“But this is me… now I have myself!”
--Hameed Ali
from the Diamond approach- describing when we discover who we truly are
To be in touch with our True Self we need a healthy “I” and a free will.
Healing from either physical or mental challenges requires intention and willingness.
Can you completely be yourself with another person?
Do you feel authentic? Are you your own person, autonomous and not dependent on others?
Are you free from old survival strategies and free from the influence of culture and family?
Are you in integrity with yourself?
The Intention Method is a process of self-discovery, self-development, and maturation. To see ourselves and the effects of our early trauma with support and emotional connection are central to the resonance process and journey toward self-discovery.
This can occur in a safe and non-judgmental space. The feeling of being understood, the feeling of being seen, the feeling that something is finally being recognized begins to emerge.
Resonant Words
What is the deeper expression of what you really want in life? Can you choose your own words to express who you are? Do you listen to yourself, or are the words of other people more important?
Words primarily serve to give your ideas, feelings, and thoughts a place in the world outside of yourself and to share them with others. However, they do not work only from the inside out, but also in the opposite direction, where the words of others have a great influence in how you experience life.
In the Intention Method we use our language to access the subconscious mind. The approach is based on the work of the German psychotherapist Dr. Franz Ruppert, who has named his method Identity Oriented Psycho-trauma Theory (IoPT, 2016). This method means that any desired change, self-reflection, or new insight is formulated in a single sentence of intention. For example, a shy woman expresses herself with the sentence "I want to feel safe when I speak", and a man who is lonely describes his search for change as "I want to open my heart and connect”.
The Intention Method starts with a sentence of intention, formulated by you, that represents the issue you wish to address. The intention can be a question or a simple statement. You can spend days preparing the sentence or make it up on the spot. As you work with your intention additional information will emerge.
Here are a few examples of intentions:
I want my own voice.
I want to understand my anger.
I want to open my heart.
I am not heard.
What fear is my body holding?
My yes and my no.
I want to live freely.
I want a better relationship with my son.
What happened to me?
I wish for another job.
Now choose a resonance figure for three words in that sentence. In individual work this can be an object (a figurine, a stone, a floor maker, a pen, etc.) In a group setting, usually individuals are chosen. These resonance figures or persons are placed in a space and accessed energetically with the words. The different words of the intention are resonated both non-verbally and then verbally, by asking the person that resonates with a specific word to share his/her experiences in the resonance. This will help you see and process inner conflicts, entanglements, and trauma within a safe environment. You may begin to see aspects of yourself in the resonators. You may also see qualities of important people in your life; qualities which have been embedded in your psyche, and which may have helped or hurt you as your identity developed. Once the process is over, you release the representatives from their role by saying e.g., “Thank you for resonating with the word “fear,” now you are Beth again.”
The words can reveal old pain that has prevented you from taking advantage of new possibilities in your life, as well as giving you deep insights into the patterns that may have hindered you.
True Self
Settling into your own identity through the Intention Method paves a way for the self to develop and “own” its space. Understanding what is revealed during this process and then translating it into your daily life requires insight. You know (consciously or unconsciously) the most about yourself and your own life.
To understand what happened to us, we use theory and experience in the field of trauma, attachment, developmental psychology and neurobiology. The three-part development model of Dr. Franz Ruppert, the founder of this method, is particularly helpful. The essence of Ruppert's theory is that after shocking traumatic events, our inner structure breaks down into three main parts: the healthy parts, the surviving parts, and the traumatized parts.
Our healthy self is the part of ourselves in which we have remained essentially whole. From the healthy part we can integrate our life experiences into ourselves, making us wiser, more experienced, and better equipped for life. Our survival parts are parts of us that enable us to survive the shocking experiences. Depending on the circumstances, the survival strategies can then help us to get back to 'the order of the day'. Painful feelings may be present; preserved together with the images, sounds and experiences at the time of the traumatic event and isolated in our traumatized parts.
Traces of these parts of yourself can be seen in every Resonance process. The difficulties we experience in our lives, the obstacles that prevent us from doing what we really want, all stem from the gap among these three different parts. Ultimately, this process aims to bridge those gaps.
From the healthy part we can recognize, acknowledge, and see the survival parts. This clears the way for a meeting with our traumatized parts.
By asking other people to resonate with the words you have selected from your intention, and by attuning yourself to what then becomes visible, you can meet deeper aspects of yourself. This creates understanding and compassion for yourself and others.
The Takeaway
Physical symptoms and need for medication may diminish or disappear over time. Other noticeable changes include feeling calmer, less anxious or worried, being more open, grounded, self-confident, self-accepting, compassionate and self-responsible.
“After this session, I got in touch with my own feelings, which I've been keeping down my whole life. I feel quieter, more settled”.
Changes include increased listening to your needs and body, looking after yourself and setting healthy limits, rather than focusing on other’s needs or expecting others to take care of you. Energy previously used in survival strategies can be released and redirected with new and fresh approaches to the opportunities in your life.
Step-by-Step Explanation of the Intention Method created by Dr. Franz Ruppert
The following steps provide a comprehensive explanation of the method:
Formulate your intention: The first step is to create a single sentence that clearly states your intention.
Write it down: This will help you to focus and clarify your thoughts.
Choose three words: Select three words from your intention sentence that you want to examine. This will allow you to explore the deeper meanings and associations that are connected to these specific words.
Ask someone: Ask three people in your group if they would be willing to resonate with the chosen words in your intention. Establish physical contact (e.g. place hands on shoulders) and guide them to a place in the room that you find suitable. Through this resonance, the individual can perceive something within themselves or in the other person.
The resonator: The resonator expresses what they notice, such as physical sensations, images, emotions, and thoughts. Based on what is occurring for them, they can answer questions and they can move away or closer to you.
Make connections: Make connections with what is being experienced, such as feelings, movement impulses, images, memories, and impulses to say or ask something.
Interactive resonance: At this point you experience resonance and interaction with your intention. This can help to build deeper connections and foster mutual understanding.
Continue to observe what is happening: What sensations are you experiencing? Are there any memories or situations that come to mind? This can help to bring to the surface any hidden associations and deepen the exploration.
Reflect on the whole process: With the assistance of a trained counselor (specialized in trauma theory and attachment theories), you can reflect on the entire process and how it can shape your future. This can facilitate the integration of the insights gained from the process and create a more sustainable path forward.