Responsive Order – an order that responds and can be responded to

Gendlin’s article Responsive Order is essential reading for life. At least for me.

Because (almost) whenever there is an impasse in life, a problem, a symptom, or a traumatic polarity that has taken hold of us, it is possible to reverse the order—

to invite a different way of looking at things.

A new order. A more expansive order.

An order within which things can arrange themselves differently.

A paradox is just a concept not yet formed.

For example,

It is not: How do I avoid becoming entangled with my therapist?

But rather: What kind of entanglement is good and right?

It is not: How do I avoid breaking down?

But rather: How can I break in a way that benefits me?

It is not: This anxiety is constricting me!

But rather: What positive life forces are at the heart of this unfolding?

And so on, and so on.

In almost every session there is a moment like this, inspired by Gendlin’s article.

As abstract as it is, that is how concrete and applicable it becomes in the therapy room.

In the image: an example of a different order – a responsive order.

The Responsive Order: A New Empiricism