allegorical connectives, or some appropriate attribute such as a magic carpet, magic wand, etc. These aids, which the guide will frequently use, are always intended to help in overcoming resistances, and they should harmonize with the subject’s scenes in order to avoid the infiltration of the guide’s own contents into the subject’s transference. 3. Difficulties in horizontal movements are indicated when the subject cannot move forward or backward in his scene. Repeated practice and appeal to various forms of allegorical help will correct this. 4. Difficulties in expansion or contraction mean the subject cannot make his own image “bigger” or “smaller,” or he may have difficulty making “difficult” or “dangerous” images smaller. The guide then provides the subject with allegorical assistance until this resistance is overcome. 5. Difficulty in transforming images means the subject is unable to change, for example, his clothing or his appearance, his roles, age, level, etc. It also means the subject is unable to invert images that create negative climates into positive images. The guide will resort to practice and allegorical aids to help the subject do this. 6. One may also have difficulties in linking a given climate to any specific image. To overcome this difficulty, the guide asks the subject to look for an appropriate image so the climate fits or “engages” well with either a remembered or fictitious scene. This difficulty will be overcome only when the subject experiences a real and genuine correspondence between the climate and an image. If the subject has an “artificial” register from these operations, he will have to continue this process until he experiences that the image and climate truly “fit.” 7. Difficulty in dissociating the negative climate from the image is handled by having the guide suggest that the subject repeatedly “transfer” the same climate to a different although possibly similar image, until the original image loses its negative emotional strength or charge. 8. A cathartic eruption may occur in the subject during the transferential process. If this happens, the guide should allow the subject to express himself fully. However, the transferential process must be discontinued until the subject is again in a condition to follow the directions given by the guide. This case is quite distinct from those cathartic expressions that may accompany the actual moment of transference but do not interrupt the guide’s direction of the process. 9. Excessively fast movements of the images may occur. This means the subject passes from one scene to another or between different images so fast he is not able to fully register or grasp what each image is about; this will also obstruct the subject’s describing the image to the guide. If this happens, the process of the images has to be made to slow down, for example, by having the subject place the objects he sees separated by great distances from each other so the “voyage” from one object to another will take longer. Another resource is to ask the subject to give numerous details as he describes each object that he comes up with; this also slows things down. 10. A rebound of vertical height has occurred when during either an ascent or a descent the subject suddenly begins to describe scenes that correspond to the opposite plane. To correct this, the guide will have to help the subject retrace all the steps of the process. He then provides allegorical help for the subject at the moment the rebound is likely to happen, so this sudden escape in the form of a rebound does not occur. 11. A rebound of level of consciousness has happened whenever, due either to the pressure of oppressive contents, a startling surprise, or some other accidental factor, the subject continues the transferential process with a style of description markedly more logical and rational, or else he becomes blocked in the sequence of his narration. If this happens the guide will have to stop the process, and then begin again when the subject reaches the level of consciousness of semi-sleep. 12. Difficulties the subject has in visualizing images can be overcome when the guide and subject begin to practice with images anyway. Through continued practice and additional exercises the subject does on his own, he will become better able to form visual images in later sessions. We have now seen the principal indicators of resistance and the ways to treat them, and you should be able to understand how a knowledge of allegories and symbols is a great resource to the guide during the actual transference. The guide uses this knowledge to propose appropriate allegorical or non- rational kinds of help, for example, magic wands, wise old men who give advice, etc. Such allegorical aid allows the subject to continue the transferential process smoothly, without the rebounds of level which would occur if the subject were to switch abruptly to a rational or logical (critical and self-critical) system of thinking whenever he had to solve a problem or resistance. We emphasize again that in Transferences, knowledge of symbols and allegories fulfills an eminently active and supportive role right during the process, in addition to one of subsequent interpretation as occurs in other fields.

Exercise: Transferential Probe for Resistances The guide first asks the subject to tell a joke. The guide then asks the subject to imagine himself as the central character of the joke (or as one of the other characters as the case may be), and proceed to practice visualizing: ascents, descents, moving forward and backward, expansions (making the image larger) and contractions (making the image smaller). In all cases, the subject should narrate to the guide all that is happening in the scenes, and clearly describe the emotional climates that accompany them. The guide will take note of all the indicators of resistances that appear. In this exercise the subject does not attempt to overcome any of the resistances that are observed, but simply observes them. Once the probe for resistances has been completed, the guide will discuss with the subject the meaning of the resistances found by trying to relate them to daily behavior or to biographical events. The subject could attempt a simple symbolic reduction of the general outlines, as well as a short synthesis of the themes and plot. Later, the guide and subject exchange roles.