Last 4 months I have been in the process of learning Psychodrama.
Definition : Psychodrama is an action method, often used as a psychotherapy, in which clients use spontaneous dramatization, role playing, and dramatic self-presentation to investigate and gain insight into their lives
Having experimented and tried out talk therapy, I find this method use more body and spontaneity.
I got attracted to it for two Important reasons.
One – it is about ACTION and not just talking about actions, which can be exhausting after repeating the saaaammmeee story again and again. I have often found the talking very moving, sure – but very little Movement.
Two – it is about healing in a Group, in a collective.
I had often wondered how can hurts that got created as a result of being in some kind of group, (family, school etc.) be healed alone? And why must they. We are after all an Interconnected system. So why should healing not be interconnected?
Psychodrama helped answer both these questions.
I have long since felt our ways of Individual transformation, individually- is way overrated. Like the discovery of Fire as one of Man’s big achievements.
Sure, fire is important in transformation, food production etc.
I am a Fire Sign. I know.
And yet, as I contemplate the Natural world, nature, and biomimicry ..I have been wondering.. If there were more gentle, more subtle ways of this transformation.
Ways of transforming that are kinder and more Inclusive- perhaps than fire? Surely not everything needed Fire
As it turns out when one stays long enough ..something does open. Nature is generously rewarding to Patience and curiosity. But before I share my Biomimicry Insight, a little definition.
Definition : Biomimicry is learning from and then emulating nature’s forms, processes, and ecosystems to create more sustainable designs.
OK – Some Context: – Back to Psychodrama.
In the last module that I am just back from, (10 days) I got to experience this.
I was in Chennai, and went to the Mahabalipuram beach one morning, and saw something, I was witnessing for the first time in my life – Sunrise.
Wait, don’t eye roll. (I tell myself) – it is Drama, after all.
As someone from Goa, and Mumbai, I have ONLY seen the Sun set in an Ocean. And rise from Mountains. I drew like that for years.
I had NEVER seen Sun rising from the Ocean. We don’t notice what we don’t notice.
I had so many mixed emotions at that time.
Like the Sun rising from the Mountains, my own strengths often arose from a place of Being like the Mountain, strong – solid. And my Sun, uptill now, somehow went down into the ocean and water. The association is not too difficult to see.
It was surreal.
And with this Sun, something inside of me also felt like it was rising from the depths of the Ocean.
Finally coming out. And ready to reclaim my place in the Sky. From a place of depth and emotional fluidity. I was crying for joy.
All these insights came, spontaneously, when this scene was enacted as a drama in the class. And the Sun and I had a conversation. What I have been feeling for the last few years between the Sun and me now had words and expression. And I FINALLY felt seen.
The Room, all others “Doubled” this Sun. and its light and energy. It was TOO huge to be contained by one person anyway. It was a HUGE relief. And I did not even know I had this held back inside me all along.
My drama was titled – “The Rising Sun” – Not to get too creative here I thought
In the following days , more things happened for me and everyone. As if this SUN energy was being used for the transformation. “Stuff”, dark, evil, hidden in closets and shadows came out and were seen and transformed.
At many points , I felt, as many others, I did not know where I ended and others began. The GROUP was ONE entity. The auxiliary Roles that were played were doing their work alongside as well. This Simultaneity was Magical
Ok, Now – back to Biomimicry.
I have been in this field of “Transformation” for over two decades. And I have seen many ways. Most of them … Heat beat and treat. , as a metallurgist would put it. All of course with Good Intention.
But, we are NOT metals. My mind would argue. So, here is what I stumbled on, as I pondered over the The Rising Sun experience and seeing how Light transforms.
Nature also uses the light to transform. It’s called Photosynthesis.
Yes yes … we ALL learnt it in school. But I am now making the connection.
Simply put :
Photosynthesis is the process by which plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to create oxygen and energy in the form of sugar.
These sugars (glucose) are then sent to the roots, stems, leaves, fruits, flowers and seeds. In other words, these sugars are used by the plants as an energy source, which helps them sustain and grow.
The word “photosynthesis” is derived from the Greek words phōs ( “synthesis“. Phōs means “light” and Synthesis means, “combining together.”
This means “combining together with the help of light.”. I can say this about many parts of me, and the many group members coming together.
This is amazing at so many levels. And hence Plants are my teachers.
Plants take:
Water (H2O) from the Earth. – Caron dioxide (CO2) from the Air. – Light From the SUN .
To NOT ONLY create food for itself (Glucose) – But also Oxygen – for humans and animals)
Photosynthesis, is such a gentle, subtle way of Nature to create Transformation that not just benefits the “Individual” plants, but also contribute to the wellbeing of others.
Another amazing thing, it does not treat the Carbon Dioxide (CO2) as “poison”(the way we humans see it). But instead uses it as a “Building Block” – combined with water and light to make something that grows.
A lot like what we did in the psychodrama, me thinks , using the “Stuff”, (dark-hidden) to mix with the water and light to transform.
This way of transforming, perhaps is more organic, natural and sustainable ways.
Psychodrama for me is like the process of Photosynthesis.
Quiet, subtle, powerful, collaborative, continuous, self-sustaining and silently transformative.
AND that NEEDS a Tribe and in the process let the rest of the world – Breathe. A little more freely
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