I found this article to be exciting as well as thought provoking. Here is a perspective that expands the holistic theory that is generally understood as Gestalt therapy. We are invited to re-connect with the original thoughts rooted in Buddhism that evolved into psychotherapeutic benefits of attending to our awareness.

I agree with Wolfert that much of our work is enriched when we practice the Taoism formula of standing out of the way, and that by doing this we as therapists and clients are more likely to disengage from our preconceptions and become present to the whole of our experience.

Where I struggle, where my difficulty lies, is in understanding how we do it? How do we "stand out of the way" and in doing so then enter into the "fertile void?" I do not question the truth of this ancient wisdom; I only struggle with the dynamics.

So perhaps, because I come from a different perspective, the question that I ask is 'how?' In fact there are a number of ' how' questions that beg asking, such as, “How do you know?” “How do you do that?” “How can you be so sure?”

I ask these questions because, for me the fertile void, or "the creativity of the self in which all exists in a ceaseless motion of formless form," is a place that requires complete surrender to enter and total faith from which to emerge; at times of struggle, suffering and confusion, this (in my experience) is often too much to ask.

My struggle is echoed in the words of WB Yeats, in The Circus Animals Desertion,

"Now that my ladder's gone,
I must lie down where all ladders start,
In the foul rag-and bone shop of the heart."

It is, however, through my study in Jewish Mysticism called Kabbalah that I have found some answers to my many 'how' questions. Kabbalah is an ancient Jewish wisdom. It is a perception that explains the eternal laws of how spiritual energy moves through the Cosmos. Although full understanding of the Kabbalah requires one to spend a lifetime committed to study and prayer, the wisdom it embodies can enrich life in many ways.

Kabbalah literally means 'one who receives' and comes from the Hebrew word Lekabel, to receive. What this means is that these mystical teachings were given and received and given and received. This giving and receiving in small portions is an important aspect of Kabbalistic teaching. The idea being that we learn best in small steps and that by taking a step even a minuscule one we have in fact moved towards something and away from something else.

The Kabbalah teaches that everything has multiple levels of meaning (every letter in the Torah is said to have seventy interpretations) and so too we see how the meaning we put to something is indeed limited to our perception. So although the word Kabbalah means a process of giving and receiving on a deeper level it is understood that it is not so easy to give or for that matter not so easy to receive.

The Kabbalah teaches that our very capacity to give and receive is really very limited due to our being in a state of duality, and it therefore offers us various maps to increase our receptivity.

How does Kabbalah address this concept of increasing our receptivity? To be correct it is true to say that Kabbalah attends to this in every aspect of it's existence through symbology, numerology, prayer, ritual, study and the fulfilling of mitzvoth (613 commandments that both elevate man towards God and allow the emanations of God to flow downward to man). However for this discussion I want to talk about only one of the basic teachings in Kabbalah which states that an action, the act of doing one thing, can reach whole other levels and whole other worlds.

The Gestalt concept of one thing following another corresponds to this idea. So too does the Buddhist teaching of the Four Noble Truths. This teaching, as I understand it, leads us from the first truth, 'that there is suffering' to 'suffering has cause' to 'there is cessation of suffering' to finally 'there is a path to freedom'. The underlying principle of this teaching is the universal principle of causality. What becomes important in the understanding in the understanding of this Buddhist basic teaching, is a genuine awareness of one's own potential and the need to utilise them to their fullest. Seen in this light, every human action becomes significant

Through Kabbalah we also learn that whatever we do, whatever small or large action we perform, (even blinking an eye, or choosing not to complain this time) makes a profound difference. In Kabbalah an action is an energetic experience. It does not only require physical movement.

I have been working with a married couple for about six months. Serina contacted me and said that she is thinking of leaving Paul and would like to have some counselling before she makes a final decision. Serina works as a waiter and her hours are long. She often comes home after mid-night. Paul, is a quiet man who appeared confused that Serina was unhappy. He said he would do anything she wanted and all she has to do is tell him. He is rarely spontaneous and tip toes through their relationship gingerly and with uncertainty.

Last week Paul became upset that Serina wanted to work an extra shift. They have two small daughters and Paul looks after them three nights a week. He often complains that they never have time with each other but is resigned that because they have a mortgage there is nothing that can be done.

Paul started to share this story which in itself was quite unusual. As he spoke, the words seemed to shine out of him.

Serina called me from work and told me she wanted to work an extra shift for a few weeks because one of the other waiters was going on holiday. As you know we always fight about her long hours, but this time I really didn't want to fight. I wanted this conversation to end peacefully. I was quiet for a while because I just didn't know what to say. Serina thought I was angry and said that. Just then I remembered it was our anniversary next week. I said that if she wanted to work the extra shift it would be OK but that I want to take her out next week for our anniversary. Serina was so happy. She said she cried with relief that we didn't argue this time.We ended that conversation promising to plan where to go when she came home.

Paul wanted to have a peaceful conversation and needed time to think how to say that without sounding like he was complaining. The silence (miraculously) led him in to the way to create it. The act of waiting and holding back can ignite the 'creativity of the self' and lead us into 'finding a deeper way of relating'.

According to Kabbalah the very act of wanting to address this peacefully is an act that has the power to transform. Even had the conversation not resulted in this outcome Kabbalah states that the energy created through the act of wanting or choosing, can profoundly impact and alter an aspect of the world and even the universe.

This type of action, the act of pure intention, positive thought, loving restraint and courageous with holding of self adds a new dimension to the idea of taking small steps. It allows one to see movement where previously one could not. From this perspective I can step more powerfully into a place of unknowing because I can recognise my ability to act and in doing this regain some sense of self. And through regaining a sense of self we are more likely to be receptive to that which is offered to us, including a deeper understanding of the moment.

Kabbalah helps to connect the concept of awakening our receptivity through action. The beauty of taking small steps that can be energetic or physical is that we can clearly perceive ourselves as moving. When struggle, pain and suffering are present the illusion is sometimes that 'nothing will ever change'. We become lost in the turmoil of our own souls and lose our ability to even imagine moving out and beyond.

Kabbalah provides a path of the heart, a path of experiential connection through, meditation, prayer, observance and creation of ritual and ceremony as well as acts of energetic significance that require thoughts that come from pure intention, that enable people to recognise change and movement.

It is important to note however that when we say we have certain qualities such as kindness, generosity and compassion it is not enough to say we posses these qualities. We are required to answer the question 'how?' How are you generous? How have you shown kindness? How are you compassionate? The very essence of giving and receiving requires some action.

When Ruth asks 'how can we allow these mini-satoris, those moments of transcendence of spontaneous absorption for a short while, to flower into fuller awakenings and utilise the spiritual more fully in Gestalt therapy, I would offer this:

Kabbalah speaks of every living and non-living thing to be connected by spiritual roots to the Source of All Life. In other words there shines within everyone a spark of pure divinity, regardless of how we manifest our personality in the world. It is from this place that Kabbalah invites us to experiment. Through seeing the good, the greatness, the infinite possibility in each person with whom we interact, even for a split second and to take some action from that place, I believe the quality and quantity of transcendental moments would exceed our wildest dreams.

Coda

"………to allow our difficulties to point us to finding a deeper way of relating, a spiritual ground of connection and communication."

As I hold up a large sheet of butcher’s paper and begin to share who I am as depicted on the paper, I nervously look up at the twenty-five other participants in the workshop. I feel shy and worried that what I am sharing, my interest and study of Kabbalah will provoke questions that I perhaps can't answer. There is so much to say on the subject yet how do I share in small steps. My enthusiasm sometimes bubbles out of me incoherently.

I stop talking and notice one person was still watching me. He seems very interested in what I just said. I wonder why? Who is he? Does he agree or disagree? Does he want to challenge or question me? Or am I just imagining it all?

We are invited to work in pairs to communicate wordlessly, with only a crayon each, and a piece of paper. I hold my breath and walk over to the one who looked interested. "Would you be my partner?" I ask.

What did I see in this person? I saw a spark. I saw some glimmer of possibility.

I held back my shyness within my fast beating heart and acted.

This seemingly small act has transformed me. By taking some action I transformed my fear into courage, courage into laughter, (yes, we laughed) laughter into sharing, sharing into receiving and receiving into friendship.

Long may it last.

References

• Carmody, D. L. and Carmody, J. T.(1996) Mysticism. Holiness East and West. New York: Oxford University Press
• Dalai Lama (1995) The Dalai Lama's Book of Wisdom, London: Harper and Collins
• Kaplan, A. (1982) Meditation and Kabbalah. York Beach Main, Samuel Weiser Inc
• Munk Rabbi, M.L. (1983) The Wisdom of the Hebrew Alphabet. New York, Mesorah Publications Ltd.
• Wolf Rabbi, L. (1999) Practical Kabbalah. New York,Three Rivers Press
  
• Zeller Rabbi, D (1996) The Tree of Life: Meditations, Prayers and Practices of Mystical Judaism.Boulder, Sounds True

Sharon began her professional life as an early childhood educator. Her introduction to Gestalt Therapy was in 1978 when she began to attend weekend workshops run by Don Diespecker, Ph.D., from the University of Wollongong in Australia. She began training with the Polsters in 1997 and continues to do so. Sharon has worked for a number of years with people living affected by HIV and AIDS, through the AIDS Council of NSW, and now runs a private practice. In addition to being on the training faculty of two Gestalt training centres in NSW, she is also the Editor of the GANZ Newsletter and is on the GANZ Council.

Her work at present involves research into Integration through, the exploration of twelve levels of spiritual energy. This field, Sharon believes, will greatly expand our understanding of ourselves as human beings and will thus powerfully impact those with whom we will work in the future. Sharon lives with her husband and five children in Sydney Australia and can be contacted on sharonsnir@and.com.au