The following process was developed by DScn Jan Halpern. Throughout the process the auditor doesn’t say a word. He doesn’t answer possible questions, he doesn’t explain in words what he wants. Under all circumstances he makes like the Tar Baby and “don’t say nothin’.” He uses any gestures necessary.

Step I-a: The auditor stands in front of the preclear, holding out a small object to him, until the preclear takes it from his hand. As soon as the preclear takes the object, the auditor holds out his hand, palm up, until the preclear places the object in his palm. The auditor immediately then offers it to the preclear again. This is continued until without comm lag. The object should be offered to the preclear from a variety of positions once he has gotten the idea: from down near the floor, far off to either side, over the preclear’s head. Likewise, the palm should be held in a variety of positions for the return of the object. Both hands may be used. Get the preclear doing it really fast.

Step I-b: When Step I-a is going swiftly and easily, the auditor introduces a switch. After the preclear has just accepted the article, the auditor, instead of extending his palm for its return, places his hands behind his back briefly, then conveys by gestures that the preclear is to offer the object to him. When the preclear does so, the auditor takes the object from his hand, but does not return it until the preclear holds out his own hand, palm up, to receive it. This exchange is continued until the preclear is offering and accepting the object from as wide a variety of positions as the auditor used, and all other comm lags are flat.

Step II: The auditor, just having accepted the object, makes a gesture that this part is over, then deliberately puts the object down where the preclear can see it, stands back and indicates that the preclear is to pick it up. When the preclear picks it up, the auditor gestures that he is to put it down again anywhere he likes in the room. The instant the preclear does so, the auditor snatches it up and puts it someplace else. You keep this up, till auditor and preclear are racing around the room, seizing the object as soon as the other’s fingers have let go of it. The object isn’t necessarily placed in a different spot each time. It may be picked up and put down again in the same place, but it must be handled each time. All sorts of tacit rules and understandings will probably develop while this is being run.

This process rehabilitates the sense of play; validates non-verbal ARC; short- circuits verbal circuitry; lets the preclear position matter and energy in space and time; gets the preclear up to speed; murders “there must be a reason” for doingness; processes the auditor and the preclear equally and besides, it’s fun.