Robert Bly wrote a poem about what can happen when two people are completely together. I believe he wrote this about himself and his wife. He suggests that when two people can be together, with no hidden agendas or withheld communications then a third, really beautiful presence occurs that has power and acceptance that is not possible when one is alone.
Every once in a while, in a Hellerwork session with someone in my office, this kind of connection occurs and a third presence makes available awareness and healing. The “Third Body”, happens when one person is present enough with respect for the healing energy to do it’s work. And that healing energy is available in every one of us. But it takes two people to access and create the Third Body.
Ray Bunch, my great friend who recently passed on, is who introduced me to Robert Bly and to the Third Body. I sought out Ray’s presence when he was alive because The Third Body occasionally occurred when we were together.
And he taught me that this Third Body is available between any two people with shared respect and acceptance.
A Third Body
A man and a woman sit near each other, and they do not long
at this moment to be older, or younger, nor born
in any other nation, or time, or place.
They are content to be where they are, talking or not-talking.
Their breaths together feed someone whom we do not know.
The man sees the way his fingers move;
he sees her hands close around a book she hands to him.
They obey a third body that they share in common.
They have made a promise to love that body.
Age may come, parting may come, death will come.
A man and a woman sit near each other;
as they breathe they feed someone we do not know,
someone we know of, whom we have never seen.
–Robert Bly