Tuesday Double Circle meeting

The meeting yesterday with K H and G H  and C  M  shook me up a bit.  I had planned on canning the entire operation of the double circle and dropping back for about six months or more; but they had other ideas and I respect that.  I realize how fragile and often worthless the individual ego is and how strengthening several people acting in good faith can transform everything I was thinking into something much better. A whole host of diagrams were brought and an entire chapter outline was presented at the meeting.  So we go forth.  That evening I met with RH and he seconded the motion to continue the project of the double circle.  In a manner of speaking the meeting helped me visualize what the double circle concept is all about.

In the first place the two circles have the effect of softening but strengthening the impact of the meeting.  The two people acting as a dyad also soften the individual egos of those two people allowing for the emergence of a deeper experience.  It is not an experience of the self but experience of the other as well.  I believe that much of what is happening is nonverbal and not easily traced without causing interruption and distortion.  So the whole matter of videotaping or recording is probably out in favor of an allowance of spiritual development rather than public exposition.  We decided to find terminology that would help simplify what are driving at.  So to begin with  we decided at least temporarily to drop the term dyad in favor of buddy.  It was agreed again temporarily that we are seeking dialogue over discussion.  We are seeking we-go over ego.  And we want to be able to visualize as much as possible what we are about on a minute-to-minute basis. So the buddies are the we-go and the individual is the ego.

Just what is we-go over ego?  When the group convenes it has a decision as to how it is to function and how it is to be directed.  In my opinion a process group is one in which there is no agenda to be fostered by the leader or a conspiracy of several.  But rather a group is dealing with the minute-to-minute process of what lurks in the hearts and minds of those in the circle.  They must however develop a sense of inclusion.  This means that they strongly feel that they belong in this group, pleasant or unpleasant, enriching or boring, too complicated or too simple, or simply unfathomable. There are implicit issues.  To borrow from David Bohm, there is an implicate order in the universe and our group in this moment is seeking to bring forth from the bottom-up a dialogue about crucial issues affecting how we live and avoid perishing on this fragile planet.  In the implicate order there is an assumption that though evil may abound in the world this group interaction has an overarching altruistic spirit.  Individual egos are dealt with by the arrangement of the two circles and the arrangement of the buddies or pairs. 

This blog is intended to become  something that the group folks are all contributing to and have an opportunity to add or subtract or even embellish what is already here.  But most importantly we need to simplify what we are talking about so that the Heart can understand it.

 I am posting a letter written to me my friend and colleague after reading the Power of the Double Circle:

Phil, I want to congratulate you on publishing your book, "The Power of the Double Circle". I have just finished reading it and I was delighted to learn more of your own life journey and to see how it has been reflected in the creation of the book. I was also extremely pleased to learn about your many years of working with groups and how you have learned from your patients. At times it seems too many psychiatrists see themselves only in the role of the teacher and not also as the learner. You have not done that but have stressed the importance of being human and  being a supportive person with your patients. This means you know the importance of being a good listener. 

Since I have not done a lot of group therapy I was not familiar with some of the concepts- such as  the "bottom up"   approach in groups. For the past few years I have been trying to learn more about the brain and in the neuroscience literature they also talk of "top down" vs "bottom up" approach but it has to with which part of the brain is becoming activated and showing its dominance and control over another part. By the time I got to the end of your book I was able to see similarities between the different concepts.

Most of all I want to say how pleased I was to see you talk of spirit in your book. To me we are one "BodyMindSpirit" unit and sadly this is not often recognized by many psychiatrists. 

I want to wish you much happiness as you continue your own journey. 

Best wishes. G