I do my thing and you do yours. I’m not in this world to fulfill your expectations
and you’re not in this world to fill mine. I am me and you are you. And if by chance we find, is beautiful. If not, can not be remedied. Fritz S. Perls (1893-1970)

Keywords

Form, shape, setting the whole

Scope, basic entries. Considerations, notes, background,

Well known and Wikipedia reminds us that the term Gestalt comes from the German was first introduced by Christian von Ehrenfels. Do not have a single translation, though generally understood as “form”. However, it also could be translated as “figure”, “settings” and even “structure” or “creation

Gestalt psychology is a stream of modern psychology, which emerged in Germany in the early twentieth century, and whose most famous exponents have been theorists Max Wertheimer, Wolfgang Köhler, Kurt Koffka, and Kurt Lewin. It is important to distinguish it from Gestalt therapy, exponent of the humanist, founded by Fritz Perls, and emerged in the U.S.

psychology-online.com , we added on it, which Gestalt is a German word, no direct translation into Castilian, but that roughly means “form”, “Total”, “Settings”. The shape or configuration of anything is composed of a “figure” and a “bottom.” For example, at this point for you. reading this text, the letters are the figure and the blanks form the background, although this situation can be reversed and what is the figure may go on to become the background.

The Gestalt approach (EG) is a holistic approach, ie to perceive objects, especially living beings as wholes. In Gestalt say that “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts”. Everything exists and takes on a meaning within a specific context, nothing exists by itself, isolated.

The EG is essentially a way of living life with his feet firmly on the ground. The individual is not intended to direct the path of the esoteric or enlightenment. It’s a way of becoming in this world full, free and open, accepting and taking responsibility for who we are, without using more resources to appreciate the obvious, which is.the EG is itself a way of life; hence, more suitable

We add that one of the fundamental principles of current Gestalt is called the law of Prägnanz (Pregnancies) affirming the trend of perceptual experience to take the simplest possible forms. Other laws set are:

Principle of Similarity – Our mind groups similar elements into one entity. The similarity depends on the shape, size, color and other visual aspects of the elements.
Proximity Principle – The partial or sequential grouping of elements in our minds based on the distance.
Principle of Symmetry – Symmetrical images are perceived as equal, as one element in the distance.
Principle of Continuity – The details that keep a pattern or direction tend to be grouped together as part of a model. That is, even if they receive continuous elements interrupted each other.
Common leadership principle – implies that the elements appear to construct a pattern or flow in the same direction are perceived as a figure.
Principle of simplicity – Nod to the individual organizes their perceptual fields with simple and regular features and tends to form good.
Beginning of the relationship between figure and ground – establishes the fact that the brain can not interpret an object as figure or background at the same time. It depends on the perception of the image object to observe.

Mach defined the properties of the special forms and auditory and perceptual wholes main, these forms have qualities that distinguish them from the elements, the sensations are organized into the consciousness and create formal qualities that may be novel.

1. Holistic thinking: the whole is always greater than the sum of its parts.
2. Fundamentals phenomenological phenomena are the subject of psychology. Psychological analysis of the phenomena should proceed to its essence.
3. Methodology: the Gestalt psychology of performing experiments similar to those life events (reality) using few subjects.
4. Isomorfosis: psychological processes are related directly to biological processes, especially the brain.
These perceptions, said Rubin, emerge as a whole and gradually. These figures show that our perceptions are activated, vivid and organized, we are not mere passive recipients of sensory stimulation.

The Gestalt psychologists believed that the principles of perceptual organization not only explain our visual perception but also our auditory and tactile perceptions and higher mental processes such as memory.

BASIS OF GESTALT

psychology-online.com , we add that the EG has been influenced by the following streams:

Freud’s psychoanalysis, taking up and recasting his theory of defense mechanisms and working with dreams.
Existential philosophy, which rescues the confidence in the potential inherent in the individual, respect for the individual and responsibility.
Phenomenology, which takes its attachment to the obvious, immediate experience and awareness (insight).
Gestalt psychology, with its theory of perception (figure-ground, Law of good form, etc.)..
The Eastern religions, especially Zen Buddhism
Psychodrama, JL Moreno, which embraces the idea of ​​dramatizing the experiences and dreams.
The theory of muscular shell of W. Reich.
The theory of creative indifference, Sigmund Friedlander, which draws its theory of polarities.
The EG is not only the sum or the juxtaposition of the doctrines and approaches mentioned above, but its creative integration, its elevation to a new level, conducted by Fritz Perls, founder of Gestalt Approach

THE HERE AND NOW

It’s really hard to accept that everything exists in this momentary. The past exists and matter only as part of present reality, things and memories about which I think now as belonging to the past. The idea of ​​the past is helpful sometimes, but at the same time I must not lose sight of that, which is an idea, a fantasy that I have now. Our idea of ​​the future is also an unrealistic fiction, although sometimes useful, when you assume as a trial and just like that. Both our vision of the future as our conception of the past was based on our understanding of this. Past and future are our conceptions of what preceded the present moment and what it portends to continue to the present. And all this guessing is now.

Now is this, that what I see. Whether we are remembering or anticipating, we are doing now. The past is gone, the future has not yet arrived. It is impossible that nothing exists except the present. He mentioned the example of someone half a time: if I put a disc in the phonograph, the sound appears when the disc and the needle make contact. … Not before or since. If we could erase the immediate past or the anticipation of things to come immediately, it would be difficult to understand the music we are listening hard. But if you delete the now, then there is nothing. So no matter if we are remembering or anticipating, however we do in the here and now.

Conclusions

Gestalt therapy seeks to: Living in the now. Living in the here. Stop imagining and fantasizing over replacing real contact. Stop thinking about replacing the action unnecessarily. Failure to appear or play “as if”. Express or communicate. Feel the pain and unpleasantness. Do not accept any “should” rather than their own, self imposed based on our needs and experiences. Take full responsibility for the actions, feelings, emotions and thoughts. Be what you is … no matter what you are.
Where there is pride, there will be ignorance, but where there is humility, there will be wisdom. Salomó phrases

Summary

Many benefits can be achieved with the help of Gestalt therapy, principles, rules, rules in favor of the individual to perform better in your relationships, knows how to use properly their chance of life that he has left, perform successfully.

For those who are somehow interested in ensuring good organizational behavior, can help towards ensuring a good organizational climate of the gestalt of what she brings and shows and based on its principles and rules, and all that I involved.

This time we considered the valuable contribution that bequeaths psychology-online.com , on the gestalt, especially its rules and layers of self, transcribed verbatim for the benefit of those interested in these topics.

Keywords

Principles, gestalt therapy, health, strata, I.

Basic considerations, rules, and the layers of I

The main goal of Gestalt therapy is to get people to unmask in front of others, and to do have to risk sharing about themselves, to experience the present, both in fantasy and in reality, based on activities and experiential experiments. The work focuses on exploring the emotional territory of more than intellectualizations (ZIM). It is intended that participants aware of your body and each of their senses.

The philosophy implicit in the rules is to provide effective means to unify thought and feeling. They are by design help bring out resistances, to promote greater awareness, to facilitate the process of maturation. It also seeks to exercise individual responsibility, the “semantics of the responsibility.”

Some of these rules can be applied as guidelines for individual therapy, but their main job is given in the therapy group, encounter groups.

The main rules are:

The principle of the now : This is one of the strongest principles and most prolific of the TG. To raise awareness of the now, thus facilitating the realization, we suggest to people to communicate their experiences in the present. The most effective way to reintegrate the personality is to bring past experiences to present update. Make the subject is placed there in fantasy and pretend that the past is happening now. To do this we ask questions like: What are you aware at this time? What you see now? What are you afraid now? What are you avoiding right now? How do you feel now? What do you want?
The I-Thou relationship : With this principle we try to express the idea that real communication includes both the receiver and the sender. When asked Who are you saying that? the subject is forced to confront their reluctance to send the message directly to the receiver on the other. Thus the patient usually be asked to bring the name of the other person to ask you questions directly with any questions or curiosity you express your mood or your disagreement, and so on. It seeks to raise awareness of the difference between “speak” his interlocutor and “talk” before him. How much do you avoid touching it with your words? How is phobic avoidance for contact is expressed in your gestures, the tone of your voice, the escape his gaze?
Assume ownership of the language and conduct , or take responsibility for what is said and / or done. This is directly linked to personal and impersonal language. It is common to refer to our body, our actions or emotions, we use the 2 nd or 3 rd person. “It causes pain” instead of “I feel sorry,” “My body is tense” instead of “I am tense” and so on. Thanks to the simple expedient of turning the impersonal language in people learn to better identify the behavior and take responsibility for it. Consequently, it is more likely that the individual is seen more as an active being, which “does things” instead of believing a taxpayer, that “things happen.” The implications for mental health and to leave behind our “neurosis” are obvious.
In Gestalt is forbidden to say “I can not”, but instead should say “will not”, that is, be assertive . This is because many times the subject refuses to act, to experiment, to come into contact, disqualified before even trying. You can not force a person to do something you want, but you can demand accountability, to assume the consequences of their decision evasion, for which an honest “will not” is most appropriate. Similarly, should also be avoided or cause the patient to realize his “buts”, “whys”, “do not know”, etc.. Remember that in the human language is a means of avoiding par excellence: we can talk about everything and anything contact, put between us and reality a wall of words.
The continuum of awareness: safe passage Leaving present experiences without judging or criticizing, it’s essential to integrate the various parts of the personality. Do not look for great discoveries in yourself, not “push the river”, but just let it flow freely.
No murmur: All communications, including those who are supposed to “private” or “no interest to the group,” it must be vented openly or otherwise avoided. The rumors, the whispers about each other, giggling accomplices are avoided, shun the contact forms in addition to showing disrespect to the group and go against their cohesion by establishing themes “not competent” in his presence. This rule is intended to promote feelings and prevent the avoidance of feelings.
Translate the questions into statements, except when it comes to concrete data. Questions like “I can go to the bathroom? I can change Am site? I can go?”, etc.., should be translated as “I want to go to the bathroom , I want to move, I want to go. ” Thus, the questioner assumes responsibility and consequences of what it claims, rather than adopting a passive stance and projecting responsibility on the other, to have him give the authorization.
Pay attention to how they are cared for others. Who would pay attention? Who do not?, Etc..
Do not interpret or seek the “real cause” of what the other says. Just listen and realize what you feel in function to that contact.
Pay attention to the physical experience, as well as changes in posture and gestures of others. Share with others what we see, the obvious, using the formula of “now I realize …”
Accepting the shift experiment, take risks by participating in the discussion.
Consider, though not made ​​explicit, that all is said and lived in the group is strictly confidential .
According to Fritz Perls, in the self of every human being there are six layers that line, by way of an onion, to be real people. These layers or strata of the Self, as they are known, are as follows: 1) E. False, 2) E. as the other; 3) E. Phobic, 4) E. Atolladero implosive or, 5) E. Explosive, and 6) the true self.

In the stratum False is our “front”, which put in our showcase we see ourselves and others. Then comes the stratum of “as if” there are the roles, the games we use to manipulate others, acting “as if ‘this or that. It is our usual character or stiff acting.

If the therapeutic process we go through the stratum False and the “as if” reach the phobic layer. Here are all our fears and our insecurities all to ourselves, our best kept secrets and our narcissistic wound, the sorrow, pain, sadness or despair, what you do not want to see or touch of our personality, let alone find against others.

If we spend phobic feel a sense of emptiness, of immobility, lack of energy, death. We have reached the stratum of the quagmire, where we feel “stuck” end. However, behind is the implosive layer, where all our energies are not used, our vitality “frozen” or directed to ourselves to keep our defenses.

Finally, after what is the implosive explosive layer, where the forces are fired standing out in a fit of authenticity, giving way to true self is hidden. There are basically four types of explosion: joy, sorrow, orgasm, and courage.

* Source duly appointed psychology-online.com.

Teaching graduate Faces. UC, organizational behavior, Program Quality Management and Productivity, University of Carabobo