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VOICE DIALOGUE AS AN ENTRYWAY TO THE
TRANSPERSONAL
By
Jerien Koolbergen, Ph.D. &
Robert Stamboliev, M.A.
When California psychologists Hal and Sidra Stone developed Voice
Dialogue in the 1970's, it was their aim to set up a method which
might establish a link between Jungian concepts on the one hand
(Hal Stone was also trained as a psychoanalyst), and the transition
from Humanistic to Transpersonal Psychology on the other.
Voice Dialogue thus became an offshoot of the so-called Transformational
Psychology which had its origins in California at that time.
‘Transformation’ was to be an important principle of
Voice Dialogue, as it had become clear that no direct transition
was possible from the individually oriented Humanistic Psychology
to Transpersonal Psychology. Indeed, Maslow held that there existed
no effective technique in Transpersonal Psychology, and so it was
‘up to yourself’ to make any progress, mainly in the
form of meditation and visualization, with psychedelics offering
a shortcut to changing states of consciousness and preferably Enlightenment.
Hal and Sidra Stone found out that it was actually possible to transform
– in a practical manner – rigid, personal complexes
(which they called ‘subpersonalities’) into a balanced,
flowing energy system, often erasing the borders between the personal
and the transpersonal. After all, these borders are not fixed. They
are gradually being shifted, both in science (after the discovery
of quantum physics) and in psychology, progressively offering a
new paradigm in which science, religion and the so-called ‘spiritual’
may be unified.
The Stones developed their own model of consciousness and a method
based upon it, called Voice Dialogue. Dream work, visualization
and working with energy fields of the body is practiced from the
perspective of this consciousness model.
In the model, consciousness is considered as ‘awareness’
combined with the experiencing of energy patterns. The process of
consciousness takes place at three very distinct levels. On one
level different parts of the psyche, also called subpersonalities
or energy patterns are experienced. The next level is the awareness
of these parts. The third level is the level of the Ego.
The first level of consciousness is the Experiencing of energy patterns.
From this point of view everything in life is seen as an energy
pattern of one kind or another. The term ‘energy pattern’
refers to parts that are individually determined (subpersonalities)
and to parts of a universal nature (archetypes).
The second level, Awareness, is defined as ‘the ability to
perceive life and all its aspects without expressing an opinion
or a judgment and without feeling the need to influence what is
happening.’
The third level of the consciousness process is the Ego, the executive
power of our psyche, the part of us that makes choices.
Often, the Ego has let control slip away into the hands of a combination
of different subpersonalities. In this respect that which manifests
itself as the Ego may well be a combination of the so-called ‘Protector/Controller’,
‘Pusher’, ‘Pleaser’, ‘Perfectionist’
and ‘Inner Critic’. The Ego identifies itself with these
types of patterns.
At these three levels the subconscious plays an important role.
As soon as there is a small crack in the identification with certain
energy patterns, an individual appears to be much more susceptible
to messages from the subconscious. The ‘dream weaver’,
the intelligence within the subconscious that gives us our dreams,
becomes an active ally. However, we must learn how to interpret
these messages.
We see it as a crucial matter for individuals to ‘become aware’
of the energy patterns with which their Ego’s have identified
themselves. This leads to a process of fine-tuning of the Ego. The
idea of the ‘Aware Ego’, as introduced by Stone and
Stone, is a welcome addition to the formulation of theories within
consciousness work.
The best way to imagine the model is to regard consciousness as
a continuous flow of psychical energy. We will use the ancient image
of the Lemniscate to illustrate this flow of energies.
Awareness
The energy flows between the two poles, which we can call ‘positive’
and ‘negative’. Yin and Yang, vulnerability and power.
This is an archetypal process, and as such it is inherent to being
human. On the Yin-side we find subpersonalities as the ‘Vulnerable
Child’, the ‘Rebellious Son’ or ‘Rebellious
Daughter’, whereas the Yang-side contains such powerful subpersonalities
as the ‘Father’, the ‘Mother’ and the ‘Controller’.
We can conclude that there is a continuous flow between opposite
energies. However, Awareness is exempt from this pattern: it may
be aware of what is happening, but other than that it is of a totally
different nature. The Aware Ego has access to both the experiencing
of energy patterns and the level of Awareness itself.
The objectives of Transformational Psychology
It will be clear that Transformational Psychology aims at a transformation
– a change in the structure and nature – of consciousness.
The conscious objective of transformation may take place a the three
levels of consciousness: Experiencing energy patterns, Awareness
and the Ego.
Experiencing energy patterns
At this level several changes may take place. We call the energies
with which we have become totally identified – and which have
consequently become so big and strong as to have taken over our
lives completely – the primary selves. They may perhaps be
persuaded to slacken the reigns a little bit, to lose some of their
dictatorial features and be content with a more constructive role.
For example, a Critic who is bothering us most of the time, forever
running down everything we do and not do, may change because of
the transformation work and become part of the analytical mind.
The basis for another important transformation is the fact that
subpersonalities have evolved from our psychical instincts, the
archetypes. When working with subpersonalities, with the client
experiencing their energies, we will, in the course of a few sessions,
witness a shift, whereby they are transformed in the direction of
their universal archetypical core, as if a subpersonality is really
coming home to its own essence, the archetype. This essence has
not been individually determined by family and environment, but
is quite mythical and transpersonal.
In this way, a so-called Pusher can be transformed into a Warrior;
a Pleaser into a Goddess of Love; a Controller into the principle
of structure and order as attributed to the god Saturn; and a Frightened
Child into a pure Vulnerable Child expressing sensitivity and wisdom,
like the timeless fetus in Kubrick’s film 2001.
Energies which have been pushed away for a long time, forced into
the subconscious, are called disowned selves. A disowned self is
an energy pattern that has been banned from somebody’s life
partly or completely. It is an energy pattern that has been severely
punished in the past, every time it manifested itself. Such a punishment
may have been very subtle or very rough, like a psychological or
physical beating. For the individual to survive, the primary selves
have been forced to ban such energy patterns from his or her life.
They were considered totally unacceptable and therefore were suppressed,
though not destroyed completely.
This type of energy remains alive in our subconscious. From a
Jungian point of view the disowned selves are part of our shadow.
When we meet other people in dally life who carry these kinds of
disowned energies, our own corresponding energies start to vibrate.
But they make us feel uncomfortable, as they are attached to painful
memories from our past. Usually, in such situations, the way to
stop the emergence of the disowned energies is to criticize and
judge the other person.
By means of Voice Dialogue, disowned selves may be integrated
into the psyche, which makes it possible for the individual to use
them to his advantage. As a result more energy will become available.
Awareness
At the level of Awareness one becomes an objective witness, at it
were, of more aspects of oneself and one’s surroundings than
before consciousness work was started. One becomes conscious of
the energies with which the Ego had become identified, and of energies
that had been suppressed. It is possible to develop a larger Awareness
of the physical body and the energy body.
Awareness may exceed the personal boundaries and lead to transpersonal
experiences.
The Aware Ego
Everybody who has seriously worked with Voice Dialogue and has become
conscious of the identification with the primary system, is truly
capable of making choices. For he has let go of the identification
with the primary system which kept almost all available psychical
energy in check. Because of this, a better distribution of energy
in the psyche has been achieved, which leads to awareness of a different
condition of the Ego, which we call the Aware Ego.
This state of consciousnes is characterized by inner harmony,
a feeling of liberation and really being present, and an optimistic
expectation of new possibilities. And these possibilities exist,
in the quantum energy field in which we live, but we were not yet
aware of them, just as fish do not realize that water is the world
in which they live. This so-called Zero point energy field is described
by contemporary physics, and in it there exist all possible energies
and fields that for us are still transpersonal.
When in the Aware Ego-condition, we do not have to wait anymore
for possible peak experiences as described by Maslow, but we are
able to resonate, as it were, with higher energy frequencies from
the field, which will express itself through flashes of insight,
intuition or inspiration, feelings of love and compassion, and a
sharpening of the senses. This may lead to extrasensory perception,
powers of healing, and finally to a link with the Omnipresence of
That which we will not give a name.
If the Aware Ego in us feels this Presence, it will be present
itself and others will be able to resonate with it, too.
Methodology and directions for the beginner
(The main elements of Voice Dialogue)
The instructor (facilitator) will enter into a dialogue with the
different subpersonalities or archetypes. Each of them will be assigned
its own position in space in order to be identified separately,
without other subpersonalities or the Ego interfering.
In the next step Voice Dialogue will detach the Ego from the Primary
Selves and other subpersonalities that are collaborating. The Ego
is assigned its own position in the middle of the space.
Finally Voice Dialogue will introduce Awareness in the system. There
is a place for each of the subpersonalities that are experienced,
there is a place for the Ego which coordinates and acts, and there
is a place for Awareness, detached from all the others. The facilitator
gives a short and objective summary of the session. The individual
remains silent and is aware of everything that is happening from
this silent spot, without judging, without having to decide anything.
This is the moment of integration.
The attitude of the facilitator
‘The path is the goal’
The main point of departure when facilitating the Voice Dialogue
process, is being attentive and staying aware in the here and now.
The facilitator is working from his Aware Ego and has learned to
be energetically centered and unburdened. He is not attached to
the result of a session, his attitude is one of joint investigation,
rather than trying to solve a problem. Furthermore, the facilitator
himself serves as an instrument, in that he has learned to attune
his own energy system to that of the client. He then receives information
about the subpersonalities and archetypes that are active in the
client, through this principle of resonation. Subsequently applying
the principle of induction is a further step, by which the facilitator
consciously intensifies his corresponding energy in order to create
a field which enables the client to clearly experience his own energy
pattern and become aware of it.
Built-in protection
The fact that the primary selves are recognized and respected to
the full guarantees that there is a built-in protection in the work.
There is no attempt at forcing people to experience new and different
things behind the back of the Protector/Controller. In fact, the
name ‘Protector’ is an acknowledgment of the protective
function of this energy and has a much more positive ring to it
than the usual term of ‘resistance’.
It is exactly because the protective task of the primary selves
is taken seriously that Voice Dialogue work is so safe. Their function
originates in their attempt to protect our vulnerability, and this
must remain as it is. Only when they allow the investigation of
‘new’ energy patterns, the changes which occur in our
energy system may become permanent. This will lead to a harmonic
and balanced development of our different parts or selves.
Though the developing Aware Ego has now disidentified itself from
the primary selves, their protective function remains of value,
and the Ego will appreciate their assessment of choices in life
that have to be made.
Example of a Voice Dialogue session
This session has been described before in The Energetics of Voice
Dialogue by Robert Stamboliev.
(fictitious name)
The following case illustrates, step by step, the subtle movements
in the energetics of the facilitation process. The case exemplifies
an average Voice Dialogue session and will be described in detail
to demonstrate the energetic principles in process.
In one of my ongoing training groups I had the following session
with Alex, 45, the coordinator of a residential treatment center
for adolescents. His work included the coordination of the treatment
program and the financial organization of the center.
After experiencing a loss of energy in his work and private life,
he had joined my group because he felt a need to do some personal
transformational work. Before this session, one of my assistants
had introduced him to the work and familiarized him with its concepts.
In the session, I first spent some time finding the right working
place, and we then sat facing each other. Since Alex had a relatively
strong energy field, I asked some of the observers to move back
a little to allow enough working space.
After I sensed that we were sitting at the right place and at
the right distance, I asked Alex to take a moment to bring his attention
inward to focus on the issue he wanted to work with. While he did
so, I took the time to center and empty myself of thoughts. From
this centered position I opened myself energetically for higher
energies and visually connected with the center of the earth. With
my position centered and aligned, I was aware of my own energy fields
and chakras, and felt them begin to resonate with those of Alex.
Since the circulation of vital energy through the energy fields
and physical body is strongly connected to the breathing function,
our breathing patterns were also aligned when our energy fields
resonated in unison. With this alignment, I perceived that we were
part of a larger energy field that resonated in unison. As a facilitator
I was receptive and followed the movements in his energy system
in order to scan the state of his energies. What was evident to
me in this phase was the strong activity in Alex’s head area
and sixth chakra. I also noticed that his lower chakras were relatively
closed in comparison to the higher ones.
When we started talking, I asked Alex whether there was an area
in his life that he wanted to explore. He talked about his work
and said that he often felt tired and drained. After we discussed
his work situation briefly, it seemed evident to me that the prevailing
energy in Alex, the energy that he was most identified with, was
a very Rational Controller. I therefore suggested that he separate
this energy pattern out, in order to dialogue it.
Agreeing to my suggestion, Alex moved his chair a few feet to
his right side and found a place that seemed to fit the energy pattern.
I now opened myself energetically to the energy of his Rational
Controller. Its main center was indeed the head and the sixth chakra.
As I tuned more into it, I allowed the corresponding part of myself
to come forward, and I dropped into it. I let the rest of my energy
patterns fade to the background, but I did not lose my awareness
of them, for I knew they might give me information about possible
energy shifts. The process of bringing my corresponding energy pattern
forward encompassed a slight shift in my posture, so that I sat
more straight and with increased tension in my upper body, especially
the upper chest, neck and shoulder. I also experienced a concentration
of energy in my forehead and noticed increased activity in my sixth
chakra. I felt that my corresponding energy pattern had to do with
structure and keeping an overview of my activities. This entire
maneuver, tuning in and dropping, took no more than one second.
As I now talked with Alex’s Rational Controller, I let my
corresponding energy pattern be present in the conversation. I asked
the Rational Controller what it did in Alex’s life. Since
the energy pattern felt invited by my induction, it manifested easily.
It described itself as a controller. Its job was to take care of
Alex’s business and to provide structure in his life. It said
that it was present most of the time. It had a crisp and clear energetic
quality and seemed to do a lot of work for Alex. By asking many
specific questions about its modus operandi, I elicited valuable
information for the Awareness level that could later be processed
by the Aware Ego, and I also went on to explore and “stretch”
energy pattern.
First I explored how the Rational Controller operated for Alex
in his personal life. It apparently made daily schedules for Alex,
ranging from the letters it wanted him to write to making shopping
lists. It also did long-term planning for Alex’s career and
development.
When I went on to explore how it was present in Alex’s working
situation, we reached a deeper level of the energy pattern. Through
the principle of resonation I experienced that his sixth chakra
was now radiating more strongly and that his energy fields had expanded.
The Rational Controller said that it was present in Alex’s
working situation in order to take care of the overall structure
of the organization. As it went on to describe its activities in
doing so, it seemed to take on a large archetypal energy. It stated
that it kept track of organizational developments as well as the
functioning of many staff members – all the various elements
and structures that it had to handle and orchestrate. At this point
in the conversation, it also said that it had an intuitive or psychic
ability to detect any problems in the various levels of the organization.
By now the energy had shifted slightly, but it was still the same
energy pattern. It had been stretched, and I had got in touch with
its “core,” which I recognized as a truly Apollonian
archetype. After a few minutes of rather abstract conversation about
the nature of reality, the energy began to shift more noticeably.
Through the principle of resonation I experienced a decrease of
the energy, and I was also aware of a spot on the other side of
Alex that seemed to pull on his energies. I then checked to see
whether the Rational-Apollonian energy pattern had any more to say,
and I then suggested Alex move to the other side to see who was
there.
Alex then moved to a place at the left side of the Ego Space.
As soon as he did so, his energies shifted totally. It was as if
his weight had dropped and he experienced gravity for the first
time. His head, neck and shoulders relaxed, and he started to breathe
deeply and slowly.
Letting go of the first energy pattern in myself, I made myself
empty and receptive and, opening to the new part that manifested,
I experienced a complete shift of energy. The physical center of
the new part I perceived as being in the abdomen, and the lower
chakras began to open. I allowed myself to sink into my own corresponding
pattern in order to induce Alex further into it.
For a while we said nothing. The energy pattern seemed very tired
and needed time to relax. It was completely opposite from the previous
part. When I allowed the corresponding part of myself to come forward,
it was totally non-rational and could not care less about structure.
From this inner space I greeted the new part and just said “Hi!”
It raised its left hand and responded to my greeting with a low
grunt. It seemed very weary. Gradually, by just being there and
sinking into this space energetically, it started to talk. Its voice
was about an octave lower, and the words came out slowly, right
from the belly. Although the part was tired, I felt that it was
quite powerful. It said something like: “Jesus Christ, this
guy is nuts. Gimme a break… I’m fed up, really fed up
with this.”
As I really took my time to just be with this part and allow it
to feel its own energy, it somehow started to gain energy and speak
more. It said that it really hated structures and couldn’t
care less about what happened in Alex’s work. It just wanted
to be there and “hang out”. As I went on to explore
it, it told me that it liked being with “the guys” and
having a good time. At some point I experienced more sexual energy
coming in, through a stronger vibration of the second chakra, and
asked how it felt about women. Its grin became a devilish Jack Nicholson-smile,
and it now became quite alive. It told me more about what it liked
to do, given the chance.
Engaging this part released more and more energy, and created
a strong instinctual energy field in the room. We spent some time
just being with this energy. The essence of the part, expressed
in its own way, was a primordial energetic vibration that refused
to be structured in any way. When the energy had manifested fully
in Alex’s body and energy fields, I again detected a shift.
The first thing I noticed was a different vibration in my heart
chakra. As I tuned into Alex’s heart chakra, I sensed that
it had opened more. The instinctual energy now seemed to fade a
bit, and I asked Alex to move a bit to his left, where I sensed
that the new pattern was. The energy that now began to manifest
had a very strong heart quality. When I resonated with it, I experienced
a warm and “deep” feeling in my heart area. The energy
with which I resonated had a wise feminine quality. I let my own
corresponding energy come forward to induce the part of Alex that
now manifested.
Alex’s posture had changed; he sat very relaxed, one leg
over the other, and looked at me. When we spoke, the part described
itself as an elegant woman. It said that it liked to sit on a terrace
drinking a glass of wine and just watching people. It carried the
feeling side of Alex and was very refined. The voice was soft and
deep. It said that id could really connect with people’s essence.
It did not have high ambitions in terms of achieving things in life.
It enjoyed being there and would like to be there more. It also
had some advice for Alex about his work and said that it could help
him if he would allow space for it. This part had a very soothing
and healing energy, and the pattern itself felt very integrated
and harmonious, qualities I experienced not only in my heart chakra
but also in my whole energy field and body. After talking about
it about its areas of interest, I suggested going back to the Ego
Space, and it agreed.
We had worked for about an hour. Back in the Ego Space, Alex and
I both sensed energetically that it was time to end the session.
When he moved to the place of Awareness, I reviewed the session,
paying special attention to the energetic shifts that had taken
place so that he could witness and re-experience the energy patterns
from this vantage point. In the Ego Space again, we discussed the
session, and, after I had made sure that he felt balanced, we ended
the session.
In summary, the session clearly demonstrated the natural process
that takes place as a result of fully exploring the energy patterns.
When one pattern has been fully “stretched” with the
help of an energetically attuned facilitator, the energy will shift
to the other side of the polarity. After Alex’s Rational Controller
was stretched, the instinctual energies manifested. After them came
yet another opposite polarity, of a nature different from the first
one. By following and stimulating this natural flow through the
energetics of the work, Alex restored his balance and gained vitality.
The session proved to be an important breakthrough for Alex, and
helped him to find a new balance in his life. He began to disidentify
from the Rational Controller and to embrace the instinctual, devilish
side as well as the wise, feminine side.
Drs. Jerien Koolbergen is a clinical psychologist
and has worked as such for many years in a psychiatric half way-house.
She also had a private practice. In 1982 she came into contact with
Voice Dialogue, through Hal and Sidra Stone. From the very first
moment she was involved in developing Voice Dialogue work in The
Netherlands, and she is now a member of the Advisory Board of the
Institute for Transformational Psychology (ITP).
Robert Stamboliev, M.A. obtained a Master’s
degree in Psychology in California. In 1982 he came into contact
with Voice Dialogue and worked for a year in the United States under
the supervision of dr. Hal Stone. Together with Jerien Koolbergen
he developed the Voice Dialogue work in The Netherlands. Since 1984
he has been active as a trainer and facilitator, and he is the founder
and director of the Institute for Transformational Psychology in
Bergen, The Netherlands. He is the author of The Energetics of Voice
Dialogue (1988).
The authors can be reached through the
ITP, www.transformatiepsychologie.nl
- Lynne McTaggart, The Field – The Quest
for the Secret Force of the Universe, Quill/Harper Collins Publishers,
New York, 2001
- Miriam Dyak, The Voice Dialogue facilitators handbook, L.I.F.E.
Energy Press, Seattle, 1999
- Marius Romme en Sandra Escher, Accepting Voices, Mind Publications,
London, 1993
- Robert Stamboliev, The Energetics of Voice Dialogue, LifeRhythm,
Mendocino, CA 1988
- Hal en Sidra Stone, Embracing Our Selves, Nataraj Publishing,
Novato, CA, 1989
- Hal en Sidra Stone, Embracing Each Other, Nataraj Publishing,
Novato, CA, 1991
- Hal en Sidra Stone, Partnering, a new kind of relationship, New
World Library, Novato CA, 2000
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