About Resonance
In a group setting, IOPT uses up to three resonators for three parts of the client’s intention. The client writes his or her intention on a white-board and chooses which three words from the intention will be resonated. These words are written on Post-its and attached to badges, which the client then gives to their chosen resonators.
After the client says they are ready, the resonators are free to move or not, following their feelings. The client chooses the order in which they speak to the resonators. The client asks each resonator questions about what they are feeling, whether they feel any connection to the other resonators, how old they are, etc.
The client may react to what the resonators say and remember some traumatic event from their early childhood. The client’s reaction influences the resonators, who may react physically by standing up or lying down, by moving across the room, becoming more tense or more relaxed, etc.
The client is often amazed that the resonators can perceive and communicate such an early traumatic event, which they themselves have repressed until the resonators touch upon it.
As an experienced resonator, I view resonance as a sort of heightened empathy. By setting an intention, the client has begun a process of communication. This communication has visible and audible aspects: what the client writes and speaks. More importantly, it also has invisible and inaudible aspects: what is the client feeling? Is he anxious? Is he trying to hide his feelings? Etc.
The resonator reacts to the client’s unspoken communication. This reaction is based on feeling, not on reason or understanding. It requires the resonator to open themselves to the client’s communication. The resonator allows the client’s communication to be received. They answer the client’s questions as directly as possible, without any personal commentary.
When the client speaks with another resonator, what they report may have an effect on the other two resonators, or it may be unavailable to the other resonators. The client usually asks the other resonators whether they had a reaction to what was said.
Resonators may feel a connection with the client, or with other resonators, or not. This provides important information for the client.
Whether the things which the resonators report are completely historically accurate is not important. The resonators are not objectively looking at the past. They are connecting with the feelings and psyche of the client now. People’s memories of experiences are not historically accurate, as we see from the testimony of witnesses under oath at criminal trials. This is especially true with traumatic experiences. Also, trauma which occurs before the cerebral cortex is developed is not available to the conscious memory, although it is stored in the body.
Sometimes the resonators show emotions while the client remains unable to feel those emotions. The client may say that he or she understands the resonators and that what they are showing was real, while remaining unable to allow themselves to acknowledge more than the concept of the emotion. This is a step in the right direction. Feeling may come later when the client is alone, or it may come at a later IOPT session.
Sometimes it becomes apparent to a resonator that there is some parallel between the client’s trauma biography and their own. This should be kept out of the resonance
Because the client has opened the path of empathic communication, all participants are able to feel that communication, not just the resonators. The facilitator must be able to remain calm during the process. The other participants in the group who were not chosen as representatives may also feel a sense of emotional connection with the client and their intention. The facilitator needs to be available to the client, the resonators, and the observers, if they feel the necessity for follow-up communication.