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Introduction

We have been publishing articles since 1986 and calling them "IRM Releases", but on reflection we have decided that these should really be considered part of a technical journal and that it would be convenient to bind these into volumes for easy reference. Accordingly, we have put all the IRM Releases from the years 1986-1988 into Volume I and have included the 1989 Releases in Volume II. It is anticipated that future volumes will come out on a yearly basis.

This journal differs from some other scientific journals in that the articles contained herein are not written from a wide disparity of differing viewpoints but rather constitute the best consensus we have been able to achieve amongst practitioners of applied metapsychology (facilitators and trainers) as to what is true and effective about the subject. We are now in a phase of recording, consolidating, refining, and publishing the theory and methods of metapsychology that have been worked out by experienced practitioners over a period of many years, and these articles reflect that activity and the current needs of metapsychologists.

Much but by no means all of this material has been incorporated into other IRM Press publications such as the two editions of Beyond Psychology and the five course manuals we have produced to date. The articles, which have come out individually, have served as a quick source of material and information for facilitators and trainers who need the material now and would rather not wait months or years for the next published volume to come out. We will continue to publish these articles individually in the foreseeable future as well as incorporating them into future volumes of the The Journal of Metapsychology. Supporting Members of IRM receive these articles as they come out; they are available for purchase to other categories of members.

Some of these articles (such as lists of items and interview forms) also serve as materials that can be used in viewing sessions. These have to be issued individually so that they can be included as part of individual session records.

Many of the articles have been revised one or more times since their original issue, based on feedback from the field, and are now much more useful and correct than they were before. This volume of JOM contains the most recent revisions to date. If and when enough other substantial revisions have been made, it is possible that a revised version of JOM Volumes will be issued. On each article, the original issue date remains, with the date of the last revision underneath it.

I hope this journal will be of use to you as a supplement to the other publications of IRM Press.

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Gerald French, who edited and commented in detail on each of these articles. I'm sure that much of the quality of the work comes from his influence. I would also like to thank Larry Voytilla, who designed the format of the journal and has overseen its printing and the printing and distribution of he individual articles. David Mayo, Steve Bisbey, Julie Grimes, Gail Gerbode, Raffaella Landais, Marian Volkman, and many many others also made major contributions to this work.

And finally, thanks is due to the many facilitators and trainers out in the field who have been working very hard to make metapsychology a reality and who have provided a unique form of help for many people. This work is for you, and it is you who have made this entire enterprise possible.

Frank A. Gerbode, M.D.
Editor

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