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Casting a beam and darkness are as counterintuitive as a black hole and a dense mass with unimaginable power to absorb stars even theoretically devour galaxies. The phrase “beam of intense darkness” was used by Freud in one his communications between him and Lou Andreas-Salomé (p. xiii). James Grotstein in his analysis with Bion recalls a session that Bion pulls out a German edition of the book of letters between Freud and Lou Andreas-Salomé and translating it to him: “When conducting an analysis, one must cast a beam of intense darkness so that something which has hitherto been obscured by the glare of the illumination can glitter all the more in the darkness” (p. 1). The evocative imagery lends itself to the elusive and the infinite unconscious realm defying perception and apprehension. Grotstein views Bion as a mystic who is “not troubled by not knowing” (p. 2). Not knowing, no memory, no desire. Bion's wisdom shines.
The ever-recurring themes in this book shed darkness to illuminate what glitters in Bion's work through the eyes and experience of James Grotstein. The O, the K, the H and L, the alpha function and the beta elements, the container-the contained, the “Language of Achievement,” the “Man of Achievement,” transformations, the transcendent position, The Grid, The Absolute Truth, dreaming, becoming, the truth drive are concepts that swirl and stimulate thoughts and our inner ‘O's. The book is a symphony to be enjoyed for those who find Bion's ideas inspiring which is growing in numbers. James Grotstein with his wealth of knowledge and more importantly through his personal experience with Bion brings such richness to the reader.
The book is neither chronological nor encyclopedic; it was not written with concern to be comprehensive. It is also not written in a systematic manner to be a text to study Bion systematically. It is a text that is very personal, heart-felt and deeply immersed in Bion's wisdom. Grotstein tells the reader that he would like to be in a