Essence of the Work
Each person is unique and important for all the processes they are part of. It is by being in relation that they develop their being, as in a dance between the internal and external world. From conflicts to overcoming obstacles, they become capable of seeing themselves in a more mature way, broadening their view of the world and of others. By welcoming differences and embracing themselves in differences, they develop the ability to give their best in their various relationships.
I believe that living an authentic life requires creative transformation. The work of transformation takes place in constant cycles that, with experience and learning about themselves and the world, always point out a new beginning—more stimulating and complete.
Therapeutic Approaches
The approaches that support my work are part of my personal path, because my self-development and my own experience are in fact my greatest strengths to carry out my work.
Occupational therapy, my academic training, looks at humans as a being who is in constant action and who becomes a human being through their accomplishments. Based on neurology and occupational science, this approach provides a practical look at understanding our needs as human beings and how to be in life, whatever that may be.
The work on oneself—a concept by George Ivanovitch Gurdjieff (1866-1949)—deals with the development of states of consciousness at all levels. The evolution of consciousness is made possible through knowledge of the Self, which in turn leads to the Great Knowledge. Knowing oneself, however, does not mean looking outside, but being surprised in a moment of fullness. At that moment, there is no longer an inside and outside, but a presence in oneself. Knowing means being.
Gurdjieff's teaching is directly connected to Sufism, the Islamic esotericism. This path brings a deep and integrative vision of the individual in which devotion and spirituality are inseparable parts of the psychic constitution, of the development of the being and of consciousness. The ego is part of the human being as matter in earthly life. From this perspective, the path of ego reduction is the method for developing essence, and it is thus both a process of self-knowledge and a spiritual path. Awakening happens, therefore, in slow steps, with each realization and with each desire to go beyond oneself.
Gestalt Therapy is a phenomenological therapeutic approach developed by Fritz Perls. Cláudio Naranjo, a student of Perls and with whom I learned, continued the evolution of Gestalt Therapy.
In Naranjo's conception, there is respect for the question of the person. More than an intention to effect changes, it is a posture of accepting the person as they are.
Living in the present is to be in life as a process—and living our lives is all it takes to keep the flow going. Therefore, a change takes place through presence, when the person becomes aware of their own responsibility. By being responsible for themself, the individual learns through the simple experience of being, not needing to try to be what they are not.
To be a Gestalt Therapist is to be attentive to the phenomenon, to be affected by what is happening, making myself present by accompanying the presence of the other in their journey of self-discovery. In Gestalt Therapy, the value is more in action than in words, more in experience than in thoughts, more in the living process of interaction than in influential beliefs.
Family constellation brings a broad and phenomenological systemic view that looks at the person as part of a system that influences not only their own actions and feelings but also those of a group of people. Bert Hellinger, the founder of this knowledge, claims that the understanding of what family constellation is has evolved over time. Rupert Sheldrake speaks of morphogenetic fields to explain the role and effect of the systemic constellation. The morphogenetic fields are a force field in which certain patterns that were there continue to act through time, through compulsion, resonance and repetition. From within the strength of the field, there is no drive of its own to break this trend. To sever it, it is necessary to be able to leave this field, enter a higher level and from there start a new one, being courageously exposed to it.
In this way, the constellation is a living process that requires strength and courage from the person to expose themself to this discovery and transformation. The transition to a higher level of consciousness has something religious in the sense that the individual surrenders to something greater than themself. The subject is willing to let go of a narrow vision, to move to something broader and to trust that this greater force will guide them.
In this process, the constellator positions themself and acts as a philosopher, that is, as one who investigates the essence from the multiplicity of phenomena. This person exposes themself to what is revealed simply as it is and becomes internally empty, without intentions, without fear and without drawing on previous knowledge. Then, like lightning, the next essential step is revealed to them, prompting them to move. Knowledge of the essence is never a generalized truth. It is just an indication as to the next step that is possible and needs to be taken. When that step is taken, everything starts again.
Behind the technical approaches themselves, there are transversal bases for all processes. One of these bases is the physical body, here and now, where everything happens. The body that feels, moves, keeps, and that contains all existence. It is about the body as the origin of self-perception, memory, sensations, movement; body as the vehicle through which the deep understanding of the Self emerges.
Nature, in turn, underlies everything. It is the environment to which the human being belongs and is part of, where there is a connection with something bigger and the primary support of life. Nature's way means having nature as your guide in the journey of life. Whether in an immersive retreat in nature, meditation or just contemplation, the connection with nature is part of the processes both as a result and as an environment.
The power of music—sacred, devotional and by great composers—is a vital support for self-knowledge and devotion. Music provides healing beyond intellectual understanding, a dive into oneself or support to go deeper into self-inquiry.
Drawing on Sufi knowledge and other sources such as Claudio Naranjo and the Gurdjieff school, the sacred enneagram is an important foundation for group and individual processes. The enneagram is a symbol that offers many teachings, ranging from cosmology and the development of the ego to the path of overcoming and opening to the essence. This knowledge provides an understanding of the one in the whole, and the whole in the one, as well as the possible development of oneself towards evolution or involution.
As a consequence and integration of all experiences, I immersed myself in collaborative projects and processes as this was an opportunity to receive shocks from living with human diversity. With this intention, I integrated my experience in the therapeutic field with methods of creating collaborative projects, being Dragon Dreaming the knowledge that I delved into the most because it is the broadest and integrates the person and their environment in a harmonious and essential way.