the formative process

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he Formative Method

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THE FORMATIVE METHOD:How We Voluntarily Influence Being Present in the World

ormative Philosophy

natomic structure is behavior. Formative philosophy states that there are two ways thody manages its behavioral process. One is inherited, the pulsatory, neural, and

muscular patterns we are born with; the other is voluntary effort. Both arise from theells and are a natural body process. Inherited behavioral patterns are autonomous andutomatic. They require no voluntary effort. Voluntary behavior arises from the inheriteonvolitional and is localized in the cerebral cortex. The cerebral cortex has the ability oluntarily influence behavior, creating new connections and new patterns. These newehaviors becomes anatomic and supplement inherited behavior. Both of theseehaviors, the inherited and the voluntary, are experiences of self-knowing.

he soma grows an adult by organizing a series of shapes over time. There is a sequenn this series of shapes. They begin as unformed, motile shapes; then they become

iffuse and porous. Finally, they become more formed and stable, rigid or dense shape

his sequence of developmental shapes can be influenced by gradients of voluntaryffort. With voluntary effort, the cortex can manage surges of motility, the osmoticiffusion of porosity, rigid firmness, and compacted shapes. The unformed, unstable anhe stabilizing continuum of shapes takes place between the body and its cortex and th

world.

dults who learn to influence their behavioral process develop an ability to govern theirves and their transitions. Adults who grow their voluntary function are able to embody

ew experiences and actions. They develop a variety of ways to be present in the worldiscrete voluntary acts make complexity from simplicity and transform and deepen botur anatomic and our experiential reality. Voluntarily formed behavior organizes anatomtructure-a living memory that is a center of acting and knowing.

he forming of a personal anatomic structure requires persistent voluntary effort.oluntary effort extended over time grows anatomic connections that form relationshipetween the body and its cortex. It is a somatic function that can alter and create annatomical structure.

oluntary effort is the driving force in the development of a personal life. It hasonsequences for influencing emotions, satisfaction, relationships, and personal destinynd awareness.

Anatomic Memories

n anatomic structure is a remembered behavior. Remembered behavior is ready to besed, since it has already gone through the motile stage and the diffuse and poroustage. A remembered behavior may be recognized as anxiety, yielding, stiffening, orunkering down.

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here are four patterns of remembered behavior: Two are inherited, one isnprogrammed and the last is volitionally formed. The first inherited pattern ofemembered behavior is the organization of an organism, its architecture and its

movements of expansion and contraction. The second inherited pattern of rememberedehavior is the patterns of electrical excitatory pulses, which resonate and form bonds

with other cells, like birds chirping together. The next pattern is the experiences thatccompany the developmental process. Then there are the anatomic behaviors formed

oluntary effort. Voluntary effort influences inherited and developmental behavior.

he Formative Method

he method of formative psychology regenerates our emotional and instinctual vitality.uggests ways to inhabit our body and to resist shrinking from our excitement andmotional aliveness. Emphasis is on daily life as the practice of being present as an aduomatic self.

ach conception represents a unique combination of tissue types with a particular

rganizational process. The endomorph, a pear-shaped soma with big lungs andntestines, gathers and incorporates. The square-shaped, muscular mesomorph likes toct and confront. The long-bodied ectomorph has a large sensory area for gatheringnformation and is hyperactive and alert. These body types give an orientation to therganisms experiences and toward others---to incorporate, to confront, to be alert and

motile. How we do the exercises, and the responses we have to them, are related to thype we are. We can do them and respond in an endo or meso or ecto way. We can

misjudge our responses or be critical of them.

here is a general organizing process that forms our somatic reality. This organizingrocess is essential in establishing a relationship to ourself. It has several phases andtages. Four stages, on a continuum, are tissue responses: swollen, porous, rigid, andense. These stages affect how our soma also has a shape. We can be a mesomorph ths swollen or porous, rigid or dense. Our bodies can be inflated, with the membranetretched, or the membrane can be porous, rigid, or compact. These states influence organizing process. It is important to know that our inherited vitality and desires, ourrousal and emotional and social response patterns, can be modified or exaggerated,ndividuated and personalized. We can do the exercises and respond in a swollen, poror rigid way. The brain is able to influence its somatic state and compensate.

ulsation is an essential expression of our emotional life. The exercises influence and

xtend the motility and pulsation of our tissues which in turn organize cycles of arousaWhen pulsation is inhibited or over stimulated, our shape also changes. The organizingulse, when interrupted or over aroused, disturbs the bodying process. The methodologf formative psychology engages the volitional part of the brain to work with theonvolitional tides of excitatory pulsation, desire, and feeling.

he exercise method is inaugurated when (1) we recognize the pattern of our presentomatic-emotional stance, an ectomorphic, alert state.( 2) we intensify our pattern ofomatic presence and give ourselves more definition, a mesomorphic function. We



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magnify the pattern of action, and the images, memories, and thoughts that accompan. (3) we disorganize the muscular pattern that has been organized. This is also a

mesomorphic function. These three steps bring into relief unknown somatic-emotionaltructures and their rings of response. Step two organizes rigidity and density, while sthree organizes porosity and swollenness. (4) In this step, we contain the swelling ofulsation, excitement or image made available from step three. This is an endomorphicorous shape. (5) This step is new form, new behavior. It is a reorganization for a newomatic adult reality.

omatic work organizes a dialogue between body and brain which shifts the pattern ofmeaning and order. We begin to live our destiny, our somatic emotional-inheritance. Wegin to empower ourselves in forming our adult and its relationships. In this way weecognize and experience the body we have, the body we live, and the possibility of theoma we can be.

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