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Centre for Socio-Analysis

Brian McMinn 1973

Bion Reading Group and Dreaming Matrix 2011

Wonder and Reality

10 sessions

Wednesdays, 5.00 – 7.30pm

March 23, 30 April 6, 13, 20, 27 May 4, 11, 18, 25

64 Carlton Street, Carlton 3053

The Text: “Attention and Interpretation: A scientific approach to

insight in psycho-analysis and groups”. “Attention and Interpretation” is perhaps Bion’s greatest work. It was published in 1970 and represents a culmination of experience and thinking concerning psycho-analysis and groups. In the book Bion explores topics such as the nature of sensuous reality and psychic reality; the Mystic and the Group; Container and Contained; Ultimate Reality ‘O’; the psycho-analyst’s need to eschew memory, desire and understanding in the practice of analysis and be O; lies, truth and the thinker; Negative Capability and Achievement. But many people find that it is a different book each time they read it. Somehow Bion’s preoccupations tap into one’s own mental evolution and questions about wonder and reality.

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Wilfred Bion Bion is regarded as the father of socio-analysis1 First, because of his contribution to, and conceptualisation, of the first Northfield Experiment in 1943; secondly, his explorations of small group behaviour after the Second World War at the Tavistock Clinic, which culminated in the seminal Experiences in Groups; and thirdly, the use of his ideas in the design of the first Tavistock “Leicester Conference” in 1957, and the subsequent development of Group Relations Conferences around the world. It is significant in the emergence of socio-analysis, that Bion was both a psychoanalyst, in particular a Kleinian analyst, and in hindsight, the first socio-analyst. He bridged both worlds, and while he gave up active involvement with group study in the late 1940s to concentrate on psychoanalysis, his later ideas, e.g. in Attention and Interpretation, apply to both the individual and the group. He made fundamental discoveries in psychoanalysis and in socio-analysis, through being attentive to “What else is there?” His stance of always pointing to the unknown, whether with a patient or with a group or in himself, was the realization of his genius. An aspect of his genius was to encourage “stray thoughts” in the group, which may not fit within the usual boundaries of the discipline, and through the use of “imaginative conjecture” explore ideas from the vertices of the aesthetic, the scientific and religious in the service of furthering psychoanalytic practice. The Program will encourage us to give voice to “stray thoughts” and develop our capacities for “imaginative conjecture” in our socio-analytic practice or other work, and in our lives.

Aim of Program To explore the interplay of wonder and reality as they emerge in a Dream Matrix, through reading Bion, in one’s practice at work, and in one’s life.

1 Socio-analysis is “the activity of exploration, consultancy, and action research which combines and synthesises methodologies and theories, derived from psycho-analysis, group relations, social systems thinking, organisation behaviour, and social dreaming” (Bain, 1999). ). For a description of socio-analysis, and its history, see the article in Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socio-Analysis .

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Program Reading During this Reading Group we will focus on “Attention and Interpretation”, Tavistock Publications, London, 1970. Each week we will read a Chapter(s) for discussion the following week. While people may gain a deeper understanding of Bion’s work from the Reading Group, the purpose is not “knowledge accumulation”, but rather mobilizing our own wonder and understanding in relationship to what he is talking about, and using our associative capacities including dreams, in our exploration. There will also be other reading exploring the relationship of wonder and reality, e.g. Alastair Bain and Joshua Bain “A Note on Primary Spirit”, Socio-Analysis, Vol. 4, December, 2002, pp.98 – 111. Available at www.acsa.net.au under Articles. Some of the Tavistock Seminars in 1978 were videoed and are now posted on the Centre for Socio-Analysis Website www.acsa.net.au . The Reading discussions begin from our common reading during the week – what questions, thoughts, and ideas have been stimulated? It moves on to application to one’s work, and more broadly to our thoughts, political, cultural and spiritual lives. There are 60 minutes for these sessions. Dreaming Matrix The idea of the Dreaming Matrix2 is to provide a space for Members of the Reading Group to share dreams (night time), to make associations to one’s own, and others’ dreams, and to make connections between dreams. The focus is not on the meaning of the dream for the dreamer (that is up to each individual), but using the dreams as a currency to develop shared meanings and connectedness among the Group. The Reading Group is a container for the dreaming.

2 For descriptions of Organisational and Social Dreaming see Alastair Bain, “Social Dreaming and Organisations: The Potential”. Presentation. AISA Seminar Day, 2 July, 1994. Alastair Bain, “Organisational Dreaming”, PACAWA Newsletter, February, 2006, No. 35 Alastair Bain, “The Organisation Containing and Being Contained by Dreams: The Organisation as a Container for Dreams (1)” In Infinite Possibilities of Social Dreaming edited by W. Gordon Lawrence, Karnacs, London, 2007 All three articles can be downloaded from the Centre for Socio-Analysis Website: www.acsa.net.au under Articles.

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The word “Matrix” is used deliberately as it comes from Latin meaning “uterus”. What may be grown in the Dreaming Matrix? This question is explored after each Dreaming Matrix session. There are 10 Dream Matrix sessions of 50 minutes during the Program. These sessions are followed by 10 minutes exploration of emerging themes. The Task of the Dreaming Matrix is “To offer dreams, make associations to the dreams, and to make connections between the dreams”. Reflection on Session Each session concludes with a short period (10 minutes) for group reflection on the experience of the session. Typical Program Schedule 5 – 5.50pm Dreaming Matrix 5.50 – 6.00 Quickening – exploration of emerging themes 6.00 – 6.20 Break 6.20 – 7.20 Reading Discussion and Application 7.20 – 7.30 Reflection on Session Membership It is for people who realize the value of Bion’s thinking as a stimulus to their own, and the value of exploring these ideas with others. It is anticipated that members of the Program will have come in contact with Bion’s thinking through e.g., reading, participation in Group Relations Conferences or Study Groups, Consultancy Training Programs, or through previous Bion Reading Groups sponsored by the Centre for Socio-Analysis. No previous experience of a Dreaming Matrix is necessary. The Program is limited to 10 members. Fee $450 + GST $45 = $495. There is a deduction of 10% for Associate Members of the Centre for Socio-Analysis. The fee includes tuition, photocopied articles, and light refreshments on Wednesday evenings. The fee is payable in full by March 10, 2011, unless by arrangement. In case of withdrawal between March 10 and March 22 a $50 administrative fee will be deducted from the refund. There are no refunds once the Program has begun. Members are asked to purchase their own copy of “Attention and Interpretation” (available from Karnac Books and Amazon).

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Consultants Alastair Bain B.Sc. (Econ.) Hons (London), M.A. (Chicago) Alastair Bain is a socio-analyst. He trained and worked as a Consultant at the Tavistock Institute in London from 1968 – 1983, where he became imbued with the ideas and way of being of Wilfred Bion. His educational and training experience includes initiating and directing the Tavistock’s Action Research Training Program in 1980, developing and directing Group Relations and Social Dreaming Conferences in Australia, and initiating and directing the 3 year Socio-Analytic Fellowship Program. He is a Director of the Centre for Socio-Analysis, previously Director of the Australian Institute of Socio-Analysis (1983 – 2003), and previously a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Psychological Medicine at Monash University (1986 – 1998). He has published extensively. Three of his articles are included in the Bion bibliography published by Harry Karnac of Karnac Books. Joshua Bain B.A. Hons (Melbourne) Joshua Bain has a long held interest in Bion and in social dreaming. He has plenty of experience in dreaming matrices, both as a member or dreamer, and as consultant. He participated in three social dreaming conferences at Mallacoota, and was a co-consultant to a regular social dreaming matrix in Melbourne. He also sees this interest in conjunction with a philosophical one from when he was studying Philosophy, as his honours thesis was about Wonder. For him the correct attitude or stance for social dreaming, as well as reading and appreciating Bion’s writing, and who Bion was, is of wonder, which means an openness to the unknown and allowing the consciousness generated by this openness to flourish and bear fruit. It is the same stance Bion recognised, after Keats, called “negative capability”. Venue 64 Carlton Street, Carlton Victoria 3053 Opposite Carlton Gardens. Carlton Street runs between Rathdowne and Nicholson Streets. Parking is good.

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Bion Reading Groups Bion Reading Groups sponsored by the Centre for Socio-Analysis were initiated by Alastair Bain in 2007. In 2008 the Program evolved to include a Dreaming Matrix. The link of the Reading Program to a Dreaming Matrix has been found very valuable by participants This is the sixth Reading Group and Dream Matrix to be offered. An online Bion Reading Group and Dream Matrix has been run in 2009 and 2010. Centre for Socio-Analysis The Centre for Socio-Analysis was founded in 2004 in Victoria. The Centre develops socio-analytic ideas and methods pioneered at the Tavistock Institute in London, at the Australian Institute of Socio-Analysis, and by other organisations and practitioners who work in the socio-analytic tradition pioneered by Wilfred Bion. The Centre formally defines its primary task as: “To increase human capacities through socio-analysis”. The Centre for Socio-Analysis is concerned to explore new forms of community, and organisation for our society; ways of being together, and working together, that engender the expression of human spirit, and the growth of our capacities. For a description of the Centre’s activities see www.acsa.net.au

Enquiries to: Alastair Bain

Telephone: (03) 9347 2053 Email: alastair.bain@acsa.net.au

Centre for Socio-Analysis Website: www.acsa.net.au For a description of Socio-Analysis see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socio-

Analysis

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Centre for Socio-Analysis ABN 49 109 435 403

Bion Reading Group and Dreaming Matrix

March 23 – May 25, 2011

Application for Membership

Name: ......................................................................... Dr/Mr/Ms/etc .... Address for Correspondence: .............................................................. ..................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................Postcode ......... Contact Telephone: (w)............…………............... Mobile:……………………… Email:…………………………………… Work Role and Organisation (if any) .................................................................................................................. Training, Reading and Experience that may be relevant to this Program: .................................................................................................. ..................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................... Expectations of Program: ..................................................................................

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..................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................. ……………………………………. I have read this brochure and hereby apply for membership. I understand that this constitutes a contract between the Centre for Socio-Analysis and me and that my application authorises the Centre for Socio-Analysis to conduct this Program in the manner described in the brochure. I agree to the cancellation policy. Signature:……………………………………………Date:………………………… Payment Payment may be made:

• Through transfer of $495 to the Centre for Socio-Analysis Bank Account: Bendigo Bank: BSB 633000. Account Number: 122883523.

• Through a cheque payable to the Centre for Socio-Analysis Application Form Please return this application form together with a cheque, or notification of transfer to:

Centre for Socio-Analysis Bion Reading Group

BOX 1296 Carlton

Victoria 3053