Thoughts waiting for a thinker
To be “present” in the “here and now” and see what is there with fresh eyes is a notion that philosophers, poets, and spiritual teachers across various cultures and traditions have explored for centuries. Here are a few examples:
“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.” — Buddha.
‘Always hold fast to the present. Every situation, indeed every moment, is of infinite value, for it is the representative of a whole eternity.’ — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
“We must live today: he who lives tomorrow never lives.” (Ficino in Kristeller, 1943: 295)
“The present is all we have to live in. Or to lose.” (Marcus Aurelius in Hayes, 2003: 167)
“Trust no Future, howe’er pleasant! Let the dead Past bury its dead! Act, — act in the living present!” — Longfellow’s A Psalm of Life
A common therapeutic practice is to “see yourself, others and circumstances as if for the first time”. In essence, this is calling for us to “unknow”. To forget or let go of past knowledges and be present with what is.
Multiple attempts to cultivate this practice have convinced me of its importance. However, I am equally aware that it is easier said than done! I am unsure what is harder: to be (and stay) in the present or see what is there with fresh eyes. It may sound simple to inhabit the now, but more often than not, it seems to be the very last place we want to be. Most of us have so many defenses that we have carefully constructed over time precisely to avoid being in the present.
I am part of a learning group exploring group relations or systems psychodynamics. In a recent session, we explored the notion of negative capability. It came up in an episode of the HBO series His Dark Materials less than a week later. I immediately felt that such an obscure idea crossing my path in two different contexts must surely be significant. So, I took that as a sign that this is something worth exploring.
The poet, John Keats, coined the phrase “negative capability” in 1817 (I like that it has its roots in poetry). Inspired in part by Shakespeare, he describes it as “being in uncertainties, mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact and reason.” In essence, it is the ability to BE in the ambiguity of unknowing and resist explaining away what we don’t understand. He advises us to “rest in doubt,” continue to pay attention, and let go of our assumptions.
Wilfred Bion, a British psychoanalyst, described it as follows: “Discard your memory; discard the future tense of your desire; forget them both, both what you knew and what you want” in order ‘to leave space for a new idea.’ (Bion, 1980: 11). I found this particularly provocative: Bion spoke of “thoughts” circulating in the system ‘in search of a thinker’ (1967b: 166). Such ‘thoughts’ can only find expression in a space cleared of the clutter of memory and desire, even the desire for understanding.
“A thought, an idea unclaimed, may be floating around the room searching for a home.” — Wilfred Bion
In complexity, this is such an important skill to cultivate. When we find ourselves in uncertainty or ambiguity, especially when we are “under fire”, we often fall back on old, familiar thinking, usually to our detriment. The ability to be fully present to what is (now), to let go of assumptions and particular expectations of future desires enables us to maintain our capacity to think, even under fire. Staying present to what is, allows us to explore the creative relationship between known and unknown, certainty and curiosity. Too often, when we dwell in the past or the future, we engage in what Bion called the ‘curious business’ by which we’ closure off what [we] don’t want to see or hear’ (Bion, 1978: 9), giving in instead to the temptation ‘always to engage upon something familiar’ (Bion, 1990: 5).
I think this is why I have found so much value in “here and now” events like Group Relations Conferences (GRC) in the Tavistock tradition. In those settings, I can observe my defenses and interrogate them. I also become aware of unconscious patterns that impact my relationships and work, particularly how I tend to take up roles in systems.
This past week I attended my third Group Relations Conference (Tavistock). I find great value in these “here and now” events as they provide a space for me to observe my own patterns and responses when I find myself in an uncertain, ambiguous, and emergent context. Over the years, I have learned what dynamics to look for and the theoretical constructs that frame the experience. While it helps gain understanding, I found this knowledge hinders being present in the “here and now.” Conceptual theorising is my happy place. I am much more comfortable there than in the messiness of the here and now. My knowing undermines my learning and keeps me from being receptive to novel “thoughts searching for a thinker.” So, this time, I resolved to practice “negative capability” and not bring my expectations and “baggage” from past conferences, nor my knowledge of the theory, into this experience.
So what happened …?
Let’s just say I found out just how hard this is. The pull to “knowing” is powerful. Both internally: it is much more comfortable to know than it is not to know. And externally: people project the role of “expert” onto people with experience. It is a very tempting role. It is hard not to be pulled into this role of expert. It is easy to give in to the seduction to “help the newbies,” even though I know full well the best gift I can give them is to leave them in the frustrating ambiguity that led to such profound learning for me when I was a newbie myself.
Beyond that, it is also extremely hard not to compare this experience with past experience and constantly analyse patterns. Our brains are exceptional at pattern recognition, so we are constantly reminded of prior learnings and meanings. It was tough to stay present to this new experience, to “see through fresh eyes.”
There are so many parallels and applications to the “mid pandemic” world we live and work in now. We lament the loss of “normal” and can’t wait to “go back” or at least find a “next normal.” We interpret our experience through the lens of our concept of normal, instead of being present with what is here now. It is painful to confront the loss, fear, and uncertainty of this moment. But if we can practice negative capability and open ourselves to the new “thoughts” seeking for thinkers, perhaps we can also find joy and new possibilities.
Sources:
Negative Capability and the Capacity to Think in the Present Moment: Some Implications for Leadership Practice. — Simpson & French, 2006
