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Dante Villa

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DANTE VILLA

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DISSERTATION AN INVESTIGATION INTO ALEJANDRO JODOROWSKYS

PSYCHOMAGIC AND HOW IT CAN BE APPRECIATED IN AN ARTISTIC
CONTEXT
Psychomagic is a healing strategy created and developed by Alejandro Jodorowsky, who is a
spiritualistandartist.Thisessayexamineshisabstractformofhealingandhowitcanbeviewedasa
formofartinitself.

In order to demonstrate this theory, Jodorowskys work can be compared to more scientific and
academically accepted forms of healing, such as psychoanalysis, behaviourism and expressive
therapy. In addition, an analysis can be made in relation to the parallels and differences to similar
performancebasedworkingmethods.Forthispurpose,artistsMarinaAbramovich,YokoOno,andthe
Fluxus Movement will be examined specifically. Through this exploration, it can be shown that
Jodorowskyshealingmethodscanbeappreciatedinanartisticsense.

From an early age, Jodorowsky developed an interest in various art forms and gradually began to
discover how these could be used in relation to therapy in a selffulfilling format. Among his artistic
pursuits,hebegandirectingtheatre,andsaysofthisexperienceIthuscreatedacharacterintendedto
establishitselfindailylifeandtobetterit.Thisishowmytheatricalresearchgraduallybegantotakeon
atherapeuticdimension.[1]

AuthorDanielPinchbeck,notedforhisbook2012:TheReturnofQuetzalcoatl,saidJodorowskyisa
brilliant,wise,gentle,andcunningwizardwithtremendousdepthofimaginationwithcrystallineinsight
intothehumancondition.[2]

ThetermpsychomagicwascoinedandisutilisedbyJodorowsky,andinsimpletermscouldbeseen
tomeanthemagicofthemind.Inhisownwords,Jodorowskytellsusthathisparticularformofhealing
consistsingivingadvicetosolveproblemsbyapplying,inanonsuperstitiousway,thetechniquesof
magic. The elements on which it relies are all classes of symbolic acts that can be proposed to a
person.[3]

Specifically, Jodorowskys healing process begins with an analysis of his patient, in which he
endeavorstofindoutasmuchpersonalinformationaspossible,inordertoputtogetheraformulafora
uniqueandspecificPsychomagicact,whichisintendedtoheal.

The Psychomagic act itself is literally a series of actions that are intended to work with the patients
unconscious and ultimately relieve them of their particular problems and thus healing is achieved. A
main part of this process is that people become aware of their identity, of their difficulties, of what
causes them to act.[4] Following this, for the consultation to have a therapeutic effect, a creative
actionaccomplishedinrealitywouldhavetocomeoutofit.[5]

An important medium that lead Jodorowsky to Psychomagic is tarot, which he read and uses as a
projectivetesttounderstandapersonsneedsandwheretheirspecificproblemslie.[6]

The tarot reading process is explained as follows: First of all, I would thoroughly study the person,
compelhimtotellmeabsolutelyeverything.Insteadoftryingtodivine,bywayofthetarot,whatcould
bewellhidden,Isubjectedhimtoaverysimpleinterrogation.Iwouldquestionmyclientsaboutbirth,
grandparents, brothers, sisters, sexual life, relationship with money, emotional life, intellectual life,
health[7]

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Forthistypeofapproach,Psychomagiccanbecomparedtothemoreacademicallyacceptedformof
psychotherapies,suchasSigmundFreudspsychoanalysis.

Freud postulated that unacceptable memories, phantasies, wishes, thoughts, ideas and aspects of
painful events were pushed back by repression into unconscious, along with their associated
emotions[8]andspecificallythattraumaleadstopainfulaffectwhich,inturn,providesthemotivational
forcebehindpathologicalreactions.[9]Byacknowledgingthisherealizedthattherecoveryofburied
memories of trauma in the transference also enables the patients to be reworked in a less
overwhelming way: loss can be grieved, and anger expressed, leading sometimes to acceptance or
evenforgiveness[10]andconsequentlytoahealing.

In contrast, for Jodorowsky it is not enough to thoroughly study his patient it is also necessary to
prompt them to take concrete actions prescribed specifically for their problem. He believes that by
making them break the false character with which they identify, will help them to face their deeper
self.[11]

PsychomagiccanbecomparedtoFreudspsychoanalysisinthatinitiallyitmakesthepatientawareof
oneormorespecificissuesthatuntilthatmomentarecompletelyunconscious.Psychoanalysisdiffers,
though,asinsteadofjustenablingthepatienttorealizespecificthingsthatcouldleadtoanautomatic
healing,Jodorowskysuggestsanactthatthepatienthastoperforminthephysicalworldtosolvetheir
problemthroughmetaphoricalmethodsthatarechanneledintotheinnerworldofthepatient.[12]Asan
exampleofhowtheunconscioususesmetaphors,Jodorowskysaidthatifyougivesomeonewhohas
causedyoualotofpainaballpaintedblack,andyoutellhim,Takethis.Itisyourcancer,notmine.
Keepit.Thisisametaphor.[13]

FreudsPsychoanalysiswasneverdefinitiveandtothisendhewasntafraidofchanginghisapproach
ifaspecificmethodtranspirednottowork.[14]WithPsychomagictheformulathatJodorowskygives
his patient always has to be followed (called a contract) and if this happens, a positive outcome is
achieved.[15]

Further to this, Psychomagic can be linked to behaviourism since the two therapies, whilst trying to
achievethesameoutcome,haveverydifferentapproachestocuringillness,andonawiderlevelthe
theorieshaveaverydifferentviewofrealityingeneral.

FoundedbyJohnB.Watson,behaviourismhasatheoreticalaimtopredictandcontrolbehaviour.From
thebeginningbehaviouristswereopposedtothewholeofexistingpsychology,becausetheythought
that the discrepancies within some of the healing results were due to the adherence to the idea of
consciousnessandintrospection.[16]Behaviouristsbelievethatallbehaviouralapproachestotherapy
haveasacommonaimthedirectmodificationofobservablebehaviourswhichhavebeenidentifiedas
in need of change. Despite this very pragmatic approach, most behavioural therapists include the
verbal reports given by people about their internal experience and thoughts, and about their feeling
states,intheirdefinitionofobservedbehavior.[17]

ContrarytoPsychomagic,andevenpsychoanalysis,behaviourismisapurelyscientificformofhealing
that sees its rational approach to understanding and healing humans as sufficient. The input and
reaction method that stays at the core of behavioursim is completely different from the spiritually
inspiredapproachthatJodorowskyuses.Jodorowsky strives for himself and his patients to achieve
clarityinlifeinordertomaketrulymeaningfulactionpossible.Inhisefforthehasdevelopedaviewon
lifethatisratherdifferentfromcommonconceptsofreality.

Of all the strands of psychotherapy, expressive therapy is probably the discipline that finds more
connectionswiththemethodatthebaseofPsychomagic,andfromthisthemorespecificworkofart
therapyanddramatherapy.

The process of art therapy is based on the recognition that mans most fundamental thoughts and
feelings, [are] derived from the unconscious.[18] Art therapy therefore involves using images to
facilitatetheunfoldingandunderstandingofpsychicprocesses.[19]

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Generallyarttherapyhelpsthepatienttoopenupwithoutactuallytalkingaboutthemselvesspecifically
instead the patient produces artwork through the single or multiple sessions that will not only lead to
healing(thankstothepositiveeffectsofexpressinghimselfthroughart),butwhatisproducedisalsoa
veryusefulsourceofinformationforthetherapist,whowillthengoontoworkfurtherwiththeclient.
Drama therapy works in much the same way, but the work that is produced comes in the form of a
theatrical performance, and this outcome can be likened to the Psychomagic act that Jodorowsky
developsforeachpatient.Indramatherapy,theemploymentofdramaandtheatreasamediumfor
changeduringthecourseofillness,crisisoruncertainty,ortofacilitatepersonalgrowthisintentional
andistheessenceoftheapproach[20],inthisthesimilaritytotheworkofJodorowskyisthatbothuse
individualexpressioninordertoarriveclosertoaclarityforthepatientoftheirinnerself.

Themainintentionofdramatherapy,however,istoencouragethepatienttoopenupcreativelyanditis
the experience of the actual process of developing theatre that leads to their healing. This differs to
Psychomagic in that Jodorowsky actually instructs his patients exactly as to what act they have to
carry out in order for them to heal, and what follows is the opening up of the patient, and thus their
creativitywillgrowastheyareliberated.

One example of Jodorowskys instructive remedies concerns a woman who had recently had an
abortion. After studying her case, he developed and prescribed the following ritual for her to follow:
Brigitte felt guilty about an abortion undergone in the absence of her companion, Michel. She was
depressedandnotresignedtothisidea.Herrelationshipwithherfriendwasinacrisistheydrewitout
more and more. I proposed an act so they could mourn the fetus together and definitively bury it.
BrigitteandMichelmustcollaboratebuildingaboxoutoffinewood,linedwithfabricofthebestquality,
theboxofcoursesymbolizingacoffin.Inaddition,theyshouldchoose,inamutualagreement,afruitto
symbolizeafetustheychooseamango.Brigitte,naked,shouldplacethefruitonherstomachand
keepittherewithathickbandage.Michelshouldcutthebandagewithapairofscissors,asifhewere
asurgeon,andextractthemango.Brigitteshouldrelieveallthefeelingshehadduringtheoperationand
expressthemloudly.Afterplacingthefetusinthebox,theyshouldgoburyitinaverybeautifulplace.
That done, Brigitte should kiss Michel and with her tongue put two stone marbles, one red and one
black,intohismouth.[21]

Whenthisactisfollowed,itaestheticallyresemblesatheatricalperformancepiece,andtheoutcome
wouldbethatthewomanisthenliberatedfromherpain,andthussheishealed.

The process leading up to the act being produced entails a series of steps, the first one being that
Jodorowsky presents and requires agreement from his patients on his aforementioned contract.
Jodorowskydescribesthiscontractasfollows:Firstofall,thepersonpromisestocompletetheactin
theexactwaythatIprescribeit,withoutchangingoneiota.Toavoidanymisunderstandinganddueto
the betrayal of the memory, the person must immediately write down the act and the procedure to
follow. Once the act is accomplished, she must send me a letter in which, first, she transcribes the
instructionsreceivedfrommesecond,shetellsmeindetailhowsheappliedthem,thecircumstances,
andtheadventuresthataroseduringtheprocessthird,shedescribestometheresults.Thesending
ofthisletterconstitutesmyonlyfeeforprescribingtheact.[22]

ForJodorowskyaletterwrittenbythepatientthatdescribesthewholePsychomagicprocess,fromthe
initial interview to the results of the performed act, is enough as a payment. He does not see
Psychomagic as something from which he could make a living, he believes that to be effective,
Psychomagic has to be created in a detached mind set that is not governed by ego or any need of
recognition.[23]

Jodorowsky, thanks to the economical stability obtained from his successful cinematic and editorial
works, is able to prescribe a Psychomagic act without the intent of gaining any profit from it. As he
statesthegreatestpowerofyourlifeistobeabletohelp,andthegreatestblessingthatmanhasisto
beabletoliveinpeace.[24]

ThedetachedmindsetnecessaryforPsychomagictobeeffectiveisanotherofthefundamentalsteps
inJodorowskyshealingmethod.ThisalteredmentalstatethatJodorowskymustadoptcauseshimto
experience a type of trance and is fundamental in the Psychomagic approach because it is the only
wayinwhichanactcanbecreatedwithnointernalorexternalinfluences.Hecommentsontheneed
forthistrancelikestatebytakingittomeanthatitrendershimnonjudgmental.ThepositivestepI
tooktowardsthesepracticeswastoeliminatebeliefornonbeliefItookthesetwoattitudesoffthetop.
Scientistsdonotbelieve,buttheybelieveinnotbelieving.Itisamistake.Itisnecessarytonothave
prejudiceaboutacts,toexperimentcalmlyandseetheresults.[25]

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WhenJodorowskyhastoformulateanewactheentersintoastatethathedescribesassuch:Ihave
workedsomuchtodisidentifymyselffrommyI,thatindispensingPsychomagicadvice,itisnotIwho
speaks,butmyunconscious.[26]Althoughheadmits:Idontclaimtohavereachedwisdom,because
IamnotdisidentifiedtwentyfourhoursadaybutwhileImprescribinganact,thatis,playingmyrole
aspsychomagician,Ifindmyselfinatranceorinautohypnosiswhateveryouwishtocallitthisis
nolongermylittleIwhospeaks.Ifeelthatwhathastobesaidisraisedfromthedepths.IfeelthatI
haveworkedenoughwithmyselftobecapableofthistimelydisidentification.[27]

TheswitchinconsciousnessthatJodorowskyusesisoneofthemanytechniquesthathelearnedafter
thoroughly studying various forms of mysticism and shamanism. His beliefs around reality and
consciousnesshelpedhimtocreatethephilosophythatliesattheverybaseofhiswork.

InJodorowskysviewofeverydaylifecanbesimilartothestateofluciddreaming,whichisatypeof
dreaminwhichyouareconsciouswhilesleeping.[28]Sincewedreamourlife,wewillinterpretitand
discoverwhatitwantstosaytous,themessagesthatitwantstotransmittous,asiftransformingit
intoaluciddream.Oncethelucidityisreached,wearefreetoactinreality,knowingthatifweseek
onlytosatisfyouregotisticaldesires,wewillbetaken,wewilllosealldetachment,allcontrol,andall
possibilityforatrueact.Toliveamusingandeffectivelivesasmuchinthenocturnaldreamasinthe
diurnaldreamthatwecallourlifewemustbecomelessandlessinvolved.[29]Jodorowskyseesthe
stateofbeinglessinvolvedasafreedomofmaterialnecessity.Thisdoesnotmeandetachmentfrom
realitybutonthecontraryahigherdegreeofawarenessandperception.

Jodorowskysworldviewalsodepartsfromarational,scientificapproach,whichhefindsoflimiteduse:
Magic is not superstition magic is the nature of the world. The world is not logical or rational, it is
magic.Everythingiscloselyrelated.[][A]lleventsarealigned,unitedtimeisnotlinear,theeffects
aresometimesproducedbeforethecausestherearemysteries.Seventypercentoftheworldcannot
understandit,likethechimpanzeedoesnotunderstand90percentoftheworld.Wehavealottolearn.
Realityismiraculous,itismagic.Itobeysnonscientificprinciples.Realityisnotscientific.[30]

It is in the unconscious mind, similarly to Freud, where Jodorowsky finds inspiration to create his
spectacularworks.EventhoughJodorowskydoesnotrefertothePsychomagicactsasworksofart,
it is possible to see how his artistic background specifically stage performing and movie direction
influenceshiminformulatingeachoneoftheacts.

The symbolic language used in Psychomagic that Jodorowsky employs to alter his patients
consciousness can be compared to surrealist art. Surrealism is defined as a 20th century avant
gardemovementinartandliteraturewhichsoughttoreleasethecreativepotentialoftheunconscious
mind,forexamplebytheirrationaljuxtapositionofimages.[31]

WhilstsurrealistartinsomewayssharesthevisuallanguageofPsychomagic,itdoesnotsharethe
intent or method whereas there are artists who work around ritual, altering consciousness, and
prescriptiveartworkandthisistheartisticcontextthatisclosertoboththephilosophyandproduction
ofPsychomagic.

OneparticularperformanceartistwhocanbecomparedtoJodorowskyisMarinaAbramovic,whohas
asimilarapproachtoritualandalsosharesaninterestinhealingandspirituality.

Abramoviciswidelyknownforherextremeperformanceswheresheexploresthelimitsofherbody.
Herartworksareinterestinginthewaythattheyshowhowasetenvironment,specificallyaritualistic
environment,caninfluencetheperformerconsciousnessinmakinghimorherdothingsthatwouldnot
bepossibleinaneverydaymentalstate.Thatkindofstateofilluminationamomentoftotalclarity.The
thingisthisclaritycomeslikelighteningbecauseasartistswealwaystalkaboutmoments.But,what
if moment becomes reality? Thats knowledge. Then it means that you are acting all the time at your
highestlevel.[32]

The same detachment that Jodorowsky employs is present in the concept at the basis of Marinas
work. She uses the physical and psychical danger to make herself enter into a clearer and more
presentstateofmindthathelpsherbothduringtheperformanceandwithinhereverydaylife:when
youpermanentlyputyourbodyattheedgementallyandphysicallyyoucantrainyourselftojump
overtheabyssthatsthementaljumpImtalkingabout.Thenyoucometothatkindofstate.[33]

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FurthercomparisoncanbedrawnbetweenthetrancelikestateofJodorowskyandthealteredmental
statethatAbramovicuses,andalsothespiritualitythatbothexplore:Whenwetalkaboutspiritualityin
art,everybodygetsgoosebumps,butactuallythereisaspiritualaspecttoart.Ithinkthatkidshaveto
learn about concentration and meditation. They have to learn about doing nothing, about entering a
silentstate.Imtalkingaboutastateofecstasyyouhavetolearnhowtogetthereandhowtomaintain
it. To learn whats happening in this state and how we can act from this state. There are Eastern
techniques that should be practiced by every schoolchild. We should use more of our physical and
mentalcapabilities,andwearenotdoingit.Wearejustputtingtechnologyintooursystem.[34]

JodorowskyandAbramovicarebothlearningtodevelopspirituallyintheworkthattheydo,butitisalso
possibletodrawsimilaritiesherebetweendramatherapyandtheworkofAbramovic,assheissaying
thatdevelopingcreativelyisbeneficialforthewellbeingofaperson.

IncomparingJodorowskyandAbramovicitistobenotedthattheirultimateintentionsaredifferent
Jodorowskys is to heal people whilst Abramovic aims to incorporate art into life: In claiming that
Abramovic, makes a clearcut distinction between life and art, I do not imply that art is for her a
negationoflife.Onthecontrary,itisanessentialpartoftheartistslife,hersaswell.[35]

Asnotedpreviously,forJodorowskythereisnoseparationbetweenartandlifeartisthelanguageof
omnipresent magic. Abramovics performances push physical, psychical, and social boundaries and
areintendedtobeanexampleforothers.Whilstthisistrue,herworkcouldalsobeseentobeself
involved as her performances each push her personally she does not, like Jodorowsky, prescribe
actsforotherpeopletofollowsheexploreseachsituationherself.WhatAbramovicproduces,though,
is inspiring for others and is hoped to lead people to experiment with their own limitations. Her early
workwasallbasedonrebellion,not,shespecified,justfromthelimitationsofthefamilybutfromthe
limitationsofsociety,shemighthaveadded,indeed,fromthelimitationsofwesterncivilization.[36]

Jodorowsky uses a contract in Psychomagic and this entails his patients having to follow his
instructionsexactlyAbramovicdoessomethingsimilar,butherdescriptionsarefarmoresimplifiedand
it is only herself that must follow them. She makes a binding contract with herself, and Jodorowky
makesonewithhispatient.

In addition, Jodorowsky is seeking overall spiritual growth for himself (and his patients) through the
processofhealing,andAbramovicisseekingthesame,thoughsheaimstoachieveitthroughherown
performances.

Jodorowskyspatientsalwayswritedowntheinstructionsthataregiventothem,sotheactisalways
documentedinwriting,andAbramovicdoesthesamewithherinstructionsforherself.Thefollowingis
anexampleofoneofherpieces.Inthedocumentedoutcomeshefollowstheinstructionsprecisely:

RHYTHM10

Iplaceawhitesheetofpaperonthefloor.
Iplace20knivesofdifferentsizeandshapesonthepaper.
Iplace2taperecorderswithmicrophonesonthefloor.

Performance.
Iturnonthefisttaperecorder.
Itakethefirstknifeandstabinbetweenthefingersofmylefthandasfastaspossible.
EverytimeIcutmyself,Ichangetheknife.
WhenIveusedalloftheknives,(alltherhythms)Irewindthetaperecorder.
Ilistentotherecordingofthefirstpartoftheperformance.
Iconcentrate.

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Irepeatthefirstpartoftheperformance.
Itaketheknivesinthesameorder,followthesameorder,followthesamerhythm,andcutmyselfin
thesameplace.
Inthisperformancethemistakesoftimepastandthetimepresentaresynchronized.
Irewindthesecondtaperecorderandlistentothedoublerhythmoftheknives.
Ileave.[37]

Figure
1:
Dezan
Poznanovic,
Rhythm
http://www.medienkunstnetz.de/assets/img/data/68/bild.jpg

10

Part

2,

1973.

Both Jodorwsky and Abramovic have an unconventional approach to exploring consciousness he

usesmaterialobjectsinorderforpeopletoidentifywiththemselvesandsheusesthebody:Iwantto
developanewconsciousnessandapproachtheideaofunitybetweenbodyandsoul,betweenbody
andsoulandthecosmosIwanttodemonstratetheunbelievableconstructionofourplanet,pointout
its sources of energy and how, with a new consciousness, we can learn to rearrange our body and
soulwithinthisstructure.[38]

Jodorowskys Psychomagic acts can also be viewed in an artistic context by comparing them to an
artistic movement that follows an ethos which is almost entirely opposite. This movement is called
Fluxus, and like Jodorowsky and Abramovic, they follow instructions to produce artworks, but the
connotationsoftheworkareverydifferent.

TheFluxusmovementwasacollectiveofartistsandcomposerswhobelievedthatartwasbeingtaken
too seriously. They were opposed to highart and their intention was to undermine it by producing
artworkthatwaseasilyaccessibleandreplicablebyeveryoneonestraightforwardexampleistheir
pieceentitledMakeasalad,thissimpleactisobviouslyopentoall,andtheyarethusdemonstrating
thatanyonecanbeanartist[39].ThisideaisalinkwithJodorowskyinthatFluxuswerealsobringing
art into life. In direct opposition to Jodorowsky though, the base of their ideas was steeped in
rationalismandconcretism.

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MakeaSalad,2008

Figure
2:
Make
a
Salad,
http://www.artsandecology.org.uk/__data/assets/image/0017/157112/tatesalad.jpg

2008.

Inordertoarriveatacloserconnectionwithconcretereality,theartnihilisteithercreatesanantiartor
onlyproducesthebanal.Theantiartformsareprimarilydirectedagainstartasaprofession,against
theartificialseparationofproducerorperformer,ofgeneratorandspectatororagainsttheseparation
ofartandlife.[]Antiartislife,naturetruerealityistheoneandall.[40]

Fluxus idea that antiart is life, is in agreement with Jodorowsky who believes that life and art are
inseparable.Asitappearsintheirmanifesto,theFluxusmovementPROMOTEAREVOLUTIONARY
FLOODANDTIDEINART.
Promotelivingart,antiart,promoteNONARTREALITYtobegraspedbyallpeoples,notonlycritics
dilettantes and professionals PURGE the world of dead art, imitation, artificial art, abstract art,
illusionisticart,mathematicalart,[41]

Anotherlinkbetweenthetwoistheuseofprescriptiveacts.AfurtherexampleofapiecebyFluxusis
asfollows:

CONSTELLATIONNo.4
Each performer chooses a sound to be produced on any instrument available to him, including the
voice.Thesoundistohaveaclearlydefinedpercussiveattackanddelaywhichisnotlongerthana
second.Words,cracklingandrustlingsounds,forexample,areexcluded,becausetheyhavemultiple
attacks and decays. The performers begin at any time when they agree they are ready. Each
performer produces his sound as efficiently as possible, almost simultaneously with the other
performerssounds.Assoonasthelastdecayhasdiedaway,thepieceisover.[42]

This piece is a classic example of an instructional piece (also referred as a score piece). Whilst
JodorowskyandAbramovicuseinstructionalpiecesthroughaconcernwithhealing,Fluxususethem
withtheintentofshowingthatartisnonelitist.

WhiletheeventscoresoftheFluxusartistshaveobvioussimilaritiestoJodorowskysprescriptionsof
actions, their context is very different. Firstly, they are not designed for a single person on the
contrary, their concept implies that they are open for anyone to perform. Secondly, they are usually
intendedtobeeasilyunderstood,whilethePsychomagicactsremainmysteriouswiththeirsurrealand
symboliccharacteristics.Thirdly,theeventscoresarepartofacriticismofsociety,andspecificallythe
artworld,whileJodorowskysPsychomagicis,ofcourse,unconcernedwithsuchgeneralissues.

HeavilyinvolvedwiththeFluxusmovement,artistYokoOnoalsodevelopedscorepieces,thoughshe
didnotnecessarilyfollowedthesamephilosophyashercounterparts.

Onos intention appears to be to trigger selfquestioning and selfobservation in the readers of her
instruction pieces. The scores that she created within Fluxus are more poetic, philosophical and
surreal.ThomasKhelleinwroteaboutherwork:Eachoneofthepiecesisperformable,yetduetothe

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psychologicaldemandsthatmanyofthemake,itseemsasthoughitismorelikelythattheyaremeant
tobefelt,notperformed.Itisunlikelythatsomeonecouldcoughforanentireyear,soeveryphysical
attempt at performance would have been encumbered by thoughts of failure. It is precisely this
prediction of failure that empowers the gesture of selfobservation and examination within the
frameworkprovidedbythedissolutionofboundaries.[43]

ArelativeexampleofascorepiecebyYokoOnothatdemonstrateshowartisinseparabletolife,isas
follows:

FALLINGPIECE

Gooutsideyou.
Lookatyourselfwalkingdownthestreet.
Makeyourselftumbleonastoneandfall.
Watchit.
Watchotherpeoplelooking.
Observecarefullyhowyoufall.
Howlongittakesandinwhatrhythmyoufall.
Observeasseeingaslowmotionfilm.[44]

This piece shows that Ono is also exploring the limitations of consciousness by inviting people to
performanunusualtask,anddiscoveringwhattheygetoutofit.Whilsttheintentofthisisnottoheal,
theoutcomeendsupbeingaformofhealingasthepeopleinvolvedopenupandthusdiscoveranother
partofthemself.

Marina Abramovic, the Fluxus movement and Yoko Ono were all part of the sixties blossom of new
waysofperceivingartandmakingit,gettingawayfromtheideaofapassiveobserverinamuseumor
galleryspacebyinvolvingtheaudienceandextendingthereachoftheartistsactionintoeverydaylife.
Inthisfertiletimespiritualartanditshealingsidehasbeenrediscovered.

An important distinction between the mentioned artists and Jodorowksy is that in whatever way they
were aiming to widen the focus and influence of art practice, they still acted from an artists point of
view, while Jodorowskys was fundamentally acting as a healer, but through his practice acts of
artworkcameintoapparitionasaconsequence.Hisoutlookontheworldentwinestheroleoftheartist
andthehealersothattheboundariesofartandlifedissolve.

Through comparing Jodorowsky the healer with other types of therapists, we can conclude that the
basis for his work has similarities with other more mainstream forms of healing, but differs where
Jodorowskyfunctionsasanartistratherthanascientist.

Jodorowskydoesnotcallhimselfashaman,butshamanismissomethingthathehasbeeninterested
in throughout his life, and it can be said that they are also artists themselves: It is what I call the
sacredtrap.Theshamancarriesouttheatricalactsandimitationsofpowersbyimitatingpowers,he
producestheeffectbecauseitopensthedoorsofthemysteriousthingthatweare.[45]

Inaddition:Ashamanperformanceprovidesthelanguagetoexpressotherwiseinexpressiblepsychic
states,whichcanneverbedescribedinliteralterms,anditmaybethatshamansareparticularlygood
atfantasizingandatorganizingambiguousimpressionsintocoherentimages.[46]

ThereisnoacademiccriticismaboutthehealingworkofJodorowsky,butheisacelebratedartistinhis
ownright,andexploringhishealingmethodsintermsofartisticcredibility,therearemanyexamplesof
artwork that can be looked at for parallels and differences in order to understand Jodorowskys
Psychomagicactsaspiecesofperformanceartinthemselves.

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Psychomagic can be viewed in an artistic context by looking closely at the work of other artists: in
doingthisitispossibletodistinguishhowtheperceptionofJodorowskyshealingmethod,ifitwasable
tobeviewedbyeveryone,wouldbereveredasaformofart.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Abramovic,Marina.ArtistBody.Milan:Charta,1998.
Bateman, Anthony and Holmes, Jeremy. Introduction to Psychoanalysis: Contemporary Theory and
Practice.London:Routledge,1995.
Case,CarolineandDalley,Tessa.ThehandbookofArtTherapy.London:Routledge,1992.
Friedman,Ken.TheFluxusReader.Chichester:AcademyEditions,1998.
Jodorowsky, Alejandro. Psychomagic: The Transformative Power of Shamanic Psychotherapy.
Rochester:InnerTraditions,2010.
Langley,Dorothy.AnIntroductiontoDramatherapy.London:SagePublicationsLtd,2006.
Murdoch, Douglas and Barker, Philip. Basic Behaviour Therapy. Oxford: Blackwell Scientific
Publications,1991.
Nicholas,Lionel.IntroductiontoPsychology.Lansdowne:UCTPress,2003.
Ono,Yoko.BetweentheSkyandmyHead.Cologne:WaltherKonig,2008.
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Vitebsky,Piers.TheShaman:VoyagesoftheSoulTrance,EcstacyandHealingfromSiberiatothe
Amazon.London:Macmillan,1995.

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