HOW THE QUANTUM THEATER WORKS text

HOW THE QUANTUM THEATER WORKS Created by Joshua Edjida Book a free intro conversation at www.quantum.theater THE THEORY AND MECHANICS OF RESOLVING INNER STORIES USING IMMERSIVE THEATER -Resolving Inner Stories -Neutralizing Polarities -Enneagram Types -What are Archetypes? -The Function of the Ego -Gateway Emotions -The 4 Archetypes of Power -Creating a Theatrical Scene -Participant Guidelines -Arranging for Your Next Session WHAT IS THE QUANTUM THEATER?If you’re drawn to learn more about how The Quantum Theater works, this document will serve you well. You probably already know that this type of work is “transformational” in nature, but what transformation actually mean? What exactly is happening? The QT process puts us in touch with a deeper truth. In a sense, it sifts through our internal resistance, our unconscious “fighting” against life – which keeps us from maturing. Truth isn’t “one thing”. It is more like a direction of revealing ourselves.As seen in the image above, Truth can be observed, discussed, and revealed from a variety of different angles. The Quantum Theater uses immersive storytelling (AKA Immersive Theater) to tap into and challenge our core assumptions about the nature of the world and ourselves. These assumptions are consequences of an immature ego. With maturity comes more power, grace, lucidity, effectiveness, and self-trust. Intentionally challenging our immature aspects without judgement gives them a chance to “pop”, revealing our true consciousness underneath. One of the most often confused points along a personal development path are the questions, what does healing actually mean? What does awakening actually mean? How are these related? What is real and what is not? Hopefully this page will create some clarity. Most people attracted to this type of work are familiar with the concept of “emotional trauma”. This is simply unprocessed emotional energy held in place by an inaccurate/outdated belief system. This unprocessed energy has usually been held from such a young age that one is too accustomed to its presence to even be aware of it. In the healing world, “trauma healing” means moving this stuck emotional energy. Just moving what is stuck creates quite a profound sense of relief to the individual. However, the healing paradigm is also quite limited in the sense that one can always find something else to heal. More energy can always get stuck when a fixed identity is operating. The awakening process is releasing this fixed identity so that an exclusive focus on healing is no longer necessary. It can still be relevant and helpful of course, but endless attempts at healing need not be the only way forward. A TOOL FOR HEALING AND AWAKENING The Quantum Theater is unique in the sense that it offers the potential for both healing and awakening at the same time. Resolving stories also has a tendency to create more awareness around and dissolve the identities that created them. This can create profound feelings (which people tend to expect from a healing process) and also a deeper awareness (the result of the awakening process). –> This results in both heart opening (a softer and easier sense of being ourselves) and power activation (an increase in willpower and efficiency). Both important aspects of our development as humans. COMPLETING INTERNAL STORIES Another way of describing this process – which is more relevant to the “theater” format, is the concept of resolving internal stories. Resolving our inner stories is both a healing and awakening process, because it both follows the old tensions and disidentifies from the story at the same time. Everything that happens in our life is processed by humans as stories. “What did you do?” “We were at home, then we went to the store, then we came back with a pizza.” Every story has a beginning middle and end. Before what happened – the happening – and the aftermath. Act 1, act 2, and act 3. “How was your day?” This is like asking – “was it a good story or a bad story”? —> Naturally, we have stories within us which have not been fully processed. These show up as mental, physical, and emotional pain. These traumas are simply stories which have never been completed. They are stuck in act 2. They need to be escorted to act 3. However, most people resist change so habitually that if you attempt to actually complete the story it is usually too intense or too scary to allow. People resist change. So, The Quantum Theater allows us to create a fictional story which taps into the same emotions. These “emotional pillars” must crumble, and in doing so the stories they hold up will also crumble. We need not necessarily concern ourselves with the “real” story of what happened – we just need access to those emotional pillars which hold things together. And these are most easily accessed through completely fictional scenarios which have the same tensions embedded into them, as described in the next section. NEUTRALIZING POLARITIES In her book “The Marriage of Spirit” Leslie Temple-Thurston offers a process of polarity alchemy which she calls “Squares”. This process has been integrated into The Quantum Theater by helping the participant to discharge an emotionally charged polarity through the story resolution process Only our modified version of “Squares” will be shared here, rather than the complete process as described in her book. First, identify a life circumstance which is emotionally charged/triggering. —> FEAR OF RESPONSIBILITY DESIRE FOR RESPONSIBILITY DESIRE FOR FREEDOM FEAR OF FREEDOM From there we simply ask, of these 4 quadrants, which is the most familiar and which is the most foreign? People often need help with this task and they may need to write down the 4 options to see them visually. It usually isn’t too hard to predict what someone will choose because most people crave and fear similar issues, so it doesn’t hurt to suggest which one might be the most foreign. To the nervous system, foreign usually means dangerous while familiar means “comfort zone”. —> Then, find the underlying polarity which seems to describe it most accurately. For example, if someone gets triggered every time they need to do the dishes the underlying polarity may be clean/dirty, or productive/lazy, or responsibility/freedom, or complicit/rebellious. Or something else. Whichever feels most relevant to the individual. Once the best polarity is identified, we add a “fear” and a “desire” to both sides of it which creates four quadrants of a “square” as seen here: So, the most foreign quadrant is usually where the resolution to the story is hidden. In this example, the person might answer that “Fear of Freedom” is the most foreign – and they might say something like “I just can’t wrap my mind around why anyone would have a fear of freedom”? But, of course they do. So this indicates that it would be helpful for this person to fully own their fear of freedom in order to move beyond it. ENNEAGRAM TYPE The enneagram system is an incredibly powerful tool, which can optionally inform The Quantum Theater session mapping. For this to be relevant, one must have spent sufficient time already having researched and pinpointed their enneatype. These are types 1-9 as seen in the image here. If one has not yet researched and confirmed their enneatype, this step can be skipped as it is not necessary for The Quantum Theater process. But it can be helpful. There are many incredible books on this topic alone. Once the enneatype is confirmed, fundamental polarities of each type have been documented and organized such as in the chart here. This can be a very helpful starting place in determining which polarity to work with as well. BASIC FEAR: OF BEING CORRUPT/EVIL, DEFECTIVE BASIC DESIRE: TO BE GOOD, TO HAVE INTEGRITY, TO BE BALANCED BASIC FEAR: OF BEING UNWANTED, UNWORTHY OF BEING LOVED BASIC DESIRE: TO FEEL LOVED BASIC FEAR: OF BEING WORTHLESS BASIC DESIRE: TO FEEL VALUABLE AND WORTHWHILE BASIC FEAR: THAT THEY HAVE NO IDENTITY OR PERSONAL SIGNIFICANCE BASIC DESIRE: TO FIND THEMSELVES AND THEIR SIGNIFICANCE (TO CREATE AN IDENTITY) BASIC FEAR: BEING USELESS, HELPLESS, OR INCAPABLE BASIC DESIRE: TO BE CAPABLE AND COMPETENT BASIC FEAR: OF BEING WITHOUT SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE BASIC DESIRE: TO HAVE SECURITY AND SUPPORT BASIC FEAR: OF BEING DEPRIVED AND IN PAIN, BEING DISAPPOINTED IN THEMSELVES BASIC DESIRE: TO BE SATISFIED AND CONTENT—TO HAVE THEIR NEEDS FULFILLED BASIC FEAR: OF BEING HARMED OR CONTROLLED BY OTHERS BASIC DESIRE: TO PROTECT THEMSELVES (TO BE IN CONTROL OF THEIR OWN LIFE AND DESTINY) BASIC FEAR: OF LOSS AND SEPARATION BASIC DESIRE: TO HAVE INNER STABILITY “PEACE OF MIND” 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 [OPTIONAL ENHANCEMENT] If you’d like to begin to identify your enneatype, you can take a short free test here. While the The Quantum Theater was being developed, it was first inspired by role-playing the shadows and gifts of 12 Jungian archetypes fromCarol Pearson’s book “Awakening the Heroes Within”, which explains each one in great detail. The enneatypes can be considered their own archetypes too. –> WHAT ARE ARCHETYPES? “THE ORIGINAL PATTERN OR MODEL OF WHICH ALL THINGS OF THE SAME TYPE ARE REPRESENTATIONS OR COPIES.” COINED BY CARL JUNG, AN ARCHETYPE IS AN INHERITED IDEA OR MODE OF THOUGHT WITHIN THE PSYCHOLOGY OF HUMANITY, NATIVE TO OUR NERVOUS SYSTEMS AND PRESENT IN THE UNCONSCIOUS OF THE INDIVIDUAL. The main difference is that enneatypes represent one single primary type per nervous system, while the archetypes represent stages of the maturation process. Below, you can see the 12 archetypes ordered in the development process: THE FUNCTION OF THE EGO So what does this process accomplish? What is being developed through the stages of the archetypes? The answer: A healthy and mature ego. The ego may be one of the human psyche’s most misunderstood structures. Phrases like “I want to get rid of my ego” or “He’s got too much ego” have become common based on Western misunderstandings. An immature ego is not fit to function as a healthy channel for archetypal energy. In other words, if we have too much or too little archetypal energy, our consciousness becomes trapped in the archetypal shadow. When we think we experience the absence of ego, we are in reality experiencing the presence of a mature ego. —> Each archetype is connected to a gateway emotion. The gateway emotions are the same as those we call “primary emotions”. A primary emotion is a bedrock emotion which cannot be described as a combination of other emotions. –> GATEWAY EMOTIONS A mature ego doesn’t judge (it discerns), doesn’t project (it sees), doesn’t get trapped in emotional triggers (it knows itself). It functions as a finely tuned filter for archetypal energy, so that the amount that sifts through from the collective unconscious is just right. A healthy ego is a requirement for psychological maturity. Attempts to “kill the ego” risk taking us far into archetypal shadow, which many spiritual groups and practitioners are examples of. The Quantum Theater process “simply works”. It is not just another idealogy to memorize, practice, or drag around. When done correctly, it moves you forward wtih tangible progress. The primary/gateway emotions are: Joy, anger, fear and grief. These are gateway emotions to archetypal energy. The more we develop a healthy relationship with these emotions, the more in touch we are with the corresponding archetypes. Additionally, each archetype has its unique version of shame. THE 4 CHANNELS OF POWER Each immature/mature archetypal pair is a “channel” of reality. These are not meant to be mental constructs, there are specific feelings which are universal in the development of humanity. These are pre-language energies which are keys to the development of the human body/mind. If someone’s enneagram type is known, it will be easier to predict which archetypal channels likely need the most attention to mature because each enneatype has fairly predictable patterns of archetypal development. —> Of the 12 archetypes mentioned above, there are 4 key archetypes which we know as the archetypes of power. These are pillars of our consciousness which are either passive/active shadows (immature), or fully mature. Other ways to say the same thing are: Shadow or Gift. Disembodied or embodied. Hiding or Expressing. Illusion or Truth. Each channel functions at a specific level and for a specific purpose. Here is a diagram to illustrate the order in which these channels are stacked. LOVER SOVEREIG W N ARRIO M R AGICIAN As you can see below, the “Lover” is the most foundational for all the rest to function properly. In the following 20 pages we will look at the details of each of these four channels of power. It may be best to skim over these quickly the first time as a brief introduction. Make sure you see the Quantum Theater Guidelines at the end of the document. Once polarity is determined as needing to be neutralized while mapping out The Quantum Theater session, these polarities can be further mapped to fit within a specific channel of archetypal development. Using the example from earlier, “Fear of Freedom” could easily correspond with the “Victim” archetype which has an opportunity to evolve into the “Warrior”. Keep this PDF as a reference as you identify the archetypes within yourself. As you master your understanding of these channels, [with or without the context of The Quantum Theater] you will become more and more powerful. Your awareness of the shadow archetypes creates an inhospitable environment making it impossible for them to exist as they once did. PROSTITUTE BECOMES THE LOVER Corresponding Element: Water Gateway Emotion: Grief Channel of Instigation/Value/Soul Shame: “I don’t deserve to be loved” Active Prostitute Shadow (Too much archetypal Energy) Passive Prostitute Shadow (Too little archetypal Energy) The Addict Feels alive only when stimulated. Since he has not yet discovered the source of beauty and satisfaction inside, he seeks it in sex, wine, art, music – in large quantities. Maybe he falls prey to alcoholism or substance abuse. Maybe he feels empty and needs sex or other stimuli to feel “full”. Doesn’t comprehend cause and effect and believes what he seeks is outside himself. Examples: The “pickup” approach to dating, elements of “The Secret”, parts of New Age, alcoholism, overeating, consumer society. Devoid of vitality, he does not see beauty anywhere, least of all in himself. He represses his sexuality and is generally sexually passive. Examples: The archetypal nerd, academics lost in rationality, Anders Behring Breivik, “40-year-old virgin”, feminist women that have become frozen, people who never cry. The Impotent THE SOUL KILLER PROSTITUTE CONTINUED Grows out of “The Oedipal Child”: Early on in life, children start bonding erotically to the parent of the opposite sex. This phase is enormously important and lays the foundation for a healthy sexuality later on in life. The boy will try to merge with Mother and the girl will try to merge with Father (capitalized as the intended merger is with the archetypal). —> EGO DEVELOPMENT I love to dance, music and song. When I express myself and my creative power, I feel enormous joy arise inside of me. I enjoy the pleasures of the tongue: Whether with wine, chocolate or naked skin, I enjoy the sensual pleasure my tongue gives me. I open up and reveal my vulnerability. I know that when I dare open up and show those parts of me which are vulnerable and young, I experience stronger intimacy with the people in my life as well as with myself. It is a true path to my own heart. I love to touch. To give and receive loving touch is one of my life’s biggest joys. Leaving the world of thought, I enter the sensual joy of the moment. I take my time. When I drink wine, I do so slowly. When I eat chocolate, I do so slowly. –> If the parents are uncomfortable with the eroticism of their children, their rejection of it will cause huge trauma in the archetypal Lover-quadrant. Many adult lives are When I make love, I do so slowly. I have outgrown the desire for instant gratification and choose to postpone my (peak) orgasm, the swallowing of the wine and the chewing of the chocolate. Only by feeding my senses slowly do I feel truly full when done. I surrender. Faced with the beauty of my partner and the world, I surrender myself. I let beauty penetrate my being so fully that it blows the doors of my heart wide out. As the miracle of life penetrates the cells of me body, I weep with joy. I become One with creation. As I become one with Other, I feel my final longing: The dissolution of my self in the infinite ocean of the great All. The Other may be nature, a lover, an ideal. The Other is the gateway to the All. I feel no separation. I am you. I am the animals, the sky above. As the remnants of my small self are washed away in bliss, I feel one with Everything. completely shaped by such early experiences. As adults, such people may question if they are worthy of love. Examples: A little boy who gets an erection while hugging his mother, a child that moves in nature and suddenly feels one with it. PROSTITUTE CONTINUED Sells Soul for cheap. Compromises truth, values, value, desires, self-expression, opinions, beliefs in exchange for the approval of the tribe. Chooses based on what she “can”/”can’t afford” todo/be/have/say/feel/believe. No self worth. Fears rejection. Consumed withbelonging. SAYS: The Prositute is Charming; uses charmtogetby,gether way. Gets swindled easily. Can’t stick to prices. Easily tempted. Insecure about her self-worth and value. Uses sexual energy for influence and gain (most dependable form of approval and acceptance; the lowest common denominator and most widely accepted “currency”in the tribe”). Compromises truth, values, values,desires, selfexpression, opinions, beliefs in exchange for financialsafetyandsecurity. “I can’t afford to.” “Howmuch does it cost?” “Howmuch do I get in return?” “What do you think?” “What will others think?” “I couldn’t live withmyself if I…” “Howmuch will it costme to keep the peace?” “What’smy true passion?” “What ismy purpose?” “What do I reallyWANT?” “Where do I belong?” “I feel insecure.” “I could just settle for this.” THE ACTIVE LOVER CHANNEL Sensuality, sexuality, dance, song, art, culture, flow, sensual delight, softness, vulnerability, openness, intimacy, beauty, ecstacy. Opinion, self-expression, desires are never for sale. No sacrifice is too great for what he values and desires. Acts in complete alignment with high self-worth. Does not moderate price or stated value, no matter what. Will make the ultimate sacrifice. Cannot be bargained with. SAYS: “This is what I value” “This is what I will afford” “I will sacrifice anything for my value, values, worth, desires, self-expression” “My opinions, beliefs, thoughts, self-expression or choices are not for sale.” “I am not for sale.” “I don’t care how much it costs.” “I value my own words and my own opinions and my own self-expression, no matter what.” “I do not modulate my self-expression for anybody’s approval or for my security and safety or approval from anyone.” “I don’t care what someone else thinks.” “I value my method of self-expression and my words and my opinions.” “My safety and security come from me, not from anybody else and what they think of me.” LOVER CHANNEL “My power lies in my total allegiance to my truth. My power lies in my total allegiance to my inner magic. These are my standards. These are my requirements. This is what I value. This is what I afford. This is my priority. This comes first. Always. I never ever abandon ME. I am my priority. I value my standards, my safety, and my intuition, above all else. I know exactly what I want. I know exactly what I require. Money is my pleasure, and Money is Freedom, therefore… Money is a means to my dreams. —> The Love is in high demand. Is fully self expressed. Cannot be tempted. Is highly charismatic. Speaks clearly and directly without sugarcoating or being wishy-washy. Fashion and luxury are normal for me. I get beyond what I require because I am literally connected to Infinite Divine Source. I do not care about the approval of others. Their approval is not the source of my safety and security. My safety and security comes from me, not from anybody else or what they think of me. I don’t care how much it costs. I will sacrifice ANYTHING for my value, my worth, my desires, and my selfexpression. I am. Who I am. I don’t care what someone else thinks. I am not for sale, nor will I be used. My being is not for sale. Nor will it be censored. I do not modulate my selfexpression for anyone, for anybody’s approval, or for my security or safety, EVER.” Active Child Shadow (Too much archetypal Energy) CHILD BECOMES THE SOVEREIGN Passive Child Shadow (Too little archetypal Energy) The Tyrant The Weakling Comesdownonall threats.Amiddlemanager that doesn’t want his employees to flourish (becausehe’safraidthey’ll replacehim).Afather thatactivelyopposesthegrowthandhappiness of his children. A tyrant seeks to “steal the throne” in the inner geography of his fellow beings, so that they come to depend on him. Reactswithenormousangerwhenconfronted. Is terrified of her weakness and feels enormously threatened by representations of the Divine Child. Examples: Edward the Longshanks (Braveheart movie), Kim Jong-Il, Hitler,IdiAmin,countessElizabethBathory. Rejects responsibility for his own life. Dares not to lead and instead blames others. Abdicates his throne and blames whoever sits there in his place. It’s easier to be a victim than to be responsible. Examples: Commodus (Ridley Scott’s Gladiator), King John of England (Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood), CEOs during the financial crisis of 2008. Corresponding Element: Earth Gateway Emotions: Anger/Joy Channel of Individuation / Identity / Spirit Shame: “I don’t belong/I’m broken” AKA “The Dependent” THE IDENTITY KILLER CHILD CONTINUED I make peace with my parents. I love and respect them, but don’t view them as people who define who I am. My father is a man amongst many, with his challenges and gifts. My mother is a woman amongst many, with her challenges and gifts. I thank them for their contributions and now release them, in order to more fully love them. And as a free man, I support them as their twilight draws closer. If they are dead, I remember them with love and forgiveness. The cycle of life moves on. I examine my inner throne. Who sits there? Have I made another person the authority of my life? Does Mom or Dad sit there? Does a spiritual teacher sit there? A successful businessman? A coach? I choose to reclaim my inner throne. I choose, from this day forward, to accept ultimate responsibility for my life. I cease the blame game and take charge of my own destiny. This does in no way make me arrogant. It makes me humble. —> EGO DEVELOPMENT Grows out of The Divine Child: The world is an adventure, full of joy and opportunity. He is full of wonder and his purity represents everything good about creation (such children are often represented with a halo in paintings). —> When we’re out of touch with the play and wonderment of the Divine Child, we lose touch with our inner Sovereign. I bless others. I see and affirm the goodness of others. I offer authentic compliments. I mirror other people’s positive qualities back to them. I live out my life purpose. I get intimate with the meaning of my life. I know it is what I make of it. And I know that, as death draws near, I will ask myself this question: Did I live well? In order to face death peacefully, I live well. I find inner peace. I live my dharma in the world. By being true in word and deed, in tune with the needs of my environment, I stop fearing others. I have nothing to hide. I know myself and my values. I am myself fully and never say something about a person that I couldn’t say to a person. The drama of life ceases and I find inner peace. I create life and community. A mysterious force grows in me. It is creative. It feels abundant. It wants to share. I gather people around me. I build community. I create life. My family, friends and associates flourish. I live to serve them. They are the purpose of my existence. We also lose access to our psychological harmony and the vision for our lives. Examples: Baby Jesus, baby Moses, baby Krishna, baby Buddha, the little child whose eyes you gaze into, only to have the timeless, ageless mystery gaze back at you. CHILD CONTINUED “THIS ISN’T FAIR.” “I’M NOT ALLOWED.” “I SHOULD/NEED TO ASK/CHECK WITH SOMEONE FIRST.” “AM I ALLOWED?” “I NEED PERMISSION.” “I HAD A DREAM ONCE UPON A TIME.” “WHO AM I?” “WHO DO YOU NEED ME TO BE?” SAYS: SYMPTOMS/CLUES: Lies, Is sneaky, Is manipulative, Is entitled, Is spoiled, Taker/mooch, Expects gifts, favors and preferential treatment, Pouts and throws a tantrum when she doesn’t get her way. Is all about having it “MY way.”, Throws a tantrum b/c really looking for someone to come in, establish discipline and lay down the law; is undisciplined, Is easily knocked off center, Doesn’t speak up for themself and instead drops clues and hints and expects to be taken seriously and heard/seen, Blurts things out but mistakes the outburst as carrying authority when really it’s all shadow and full of messy emotion. –> Wants something for nothing (power but not the responsibility; wants thing to be fair but also wants to be favored), Overcorrects in an attempt to gain power; doesn’t feel powerful so exerts arbitrary decrees in an attempt to display and therefore believe they have power, Sense of self wavers and is conditional b/c is based on mimicry and comparison, Defines consequences and ramifications as “punishment”, Rides on the coat tails of someone else’s inheritance and genius, Identity is linked to someone in authority, Two-faced, “that’s not like me. I don’t do that” THE ACTIVE SOVEREIGN CHANNEL Blessing, an affirming gaze, compassion, a genuine wish for the happiness of others, inclusivity, tolerance, and the ability to help others see their inherent worth, structure, vision, harmony, psychological cohesion. No one, or no thing has any power over me. This is what I’m doing. This is my vision. This is who I am. This is my decree, this is my command, this is my truth. Permission comes from ME. I am always making a choice, and I always choose Me. No one, or no thing has any power over US / THIS. This is my Temple. I have full access to Source Wisdom and Source Intelligence. This is My Kingdom. These are My Rules. I create lack, or I create abundance, I chose. I give the orders. I give the decrees. I don’t care what others think of me. Nobody’s thoughts or opinions have ANY power over me. I am my power source, no one else. No one can take what I don’t give them. I know who I am. I. know. who. I. am. This is my vision. This is who I am. This is the Truth. This is my decree. Nobody’s actions, or thoughts have any power over my wellbeing, happiness, or sense of self, and identity. I don’t care about what’s fair, because I am the source of my own power and well being. I don’t monitor how other people are behaving, or how they’re treating me compared to others, because it simply has no bearing on my well being at all. I am my own power source, no one else. I take full ownership over my power, and its impact, and therefore I don’t worry about whether others notice, don’t notice, take credit, or not, because it’s not possible for them to take from me what I don’t give them. —> I take full ownership over my power, and its impact, and therefore I don’t worry about whether others notice, don’t notice, take credit, or not, because it’s not possible for them to take from me what I don’t give them. SOVEREIGN CHANNEL “I wish to to live my dharma to bring order and blessing to the realm” VISIONARY KING QUEEN COMMANDER RULER Decisive Authoritative Commanding presence Inspirational Highly respected Undeterred when it appears things aren’t going their way. It’s not about “my” way. It’s about THE way. Speaks clearly and directly without sugarcoating or being wishy-washy and without manipulation Indifferent about what’s going on on the outside; a sense of self comes completely from within and is not sourced from the outside in any way Because they’re indifferent to what’s going on outside of them, they are naturally confident Dispassionately experiences consequences and ramifications as evidence of the strength or weakness of their decree Has achieved self-mastery. Takes full responsibility for making child’s dreams come true. Unconcerned with what’s fair or allowed. Has a clear vision. Makes decisions with ease. VICTIM BECOMES THE WARRIOR Corresponding Element: Fire Gateway Emotion: Anger Channel of Competency/Foundation/Space/Body Shame: “I’m weak and lazy” AKA “The Dependent” Active Victim Shadow (Too much archetypal Energy) Passive Victim Shadow (Too little archetypal Energy) The Sadist Enjoys the suffering of others and feels more alive in a position of domination. Behind the rapist and acts of revenge. He beats his kids, for they should not become pathetic losers. He confronts and sets boundaries even when it’s not needed, because he feels more alive in conflict than in peace. He hates all the weak and pathetic people of the world (for they remind him of himself). Examples: Darth Vader, the Shabiha of Syria, the Spanish Inquisition, hazing, the slaughter of civilians in the Vietnam War. Dares not have his own opinions. Dares not defend what he believes in. He feels empty – without vitality. He projects Warrior-energy onto others and gets afraid of them. He experiences others as stronger than him and lets them compromise his boundaries. When sufficiently challenged, he flips to the Sadist. Examples: Passive aggression, couch potatoes, large parts of the New Age movement, people suffering from burnout (often a result of inner critic sadism). The Masochist THE BODY KILLER VICTIM CONTINUED Grows out of The Hero. Life is full of trials and the world full of dragons. They must be overcome! It will be a hard battle and I will be challenged. I may lose my life in the process, but without my contribution and sacrifice, others may suffer. I take on the challenge and when I return, everyone will celebrate me and —> I dedicate my life to a transpersonal cause. My life is no longer about me and my needs. My King/Queen looked me in the eye, blessed me and gave me a task. I’ve seen evil and it must be conquered! Every day, in my inner and outer dojo, I sharpen my sword and prepare for the inevitable confrontation with the forces that wish to harm the balance of the world. I master my thoughts. Through meditation and insight into my own mortality, I discover a deep presence and alertness in my life. I set clear goals and follow through. My thoughts are a terrible master, but an excellent servant. They serve me well. I am intense. My life is full of energy. Sometimes I’m seen as being angry; not everyone can tell the difference between anger and intensity. Anger is my response to a boundary that has already been compromised. —> EGO DEVELOPMENT bestow upon me all the honor and glory that I rightly deserve. Only with danger lurking around the corner do I feel alive. Through anger, I open the door to my power, but once the door is open, I can release my anger and let intensity take its place. My intensity scares away those who would seek to attack my land. It sometimes scares others too. I have space for that. But I will not be less intense just to make them more comfortable. A powerful force pulsates in my veins. I am alive! I set clear boundaries. No man can seek to harm me without facing the consequences. No man can attack my ideals and transpersonal goals and fail to know that I serve good and am willing to fight for it. As a Warrior with presence, I know immediately when chaos threatens my boundaries. I do not wait to confront it. I swing my sword immediately, cleanly and precisely. This keeps the poison of repressed anger and bitterness at bay. I master my physique. I train in the martial arts. I grow my stamina and my strength. A life without physical activity is a life with less vitality. And with my goals, I need all the vitality I can get. Only through mastering my body can I reach my goals. Release the dragons – I am ready! Examples: Beowulf, common among athletes and military personnel. SAYS: SYMPTOMS/CLUES: “I don’t want to be a burden.” “That’s inconvenient.” “I don’t want to inconvenience” you/them/us/myself” “I would, but look what might happen/what” happened last time” “Where’s the justice?” “Where’s my help?” “Why me?” “What If?” “Why am I always alone?” “I never get what I want” “I would, but somebody needs me/is in a crisis” “if I don’t do this, everything will all fall apart” “I can never get a break” “When will it all end so I can rest?” “I have to do it alone. Why do I always have to do it alone?” “I give up.” “Look what they did/are doing to me.” “This is overwhelming.” Is codependent, Catastrophizes, Is heavy/overweight (carrying too much weight), Is underweight (can’t carry her own weight), Accident prone, Always or easily sick/physically weak, Spaces/house/things always getting lost/robbed/broken/ruined, Always in a physical crisis. Someone close is always in crisis. Surrounded by drama or crisis. Is alone/lonely, Passive aggressive, aggressive, involuntarily empathic; makes excuses for empathy (“I’m just wired this way”). —> Afraid of consequences and ramifications. When people close to you are in crisis, you are in crisis; when their life is a mess, your life is a mess. Or vice versa. Their life is a mess and yours suddenly is peaceful. And then when yours is a mess theirs is peaceful, Feels taken advantage of, Feels overwhelmed, Feels afraid regarding physical safety and needs to create rigid boundaries to overprotect their space, Feels grief Discipline, focus and mastery of the physical. Sees a great challenge and goes to face it. Dedicates his life to a transpersonal ideal, given to him by the Sovereign. Dares where others chicken out. Endures. Willing to step outside of her comfort zone. –> THE ACTIVE WARRIOR CHANNEL Boundaries Will Support Limits Resources Space Fights evil wherever it exists. Sets and protects boundaries. Sacrifices his own health for a worthy cause. “All I ever wanted was something worth fighting for” -Jake Sully, Avatar “I will do whatever it takes, no matter what.” “I will.” “I am master of space and all resources.” “I create Space with ease.” “I have all the space I require.” “I have all the resources I require.” “I am the source of all my resources.” “Cash comes from me.” “This is what I stand for.” “This is what I am doing.” “I’m risking it all.” “I’ve got my back/your back, no matter what.” “Do not cross this line.” “I will not cross this line.” “I am not available for…” “My physical safety comes from me. I will powerfully.” “I protect myself and my space no matter what.” SAYS: I will do whatever it takes, for as long as it takes, NO MATTER WHAT. I am not a victim, nor have I ever been. My success is my responsibility. And I like it that way. I am a master of space and all resources. I am the source of all my resources. Cash comes from ME. Money is never an issue. EVER. I create it, when I want it, when I require it. I am the source of my success. I am the Creator of the Game. I AM the game. I AM the game. Money is the means to my dreams. Money is a life force. I have infinite access to this life force. Because I am the creator of the game. This is what I’m doing. Do not cross this line. —> WARRIOR CHANNEL WILLFUL. STUBBORN. LOYAL. PHYSICALLY HEALTHY AND POWERFUL ALWAYS HAS PLENTY OF RESOURCES. FEELS AND IS SEEN AS POWERFUL. HAS AND LOVES OWN SPACE/PLENTY OF SPACE. IS RICH. Protector/enforcer of decrees and boundaries. Provides unconditional support for dreams. Able to rally support for the cause. Keeps his word. Makes oaths and keeps them Resourceful. Takes a stand for. Fights for. High tolerance for risk. Finds a way. Master of space. Keeps his word, to others and himself. —> Makes decisions and sticks to them. This builds up trust, trust from others and trust in himself. Also able to trade on this currency of trust to build powerful alliances. Able to then accelerate change, because he isn’t going back and forth over the same ground. I am not available for bullshit. I know what I’m doing, I do not fear, I am the best at what I do. This is MY playground now. I will not hesitate, nor will I collapse. Ever. I protect this Kingdom. I guard this vision. I give the orders. I give the decrees. I take the action. I create the results. Nobody gets through these gates without my approval. I’m not responsible for your feelings, thoughts or reactions. I’m here for ME, first and foremost, always. Everything I do, I do for ME… for MY dreams, for my pleasure, and for my wellbeing. SABATEUR BECOMES THE MAGICIAN Corresponding Element: Air Gateway Emotion: Fear Channel of Transformation/Time/Mind Shame: “I’m stupid/incompetent” Active Victim Shadow (Too much archetypal Energy) Passive Victim Shadow (Too little archetypal Energy) The Manipulator Wishestoseeothersfailsoastoconvincehimself that he is still better, wiser, more accomplished. Uses his intuition to play the cards in ways that disempowers and dishonors others. Seeks knowledgeinordertoseehowthingsfittogether, sothathecanbettermanipulateothers.Heknows the lay of the land and how to wield power over others from the shadows. Examples: Rupert Murdoch, Gollum, Saruman, many gender researchers, radicalfaminists,Lucifer inhistrickster aspect,DonaldTrump. Never acts out of ill intent/Is always well intentioned. Polished and hard to grasp. Uses words without conveying meaning. Sows doubt about your feelings of having been manipulated. Does not want to be responsible; acts only to prevent others from shining too much.Examples:Gollum(whenSamconfronts him), Donald Trump (denying he said things when confronted with his statements), people whopleadinnocencewhentheyareguilty. The Innocent One THE MIND KILLER Grows out of: The Precocious child. A kid isn’t old when he first starts asking questions about everything between heaven and earth. He wants to know things that most adults have stopped wondering about and sometimes says things that appear enormously insightful, even spiritually enlightened. —> EGO DEVELOPMENT I master technology. Technology lets me contribute to the world in the way I most desire. I feel freedom in knowing the technological possibilities at my disposal and choose to master them in order to contribute with knowledge, transformation and healing. I study and then share my wisdom. I have thought, studied and contemplated for years. I have the wisdom to share. It is my pleasure and my calling to teach, to contribute to the lives of others. It gives my life meaning. I map out the inner geography of humanity. Many are the paths upon which I have walked in the mysterious woods of my interior geography. I know the landscape, have walked its ways. If you want to be left in the intersection over there, I know what you will find around the corner. I see past the superficial and into the true nature of phenomena. I trust my intuition. I have a voice that speaks inside of me, which I have learned to trust. When I act in accordance with it, magic and synchronicity manifest in my life. —> SABATEUR CONTINUED With a sense of wonderment about the world rarely found in adults, the child maps out I am a master of transformation. Many a time in my life have I died and resurrected. Many visits in the Valley of the shadow of death have given me insights into what lives in the dark abyss of the human mind. Many a time have I danced and cooked in the sacred geography of madness and emerged transformed. These experiences allow me to hold you and your process with wisdom. I give you space to explore your trauma and wounds. You are safe here. Your identity as you know it, however, is not. I become one with the Mystery. I have much experience with the art of transcendence and liberation. My consciousness takes me through the thin veil of illusions and from the other side, I see the drama of life clearly. I am in life, but not of the mundane world. I am at home in the great Mystery of the Cosmos, integrating ever more fully into the silent hum at the base of existence that resonates into infinity. his surroundings. If surroundings respect, encourage and participate in this process, a strong foundation for an adult Magician is created. Examples: The child that asks about everything, the child with deep spiritual insights, child prodigies, young Mozart. Gives excuses and reasons why not Focuses on what is (vs what could be) Does not take responsibility (shrugs off herpower) Consumed with being and appearing responsible and therefore paralyzed and unable to be response-able to the moment Needs proof, certainty, evidence, reasons, plans, maps Consumed with doubt Powerless over Time SABATEUR CONTINUED SAYS: “I don’t know” “I can’t see” “I can’t see the way” “It makes no sense” “This is foolish/irresponsible” “I need more time” “I’ll do it later. Someday.” “I need more evidence, proof, knowledge, understanding, training, certification” “I don’t have enough time.” “I’m out of time.” “There’s never enough time.” “I’m bored.” “I’m blocked.” “I have no idea” “No one understands me” “I don’t know what to say” Lacks inspiration; is blocked or bored Cannot see clearly; cannot see through chaos or illusion Clueless Flaky and unaware Indiscriminately rebellious Arbitrary Rule-breaker Grave. Serious. Takes self and others too seriously. Unmoored, so unable to be rooted in Truth because constantly rebelling against the Truth-roots Mired in either/or Always a gravity and a weight or weightiness to everything Masters technology and gains insight into the great mystery of the Universe. Has wisdom and intui t ion and knows the ar t of alchemy: he turns wounds into gold. Knocks on death’s door and moves, like Jonah through the whale, through the valley of death —> THE ACTIVE MAGICIAN CHANNEL Magic is my nature. Anything I need to know is revealed to me. This is what it will be. I am the Creator of this Game. I AM the Game. I am Master of the Game. I don’t need proof of my magic. I know what I know. I am living, breathing, magic incarnate. Needing to know kills my magic. —> Time Reality Intuition Knowing Certainty Magic – before he returns reborn. Is intimate with the “sacred geography of madness”, which makes him a master of transformation. Through study, she finds the answers required to penetrate the deepest mysteries. Teaches, designs, constructs and heals. I actually enjoy “not knowing” how it will all work out. I create the experience I require. I literally CREATE that which I require. It does not take time, because I know how to collapse time, and collapse space. I am a magician. I am magic incarnate. Is certain. Grounded and graceful. Controlled with precision and grace. Brings creations to completion. Lives a magical, blessed life. Anxiety-free. Mentally healthy and powerful. wonder (not worry) is your natural state. You have ’amnesia” because there’s no content in your mind; your mind is an open, empty channel for the superconscious to drop content in and through, in and through, in and through, in and through. MAGICIAN CHANNEL SAYS: “I know what I know” “I know that I know what I know” “This is what will be” “I am Master of Time. Time comes from me.” “I am certain.” “This happens now.” “I don’t care how silly/foolish/irresponsible this looks/feels.” “I don’t have to see how it will all work out” “This is my message. “This is what I have to say. I know exactly what to say and exactly when to say it.” CREATING A THEATRICAL SCENE Once the tension of polarities is identified and roughly placed within the archetypes of power, the scene can be designed. A good scene of The Quantum Theater utilizes scenario situations which contain a naturally embedded emotional charge. As a facilitator, here is one of the best approaches to designing a scene: Feel the initial tension, close your eyes, and see what imagery pops into your mind while focused on that tension. This requires very close listening to what the imagination offers, without judgement. Whatever the imagination generates. Trusting that the imagery is there for a reason. It could be as silly as trees talking to each other, prostitutes arguing about their pimps, or a street performer’s family arranging their future together (these are all real examples of past sessions). —> Nothing is off limits, and the more absurdity involved in the initial scene layout, the more exciting and effective the session is primed to be. Make sure that all participants have read at least the guidelines at the end of this document so that they agree to the container that the session provides. In fact, the container itself is “the facilititator”, which means that if the session is setup well it facilitates itself to completion. Sometimes, someone is not totally ready for a session and this is obvious in the way they resist the process or crave a solution thinking it will “fix” them. A certain threshold of openness and neutrality is required for a successful session – this can take some practice to identify who is ready. Each session will intentionally open up the necessary gateway emotions to move the participant forward within themselves, and someone who is not ready and willing for this to happen will require more coaching before The Quantum Theater can be useful to them. QUANTUM THEATER PARTICIPANT GUIDELINES This process is designed to catalyze and alchemize an emotional experience in a safe way. It is specifically designed to identify an emotional imbalance, and then give you an opportunity to re-balance this issue on your own, through your insights. In the shamanic world, this can be seen as learning to move your assemblage point. We will begin by asking you about an issue in your life that you’d like to see change. We will identify the underlying emotionallycharged polarity within this situation. For example, this could be helpful/unhelpful, productive/lazy, competent/incompetent, order/chaos, or anything else which seems to summarize the feelings behind the issue. This is that building block that we use to build the theatrical scene. When done properly, the experience should metaphorically “paint you into a corner” so that you are essentially forced to make a decision one way or another. Please remember that even though the emotions that come up will likely be very real, this is a fictional play with no real stakes (even if the stakes feel real). If the character you are playing suddenly must feel offended, that is perfectly fine. —> Own it, and a the same time try and have a sense of humor about it internally. It is theater, so the scene is not “really” happening. Ultimately, the medicine this kind of experience shows us is that transformation happens through a willingness to laugh at ourselves. The feelings of the experience could be a surprise, laughter, shame, fear, anger, disgust, etc. You may be faced with an overtly manipulative character (such as a pushy prostitute), an angry person whom you need to convince of something (perhaps a pouty janitor), a well-meaning insane person (perhaps an elderly woman who insists on adopting you as her new baby), or some other ridiculous situation. It’s designed to take you out of your comfort zone and stretch your imagination of what is possible. Your character can rationalize to a point, but please allow them to change their mind eventually. GUIDELINES CONTINUED If the “character” is tempted to escape the situation or refuses to give in, that is YOU who doesn’t want to see a new perspective. Please plan on being both authentic to the character, and also flexible enough to keep things moving. Deep down, every person wants to change and eventually needs to let their guard down enough to do so. In an extreme case where a “character” is unwilling to budge from their perspective, it may be necessary to switch roles with the facilitator so that you can get help in moving the character forward as necessary. It’s better if you just allow it yourself. In “real life” [though the world is all a stage], people tend to hide many of their thoughts and only speak a portion of them aloud. This is not real life, so please try to speak your character’s thought process aloud as much as possible, even if it sounds unrealistic. This process is not about realistic acting, this is about illuminating the character’s logic that is at work. Owning ridiculous logic might sound absurd, and doing so will show you your own logic in a way that you can no longer ignore. —> Absurdity is an important aspect of the experience. You may be hit with surprise twists, impossible characters, and ridiculous situations. In improv, “yes and” is the golden rule. This means if a silly situation comes your way – err on the side of accepting it as truth and move forward. The process is not over before a transformation occurs. If it hasn’t happened yet, there is more that needs to occur. A scene is only finished when both characters have said absolutely everything that they need to say. As a participant, it is important that you genuinely desire to be challenged and that you truly desire to see new perspectives. To this end, it is important to have some kind of “skin in the game”. Some form of energy exchange, be it financial payment or some other agreement, is necessary to ensure the integrity of the container. Not following this guideline will tend to result in more projections and barriers, such as defensiveness and pride. Recording the session on audio or video can be helpful for re-visiting later. This is usually best started after the session is mapped out, as that process may have a few dead ends and isn’t as interesting to listen to later. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS How many sessions does one need? This is a common question. It’s not an easy answer. Usually every session will create some sort of shift and will move the needle in some way. Some more than others. Two sessions create more change than one. Five sessions create more change than two. This path is recommended to follow until it feels like it has helped as much as it can. How to prepare for a session? Some people want to be well prepared for a session, and some feel already ready. There is no right answer. Some people enjoy watching previous QT sessions others have gone through. You can ask us for this if you want to view a past recording (which we have permission to share with you). If you feel open and willing, this is sufficient preparation. Reading this document is of course also very helpful. How to best integrate a session? The mind is tricky and always wants to come to conclusions. To re-arrange and to create a new “updated” selfimage. After a session, go for a walk. Do some writing. dance, move some energy. Don’t try to figure out “what it means”. Feel what has shifted. ReWatch the session recording, perhaps a week later and see if it takes you deeper. What to expect after the session? Notice how your relationship to life has changed. More spaciousness? Less grasping, trying, attached to a specific outcome? Hopefully some new energies and power are available that were not there before. What would be fun to create with it? •Living in Process by Anne Wilson Schaef •1000 [and other books] by Ramaji •Keys to the Enneagram [and other books] by A.H. Almaas •King Warrior Magician Lover by Robert Moore •Various works by Lujan Matus •Various works by Carlos Castaneda •Various works by Theun Mares •Storyweaving by Joshua Edjida BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS: As you can see, years of experimentation and a number of influences have gone into making The Quantum Theater what it is today. The structures outlined above help to create a map which helps the mind (of the facilitator) to pinpoint exactly what needs to be created and resolved within the story. Above all, even with a map this is still an intuitive process designed to change and “turn inside out” the experience of the identity of the participant. Regardless of how well mapped this may be, nothing can replace the ability to follow tension in the story and to flip the direction whenever needed. This requires courage, patience, experimentation, and persistence. —> Text/Telegram/Whatsapp: +1 323-230-0226 joshua@trueparticipation.com Website: Joshua.Energy YouTube: www.participate.tv Book a free introductory conversation at www.Quantum.Theater Storytellers (filmmakers, novel writers, etc) who want to apply The Quantum Theater format to creative works: The Storyweaving Strategy and the Storyweaving Book are available just for this purpose at www.Story.Energy Join the QT Community For questions about this document contact Joshua Edjida The Quantum Theater can of course also be done without a facilitator, such as in a mirror or while walking. It often pairs well with intuitive movement/dance so that the story movements can be embodied for a more powerful experience. This is intentionally an “open source” format because it is made up up a combination of various other open source materials – simply combined uniquely. You are encouraged to take this information and to apply it yourself using the worksheet following this document. And if you need help applying it, individual sessions are always available.