As Stage II progresses the aperture opens dramatically wider than was the case with either Stage I or early Stage II. Dimensionals begin to emerge and the threshold is reached for the transition into Stage III. The shift into full Stage III is triggered by aesthetic impact (see below). It is after this point that the true dimensionality of the site may begin to be expressed. This differs from dimensional elements encountered previously, in that Stage II dimensionals are individual aspects of the site, while Stage III dimensionality is a composite of inherent site aspects. The concept of “the viewer’s perspective” must, however, be avoided because in Stage III the viewer has not yet reached the point where complete comprehension and appreciation of the size, shape, and dimensional composition of the overall site can be ascertained. Generally, the viewer himself is not precisely aware of his own perceptual relationship to the site and therefore not consciously aware of the true relationship of all the dimensional components he is able to debrief from Stage III. As is discussed in various sections below, he must rely on the various tools available in Stage III to obtain and organize the increased information he is perceiving. Although Stage III can provide a great deal of information about any given site, the goal of Stage III is command of structure.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Aesthetic:<\/strong> Sensitivity of response to given site.<\/p>\n Drawing:<\/strong> The act of representing something by line, etc.<\/p>\n Idea:<\/strong> Mental conception; a vague impression; a hazy perception; a model or archetype.<\/p>\n Impact:<\/strong> A striking together; changes, moods, emotions, sometimes very gross, but may be very weak or very subtle.<\/p>\n Mobility:<\/strong> The state or quality of being mobile.<\/p>\n Motion:<\/strong> The act or process of moving.<\/p>\n Perceptible:<\/strong> That which can be grasped mentally through the senses.<\/p>\n Prompt:<\/strong> To incite to move or to action; move or inspire by suggestion.<\/p>\n Rendering:<\/strong> Version; translation (often highly detailed).<\/p>\n Sketch:<\/strong> To draw the general outline without much detail; to describe the principle points (idea) of.<\/p>\n To Track:<\/strong> To trace by means of vestiges, evidence, etc.; to follow with a line.<\/p>\n Vision:<\/strong> One of the faculties of the sensorum, connected to the visual senses out of which the brain constructs an image.<\/p>\n Diagonal:<\/strong> Something that extends between two or more other things; a line connecting two points of intersection of two lines of a figure.<\/p>\n Horizontal:<\/strong> Parallel to the plane of the horizon.<\/p>\n Mass:<\/strong> Extent of whatever forms a body–usually matter.<\/p>\n Space:<\/strong> Distance interval or area between or within things. “Empty distance.”<\/p>\n Vertical:<\/strong> Perpendicular to the plane of the horizon; highest point\/lowest point (i.e., height or depth).<\/p>\n Volume:<\/strong> A quantity; bulk; mass; or amount.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n As the aperture widens rapidly from Stage II, a virtual avalanche of site information begins to impact on the viewer’s unconscious. The cumulative effect of all this detail is to trigger a subjective response from the viewer. This opening of the aperture and subsequent subjective response is called Aesthetic Impact (AI) and is the viewer’s subjective emotional response to the site. It is best described as “how the site makes the viewer feel.” AI may immediately follow two Stage II dimensional responses, but it will certainly follow three or more. It may be experienced and expressed in a variety of ways. A simple exclamation of “Wow!” may be the AI response when one is suddenly impressed by the immensity of some natural formation, such as the Grand Canyon or Yosemite’s Half Dome. On the other hand, such a site might just as easily spark a feeling of vertigo or fear of falling, or cause one to remark, “This is really tall (or deep)!”. A pulp mill might trigger an AI reaction of revulsion because of the nauseating smells. Or a comprehension of the grandeur or squalor of a site might cause one to have a sudden appreciate of beauty or ugliness. Other examples of AI might be claustrophobia, loneliness, fright, pleasantness, relaxation, enjoyment, etc.<\/p>\n AI need not be pronounced to be present; in fact, it may often be quite subtle and difficult to recognize. It may sometimes be a sudden, mild cognitive recognition of the abrupt change in perspective, or a slight surprise or alteration of attitude about the site. Some viewers who in the past have had little experience with direct contact with their emotions may have difficulty recognizing that they experience AI, and may even be convinced it doesn’t happen to them. Such individuals must exercise a great deal of caution not to sublimate or suppress AI recognition, and require additional exposure to AI to help them learn to recognize and declare it appropriately.<\/p>\n The monitor also has a role to play in helping the viewer to recognize AI. Body language, eye movement, and specific speech patterns can all be cues to the experienced monitor that AI is present. The monitor must draw the viewer’s attention to the existence of an undeclared AI when he observes the “symptoms” of an AI unrecognized by the viewer.<\/p>\n It is extremely important to properly recognize and declare (objectify) AI, since how one deals with it can determine the entire course of the session from that point on. The viewer may not work through AI. Aesthetic Impact must be recognized, declared, and allowed to thoroughly dissipate. Should the viewer err and attempt to work through AI, all information from that point on will be colored by the subjective filter of the emotional experience encountered, and AOL Drive and AOL “Peacocking” (discussed under AOL, below) can be expected to arise.<\/p>\n AI is dealt with in the following manner. Moving through Stage II, the viewer begins to debrief a cluster of two or more basic dimensionals. He suddenly realizes that the aperture is expanding, and that in conjunction he is having a subjective emotional reaction to the site–whether pronounced or mild. He then states aloud as he objectifies on his paper “AI Break.” He then briefly says aloud and writes on the paper what the AI is. Declarations can be everything from a simple “Wow!” to “Disgusting!” to “I like this place” to “Vertigo” to “I feel sick” to “This is boring” to “I’m impressed by how tall this is” to “Absolutely massive!”. The viewer by taking this “AI Break” effectively disengages himself temporarily from the signal line and allows the emotional response to dissipate. The time required for this can vary from a few brief seconds for a mild AI to hours for one that is especially emphatic.<\/p>\n It is important to note that, though many sites elicit essentially the same response in every individual who remote views it, each person is different than every other and therefore under certain circumstances and with certain sites AI responses may differ significantly from viewer to viewer. One example of this that has frequently been related is a small sandy spit off of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. One viewer, a highly gregarious woman who enjoys social interactions, when given the site responded that it made her feel bleak, lonesome, depressed, abandoned. On the other hand, a viewer who had spent a great deal of his time in nature and away from large numbers of other humans experienced the site as beautiful and refreshing. Since AI is subjective, such variations are not unexpected, and under the right circumstances [are] usually appropriate.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Two variations of the concept of movement are recognized as being available to the viewer during Stage III. The first is the idea of motion at the site: an object or objects at the site may be observed as they shift position or are displaced from one location to another. For example, there may be automobile traffic present, a train moving through the area, or whirling or reciprocating machinery, etc.<\/p>\n “Mobility,” the second movement concept, is the ability possessed by the viewer in Stage III to shift his viewpoint to some extent from point to point about the site, and from one perspective to another, i.e., further back, closer up, from above, or below, etc. This ability makes possible the projection of trackers and sketches as described below. An additional feature this introduces is the ability to shift focus of awareness from one site to another using a polar coordinate concept. This is more fully explained under Movement\/Movement Exercises, which follows.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sketches:<\/strong><\/p>\n Spontaneous sketches:<\/em><\/p>\n With the expansion of the aperture and after dissipation of AI, the viewer is prepared to make representations of the site dimensional aspects with pen on paper. A sketch is a rapidly executed general idea of the site. In some cases it may be high representational of the actual physical appearance of the site, yet in other cases only portions of the site appear. The observed accuracy or aesthetic qualities of a sketch are not particularly important. The main function of the sketch is to stimulate further intimate contact with the signal line while continuing to aid in the suppression of the viewer’s subjective analytic mental functionings. Sketches are distinguished from drawings by the convention that drawings are more deliberate, detailed representations and are therefore subject to far greater analytic (and therefore AOL-producing) interpretation in their execution.<\/p>\n Analytic Sketches:<\/em><\/p>\n Analytic sketches are produced using a very carefully controlled analytic process usually employed only when a satisfactory spontaneous sketch as described above is not successfully obtained. An analytic sketch is obtained by first listing all dimensional responses obtained in the session, including those contained in the “A” components of the various Coordinate\/I\/A\/B prompting sequences, in the order and frequency they manifest themselves on the session transcript. Each of these dimensional elements apparently manifests itself in order of its importance to the gestalt of which it is a part. So, for example, if in the first “A” component of the session one encounters “across, rising,” thee two would head the list, and their approximate placement on the paper will be determined by the viewer before any other. A second list is then compiled, listing all secondary attributes of the site. Finally, a list may be made if desired of any significant “details” that do not fit into the previous two categories. In analytic sketching the intuitive part of the viewer’s apparatus is not shut off. He must continue to attempt to “feel” the proper placement of the dimensional elements of the site. In fact, the purpose of this approach to sketching is to “re-ignite” the viewer’s intuition. As each element on the primary list is taken in order, the viewer must “feel” the proper position for that element in relation to the others. If the dimensional element “round” is listed, it must be determined how a rounded element fits in with “across,” “rising,” “flat,” “wide,” “long,” and any other dimensional elements that may have preceded it. When elements from the primary list are exhausted, the viewer may duplicate the process with those from the secondary list. If necessary and desirable, the viewer may proceed to the details list and assign them their appropriate locations.<\/p>\n Trackers: <\/strong><\/p>\n Stage III contact with the site may on occasion produce an effect known as a tracker. This is executed by a series of closely spaced dots or dashed lines made by pen on paper, and describes a contour, profile, or other dimensional aspect of the site. Trackers are formed in a relatively slow and methodical manner. The viewer holds pen in hand, lifting it off the paper between each mark made, thereby allowing the autonomic nervous system, through which the signal line is being channeled, to determine the placement of each successive mark. While constructing a tracker, it is possible for the viewer to spontaneously change from execution of the tracker to executing a sketch, and back again.<\/p>\n Spontaneous Ideograms:<\/strong><\/p>\n At any point in the sketch\/tracker process, an ideogram may spontaneously occur. This most probably relates to a sub-gestalt of the site, and should be treated like any other ideogram. It will produce “A” and “B” components, Stage IIs, and so forth. Because of the possibility for the occurrence of these spontaneous ideograms with their potential for conveying additional important site information, viewers are strongly counseled to always keep their pen on paper to the greatest extent practical.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n An outgrowth of the viewer mobility concept involves the ability of the viewer to shift his focus from one site to other sites using a polar coordinate concept. This is often termed a “movement” or “movement exercise,” and is executed thusly. The viewer is given the coordinates for the base site, and the session proceeds as normal: I\/A\/B, Stage IIs, dimensionals, AI to Stage III sketches\/trackers. When the monitor is confident that the viewer has successfully locked onto this primary site, he tells the viewer to “prepare for movement.” The viewer accordingly places his pen on the left side of the paper, indicating he is ready for a new prompting coordinate as per convention. The monitor then tells the viewer to acquire the central site. The viewer responds with a very brief, few-word description of the base site, whereupon the monitor gives a prompting statement in lieu of the usual geographic coordinate. This statement includes a distance and direction from the base site, and is couched in words as neutral, passive and non-suggestive (therefore less AOL-inducing) as possible.<\/p>\n By way of example, let us assume that the base site is a large grey structure, and the secondary site to which the viewer’s focus is to be moved is 8 1\/2 miles northwest of the base site. The monitor will say “Acquire the site,” to which the viewer responds approximately, “A large grey structure.” The monitor then says “8 1\/2 miles (to the) northwest something should be visible.” Just as he would a geographic coordinate, the viewer objectifies this phrase by writing it down, places his pen on the paper to receive the ideogram, and progresses from there just as if he were processing any other new site.<\/p>\n Note, however, the very neutral way the monitor provided the prompting. He avoided such leading words as, “What do you see 8 1\/2 miles northwest?” or “You should be able to see (hear\/feel\/smell) something 8 1\/2 miles northwest.” Observe also that “motion words” (“move,” “shift,” “go,” etc.) were also avoided. Words and phraseology of either type tends to cause the viewer to take an active role, directly attempting to perceive the site instead of letting the signal line bring the information to him. This sort of active involvement greatly encourages the development of AOL and other mental noise effects.<\/p>\n Instead, the passive wording used by the monitor stimulates the analytic component of the mind as little as possible, allowing uncontaminated signal line data to be received. Examples of acceptable passively framed words relating to sensory involvement are: “should be visible,” “hearable,” “smellable,” “feelable,” “tasteable,” etc. In earlier stages sensory-based wording would have been avoided as a catalyst to AOL. With the widened aperture in Stage III, however it may be used successfully.<\/p>\n This movement technique may be used any number of times, starting either from the original base site, or from one of the other subsequent sites to which the viewer’s perception has been “moved.”<\/p>\n <\/p>\n AOL Matching:<\/em><\/p>\n With the expansion in aperture inherent in Stage III, and after appropriate AI, the AOL phenomenon develops to where a viewer’s AOL may match or nearly match the actual signal line impression of the site. For example, if the site were Westminster Abbey, the viewer might produce the AOL of Notre Dame cathedral. Or he might even actually get an image of Westminster Abbey that nevertheless fills all the criteria for an AOL. According to theory, the matching AOL is superimposed over the true signal line. It is however possible with practice to distinguish the vague parameters of the true signal line “behind” the bright, distinct, but somewhat translucent image of the AOL. The viewer must become proficient at “seeing through” the AOL to the signal line. Use of “seeing through” here must not be taken to imply any visual image in the accepted sense of the word, but rather as a metaphor best describing the perceptory effect that manifests itself.<\/p>\n AOL Drive: <\/em><\/p>\n Although mentioned before, AOL Drive becomes a serious concern beginning in Stage III. It occurs when the viewer’s system is caught up in an AOL to the extent that the viewer at least temporarily believes he is on the signal line, even though he is not. When two or more similar AOLs are observed in close proximity, AOL drive should be suspected. AOL drive is indicated by one or more of the following: repeating signals; signal line ending in blackness; peculiar (for that particular viewer) participation in the signal line; and\/or peacocking. Causes for AOL drive include accepting a false “B” component in Stage I; or accepting a false sketch or undeclared AOL in Stage III. Undeclared AOLs can spawn AOL drive in all other stages beyond Stage III as well. Once it is realized that AOL drive is present, the viewer should take an “AOL\/D Break” (as discussed under STRUCTURE), then review his data to determine at what point he accepted the AOL as legitimate data. After a sufficient break the viewer should resume the session with the data obtained before the AOL drive began. Listed below are two subspecies of AOL drive.<\/p>\n Ratcheting: <\/em><\/p>\n The recurrence of the same AOL over and over again as if trapped in a feedback loop.<\/p>\n “Peacocking”: <\/em><\/p>\n The rapid unfolding, one right after another, of a series of brilliant AOLs, each building from one before, analogous to the unfolding of a peacock’s tail.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A site selected for Stage III would logically require significant dimensional components. Locales such as bridges, monuments, airports, unusual natural formations, etc. are useful Stage III sites.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Format:<\/strong> Following is a sample Stage III format:<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n [Personal Inclemencies\/Advanced Visuals Declared]<\/p>\n Name <\/p>\n (Ideogram) (Coordinate) A. Across angle up angle angle across B. Structure<\/p>\n [STAGE II – Sensory Data starts here] S2<\/p>\n white AI Break AOL Break grey Confusion Break tall AI Break tall – [beginning of dimensionals leading to AI and Stage III sketching\/tracking]<\/p>\n wide AI BREAK <\/p>\n <\/p>\n [SKETCH OR TRACKER]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n AOL BREAK <\/p>\n [MORE SKETCHES OR TRACKERS]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n End <time><\/p>\n <\/p>\nThe Six Primary Dimensionals:<\/h6>\n
Aesthetic Impact:<\/h5>\n
Motion\/Mobility:<\/h5>\n
Dimensional Expression on Paper<\/h5>\n
Movement\/Movement Exercises: <\/strong><\/h5>\n
Analytic Overlay (AOL) in Stage III:<\/strong><\/h5>\n
Site Requirements:<\/strong><\/h5>\n
\nDate
\nTime
\nLocation<\/p>\n
\nangle down
\nSolid<\/p>\n
\nwarm
\nunclean smell<\/p>\n
\nSmells Gross!<\/p>\n
\nSmells like dirty air<\/p>\n
\nwhite
\nrough
\nnoisy
\nwarm
\nfumy smell<\/p>\n
\n“Thud” or scraping sound. Can’t tell.<\/p>\n
\nhigh
\nsolid
\nwide<\/p>\n
\nMan! This thing is
\nreally BIG!<\/p>\n
\nlong
\nhuge<\/p>\n
\n[STAGE III starts here] Wow! I’m dizzy!<\/p>\n
\nEmpire State Building<\/p>\n