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the known fields of physics (electromagnetic, gravitational etc.) they are
detectable through their physical effects (see: Sheldrake 1989). It is assumed
that morphic fields extend in space and continue in time and that they are
localized within and around morphic units whose structures and patterns of
activity they organize. (A morphic unit is a unit of form or organisation, e. g. an
atom, molecule, cell, plant, animal, pattern of behaviour, social group etc.) The
fields are shaped, stabilized and inherited by morphic resonance, i. e. the process
by which morphic units influence subsequent similar morphic units organised by
the morphic fields. The resonance takes place on the basis of similarity, (i. e. the
more similar the unit is to the previous morphic units the greater is their
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influence on it) and the effect of the resonance is cumulative. As Sheldrake
(1989:109) puts it: Morphic resonance involves a kind of action at a distance in
both space and time. The influence does not decline with distance in space and
time.
According to Sheldrake there are different kinds of morphic fields,
depending on what they organise, e. g. morphogenetic fields organising
morphogenesis, behavioural fields which organise different patterns of
behaviour and so on. Under this theory, skills (physical skills and skills such as
speaking and understanding of languages, reading, writing etc.) depend on
morphic fields (see: Sheldrake 1989:186) It is assumed that in learning of a skill
people tune in to the morphic field of the skill and their learning is facilitated by
morphic resonance from those who have practised the skill before them. As
more and more people acquire the skill it should become easier for subsequent
people to learn it.
With RT, subsequent students were observed to achieve better results. In
1990/1991 the students in the experimental groups needed many hours of
language stimulation to be able to make progress by RT for the first time.
Subsequent students did not need so much time to achieve that progress.
Moreover, the progress of the subsequent students was higher.
It may be said that the students in the experimental groups developed a new
skill, the skill of ‘extracting’ meaning from recorded tasks by RT. They did that
after many thousands of repetitions of the same reactions during language
stimulation.
It is assumed that at the moment they made their first progress (March 1991)
a new morphic field was created. This field, called RT field is a field of this new
skill, and it organises students’ acquisition of hearing and understanding of
English by RT. By repeating the same pattern of behaviour, subsequent RT
students tune in, on the basis similarity, to this field and their learning is
facilitated by morphic resonance from previous RT students. In addition, the
later RT students achieve better results due to the cumulative effect of morphic
resonance. At the same time the students also influence RT field. They reinforce
it and thus further create the technique.
From the observed facts it may be concluded that morphic resonance
underlies and facilitates language acquisition. This conclusion is compatible
with Sheldrake’s view (1989:183) that the [morphic] resonance underlies the
general tendency to acquire language and also facilitates the acquisition of
particular languages (...) by resonance from previous speakers of these
languages.
3. With RT the language signal (= recorded English words) is processed
simultaneously by senses of hearing and touch. The movement of the student’s
hand (repetitions, rhythm) engages all of the senses. As language stimulation is
based on fragments of songs, music in the background provides many
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advantages, too. Music relaxes, which creates the student’s openness to new
information. Music engages the student’s emotional system as well as his right
hemisphere of the brain where it is primarily processed. The engagement of the
right hemisphere results in by-passing of critical filters in the left hemisphere
(see: Morris 1989). Furthermore, the student is repeating the words he hears in
his inner speech, which means that the language signal is also processed
mentally by the student. In short, RT student actively participates in the learning
process, and, as Morris (1989:4) puts it: Participatory learning activates all of
the senses and provides immediate feedback. (...) More sensory and motor
neurons are activated when we become an active participant
Neuroscientists have found that even a very short (a few seconds) intense
brain stimulation can increase brain complexity and capacity (see: Hutchison
1989, passim). In fact, RT is a kind of such intense brain stimulation, therefore it
may be assumed that by RT there are formed new neural connections or
networks responsible for ‘transforming’ the English language signal.
Conclusions
RT is a technique of acquisition of English, at the present stage of hearing
and understanding of English. The technique quickly improves the skill of
listening.
RT complements and enhances the existing methods of teaching English and
it may be used before one starts to learn English (= pre-learning), or during
learning English by other methods as teaching enhancement
(=in-learning) or as a ‘brushing up’ technique (= post-learning).
RT creates new and yet unknown possibilities in teaching languages. The
technique is being created by its students and now no-one can tell where this
new road leads.
References
Edrigton, D. (1984) A Palliative for Wandering Attention. Unpublished manuscript. Tacoma,
Washington.
Hutchison, M. (1988) Megabrain. Ballantine Books: New York.
Morris, S. E. (1989) The Facilitation of Learning. Unpublished manuscript. Faber, Virginia.
Sheldrake, R. (1989) The Presence of the Past. Morphic Resonance and the Habits of
Nature. Fontana: London.
Waldkoetter, R. O. (1991) Hemi-Sync Uses in Military Settings: Education and
Councelling. “Hemi-Sync Journal”, vol. IX, no. 4, p. 12.
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