Determination of Emotional Resource Potentials (DERP) Walter Bongartz, University of Konstanz (September 2005) Instructions You will now hear a series of imaginary situations. You should try as much as possible to experience these by visualizing the descriptions with your inner eye. In so doing, try to bring the suggestions of the narrator to life with your own images and feelings. In trying to live out these brief scenes, what s most important is your ability to employ your imagination and transpose these pictures into your own inner experience and inner feeling. Now, close your eyes and begin to direct your attention solely to the sound of my voice.
2 1) Induction (Strength) Please find a comfortable position in your chair sitting upright with a straight back. Lay your hands on your legs. Make a relaxed fist with both hands... and now with your eyes closed, become conscious of both of your fists... you can sense the pressure of your hands lying on your legs. Perhaps it s also possible to sense the space inside the fists to feel how much space they contain inside... And now squeeze and tense your fists, completely tense, as though you are clenching something solid and resistant... something very firm in your grip... feel the strength in your fists very clearly... very clearly perceive this power and strength. Now release the tension in your fists... and now also with relaxed fists, feel the power and strength in your fists. And now as you breathe in, you can feel a firmness and strength in your fists (the tone of the therapist s voice should from here on become more firm and determined)... now more and more perceive a firmness and resilience in both fists... experience directly how both fists are permeated by this strength... more by every inhalation...and by every inhalation feel how the breath transports a power and strength to the fists... feel how a sense of firmness develops there... firmness and strength, which grow more palpable with every breath... and the feeling in the fists continues to become clearer and clearer, to take on crystal-clear outlines... and now breathe this feeling up into the lower arms, and feel how this power and firmness can also be experienced in the forearms... and now breathe the strength higher into the arms, until it reaches the shoulders and permeates the whole length of both your arms... a firmness and strength in both arms... and now feel the sensation of strength in both shoulders... connect both of the arms with each other through your shoulders and chest... and now at the same time become aware of the spine, supporting and strengthening the whole back, straight and vertical, holding the body... feel the firmness and strength in the whole back, and be aware of the rigidity and straightness of the spinal column.... the spine now engenders a sensation of permeating strength for the whole back...breathe in and allow the perception of firmness and resilience to penetrate the whole upper body, to fill the entire upper body... and by breathing in and becoming aware of the space inside the lungs, feel also how the breath leads this strength, this firmness into the entire upper body... feel this controlling power in the whole of the body... and also become self-conscious... connect the feeling of dominating power with the experience of being permeated with power and strength... a strong, powerful sovereignty... a firm, unshakeable strength... feel how a sovereign strength and firmness fills the whole body... feel completely permeated with an incorruptible power and strength... Now try to sense such a sovereign strength and power inside yourself, inside your actual being, which becomes more profound with every breath... and notice at the same time the feeling of how this feeling of power and strength flows throughout the whole body... in the shoulders, the arms, chest, and abdomen, in the cheeks, in the legs and the feet... in the following pause concentrate very clearly on this sensation throughout the whole body... 2. Dam (Aggression) Please return your hands to a comfortable position... Take some time now to visualize with your inner eye a strong dam high up in the mountains, and see the unmoving surface of water behind it. The sun warms the stagnant water, in which masses of algae multiply and spread, and gradually use up the lake s oxygen. The algae must breathe the air through the thick water, and the danger exists that the whole constrained and penned-up lake will become a
3 dead water when all the oxygen is consumed. The algae are threatened and trapped, and should this condition persist, the oppression and comfortlessness of the life in the lake will continue unalleviated. The water within the lake, trapped behind the heavy dam, could free itself, if it could somehow surge its weight into the hard, unyielding dam, with ever increasing strength. The more pressure that the water bears upon the dam wall, the more real and tangible becomes the power which such water masses contain within. An observer can then almost sense the overwhelming power of the water. Suddenly, the immense, increasing pressure of the water breaks back the dam and the surging water bursts free into the gorge. It is free of its own volition, through its own power, which was hardly noticeable before. It achieves its own freedom. And when the water rushes down into the valley, the algae remain hanging on the rocks. They free themselves from that which took the oxygen essential to life, and they go now along their own course without letting any obstacle hinder them. And the power of the mass of water is displayed by how it simply pushes giant boulders aside with tumultuous strength, and hurtles them into the valley below with a deafening roar. As the boulders rush down into the valley, they let nothing resist them or slow them down. Absolutely nothing can stand against their momentum and strength. Try now to sense such a liberating power within yourself, which grows deeper with every breath. Notice this sensation of liberating power and feel how this freeing force flows throughout the whole body... in the shoulders, the arms, chest, and abdomen, in the hips, the legs, and the feet... during the pause now, feel this sensation in the whole body... 3) Rock in the Seawall (Security) The power and strength which you just came to know in the previous scene can also be portrayed in other images from nature, for instance when a group of rocks stand on the edge of the sea and resist the crashing waves, and the breakers shatter apart upon the stone... An observer can experience this image coming alive by watching each wave break against the shore; feeling with each crash of the surf a stronger and stronger inner composure and resistance to outside forces. With every inward breath the sensation of security and a feeling of being firmly anchored increases, and with every exhalation this experience grows deeper and deeper. By contemplating such a stormy, howling sea, and the rocks against which it breaks, one is led to also notice the contrast in this scene between the crashing waves and the silent stone, which rests unshaken in its own aura of calm. The stone remains fast and unshakeable in itself and withstands the surge of the stormy sea. And although thousands of waves run towards the shore like an army, the rock delimits the border of the land here. With their inner calm and steadfastness, they are able to set the boundary between themselves and the outside tumult. They simply stand firm and don t allow themselves to be forced aside. And whether there is a moment of sudden stillness or the waves crash about them in a deafening pounding, the stone remains unaffected. They feel no influence from the frenzy that roars around them. Although this distressing force continuously crashes against them, they rest calmly in themselves. Anchored deep within themselves, they withstand that which surges against them, which aims to push them over and aside. And the more the aggressive storm presses down, the more the stillness and firmness of the rocks impresses the observer.
4 Try now to sense such a deep security within yourself, which grows deeper with every breath. Notice this sensation of security and feel the way this firmness and safety flows throughout the whole body... in the shoulders, the arms, chest, and abdomen, in the hips, the legs, and the feet... during the pause now, feel this sensation in the whole body... 4) Seagulls in the Wind (Trust) And we just spoke of the sea, where one can also frequently observe seagulls in flight. And it s pleasant to observe, how elegantly and how lightly the seagulls sometimes allow themselves to be carried down towards the sea and then with a slight, quick movement climb effortlessly back up into the sky... and while the seagulls let themselves be carried out into the open expanse of sky and sea, they seem to even enjoy it relaxed and free... they are relaxed and they enjoy the feeling of detachment, without having to make an effort... and in this way the seagulls trust themselves to be carried along by something invisible... by wind... they allow themselves, full of confidence, to be lifted and carried, even when the force that supports them is invisible... and being carried along, to feel themselves free and detached in the sunshine, and to allow themselves to be carried out into the vastness of the sea with a feeling of detachment and openness, this can be like a sensation of being surrounded by a tranquil security; and in observing the seagulls, one can really sense this trust, with which the seagulls let themselves float out into the open air and with a feeling of pure trust, of being supported... also when they venture out into the new, into the wide open, they will feel completely secure and safe. And when they give themselves out into the empty sky, so serene and full of inner calm, into the unsure vastness, to move out towards the horizon, which lies before them like a boundary, they will find that this seeming limit to the sky still invites much more room and freedom. The more they fly out to the horizon, letting themselves be carried in detached calmness, the more it becomes clear that the border melts away... it s only an apparent boundary... there is absolutely no boundary. Try now to sense such a feeling of trust within yourself, which grows deeper with every breath. Notice this sensation of trust and feel the way this trust flows throughout the whole body... in the shoulders, the arms, chest, and abdomen, in the hips, the legs, and the feet... during the pause now, feel this sensation in the whole body... 5) Flowers in Springtime (Hope) Also an excursion in the mountains can exercise a deep influence on your self-awareness, through direct contact with the surrounding nature. In spring in the mountains there are still areas with snow and ice, even though in the valley the flowers are coming into bloom. And during a trek along these ice- and snow-covered ways, one can sense that there below in the cold darkness flowers await the moment of rebirth. They seem now still so weak and powerless and nevertheless they will certainly find a way to come up through the cold and darkness into the open air. Even when now it seems they have no chance as they lay beneath the heavy shield of ice, they will certainly make it. They will start the journey upwards, even when it seems futile, and they will manage to come up into the warmth and light. And the visitor of course knows, how the hope of the flowers, the hope for light and warmth, will soon
5 be fulfilled. And of course, to get underway with the journey through the darkness means they have to grow. As they push their way up out of the cold, they will grow stronger, and even though they cannot measure the length of their journey, they notice anyway in the darkness that it s becoming increasingly warmer and lighter. And this accelerates the flower s growth. Also what seems to be just minute, insignificant changes are what bring the flowers closer to their aim. When they then come out of the solitude and darkness into the warmth above, it s clear that their efforts which brought them through the darkness were worth it. Now they will no longer be alone, but rather can feel content and healthy in the company of others, and they will be able to unfold themselves to take in the warmth and brightness all around. But it is undeniable that they will find their way out of the darkness and cold and unfold their blooms and develop in the warmth of the sun. Try now to sense such a feeling of hope within yourself, which grows deeper with every breath. Notice this sensation of hope and feel the way this hope flows throughout the whole body... in the shoulders, the arms, chest, and abdomen, in the hips, the legs, and the feet... during the pause now, feel this sensation in the whole body... [Wait 15 Seconds] 6) Valleys (Purity and Clarity) Let s stay a while in the mountains, when the springtime is already fully arrived, and after a long, dark winter the valleys become filled with the warm light of the springtime sun. And the more they become filled with sunlight and the fresh clear air of spring, the more the darkness of winter is pushed into the smallest corners and eventually disappears completely. Along with the clear light, the fresh, pure mountain air of spring also comes into the valley. The full space of the valley will be filled with a fresh clarity and purity. And as this happens, the last of the muddy snow patches that tarry in the meadows will be gradually cleared away. The more this clean, warm light makes its way into the valley and fills every corner, the more everything dusty and dirty is brushed away. And the fresh, but already quite warm springtime breeze brings this fullness of purity and clarity to every last nook and valley in the mountains. Everything becomes completely permeated with this warming light and clarity. And this scenery invites the observer to allow himself all the time in the world to let himself be pierced and cleansed inside by this bright, pure light, and with each inhalation to take in still more and more of the lightness and clarity of the environment.... with each breath, to be filled more and more with this purifying sensation. Try now to sense such a feeling of inner lightness and clarity within yourself, which grows deeper with every breath. Notice this light, purifying feeling and feel the way this sensation of lightness and clarity flows throughout the whole body... in the shoulders, the arms, chest, and abdomen, in the hips, the legs, and the feet... during the pause now, feel this sensation in the whole body... [Wait 15 Seconds] Return Good, now I d like to ask you to slowly bring yourself back from these internal experiences and to gradually return your attention outward. And when I now count from 3 to 1, please
6 take however much time seems appropriate to you in order to return your attention to where you are right now. And then when I say 1, or before or afterwards, you can open your eyes again. 3... 2... and 1....