“Become”

Wilfred Ruprecht Bion uses the verb to “become” in two ways. Both uses derive from Plato. Plato stated: “That which is is always becoming.” The second use is clinical: the analyst must become the analysand. “Become” constitutes an ontological, epistemological technique of emotional knowing. The better-known epistemological technique is Cartesian, in which a separation is required between the mind and the mind’s object. Bion was fond of citing Heraclitus’ dictum that one can never enter the same stream twice. C, Stanislavski renounced the traditional classical acting technique whereby the actor identifies with the appointed role. Instead, he advises the student to look within himself to locate those internal experiences and memories that match up with or correspond to the role to be played.