Zerka

Here she is, Zerka T. Moreno in her rooms. Her house is at the end of a row on the perimeter of an enclosed community and backs on to a forest of beeches and dogwood. The community is on the outskirts of the city of Charlottesville, Virginia, USA. Being in her home and looking out of her windows I had the sense of being in the countryside. It was very peaceful. I felt uplifted and warm when I met with Zerka in May. It had been seven years since I’d last seen her in Jerusalem. She had come to dinner with Ted and myself and a small group of friends and acquaintances to celebrate Ted’s birthday. This time, blue eyes blazing with intensity and a fierce intelligence she talked about Moreno, the early years and the significance of Sociometry, subjects close to my heart. Approaching her 90th birthday on the 13th of June, Zerka is writing, conducting groups and meeting with people from all over the world. She has a warm companion, Dale who made us feel very welcome with the offer of cookies and drinks.

Sue Daniel

More Photos of the Winter banquet

Winter Banquet

Pleasant, Warm and Happy. These 3 words describe the Winter Meeting of the Moreno Psychodrama Society, Sunday 3 June 2007

Today we held a 21st Century Banquet at PIM. Tables were set in banquet style, harp and guitar music and some lovely piano concertos enhanced the warm and intimate atmosphere. One person said that when she walked in the door and saw the scene; white and red tablecloths, candles and people sitting around eating, she thought that there was a warm fire in the hearth, such was the warmth of the setting. Stories were told as we sat around the table, bringing much laughter, surprise and delight. The raffle was won by Margaret Shanahan, 2nd prize went to Lorraine Michael and Patricia Green received 3rd prize.

Katrina and Lethe Gaskin were there in spirit. They emailed a Prayer for the Feast which Sue read.

Karakia Kai o to Moreno Psychodrama Society 3 June 2007
(Food prayer)



Kua horahia te kai
Nä ngä atua i homai
Tane Mahuta
Haumiatiketike
Rongomatane
Tangaroa
Aroha taku kia koutou ki te kumara, ki te roast meat, ki te custard, ki te....
Kia ora koutou katoa.


This food has been laid out before us
Given to us by the atua (gods)
Tane god of forest
Haumia god of cultivated kai (foods)
Rongo god of kumara and peace
Tangaroa god of the sea
Love to you all for the potatoes, the roast meat, the custard ....

Thank you all!

XXXXX Lethe and Katrina who are with you in spirit always

Photograph from the 21st Century Banquet:

The Feast

An 11th Century Banquet.

The Moreno Psychodrama Society invites you to a 21st Century Feast as our Winter Gathering approaches on Sunday, 3 June 2007 from 1 – 3 p.m.
Please bring a banquet type food to share, something to drink and join in as we celebrate the life of our society.
Venue: PIM - 155 Langridge Street, Collingwood
Other festivities to be expected:
- gentle music
- story tellers chair
- raffle

RSVP to Sue, Nikki, Gillian or Patricia
or telephone PIM - 94163779

Theatre of Spontaneity - May 2007

On Friday 25 May the Moreno Psychodrama Society hosted the 4th Theatre of Spontaneity at PIM. The theme was 'Gardening'. Nikki Alderman warmed the audience up with a poem that she wrote, 'Seed by Seed'. Later Phil Smalley and Sue Daniel wrote some poems. Here are the three poems.

Poem No. 1

Seed by Seed

Seed by marvelous seed

Step by ever-changing step
Small and unsteady, rich with possibility
I need something to turn my dreams into reality

Speak to me, Water me, Feed me, See all the tiniest changes in me
Love me enough to grow

Sprout by dew-filled sprout
Stride by ever-changing stride
Childlike and playful, borne to the world
I need something to help me along the way

Sing to me, Dance with me, Water me, Feed me, See all the beauty I’m bringing into life
Love me enough to grow

Leaf by variegated leaf
Skip by ever-changing skip
New and inviting, strange at times yet delighting
I need something to make me want to stay

Give me light, make it bright, other leaves just like me and I also quite like variety
Love me enough to grow

Plant by emerging plant
Walk by ever-changing walk
Full of personality, distinctive by nature
I need something to take up my space in the world

Laugh with me, Talk to me, Water me, Feed me, Smell of my blossoms to lighten your day
Love me enough to grow


Tree by glorious tree
Leader by ever-changing leader
Dreamer and visionary, Flexing and responsive
I need something to help other things flow

Lean on me, Hug me, Make me to know….all of your wildest dreams
Love me enough to grow

Forest by expanding forest
World by ever-changing world
Simple and complex, cycles we know
I need something…..perhaps just a good sound earth for my expected berth

Yet…..I have what I need
I had forgotten I started as a seed

Nikki Alderman

Poem No. 2

In the garden of my mind

When I close my eyes,
Words, the seeds of feelings,
Grow in the soil of my soul.

Watering gently
With tears of love and sorrow,
Tiny shoots emerge,
Buds form with the promise of flowers.

A peace descends,
Then the excited chatter,
As eyes open to share stories of new dreams.

Distant hills and daffodils,
Shrubs and Hillocks,
Birds chorus in evening’s trees.

Time stands still
In the garden of my mind.

Phil Smalley

Poem No. 3

Buzzing Silence

Cicadas strum way out back
Wooden wind chimes clap
Dappled light brings
Soft sounds of butterfly wings

Sue Daniel

Kia Ora from Waikanae Beach

Well here we are in the Land of the Long White Cloud.

Just thought I’d post a few pics. We are having a relatively nice little holiday over here so far. The seagulls drop pipis on our flat roof to get them open. Its like being bombed. Everywhere we look is another postcard picture I’m sitting here looking at the sea today which is calm and three shades of blue. Kapiti Island is a clear view today too with not so many clouds.

Sam is staying with us at the moment. That’s him up there balancing on the fence at one of the lookouts. We enjoyed a visit from Kath Kelly not long ago too - didn’t want to let her go! Just a big hint that yes we do miss our Australian friends and psychodrama community. I’m loving being able to look at the blog. Went to Wanganui on Friday for a Tangi (funeral) at the Putiki Pa. My Mum’s cousin died. That was a cultural experience and a half. Met some relatives I have never met before. There were at least a few hundred people there. Stirred up a lot of old memories. There was some beautiful voices and some beautiful songs sang. Lethe and I are doing Maori language classes and having a ball.

Love to you all

Arohanui

Katrina Gaskin

April 2007

Back to Austria

Dear Sue

We are back home since yesterday and are happy that everything went well. We enjoyed our trip along the Great Ocean Road to Kangaroo Island with many breathtaking sceneries and great encounters with friendly Australian people and animals. Even the tiger snake that passed my way at the end presented only its beauty and not its teeth.

We listened all the way to your music selection and were able to sing the songs karaoke training) at the end. The music kept Udo awake during driving and brought all the memories back. The meetings of the Moreno Psychodrama Society, the sociometry workshop, the talks about theory, the invitation to your home with Australian barbecue and karaoke, the meeting at our place with the charade, the summer gathering at the institute, listening to the opera together and the Boxing Day in the bush playing Uno with so many friends.

We played a lot with the guessing machine Jakob received. It found out nearly everything except the hat Udo wore the whole time. He found a lot of little coloured feathers of parrots and put them on his hat and looked at the end like a real Australian.

Back home I still can smoothen my hands with the hand cream and the scent let me dream of our Australian adventure.

Thank you and Ted for your love

Jutta

20 January 2007

Psychodrama: Advances in Theory and Practice

About the Title:

Psychodrama: Advances in Theory and Practice provides a comprehensive overview of developments in the theory and practice of psychodrama, integrating different psychodramatic schools of thought.

Psychodrama is one of the pioneering approaches of psychotherapy and is practised by thousands of practitioners and in most countries of the world. The editors of this volume bring together contributions from Europe, South America, Australia, Israel and the USA to explain and explore recent innovations. They look at how psychodrama has contributed to the development of psychotherapy, introducing concepts that have had a profound influence on other therapies. These include concepts such as role theory, the encounter, the co-unconscious, the social atom, sociometry, action research, group psychotherapy, the cycle of spontaneity and creativity, role play and many related concepts and techniques.

This book will be of great interest to all students, practitioners and trainers in the field of psychodrama. It will also appeal to professionals and students in the related fields of psychotherapy, counselling, psychology and psychiatry.

Contributors

Ancelin-Schützenberger, Baim, Bannister, Blatner, Burmeister, Casson, Cukier, Daniel, Gasseau, Guerrero, Hudgins, Hug, Kellermann, Kipper, Knobel, Maciel, Miller, Oudijk, Villares-Oliveira, Pio –Abreu, Remer, Riding-Malon, Risques, Scategni, Schacht, Verhofstadt, Vieira, Wieser.

Reviews

At last, a book series that will help to make the ideal of effective continuing professional development in the fields of psychotherapy and counselling more of a reality. Without being partisan or requiring an unrealistically high level of existing knowledge, the books offer a unique opportunity for experienced practitioners and advanced students to encounter the cutting edge of theory in their particular theoretical model. - Andrew Samuels, Professor of Analytical Psychology, University of Essex

This book represents the first global project in psychodramatic literature in the 21st century. The outstanding benefits of psychodrama, sociometry and group psychotherapy have spread across the globe. All of the human sciences are increasingly benefiting from approaches that have grown out of the introduction of the psychodramatic stage and its related healing techniques. [...] What joy to give this miraculous product of human creativity into the reader's care. - Grete A. Leutz, MD, Founder of the Moreno Institute for Psychodrama, Sociometry and Group Psychotherapy, Ãœberlingen, Germany; Fellow of the International Association of Group Psychotherapy

This volume pays homage to the genius of J. L. Moreno, who has inspired us all. The element that is basic to all of the instruments he gave us is that of The Encounter: eye-to-eye, face-to-face, nothing standing between us. His activities underscore the need for all of us to continue to join him in his endeavour to enable The Encounter. May this book be part of that endeavour. - Zerka T. Moreno, co-creator of psychodrama, sociometry and group psychotherapy.

List Price: £19.99

ISBN: 9780415419147

ISBN-10: 041541914X

Publisher: Routledge

Publication Date: 15/05/2007

Pages: 320

Available for Pre-order

Binding(s): Paperback

The girls ‘thank you’

By Leah Shmerling

It is not often that your children sincerely thank parents for their efforts in raising them and appreciate the sacrifices for sending them to a private school. On Wednesday December 27, 2006, our girls: Ilana, Tammy and Michelle arranged that we celebrate parenthood, making them the special girls that they are and the financial sacrifices that we made to send them to a private school. The night began with pre-drinks and a presentation of a huge ‘thank you’ card and the gift of a collage of the girls’ school days: sample reports, photos of special occasions and events at school – their primary school, Batmitzvah, primary school graduation, sports day, swimming carnivals, deb ball and with their special friends. The collage was sentimental as we remembered and discussed the stories and laughs related to each picture. A very special restaurant was booked as a thank you for all our love and efforts. It is very worthwhile and rewarding when the girls appreciate and celebrate their life and our part in their journey.

Alexandros and Paris Golding arrive into our world

Paris

Alexandros

For those of you who do not know, on the 26th of February Ioanna and I welcomed Alexandros (Alexander) and Paris Golding into our world. Alexandros was born very small 1650 grams and Paris 2070 grams. Both boys are under observation for a while due to their size but they are fit and well and will grow to be big and strong boys. Ioanna is doing great and hopefully in about a week or so the boys will be home with us.

When Ioanna is home I am sure she will update you all and fill you in with other details.

Bye for now

James Golding