There is an element of truth in everything. Everything is true up to a point. Every statement we hold to be true, IS true, as far as it goes. And, no statement is without it’s stopping place. This is to say that there is merit in every position, and that all positions are enlarged and improved by all other positions. No one point of view can see everything. Every point of view is limited to, and by, its particular perspective, and we have to be able to walk among the various view points if we hope to be able to see.
Let’s take something completely absurd to give you an idea of what I’m talking about. “You are a dinner fork.” How’s that for a sentence with not a shred of truth in it? Well. Grant me the benefit of the doubt here, and play along. It all depends, you know, on your playing along. If you hold yourself back, you’ll never get to the heart of the matter. Any matter. You actually have to ride a horse to know what horse riding is like. So, saddle up. Here we go. Heidi-ho!
Imagine, if you will, a dinner fork. Allow it to take clear shape in your mind, so that you see a very particular dinner fork. Zoom in. Get to know it personally. Are there any dishwasher dings on it? Any bent parts? Is it shiny sterling? Picnic plastic? Camp fire aluminum? Everyday stainless steel? Is it brand new right out of the box? Does it come with a history of working experience? Perhaps from your grandmother’s dory? Has it survived fires? Being lost? Being sold to an antique dealer? A flea market rounder? Was it a yard sale find? What kind of background does this fork have? Where has it been? What does it know? Let’s find out.
Take a deep breath, and settle into the saddle. The ride takes an interesting turn at this point. Imagine, now, that you ARE the fork. From this point on, I am going to ask you questions that I want you to answer AS the fork. Forget for the moment that you once were a human being. Become the fork. Be the fork. I am now talking to you, the fork.
As the fork, now, what is your name? Let it be the first name that comes to mind. Sit with the name for a second. Get a feel for you as a fork with this name.
As this fork with this name, what do you like best about yourself? Of what are you most proud? Don’t try to think something up, just let it come to mind, and accept what comes. Suspend judgment for the duration of this experience, and allow the horse to take you where it will. Just go along for the ride.
As this fork, with this name, what do you enjoy doing? Where do you like to spend your time? What do you look forward to? What thrills you most? What are some of your happiest memories?
What would you list as particular advantages to being a fork? What are the gifts? The joys? For what are you most thankful?
What are the disadvantages? What handicaps have you had to deal with, adjust to, work to overcome? What hurtles, or barriers, exist for you as a dinner fork?
What has happened to you that has been most helpful? What sadness do you carry?
What do you aspire to? Dream of? Wish to have, or do, or become, or accomplish and achieve? What are your hopes for the future?
What threatens you? Troubles you? What do you worry about? What are you afraid of? What concerns you most?
As this dinner fork with this name, where do you seek your consolation? Where do you find your peace? Where do you go to regroup, recover? To be nourished and nurtured? To be grounded and centered, and, well, fed?
Who are your friends? What do you think they would like to tell you? What would you like to tell them?
What motto do you live by?
In what do you trust?
What strengths do you have as a fork that your human side could use? What insights or experience do you have as a fork that your human side might find to be helpful? What would you like to tell your human side?
Take a moment to appreciate fully your fork-ness. Now, begin the process of dissociation. Imagine yourself as the particular human being that you also are parting from yourself as the fork. If you would like, you may promise yourself as this fork with this name, that you will make meditative visits from time to time to view your life from a fork’s point of view, enlarge your perspective, deepen your understanding, and become more of who you need to be, which is also who you are. But, for now, prepare to leave that place and come back to this place, as I count to three. One. Two. Three. Here you are, now, you as you have always known you to be, except somewhat better for your contact with you as a fork. If you have not already done so, open your eyes, and be well.
So, now what to you have to say? What similarities did you find between your life as a flesh-and-blood human being and your life as a fork? What can you use from this experience with your fork-ness in your life as a human being?
The fork exercise is a projective technique that is useful for getting past our normal ego-defenses in order to get at the heart of how it is with us. We can see things as a fork, say things as a fork, that we might not allow ourselves to see, or say, as the self we know ourselves to be. Our mind can show us ourselves if we don’t try to take it by force, pry it open, and see ourselves “as we really are.”
We can only see what we are capable of seeing at any moment in our lives. That’s how dreams work. They show us a little of ourselves at particular points in our lives. Dreams don’t “mean” anything, and they never show us all there is to see. The meaning of a dream is like the meaning of the fork. The power of a dream is the power of the fork. We get into the dream when we awaken, and begin to consciously make associations, “seeing,” so to speak, how we are like a flying refrigerator with camp stove inside with eggs frying in a skillet.
The power of projection as perspective expander is how horoscopes work, and palm reading, and bone casting, and Ouija boards, and religion. We find the patterns, make the associations, “see” the truth, and “know” the way. But, the “truth” of the “way” is as much about us as it is about anything, “out there.” When we see, we see ourselves, don’t you see?
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