Another one in loving memory of Dr. Hal Stone 1927 – 2020
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Tag Archives: Voice Dialogue
Hal Stone
Hal Stone co-creator (with Sidra Stone) of Voice Dialogue and the Psychology of the Selves. For more information about their work click on the link below. https://voicedialogueinternational.com/index.htm
DEAD DOG WAKING
DEAD DOG WAKING
My muscles were turning to bone
as my bones had turned to stone
I still could walk
though less each year
from place to place
from house to house
from car to bar
bar to car
Or sometimes
with a special you
to view a special view
But there was no pleasure
in the walk itself
Nor had their been
as I recall
since the age of five
when my dog was still alive
and we would roam the ranch
from dawn to stealthing dark
with spring in both our steps
And then
just as I was about
to fall into winter
Emilie Conrad came along
That serpentinian septuagenarian
that Guru of fluid and flow
high priestess of Continuum
breath, movement, and sound
bringing into awareness
the waves under the patterns
Teaching the embracing
of possibilities in bodies
as Hal and Sidra Stone
teach embracing of selves
Reminding
how much of us is water
and the fluid capability
of systems to transform
This story isn’t over yet
but there is a new lightness
at the end of the tunnel
ONE FIFTY AND COUNTING
ONE FIFTY AND COUNTING
In the dream
Hal and I are sitting on the curb
at the corner of Time and Wisdom
having a nice long chat
It is one of many dreams
with Hal and Sidra in starring roles
If they were to charge us for this time
(as they sometimes threaten to do)
I mean even at their standard rates
never mind 2.5 for nights and weekends
how many many thousands would we owe
If they charged for the wisdom
the national debt would seem low
150th BIRTHDAY LIMERICK
150TH BIRTHDAY LIMERICK
The Event
In October 2007 a number of Voice Dialogue teachers and friends gathered in Boulder to celebrate Hal’s 80th birthday and Sidra’s 70th birthday. I was honoured to be asked to write a theme poem, then Larry said, “But not a Limerick”.
The Limerick
There were two therapists from Thera
Who were so wise they would scare a ya
The were so darned smart
They could take you apart
And you couldn’t hide hide nor hair a ya
NEW TRIBES
NEW TRIBES
From the old tribe of Isaac
and the old tribe of Ishmael
Israeli and Palestinian
couples and their children
come together by the sea and share
We are teaching the skills of listening
the skills of sharing and skills of hearing
The rules are simple
tell your truth as your truth only
Assume as you listen
that the person makes sense
If they do not seem to make sense
assume you need more information,
By the end of the weekend
the eight year olds are sleeping over
teenagers walk on the beach till dawn
A new tribe being formed
THE INNER CRITIC
THE INNER CRITIC
Poor little Keystone Cop
(although often not so funny)
Leaping from shoulder to shoulder
trying so hard to keep us safe
yelling or whispering in each ear
the old rules based on fear
Telling us what we should have done
and what we should never do
Enforcing rules learned long ago
that may no longer be true
The voice of your mother, still
nags when your room’s not neat
The voice of your father
still wants you up at dawn
Your teacher and your coach
Your country and your culture
Your parents and your younger selves
with messages to keep you safe
The cop only knows what he used to know
and still does what he was told to do
You don’t have to destroy him
or shove him out the door
Just put your arm around him
and tell him you’re no longer four
THE BUSMAN’S HOLIDAY
THE BUSMAN’S HOLIDAY
I think I’ve done it now
run out of places to hide
painted myself into a corner
surrounded on every side
For like every pilot
that ever learned to fly
I’ve got to help the captain
whenever I’m in the sky
All my time of thumbing
and a haulin heavy loads
links me with the Gypsies
that I meet along the roads
And if I look from side to side
at the lands along the way
why the farmer and the rancher
still within me want their say
Whenever I get to stop to rest
at any sweet Inn along the way
the years I’ve spent in running one
with constant detail mark my stay
And now I’m studying psychology
and the hidden parts of you and me
and prevalidation and master talk
and how one ought to walk one’s walk
Capped with the writers joy and chore
of finding a metaphor behind each door
ACT YOUR AGE
ACT YOUR AGE
I might have heard it first at six
when mother thought that I was acting three
And again at ten when acting six or three
certainly at sixteen, acting ten, or six, or three
There is the age that I am now
known as the age of responsible men
But there are those who know it’s just an act
the me’s of three and six and ten
WHO’S DRIVING YOUR CAR
WHO’S DRIVING YOUR CAR
The Siamese twins
had to move to England
so the other one could drive
The part of you that drives to the office
is not the one who arrives at the beach
The one who bought the purple dress
is not the one who won’t let you wear it
The one who got the license first
always wants to drive
While everyone else in your psychic car
the ones that can think
and the ones that can feel
all fight for their turn at the wheel
While it so often seems that the you
that includes and is more than them all
Is back in the boot, or trunk if you like
bound and gagged and tied up inside
just going along for the ride