On November 3, 1989, Silo, founder and promoter of the New Humanism movement, presented his book “Guided Experiences” at the Athenaeum theater in Madrid.
To watch the video (39′ 24′′) with French subtitles on a computer: 1. Click on the icon Subtitles (white rectangle at the bottom right of the video player window). 2. Click on the icon Settings (gear wheel at the bottom right), then successively click on Subtitlesthen on Translate automatically. 3. In the window that opens, scroll down the list of languages and click French.
In the preliminary commentary to the work, J. Valinsky states: “Generally, in any literary piece, the reader or spectator (whether in theatrical performances, films or television) can more or less identify with the characters and yet recognize differences, at the time or later , between the actor who is in the work, and the observer who is “outside” the production, and who is none other than himself. In this book, the opposite happens: the character is the observer, the subject and the object of actions and emotions.
Thus, this series of stories and games of images in which the work is part presents scenographies, a sort of mental theater designed by the author, with the aim of allowing everyone to work deep within on their own mental contents.
The fact of discovering these images which nestle in our memory, which make up our imagination, and are woven into the present, constituting what we claim to be “reality”, is of incalculable value. And undoubtedly the simple act of participating in some of these guided experiences will give the reader or listener the opportunity to glimpse how scenarios conducive to a better relationship with others, and with oneself, can be modified and products.
In this regard, on the occasion of this presentation and commenting on the guided experience “The big mistake”, Silo said:
“As it is a fact that must be modified in the past, a fact of our life which we would like to have happened in another way, we must produce spatio-temporal alterations which modify the perception of phenomena and end up modifying the perspective from which we look at our past. It is possible that we can no longer change the facts that happened, but we can change our point of view on them; and in this case, the integration of contents changes considerably.”
These sagas even allow us to reflect on our own daily attitudes and the ethics that underpin our way of life. Thus, in the experience entitled “The Saving Action”, the protagonist (oneself), who tries to escape radioactive clouds, encounters a giant who blocks his way by brandishing a flaming sword in a threatening manner.
“So I shout: You must let me pass because I have done a good deed!
– What is a good deed? the robot asks me.
– It is an action that builds, that collaborates with life.
– So, he continues, what have you done that is worthy of interest?
– I saved a human being from certain death and what’s more, I saved his conscience.
“Immediately, the giant moves away… at the very moment the first drops of rain fall…”
Thus, in addition to the stories that introduce us to various biographical nodes to displace fears, resentments and attempt important reconciliations. the book contains, with a lot of humor and creativity, scenarios that allow us to release tensions, visit unknown areas and activate new spaces within ourselves.
This great work includes stories that allow for even deeper reflections, on the meaning of life itself.
With this work, Silo makes available to every human being a simple way to connect to themselves in a caring and at the same time transformative attitude, synthesizing more complex ways of working which, in another of his works – “ Psychology Notes » – will be described in detail in the “catharsis” and “transfer” category.
Finally, we transcribe the paragraph with which Silo concluded his presentation at the Athenaeum of Madrid, 35 years ago. In these lines, Silo highlights the central importance of images as a key to understanding the active and not passive way in which consciousness is present in the world, a fundamental question to face its transformation.
“As long as we consider the image as a simple copy of perception, as long as we continue to believe that consciousness in general maintains a passive attitude towards the world, responding to it as a reflection, we cannot answer the questions previous ones, nor to others, however fundamental.
For us, the image is an active way for consciousness to place itself (as a structure) in-the-world. It can act on the body itself, and the body acts in-the-world thanks to intentionality which is directed outside itself and which does not simply respond to a for oneself or to a in itself natural, reflex and mechanical. The image acts in a spatio-temporal structure and in an internal “spatiality” which we rightly call “representational space”.
The different, complex functions that the image fulfills depend, in general, on the position it assumes in this spatiality. The full justification of what we assert requires an understanding of our theory of consciousness and, for this, we refer to our work on the psychology of the image. But if, through what our preface calls “literary entertainments”, if, through these tales or stories, we have been able to show the application of a very vast conception, then we have not failed in our promise to ‘approach this writing, these Guided experiencesnot from a literary point of view but from the ideas which give rise to this literary expression. »
Book “Guided Experiences” in French,
A version PDF : http://silo.net/system/documents/53/original/Exper_fr.rtf
In paper version (to order): https://www.editions-references.com/catalogue.html
Translation from Spanish, Ginette Baudelet
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