“Companions at the Crossroads” Prosperos Assembly talk by Mike Zonta, H.W., M.

Westin Long Beach Hotel, September 2, 2018

Companions at the Crossroads:  We seem to have been stuck at this crossroads for several years now. But not to worry. Some of us have found a way forward.

For over seven years now a group of us began listening to the Find Yourself and Live tape series by Thane. This led to the 4th Way Series by Thane. And FYL again. And 4th Way again. Then we began to listen to many other series by Thane: 8 Days of Easter, The Lord’s Prayer being one lesson which especially stood out. Others include: Gold Mine of Your Mind, The Transcendentalism series, Our for Discovery. And more.

When Rick Thomas could no longer find a series that we hadn’t heard, we decided to begin The Prosperos classes on tape, beginning with Cosmic Intention Therapy, then Advance Seminar, Translation, Releasing the Hidden Splendour and most recently Self Encounter.

But to do this we modified the traditional template of the usual monitor class.

Since we had been working as a group for so many years, we decided to continue as a group-centered monitor class.

This means that we begin each class by listening to Thane’s lesson on “Group Dynamics and the Art of Leadership.” The goal of group dynamics is to come to one mind about something, whether it is the answer to a question or making a decision to move forward in some way.

We select rotating moderators and observers so everybody gets a chance to be both moderator and observer with the ultimate goal being that each member of the group is always moderating and always observing in the group they are part of, and in their life generally.

Group dynamics as anarchy

Anarchy simply means “without a ruler.”  So an anarchist is against hierarchy, against patriarchy, against matriarchy. Sometimes even against self-rule.

Ontologically we are all equal, except, as Thane put it once, the “aristocracy of the aware.”

Occupy terms it “leaderless” leadership. Thane called it “group-centered leadership.”

Today Infinite Mind (and Pluto in Capricorn) is showing us in many countries around the world what we get when we opt for leader-centered leadership.

Group dynamics is not just an opportunity for you to share your opinions and listen to others’ opinions. It is an opportunity to learn, to be creative, to adapt, and to reduce your reducing value.

It is a skill that can and will be applied to every group (2 or more people) you are part of in every part of your life.

Heather Williams once asked us, Why do you need both a monitor and a moderator? My answer is that everybody gets a chance to be a moderator. But the monitor is the one who has the responsibility to listen to the lessons in advance, and it is the monitor’s responsibility, I think, to be the one who, when the group is looking to him or her for answers, to throw it back to the group for the answer.

The goal of a parent is to get the child to stand on her/his own two feet. A teacher’s goal is the get the student do the same. Counselor’s job is to do the same. It’s the monitor’s job to get the group to stand on its own two feet. And we have had limited success in that. Said another way, it is the group’s responsibility to ween itself from the traditional leader-centered mode of teaching most of us are used to.

So there is a real tension here between our habit of leader-centered leadership and the idea of group-centered leadership.

The reason our group has been so successful is because not only is it a group effort, it’s also a team effort (Melissa has been the monitor and I have been the host, effectively a co-monitor). The Prosperos has a tradition of this kind of teamwork: Thane and co-founder Phez Kahlil, Ben Gilberti and Hugh John Malanaphy were Prosperos roadrunners, me and Sarah Flynn founded the Bathtub Bulletin, me and Melissa started these hybrid classes.  Even Jesus advised his disciples to go forth and preach in twos.

Having discussion groups is an idea that can be used in all kinds of classes, not just the Monday night hybrid classes — like we are doing here at Assembly with our break-out groups.

Through sharing knowledge in discussion, like many people working the same sense testimony in a Translation, we get different perspectives.

4th way class teaches us the three lines of work: Daily work on yourself, work with others, work for the school or the work itself or the world.

Assembly once every year or every two years is great, but the beating heart of The Prosperos, in my opinion, are the weekly Sunday morning Translation group, the weekly Sunday evening Translation group, the weekly Monday night hybrid tape group/discussion group, and the now-apparently-defunct monthly Sunday meetings.

It would be a shame to let the energy of this Assembly dissipate, so we need to make sure that, for those of us who are interested in pursuing the three lines of work, that we create opportunities to do that, whether that means starting your own hybrid monitor group and listening to Thane’s classes or Thane’s lessons, or teaching your own classes using the idea of followup with a Group-Dynamics based discussion group.

And always, at the end of whatever class you teach or participate in as a student or a teacher, you should make sure follow-up workshops and lessons in Find Yourself and Live are made available or become made available to you.

These lessons are a vital part of The Prosperos instruction!

* * * * *

At the end of each hybrid class (Cosmic Intention Therapy, Advance Seminar, Translation, Releasing the Hidden Splendour, Self Encounter) we spent an evening or two coming up with possible study question for future study groups for each of these classes.

This is The Prosperos core curriculum. We think it is vital information for the evolution of man. CIT tells us that the Universe has the intention to become Itself. The intention of the Universe is not entropy, is not the 2nd law of thermal dynamics.  It is the ascent of consciousness!

So, it’s fun to be part of the awakening of the universe.

If you think Advance Seminar is outdated, look again at the questions we came up with and think again. Not that we shouldn’t update this class with the latest scientific information. Of course we should!  But the core of the class is still as vital as it ever was.

Finally a note on Self-Encounter: Not including Self Encounter as part of RHS class or immediately following RHS class amounts to Mentor malpractice, in my opinion.

Here are some comments from Richard Branam on the RHS class:

Aloha all, Thane and Norma Keller made, gave so many permissions in this class; my consciousness, awareness is expanding because of RHSing.

My memory banks are remembering key elements such as: every person is an individuation of Infinite mind. No person, place, or thing hurt or damaged my true self. Only my perceptions showing forth, nothing is personal.

The essence to my new consciousness is the capacity to search deeper than before. Thus actually owning a new control, or command over my consciousness how my perceptions consciously unconsciously created my experiences.

Put my feet in the person’s shoes that I am RHSing. Thus getting more intimate information to release. Go after my perceptions, vulnerably with accurate curiosity, and hunger, for understanding, release and view my family as infinite beings, with infinite capacity.

My new challenge is to realize my innate capacity to love. Thank you. Aloha in all future perceptual inquires. Listen and observe well.”

Comments from Muhamed Salim:

Hi all. I am grateful for this course and the amazing dynamic group to have inspired me to go the next level of my life. Like many of us who is reaching 60 years old ( I can’t believe it !) I had reached a point where I thought I had done enough inner work and I am letting my life to sail me whither it wants me. But RHS has prodded me in so many ways that I have a choice and I am the creator of my experiences and don’t have to sail on and allow the wind to move me as fate.all was just ego excuses not to take full responsibility for my life. It’s not easy but we have to make choices to move onwards or not.

Thanks all and big hugs.


Comment from Ugur Yilmaz:

I would like to thank everyone in this group, especially the seasoned mentors, for allowing us to witness RHS again with a different taste. I am looking forward to the workshop tonight.

I also want to thank especially Mike Zonta for allowing several of us to listen to all the lectures in a weekend time when we missed them Monday evenings. I do recognize that this online group dynamics is one of the most productive meetings I have been experiencing.

Warm greetings!


Comments from Hanz Bolen: live

Comments from Melissa Goodnight:

The online format for presenting closed class continues to be of great value, enabling students from all over the globe to meet and pursue these studies without having to physically travel.  Our Study Group is becoming increasingly experienced and comfortable with the unique characteristics of this online format.  It is not the same intimacy as closed class with everyone in the same room, but there is a different kind of “togetherness” and “community” that can emerge from sharing repeatedly over many weeks.  Students have said they look forward to the lessons each week, as a  touchstone for their “continuing education about ontology.  It is comforting to have a group of fellow truth-seekers to rely on in the face of daily living challenges.

Another unique aspect of presenting class online, is the way it reaches people literally right where they live.  They can be in their pajamas sitting comfortably at home.  This might even contribute to it feeling more familiar and perhaps to it being more easily accepted as part of one’s own identity.  Research has shown that “set and setting” contribute to the learning process, so it may actually have greater acceptance by reaching people at home rather than in hotels and meeting rooms.

For this class, we had a  group of 8 class participants, from 4 time zones (Pacific, Mountain, Eastern, and Nigeria).  Several students had job commitments or family commitments that sometimes affected their attendance.  Nonetheless, we often had full attendance, and never had less than 5 participants per meeting.  To accommodate those who had missed a lesson, we had “make-up” sessions during the week right after a lesson, for those who had missed it.   Mike was very generous with his time, in providing the make-up sessions.  It was especially important that the newer students had a chance to hear all the lessons in the class.

Melissa’s comments live from Yellowstone National Park:

Mike and Hanz have already given a great overview, so my comments now will be very brief.

I’m at Yellowstone National Park, where the Shoshone Indians were active hundreds of years ago.  They considered Yellowstone to be “a powerful spiritual place … with a lot of strong medicine”.

I interpret that to mean, that it was a reminder to awaken from our usual state of sleep, and remember what a miracle our daily lives really are.

We live suspended between the icy cold of space and the burning heat just below the earth’s crust.  But our Ontological reality is an even greater miracle: it is an absolute mystery That I AM, or That You Are, or That anything IS. The Beingness of Consciousness is unfathomable.

Gurdjieff taught that “mankind is asleep”, and he developed practices to awaken from it.  Thane also taught about this, and developed even better ways to awaken.

But we have to recognize that awakening does not occur just once and then you’re done.  The tendency to fall back asleep is constantly tugging on us, because the familiarity of our usual world is constantly hypnotizing us.

So we have to keep re-awakening over and over again, probably for the rest of our lives.  That way, we begin to become increasingly “established” in the awakened state, and we begin to more fully “realize” the awakened state in our daily lives.

There is truly no other way to do it — you have to practice at maintaining an awakened mind.  Thane understood that, so he made classes and study groups and Sunday meetings and lots of other activities available every week.

And he urged students to partake of this remarkable feast.  In our study group, we see the rewards of this kind of Continuing Education.

Not everyone feels called to be a teacher of Ontology. And that’s perfectly OK.  But everyone here feels called to be a student of Awakening. That is exactly why you are here.

So we urge you — take your calling to the next step.  Register for an online class, participate regularly in a TR support group, or form your own group.

The benefit to you, and to everyone in your world, is unpredictable and immeasurable.

Review of the 5 sets of group questions:


“The problem with humanity is: Paleolithic emotions, Medieval institutions, and God-like technology.”

— E.O. Wilson

Lesson 1

1 What are we trying to express with the concept “Cosmic Intention” ?

2 What is the meaning of “Totality Field” ? How does it expand our sense of identity ?

3 What does the term “Protomutant” refer to ? What is unique about them ?

Lesson 2

1 What is “Rogue Mind” ? How does it relate to you ?

2 What does it mean to take the viewpoint of “Space” ? How do you relate to it ?

3 How can we reidentify as “Consciousness Conscious of Consciousness”, and how will this affect how we relate to one another ?

Lesson 3

1 What are “Innate Releasing Mechanisims” ?

2 What is our “solid sense of self” and how can we begin to let it go ?

3 Discuss this statement: “I am a participant in Divine Intention.”

4 What does it mean to be a “Comprehensionist” ?

5 What is meant by the “Anthropomorphic God” and why must we let it go ?

Lesson 4

1 Discuss the statement: “Cosmic Intention is to be Mind and nothing but Mind.”

2 How is the drive to survive different from the phylogenetic fear-aggression drives? Which is Mind and which is mechanical ?

3 Should we be grateful for the religious/philosophical ideas that helped our thinking to evolve ?

4 What is the benefit of perceiving the world without naming it ?

5 What were the three “Big Bangs” ? Will there be a fourth ? How will you participate ?

Lesson 5

1 Discuss your understanding about “Androgyny”. How can it be liberating and therapeutic?

2 Is Androgyny an individual intrapsychic change? Or an interpersonal change in behavior? Or both?

3 How Is Androgyny a further step toward expressing the Cosmic Intention of inclusive oneness?

4 Discuss what the song “Walk with me in Paradise” means to you.

Lesson 6

1 What does it mean to be “Mariners on Spaceship Earth” ?

2 How does each of us give the universe it’s meaning?

3 Discuss your understanding of the concept of “Overmind” (also called Oversoul or Philemon).

4 How is it not a tragedy that the human species is ending?

5 Discuss this statement: “Without me, God can no moment live”.

Lesson 7

1 How can we use Consciousness by choice? How is self-observation crucial to this process?

2 Why is Cosmic Intention called the “terrible purpose”?

3 Discuss the difference between Prometheus and Epimetheus individuals.

4 How does contemplating Cosmic Intention lift us out of flesh identity?

Lesson 8

1 Review these:

– 4 rules of conduct regarding energy flows

– 3 questions for every endeavor

– 7 check points about your behaviors

– 10 steps to becoming a teacher

2 Discuss this statement: “there is only ONE BEING in the world — you and everyone else.”

3 Can you relate to the inner child of everyone that is extremely lonely?

4 Discuss the statement: “if you want to stop hurting, then stop hurting others.”

Lesson 9

1 Reidentifying as Consciousness is an inner process, but why can it not be done all alone?

2 How has “leadership” evolved in the past? How is Cosmic Intention expressing it now?

3 How is the creative force always good but seldom nice?

4 Discuss what the words to “Love Song” mean to you now, in the light of CIT.



1) Thane quotes Heraclitus as saying: “Everything flows . . . and you cannot step twice into the same stream.” Discuss what this means.

a) How does this apply to the flow of thought?

b) How does this apply to seemingly “solid” objects?

2) Discuss the difference between closed systems versus open systems, as applied to individuals, groups, and society.

3) What is the overarching goal of all of these lessons?


1) What happens when you realize no one is in control of your streaming of consciousness?

2) Why is there really no need to fear death?

3) What is the significance of David Bohm’s “zero point of energy”?

4) Discuss how new concepts weave into new percepts, and vice versa?

a) Does the quote “What is loosed on earth is loosed in heaven” relate to this principle?

5) Silesius said: “Without me, God can no moment live.” Discuss what that means.


1) How can it be that there is really no “world” available for direct touch?

2) Thane describes how we weave our lives. How can we re-weave our lives?

3) Discuss how “changing your world view changes the world viewed.”

4) Discuss why metanoia usually requires that we be seized by a discipline.


1) What is whimsical thinking?

2) Why does Autistic-Field thinking need to be wooed?

3) Why is a “saturation point” often necessary to reach a metanoia?

4) Discuss how the “reflective consciousness” defined by Carl Jung imbues the world with meaning.

5) Discuss how the Construct-Field must be prepared for a new idea or it will not be recognized.


1) Psychedelic drug users try to bypass the value judgments of the Construct Field in order to reach the infinite creativity of the Autisitic Field, but may end up damaging the Construct field instead.

a) Discuss how this is counter-productive.

2) Thane points out how important it is to create links between the structure of the Construct Field and the creativity of the Autistic Field.

a) Why is this important?

b) Why are mental disciplines (such as TR and RHS) more useful as a means to accomplish this?

3) The Construct Field creates categories, and thus allows us to semantically share concepts.

a) Why has this been so important to the development of mankind?


1) Things are not what they seem !! How does this relate to the so-called material universe?

2) The “uncertainty principle” points out how we can predict what a group of atoms will do, but we cannot predict what one atom will do. What is the significance of this to you ?

3) Discuss how matter/substance responds to energy, and energy follows Intelligence/ Consciousness.

4) Polarity is a fundamental principle in the makeup of atomic structure. Can you relate it to the androgynous nature of humankind ?

5) Dark energy and dark matter have been calculated to comprise 96% of the universe, and we can only see around 2500 stars on a clear night. Does this tell us something about “infinity” ?


1) The Prosperos seeks to develop the extraordinary, or the “uncommon man”.

a) Why is this so important in an age of explosive energies that could be used for destruction?

b) How do these lessons help make ordinary people extraordinary?

c) How can we learn to use our abundant sexual energy so that it is in the service of love?

2) Cosmic Intention is moving to develop the ability to transmit THOUGHT.

a) How does human evolution demonstrate that, e.g. in our hands and speech apparatus?

b) What about the development of art, writing, radio, and the internet?

3) In Gerald Heard’s concept of “The Five Ages of Man”, what is the important difference between the 1st Maturity and the 2nd Maturity?

a) How does that relate to understanding that the Observer and the Observed are one?


1) What are some conclusions that you might draw from the Catherine Cox Miles study?

2) What is your understanding of the concept of “Overman”? How can we embrace it as a new sense of identity?

3) Thane points out how history can be seen as a process of “mind unfolding”, and uses the word “mentation” to describe it. How does that work for you?

4) “I am birthless, deathless, infinite, abiding — I am that I am.” Discuss what that means to you.


Students are encouraged to refer to the printed TR notebook and to their individual notes for help in answering these. Your understanding will grow each time you hear the lessons and practice the method.


1 What is Ontology?

2 Describe the “T-Field Model”: Clearing, Forest, C-Field, A-Field.

3 When doing a Translation, you try to find the best sense testimonies to accurately describe what is appearing for you. Discuss why this is important.

4 Explain your understanding of a “Metanoia”.


1 What is the ontological definition of God? How does that empower you beyond the traditional definition of God?

2 Why does true prayer require that you relinquish belief in a material God and a physical man?

3 TR does not heal/alter/change any “thing”. So how can it be of any use to you?

4 An “axiom” is a self-evident truth. Explain your understanding of this, and give some examples.


1 A “syllogism” is a mathematical pattern of logic, using words. Explain your understanding of this, and contrast this with a “silligism”.

2 Does a “lie” really exist? What is it really?

3 After you have concluded that “Truth is all there is”, how might you further expand your understanding of “truth”, “allness”, and “isness”.


1 How can an abstract truth like “2+2=4” be meaningful and useful in your Translations and your life?

2 List the 5 steps of TR, and discuss your understanding of them.

3 Why is it important not to “outline” ahead of time what the results of a Translation will be?

4 What did you learn from the example given, on the Translation of “housing”?


1 Compare/contrast a “relative truth” and the reality of truth.

2 Describe some qualities of lies that make lies seem more desirable than truth.

3 Thane reminds us that “You are infinite mind knowing itself in infinite variety.” Discuss your understanding of this statement.

4 Discuss Roger Bacon’s “four stumbling blocks” to knowing truth.


1 Discuss how everything in the universe is, for you, only your awareness of it.

2 The self-evident principle that “I am Consciousness … and all things are thoughts”, is the scientific basis on which TR rests. Discuss.

3 “Man is not the thinker … he is the thinking of Infinite Mind”. Discuss.

4 The suggestion that your mind is private and separate robs you of your bounty. Discuss.


1 Why is it important to continue a Translation until you have a sensual feeling of well-being?

2 Discuss how both lies and truth can only be known to you in Consciousness.

3 As long as error continues to appear, it rules out the “do-nothing policy”. Discuss.

4 Discuss the important differences between “duality” and “polarity”.


1 Discuss how sexuality is actually creative energy in expression. Does that change your view of it?

2 Compare/contrast the experience of “ecstasy” with the experience of orgasm. Why is it an aberration to pursue orgasm without love ?

3 Why is it important to have a lesson about sexuality in a Translation class?


1 What are “archetype symbols”? Give some examples. Discuss how archtype symbols point to universal truths.

2 What is “androgyny”? How does it help us toward understanding that true creativity is primarily intrapsychic rather than interpersonal ?

3 What does Browning mean by saying “Progress is the law of life … man is not Man as yet” ?


1 How is TR a threat to the ego?

2 Is it useful and important to do word-tracking? Why use a dictionary or an etymological resource to help you?

3 TR enlarges your “Clearing”, and fills “Unfulfilled Categories”. Discuss your understanding of this.

4 “What you don’t look for, you won’t find”. How does this relate to TR?


1 Discuss how TR is always an inner conversation, in the heaven of your mind.

2 What is meant by the biblical quote “cease ye from man whose breath is in his nostrils” ?

3 Thane describes how we are all “individuations of the infinite”. What does that imply about the good that belongs to all of us?

4 “The mind of God knows no impossible situations”. How does that relate to TR?


Students are encouraged to refer to the printed RHS notebook and to their individual notes for help in answering these. Your understanding will grow each time you hear the lessons and practice the method.


1 What is meant by the term “psychosomatic illness” ?

2 Compare/contrast “phylogenetic information” and “ontogenetic information.”

3 How is man an “energy converter”?


1 Compare the contributions of Skinner, Freud, and Jung to the study of Mind.

2 Describe the “T-Field Model”, including “Clearing”, “Forest”, “C-Field”, “A-Field”.

3 The T-Field is a decision system. What does that mean? How does the Reducing Valve contribute?

4 “A change of world view, changes the world viewed.” What does this mean? How does that empower you?


1 What was a fundamental difference between the Jung School and Schools of Freud and Adler?

2 Compare/contrast the 3 levels of mind: “Conscious Level”, “Unconscious Level”, and the

“Supra-Consciousness Level”.

3 Describe how the familiar “feeling tone” of a memory contributes to making it repeat. Is that why it is so important to relive the memory, rather than just remembering it?


1 Why is the archetype myth of Exodus important in our journey, from believing in materiality to knowing the truth of mind unfolding?

2 Moses was born into a false identity and had to remember who he really was. How does that relate to you?

3 What does the “Promised Land” represent? Why is Moses able to see it but not enter?

4 Compare/contrast “I-it dialogue” to “I-Thou dialogue”. How is the story of Exodus a representation of that journey?


1 In the archetype myth of Joseph and his brothers, what do the many brothers (and many colors of the coat) represent?

2 What is meant by Joseph’s ability to interpret dreams? But why was that not enough?

3 Why is every memory that we have actually NOT in the past?

4 Contrast the action of “forgiving” to the principle of “giving for”.


1 What is meant by the Ascent of Awareness ? How does mankind’s increasing “cerebration” relate to this?

2 Human experience is becoming increasingly “etherealized”. Can you point to examples in your own experience?

3 How does evolution of the larynx demonstrate the drive toward increasing communication (oneness)?

What about the pony express? The automobile? The cellphone?

4 How does myth-making contribute to mankind understanding itself? Where do religions fit in this process?


1 Discuss your understanding of what is meant by an “archetype symbol”. How do these symbols express in forms such as: dreams, fantasies, visions, myths?

2 Celesius said: “I know that without me, God can no moment live”. Discuss what that means.

3 Thane called Astrology the “Unconscious Interpretive Apparatus”. Can you share some of your own aspects that seem to describe you?


1 Joseph was stripped of his many-colored coat (contradictions), but was still enslaved by repeating patterns of ego-based behavior. What realization about consciousness finally allowed him to get free?

2 “You sold me here . . . but you did not sell me . . . it was God that sent me before you to preserve life” (mind unfolding that out-pictured). Explain what this means to you.

3. How do you reach the “flip” where you give up the old understanding of (people, place and things) for the new concept of mind unfolding ?

4 In the lesson, Thane advises. “RHS until you no longer see evil (duality) in the situation.” Explain your understanding of this.


1 How can you use Auto Conditioning to help retrieve memories?

2 Why was it so radical for Freud to propose that the mind could influence the body to express illness?

3. Jung said, “Only the wounded physician can heal.” Discuss.

4. Describe the breakthrough in understanding that Lisl had in the play “A Far Country.”

5 Reflect on the dialogue between the Little Prince and the Wild Fox. When we “establish ties” (see the oneness), How does that tame the wildness in our experience?


1 How is the interplay of concept-percept a trans-action that demonstrates there is really no distinction between your self and your world?

2 How is a “pencil” a reflection of 50,000+ years of human history, yet it takes only milliseconds for you to recognize it and pick it up?

3 We are all responsible for releasing the “unpredictable good” in others. Explain.

4 Taming our Little Fox involves understanding the Decision System of our T-Field. Explain.

5 In Zen: first there is a mountain, then there is no mountain, then there is. What is your understanding of this?


1 In the archetype myth of Ruth and Naomi, what does each woman represent?

2 There is infinite individuation (multiplicity) of awareness, but it is always just awareness (one). What is your understanding of that?

3. How does this relate to the ego identifying itself by what it seems to lack.

4 Wordsworth says: “Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting . . .” And Jesus says: “awaken Thou that sleepest” What is your understanding of this?


1 In the archetype myth of Job, he practiced his religion “to turn evil away”. How is that an error?

2 When Job surrendered his belief in evil, what did he replace it with?

3 What does it mean to say “what is loosed on earth is (first) loosed in heaven” ?

4. When you RHS, how is the “Hidden Splendour” released?



1 Discuss how “shadows from the past” cause conditioning that narrows our ability to function creatively in the present.

2 What are “pseudo emotions” ? What are “forbidden emotions” ?

3 Why does the mind use “pseudo emotions” to cover over genuine emotions that are forbidden and/or really painful ?

4 Discuss which “pseudo emotions” can cover over genuine “forbidden emotions”. Can anger cover fear? Can fear cover anger? What other combinations are possible?

5 Why is it important to peel away the “pseudo emotions” and uncover what is genuine below?


1 What are the 5 steps for using Self Encounter? Discuss each step briefly.

2 How can you distinguish an intellectual rationalization about a memory or experience, versus an actual emotional feeling about it?

3 What are the 4 techniques that can be utilized to help uncover a genuine “forbidden emotion” ?


1 Discuss the technique of “talking it out”. What qualities do you look for in someone to do this with?

2 Discuss the technique of “thinking it out”. Why is it important to make sure you are not just intellectualizing or rationalizing about it?

3 Discuss the technique of “writing it out”. What can you do to help the emotion keep flowing?


1 Discuss the technique of “sneaking up on it”. Share some personal examples of movies or music that have caused you to have an emotional reaction. Can you see how that might be covering up a deeper “forbidden emotion” ?

2 In the “manipulation game”, hidden feelings may lead to repetitive dysfunctional patterns of behavior. Discuss your understanding of this.

3 How does our unconscious “idealized self-image” contribute to our conflicts with others ?

4 How can Self Encounter help us to stop playing out these unconscious games and patterns ?


1 How does manipulation contribute to staying stuck in “I – it” relationships rather than “I – thou” ?

2 Discuss the 4 kinds of manipulators. Since we all use manipulation unconsciously, can you identify which patterns you tend to use most often?

3 Discuss the 8 types of roles that manipulators can play to control others.

4 Take 5 minutes to consider what might be the most formative experience in your life. Share with others if you wish.


1 Why do we remain “stereotyped reactors” until we can uncover our genuine “forbidden emotions” and RHS the associated memories ?

2 Thane points out how the thought patterns of early childhood become more narrowed and focused as we respond to patterns of approval and disapproval from the world around us. Discuss the consequences of this.

3 Self Encounter can help us to “lose ourselves” and penetrate beneath our narrowed conditioning to the pre-cognitive and pre-intellectual level of the unconscious mind. Why is this especially

important when we seek to solve difficult problems or lift ourselves out of the “rat race” of ordinary life ?

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