Living in the here and now is central to the psychodramatic approach. The past has gone, the future has not yet arrived and the only changes we can make are in this moment. In this way, as Max Clayton taught, the present is vital for our existence. Living in the moment means accepting what is and accepting others as they are right now, creating a solid basis for everything that flows afterwards.
The words ‘here and now’ remind us to focus our attention on the immediate present and appreciate that it contains within it an unending treasure house of riches (Clayton 2001). This requires us to slow down, a significant shift in our normal way of functioning in the world. The potential here is that by slowing down, the moment opens up and ‘being’ rather than ‘doing’ becomes highlighted. When that happens, realisations and insights are more readily integrated into our functioning.
Moreno believed that every human act or performance has a primary action pattern related to its state at the moment it is created. Spontaneity only operates in the moment, and this is where the new is created. This is true for roles, for social relations, and in all forms of creativity. This workshop will focus on bringing the power of living in the moment into all forms of psychodramatic practice, whether as director, protagonist, auxiliary or audience member.