The Humaniversity Flushing Process
Interview with Geetee
Flushing is an “Emotional Awareness Process”. Can you explain what that means? And what is your personal drive to work with Flushing?
Flushing is an emotional awareness process because it gives you the possibility to express repressed emotions by screaming them out and creating space for you to look at what is ‘inside of you’. It provides you with insights and awareness about your conditioning, values, thought patterns and believes. By going through the process together with a partner you allow physical and emotional support and comfort which maximises your healing process.
I love to work with Flushing because it is an effective and complete way of releasing stress or pent-up feelings which give discomfort and prevent you from being open-hearted and happy, hence the name “Flushing”. It brings you into your present state of mind and gives you the chance to let go of your past and look ahead to create your future. Flushing increases your ability to give and receive love which then results in more self-love towards you.
Arthur Janov developed Primal Therapy. According to Janov, the patient can rid himself of Primal Pain by learning the proper way to scream. Daniel Casriel’s New Identity Process (NIP) also involves screaming to unblock what’s blocked. Veeresh invented the modern Flushing process which incorporates both screaming and supporting each other by sitting together. What was Veeresh’s idea behind his flushing method?
Veeresh basically condensed the process of “Bonding”, which was created by Casriel, and made it more efficient and effective. He designed the Flushing process in a sitting position, so that both participants would “work and release” at the same time. The therapist offers a ‘key sentence’, for example: ”I need!” to which the participants then start to free associate to. That means they scream out anything that comes to their mind which is connected to the sentence. Instant healing is provided during the process through physical touch and reassurance by both participants. The Flushing experience is then integrated by a verbal exchange of the insights of both partners.
To complete the Flushing process Veeresh added positive affirmations, which are outspoken and practised while meeting and hugging each other. That gives the participant a new direction to move towards in their lives.
Is it important to have done already some work on emotions, in order to participate in a flushing session?
Anybody can participate in a Flushing session under the guidance of a qualified Flushing Leader. But having done some emotional work before will accelerate your process. Flushing is very helpful as a therapeutic technique because it works for everyone, who wants to find out more about themselves.
Before the Flushing starts, the Flushing leader gives the participants a “key sentence” to work on: How does this sentence work on the person, from a therapeutic point of view?
The “key sentence” works like bait on a fish hook and is used on the base of free association. Free association is not rational but brings up stuff from your unconscious. You throw the fish hook (scream out the key sentence) and see what associations it brings up. When nothing is coming up anymore you return to the sentence until something else comes up again. Like that you bring more awareness and light into your unconscious and you start paving the way towards inner fulfilment and happiness. You will be able to differentiate between what is real and unreal about you and you will become more authentic.
Flushing is one of the techniques that bring the participant in contact with his needs and wounds. For this reason there is always a lot of care at the Humaniversity for the participants, by the Flushing leader and his staff. Can you tell us something about the concept of “taking care” according to the “Humaniversity way”?
Veeresh has told me that the root of the word care comes from the word accurate. He showed me that taking care means to care for myself, others, and my environment and that I have to give precisely what is needed according to the circumstances of the situation.
Flushing is an intense emotional process in which people often regress into earlier states of their being and need sensitive care. By giving them attention we help them to heal painful experiences from their past and we teach them how to eventually take care for themselves and their needs. Once they feel safe to trust and let go into their process, change starts to happen. Now, their journey can begin and they can start to explore in different directions.
What are the benefits for a person who experiences the flushing sessions in a continuous way, for instance through a set of Flushing sessions?
Flushing works like pealing an onion layer by layer. The onion represents your emotional layers and blocks. If you do Flushing repeatedly you will break through these layers and gain insights into the core of who you really are and what is important for you.
You can even get enlightened during a Flushing because by working with your unconscious you bypass your mind and you have the possibility to enter a state of “No Mind”.
Flushing creates positive affirmations, attitudes and a positive direction in your life and it will leave you feeling more healthy and alive in your body and much, much more.
Are there people you would particularly advice to experience flushing?
Flushing is a fast and direct emotional release. I would advise it to people who are stuck in their relationships or in negative behavioural patterns and people who are having difficulties expressing themselves emotionally. It is useful for people who like to become more aware of themselves without the guidance of another person, or people who just want to steam off stress or emotional discomfort.
What kind of experience is required in order to lead a Flushing session?
We have started training Humaniversity Flushing Leaders outside the Humaniversity in order to spread this process and make it more accessible to everybody. These people have gone through our ‘Four Year Therapist Training’ and experienced many Flushing sessions themselves. Also people who have graduated as Humaniversity Consultants and Therapists are qualified to conduct Flushing sessions.
In your recent workshop we practiced three different ways of flushing; sitting towards a partner, standing towards a partner, and standing back to back with a partner. Could you explain the benefits of each different practice?
The sitting position is a ‘semi regressed’ position which makes it easier for the participant to connect with their past experiences. At the same time it gives a safe feeling because of the physical contact. We call it the “Monkey Position”.
The position, in which you are standing and holding the other participant while releasing, is a more empowered position. You are standing on your own feet and legs and it is easier to access and express emotions.
Standing back to back with arms interlocked is a position that puts a strain on the body. It supports a more specific topic to work with. For example you can use the phrase: “Get off my back!” and then let the participants free associate and work with that feeling and everything that comes up around it.
The position will create a lot of energy within the participant and connect directly a physical sensation to the emotional and mental associations from their past experiences.
What advice would you give to people interested in experiencing Flushing, in order to help them in their “Emotional Awareness Process”?
To me doing any kind of therapy needs to include fun otherwise it becomes dry and heavy. Flushing is a very exciting process. You need to be curious to find out about yourself and the negative parts of you. This will give you a sense of ‘wholeness’. If you express any emotion totally you will end up with a good feeling; so don’t get hung up with fear, pain or anger. Have the courage to continue and go for love, your ‘yes’ to life, go for the light! Identify yourself as a good human being! That’s what you are here for in this life time.