Babies in PIM

Love and good wishes to Hien Bui (Level 2) and her husband, Peter and son Johnathan, on the 27th of May arrival of daughter and sister, Mayella, and also to Brigitte Walker (Level 3) and husband Marty and young son Leo, on the arrival of a son and brother, Noah, born on 5 June 2008.

From your peers and colleagues at PIM.

The Warm Up

Not sure How
It all happened,
This Warm Up
Shared Last Week.

We need
O2!
And,
H2O!
We said.

Release!
This CO2.
Take In!
O2 – Sue Said.

And Breath,
And Live.
Spontaneously.

Electrons,
Positrons,
Nuclear Cosmology!

The Dramas that Unfolded.
So full of life and dreams!

Not sure How It All Happened,
This Warm Up
Shared Last Week.

No lower level Nucleons (Protons, Neutrons),
In our
Spontaneity!

Our Dramas
That Unfolded
Were filled
With
Chemistry.

Liliana Melone

Animator - a 'moving cartoon' via Olga

Olga Nikitina, (Level 1) sent this little moving cartoon which she discovered recently, a fitting mirror for the Theatre of Spontaneity last Friday night. Patricia Green and Rachael Zyznikow were the leaders for the evening. The following sharing is also from Olga:

I wanted to thank you and the directors for the wonderful Theatre of Spontaneity session yesterday, what a journey a dance of life turned out to be, from the story of the Creation and Babel tower to the small piece of the Werribee land. The world hasn't changed all that much in five thousand years - people still sit by the river and weep, hope and dream and they are still working out a solution of working and living together peacefully.

I worked out for myself that I get the most benefit from the psychodrama sessions by participating as much as possible and I went through a number of motions yesterday - from juggling two balls while everyone else was absorbed in their own dance, to skipping and jumping through the flow of people in the crowded street, I was imagining myself to be a character from Isaac Azimov's book - in this book the city was highly technically advanced and there were no cars, people moved standing on the running tracks which covered the entire city, only for the teenagers of this city the speed wasn't enough and they played a game by jumping from the track to track and overtaking other passengers, there was not much meaning in my movement, pure desire of speed and the experience of lightness and energy, but also the joy that we have talked about in the sharing - the joy of moving freely and yet cooperating with the crowd and not hindering the movement of everyone else.

After this came the dance, and the sensual rhythm of the African drums and how wonderful it was to see a person transformed, her whole body flexible, flowing, alive. I've joined in, initially thinking of playing a strong African man, but I couldn't quite get into the role and changed to a more self-conscious shy African girl learning from her more experienced friend. This sensuality carried through to the next scene, although I wasn't really aware of it until I thought about it later, I was immediately attracted to the story of the small piece of indigenous land and the new brave builders who are going to look after it and I almost jumped out of my seat when the river was introduced, I knew I was the River. I loved the idea of the wild and strangled river and wanted to be the constant flow of water that changes its rhythm depending on season, rain, dams, the intrusion of people, the river takes everything in, struggles and still keeps going, flowing through, washing out the old troubles, cleansing the face of the young girl, who became thirsty thirty years ago and turning the bones of the old kangaroo that passed away hundreds of years ago whiter than white.

Somehow, I missed the connection with the land, I was the River and I was the Water, the Flow, but there was no ground, the river was shifting and turning in its bed and I forgot about the Earth and then the someone came to the role and showed me the sexuality of the River and its union with the Earth and I was dumbstruck about how I have missed it, and yet later in the sharing she said that she saw it in me, and that surprises me even more, that I could miss or ignore something that was so strongly present already, so I went back and tried to be the new river, lying now on my back, comfortably and to be sensual and open and suddenly I was aware of the people looking at me in this way and it made me a bit self-conscious again but I told myself to relax and let the energy just flow and be myself. And then the strangest thing happened - the people have gathered all around me, standing above me and singing, enclosing me in a warm circle and I could feel the love flowing from them to me, lifting me up and holding, if I truly was the river, there would be water evaporating from my surface and rainbows dancing in the little droplets. I was so moved I started to cry, I was immersed in love and I was Love.

But then the song finished and it was time to share our experiences with each other, as I hope you will share your response to my entry. I also wanted to share with everyone this cartoon about the Creation which ties in perfectly with our theatre and our dance.

Hope you enjoy it and thank you, Olya

Moreno Psychodrama Society - Winter Gathering - Sunday 1st June 2008

A reminder to all that the Winter Gathering of our Society is this coming Sunday, 1st of June from 2 - 5 p.m.

Who are we? This Sunday we will present in action aspects of our work, training, perhaps a moment, a new step or a growing edge. Poems and songs welcome!

Afternoon Tea: 3.45 - 4.15 p.m (Please bring a plate)

Danielle Forer will present aspects of her recent journey to and work in Bangladesh (see her invitation further in this newsletter). Danielle collaborated with Herb Propper, Psychodramatist from Vermont, USA and co-led the National Therapeutic Theatre Workshop '08 with him. This event consisted of a series of trainings in psychodrama, sociometry and sociodrama, 14 - 25 March, under the auspices of the Bangladesh Therapeutic Theatre Institute (BTTI), which is a wing of Unite Theatre for Social Action (UTSA) in Chittagong.

RSVP to Sue, Gillian, Nikki or Patricia or telephone (03) 9416 3779

Theatre of Spontaneity - Friday 30 May 2008

Viva il ballo a tondo a tondo
Sonno un re, son un bascia
Il piu bel piacer del mondo
La piu cara volunta!

Dance around and round forever
I am a King, I am a Pasha
It is the most delightful pleasure in the world
The sweetest enjoyment!

(La Danza {Rossini:Pepoli}).

The Theatre of Spontaneity Presents…


The Dance of Life…..

Patricia Green with Rachael Zyznikow are leading this evening. Come and enjoy their magic. It will be a night of inspiration and intrigue.

Tickets at the door: $20.00 ($15.00 for members of the Moreno Psychodrama Society)

Venue: The Psychodrama Institute of Melbourne, 155 Langridge St, Collingwood

Time: 7.30 -10.30 p.m

RSVP to PIM (03) 9416 3779

Graphics courtesy of Liliana Melone

From where does "Tele" come?

You are invited to attend the

2nd READING GROUP for 2008 at PIM

Topic: Does “Tele” arise from the Limbic System?

Discussant: Sue Daniel

Date & Time: Friday, 30 May from 12.45 – 1.45 p.m
155 Langridge St
Collingwood

Meeting at 12:30 p.m for a 12:45 p.m start, this is the second of a one-hour series of reading seminars for those interested in the theory, practice and philosophy of J. L. Moreno in relation to other writers.
In this second seminar Sue will focus on Moreno’s concept of "Tele" in relation to the Limbic system in the human brain. The reading material (see below) is compiled to assist us in our discussion. There is a donation of $10.00, which will be used to maintain and expand the PIM library. Bring your own lunch, freshly brewed coffee, teas and biscuits are supplied.

Copies of the above material is available for those attending the reading group. Call Sue on 9416 3779

References:
1. Foundations of Sociometry (pages 48 -54), and Extension of Tele Theory, Its Position within the Sociometric System (pages 325 – 328) in Who Shall Survive? by J. L. Moreno (1934)
2. The Bridge Between Worlds (pages 50 – 54) in A General Theory of Love by Thomas Lewis, Fari Amini & Richard Lannon (2001)

2008 Reading Group Dates:
Fridays: 29 February, 30 May, 29 August and 24 October, 12.45 – 1.45 p.m.

From little things, big things grow

In March 2008 I travelled to Bangladesh to conduct Psychodrama training with Herb Propper from the USA. I will share some of the experiences from my trip at the next Moreno Psychodrama Society meeting on Sunday, 1st of June.

Herb began conducting workshops in Bangladesh 6 years ago and from a small group, there is now a strong network of people enthusiastic about Psychodrama in Bangladesh.

Their response to the 2007 cyclone which displaced 8 million people was amazing. Creating magic after devastation, the Bangladeshi Therapeutic Theatre Network have been using Psychodrama in incredibly inspiring ways and making a bid difference to their community.

I look forward to sharing the experience with you.

Danielle Forer

Spinning Straw into Gold

Psychodramatic Principles in the Field of Addiction

Director: Nikki Alderman

Saturday, 5 July from 10 am – 5.30 pm

This workshop is for any practitioner who works with individuals, families or groups affected by addiction. The application of psychodrama in this field works with a focus on the adequate roles people bring to the therapeutic space – the things that have worked but have gone unseen. The fairy story of Rumpelstiltskin provides inspiration as the young woman may not have known how to spin straw into gold herself but she knew someone who could. Often our most creative resources for change and personal development are those roles in ourselves barely noticed or taken for granted in the face of life’s bigger challenges like addiction.

Venue: Psychodrama Institute of Melbourne, 155 Langridge Street, Collingwood
Fee: $135.00 (Deposit $50.00 due by Friday the 27th of June)
Enquiries: PIM (03) 9416 3779 or to Nikki on 0418 134 749

Members and Overseas News

Danielle Forer recently completed a series of workshops in Bangladesh, namely in Chittagong and Dhakar. She worked with Herb Propper who established the training programs in Bangladesh. This was Herb's sixth visit to Bangladesh since 2003. He has been conducting trainings in psychodrama, sociodrama and sociometry as part of the National Therapeutic Theatre Training Workshops. Danielle will present something about her time in Bangladesh at the Moreno Psychodrama Society Winter Meeting, on June 1, 2008 (2 - 5 p.m)

Sue Daniel conducted a pre-conference workshop on role theory at the April Conference of the American Society of Group Psychotherapy and Psychodrama (ASGPP). Her session was "Our Ancestors Walk Beside Us". Sue was recently appointed to the Executive Council of the ASGPP by the President, John Rasberry. Sue is also working toward the Rome Congress in August 2009 as a member of the Scientific Program Committee. The Rome Congress is the Triennial Congress of the International Association of Group Psychotherapy and Group Processes (IAGP). Early Bird registrations can be easily made on-line from the website www.iagpcongress.org by May, 31. Submissions for sessions are now open.

Dora Oliver, Jenny Clifton and Jil Toovey have completed all the requirements toward their psychodrama director certifications and are now fully fledged, Psychodramatists. Congratulations Dora, Jenny and Jil.

Emily Lumbers is now living at Digger's Beach, Coffs Harbour while Helen Fryer and Joan Murray have moved to live in Hobart, Tasmania.

J. L. Moreno's House in Bad Voslau, Austria. He lived here from 1918 - 1925.

Boy or Girl! Additions to the PIM Library

New Projects and Papers:

75. Jenny Clifton - Stepping Out: Moving from the head of my wisdom into the body of my wisdom.

76. Jenny Clifton - Managing those 'oh-shit' moments: When thinking small is thinking big.

77. Sue Benham - Kissed by the Sun.

78. Dora Oliver - Script of Life

New (Old) Books

The Essential Moreno - Ed. Jonathon Fox

Jacob Levy Moreno 1889-1974: Father of Psychodrama, Sociometry and Group Psychotherapy - Rene F. Marineau