J. L. Moreno a man of his times; a man of our times

At age 80 which was his age when we met.

A Man of His Times Existentialist

A Man Ahead of His Times Moreno was an “heroic” existentialist: healing all of mankind; he lived his beliefs in sustained moments.

Existentialism and Psychodrama in Medical Practice: notes taken from Ali Begg’s article “The Lay of the Land: Medicine, Paradigm Change and Psychodrama in AANZPA Journal, Vol. 16 (2007) pages The Lay of the Land: Medicine, Paradigm Change and Psychodrama “For the existentialist, the problems of being take precedence over that of knowing. Existence is understood in terms of each self-aware individual’s experience of themselves in time and space. Knowledge can be derived from subjective experience that cannot be objectively verified.”

Existentialism and Psychodrama in Medical Practice: notes taken from Ali Begg’s article “The Lay of the Land: Medicine, Paradigm Change and Psychodrama in AANZPA Journal, Vol. 16 (2007) pages The Lay of the Land: Medicine, Paradigm Change and Psychodrama “Moreno viewed the individual as a creative being with free choice, rather than merely the result of genetics.”

From John Nolte, The Philosophy, Theory and Methods of J. L. Moreno: The Man Who Tried to Become God (2014), NY, Routledge, p. 15 “The first principle [of existentialism], he wrote, was the all-inclusiveness of being and the constant effort of maintaining the natural spontaneous flow of being from one moment to the next without interruption.”

From John Nolte, The Philosophy, Theory and Methods of J. L. Moreno: The Man Who Tried to Become God (2014), NY, Routledge, p. 15 “The second principle is that all existing things are by nature good and blessed.”

From John Nolte, The Philosophy, Theory and Methods of J. L. Moreno: The Man Who Tried to Become God (2014), NY, Routledge, p. 15 “A further principle is spontaneity and creativity as the guides of ethical conduct rather than the social rules of the cultural conserves.”

A Man of His Times Religion: Reverence for all life and life forms; Moreno was inspired by Jesus, Gandhi, Buddha.

A Man Ahead of His Times He formed the Religion of the Encounter; Promoted role reversal with God; God viewed in the most universal terms.

A Man of His Times Medical doctor/psychiatrist

A Man Ahead of His Times Attune to the patient and role reverse; respect their experience; inspire hope. Do not psychoanalyze, rather connect and console. Group psychotherapy with each member a resource of each other member.

A Man of His Times Social reform; A scientist conducting social research

A Man Ahead of His Times Sociatry, heal the group first. All are participant/observers rather than merely observed and separate from science. Maximize choice.

A Man of His Times Viennese Modernism

A Man Ahead of His Times Performance art: Spontaneity /Creativity enliven arts and writing; Der Daimon attracts major writers, artists and thinkers.

A Man of His Times Existentialist Religion: Reverence for all life; inspired by Jesus, Gandhi, Buddha Medical doctor/psychiatrist Social reform/research Viennese Modernism A Man Ahead of His Times “heroic” existentialist: healing all of mankind; he lived it in the moment. Religion of the Encounter; Role reversal with God; a God player; God viewed in universal terms; Attune to the patient, role reverse, respect their experience; inspire hope; do not psychoanalyze; console. Group psychotherapy with each member a resource of each other member Sociatry, heal the group first; participant/observers rather than the observed; Maximize choice. Spontaneity /Creativity in arts and writing; Der Daimon;

J. L. Moreno “doubling himself” photograph by Eva Korn

What do you imagine was his soliloquy? How about a few of you standing one at a time and share your idea!

From John Nolte, The Philosophy, Theory and Methods of J. L. Moreno: The Man Who Tried to Become God (2014), NY, Routledge, p. 15 “I believe that Moreno was far ahead of his time in both his understanding of human society and of human behavior. He demonstrated that while we create the society in which we live, that society, at the same time, shapes who we are.”

From John Nolte, The Philosophy, Theory and Methods of J. L. Moreno: The Man Who Tried to Become God (2014), NY, Routledge, p “It is possible that the society envisioned by Moreno, one in which all individuals have the opportunity to maximize their potentials cannot be achieved. It is nonetheless worth striving for and maybe someday in the future we will catch up to J. L. Moreno.”

A Man Still Ahead of Our Times Healing the group using action methods, not just doing individual therapy in a group setting. Receptive to subtle energy and other non-observable states, even if not scientifically verifiable.

A Man Still Ahead of Our Times Data given by participants is through a process of participant involvement at all stages and with permission for the ways results will be revealed and used.

A Man Still Ahead of Our Times Moreno cautioned man against falling in love with his creations and forgetting the creator and the process of creativity. Face to face connection provides persons with the potential of being linked physically, and energetically…to see one another with each others’ eyes rather than just a Facebook picture or reading an or your list/serve. Moreno would have enjoyed YouTube and worked with others to expand this format for his work.

“Moreno claimed that there was no controversy about his ideas and that they were universally accepted. “I am the controversy,” he proclaimed. Who Shall Survive? P. cxiv.

We will now hear Moreno speaking from his recording of Words of the Father