The Translucent Revolution

I really like this book by Arjuna Ardagh.  There is a great section on what the author calls “translucent therapy” in the chapter “More Than Life and Death: Translucent Health Care.”

To begin with, the author uses the metaphor of translucence to describe a certain approach to spirituality, therapy, relationships, etc.  The distinction is made between two other metaphors – transparency and opaqueness.  If an object is transparent it is almost invisible.  It lets all of the light through to the point that you can not see the object itself.  If an object is opaque it does not allow any light to get through at all.  If it is translucent the object allows light to pass through but is able to maintain its form.  The object can even seem to glow from within.

Here is the definition of “Translucent” that the author uses:

“1. an individual who has undergone a spiritual awakening deeply enough that it has permanently transformed their relationship to themselves and to reality, while allowing them to remain involved in ordinary life in a process which is evolutionary and endless. 2. an individual with a glowing appearance, as though light were passing through.” 

As far as translucent therapy is concerned, it is more about “presence above strategy.”  He quotes Donna Hamilton, “I now realize that this truly is the only gift a therapist need give a client — to simply sit in the presence, in that truth of unconditional love, and allow that person to simply witness themselves as they're held in that container” (p. 348-349). 

I really like what the therapists that Ardagh interviews have to say about “the story.”  Hamilton explains that most clients enter her office with a “story.”   She says, “I do not focus on the story.  I'm very focused on the present time.”  Most translucent therapists see “the story” as an impediment.  John Prendergast says, “The story begins to be seen as a story.  That brings a tremendous relief in and of itself.  There's less identification with it.  The story can be seen as arbitrary and untrue.  This brings a felt shift in the body — a sense of ease, of being more grounded, more present, and of feeling a core life energy” (p. 350).

More to come later on the three possibilities that can open up with a translucent approach to therapy…

Billy 

Re: The Translucent Revolution

Want to fill us in? Though I just joined I see you posted that in July - curious minds want to know. :-D

Re: The Translucent Revolution

I wrote:  “More to come later on the three possibilities that can open up with a translucent approach to therapy…”

Finally, here is the “more” that I promised.  Sorry it took me so long.  I have been focused on other things lately (like The School for The Work).  I am going to try and be more involved with my two pods and get some discussions going.

As far as the “more”:

On pages 350 - 351 in The Translucent RevolutionJohn Prendergast shares the three possibilities that open up with a non-dual or translucent approach to therapy.  You might also call these three roles or responsibilities of the non-dual therapist.  Those three are:

1)  To facilitate our clients coming more into the fabric of now.  He states, “I invite a client to be very intimate with their immediate experience, with their body sensations, and to be as close to that as possible.”  He calls this “truth” with a small “t.”  Becoming aware of what their actual experience is in the present moment.

2)  Then comes the possibility of becoming more aware of who is experiencing this moment.  He calls this “capital 'T' Truth.”  The client begins to “witness” their present thoughts and feelings.  The question asked at this point is “Who is witnessing this?”  Our responsibility as therapists is to return people to the real Self.

3)  Finally, the role of the therapist is to help the client to question and dissolve beliefs that keep reality locked onto a certain gestalt or world-view.  This is where we ask such questions as “Is it true?”  He calls this a “deconstructive movement.”

These three roles or movements – bringing our clients more fully into the present moment of lived experience, bringing in spacious awareness / being / witnessing / Self, and deconstructing the thought-forms that block this awareness – seem to summarize very well the approach to therapy that is called non-dual.

Re: The Translucent Revolution

“These three roles or movements - bringing our clients more fully into the present moment of lived experience, bringing in spacious awareness / being / witnessing / Self, and deconstructing the thought-forms that block this awareness - seem to summarize very well the approach to therapy that is called non-dual.”

I cannot believe that I am responding to my own post.  However, I have not been able to stop thinking about the above three roles of a “translucent” or nondual therapist.  It seems that there are actually three toolsthat can be used in therapy to facilitate each movement.  Nondual therapists are usually not that keen on technique.  But, I am a fledgling nondual therapist, so maybe it will be OK for me. 

Technique #1 – Mindfulness meditation – defined as “awareness of present moment with acceptance” – the best technique for “bringing our clients more fully into the present moment of lived experience”

Technique #2 – The self-inquiry of Ramana Maharshi – “Who am I?”  “Who is witnessing this?”  “Who is aware of these thoughts and emotions?” – the best technique for “bringing in spacious awareness / being / witnessing / Self”

Technique #3 – The Work of Byron Katie – questioning our stressful thoughts and the stories that we believe that block our awareness of Truth – the best technique for “deconstructing the thought-forms that block this awareness”

A practice that incorporates some of each of these will be “killer.”  Also, a therapist who uses each of these in their own lives will be a “killer” therapist.  The one that I am the least knowledgeable of is Tech. #2, but I am learning more about it now.  I really need to take some courses / classes in mindfulness so that I can become more proficient at teaching it to others. 

I really find all of this very exciting.  I can certainly see developing a very successful therapy practice out of these three.  Hell, I could see developing a successful practice out of just The Work.  My only concern is the fact that social workers are expected to use empirically validated approaches to therapy.  I need to look into this more and see what the research shows.  I know that there have been many papers written about mindfulness.  I even have a textbook on using it in therapy.  Not too sure about the rest though.

Any thoughts from anyone else about this?