The Rhythm of Recognition ‘Comments on the Work of Louis Sander Jessica Benjamin, Ph.D. Tint ovganicing principle. The author suggests ways in whic thysmicnrcontbutes to our apyeeension of an parcpacion nthe third thi aspect ofthe interject relationship which seoceated tnuyet Lani Bath Sencrsrescirch ands contemporay reflections fepresent a important fort tounie our understand nergy ed infomation a complementary sepects ofthe same comwunicstion inspsing work that has personal iasportance for me. I have also hal the advantage of being able to read several of Sanders versions this deus, which have carifod great deal for me have aternpted. toappreciate the reach of his mind, the almost tangible effort to tmibrace depth and complexity im order to integrate the specifiy of Jhyman interaction with general princiles of organic life. Nor being 8 comfortable inthe domain of ology and organic principles, Lhave ‘similated his thinking nto areas more falar to me, ateas where 1 am recognize the imights bets ufering. To engage with Sanders ideas about recognition, uniquely diferent and yet resonant with my own, thinking, hasbeen an opporcunity illustrative of the concept. [feel a Special kinship with his Meas abour knowing and being known a & End of meeting that goes beyond cognition as well as his dialectical Ppreciation of paradox and the value of contrary movement Jess Renamin PhD Faulty Meme nd SupervigNew York sie tbr Progam a Bpchotaray ad Pacha $3 ome The Ama ns# Jessen Beni ‘Sandr'sclinialvgnete about the mother whois having ilculey pestng in yuh wth hee baby lusts. among eer thins he Frnclle of mutuaiy—that the moder must fel recognizes she Is Pei welwaeh her infant, Observing mothers ves one an mediate eee et how much the baby’s sty devotion to the mother’s ilk oF sere cane a her sothing ministations functions as an afiematon Fler agency. Farcer the vagette llaserates the importance ofthe function af higinesshe morher needing to see her infant thous Sanders eyes, o aberve from te peiton ofa third in order 9 step Setar eubealledness. This is pole co which I return lates. ‘Much ofwhar have writen ahou recognition comes fom my own exhuscnee wieh maternal bjctivity. Iwi ery to bing hisexpetence otRar on Sanders very stimulating paper in patois tess about ‘Bhmicty ay a kind of incarnation of recognition and the way 1 enctions to "hold together” complex syrtemns. 1 find particulary ‘lasane the ilastaion ofthe encompassing Principle foe under Standing how components dhatae “distinc from” canbe browse ito Malet Level of coherence through Being “together with-” -am ‘afin eo Sanders study on the feces of eaty demand festa ad (he babys gradual ajustment to eixeadian rhythm, which has special sheaning for me, When Twas having my fest chil was dotng a re doctral fellowship in infancy esearch at Albert Einstein Colle PP Medine and no was subjected to thei rther stringent medical practices, twas an copectlly avo labor for both mv a my 50M ‘Sho mas soon jaundiced. The protocol at Eirarein being quite sich Shoe bilabin counts, he was taken out of my arms and put unde he lights witha fourhour feeding schedule. This regimen led. a Sanders work would have predicted, to the baby’s being unable Supt to ay degree of ur sicadion sym 50 that he was over ew stocks of age before he got the idea of sleeping at all the ight Nealy two yeas of parenal cajoling were required before slepingl through the lah ws thoroughly internalized. (euble long range ‘Mocs of ths early experience, anecdotal ather than scientific, wete Fis cayfecinarion wth blues, rock, Beat poety, as another a form practice late 3 ight.) Th aalton, what seems tlewane ro bodh the matter of ecopitio of speci uniqueness and agency swell as matwal adaptation i hal SEES me co emeae from this nally dificul eying. While ‘Ritual slapetom ae the somatic level of feeding apd sleeping wae fro smoot becuse as interfered wih, nonetheless “The Rhythm of Resoanition posible for my baby 10 FEiindr. 1988, p- 73) by appealing co the earegivers and having an She hand, there wa ini Me regulation. On the other hand, the succes of his appeal and ay (Slr scemed vo creates competent syste im which ws pomble dey baby 1 enjoy sgniane periods of exeative dicngageent— ‘Sich Saver ba camel “open space™—vhen he could be absorbed Th his own shythe and actiiier (kicking is mobile 10 make the ducks move, watching a he tiled hisbands). AxSander has argued, favors sheachievement ola vense of agency fccoghiton and caress? adaptation snk that tir experience Jom how mutual relation and-utal recognition, though aoe Sez ct cole wa eet me speak of regulation or scouniion, the chi poi of Sanders 1968) gna sey ceo o he to bikie a prado fenson: that che adaptation afte ssc see recogison ofthe Specific dhyhyts of eins baby onde wo ali hi or ett the casyivet'thythm. Av I indicted before, thin paradox seems ete o conttigorarypsychoanli ewe of tational nations hhingepenence and Jepelency ar oppaed- Ths opesion efor en ‘hakigatout defence and ndpendnes seh hac acu is sualymisonderstnd to he absolute atonomy rather tan as agency within am interactive sytem. By contrast, the concept fs ne he es thing Imac he the eel affects sn's ome seise of agency. This point i lari Sc 8 nS A en TH iy The mtusl adaption, which i achieved between infant and “arin se eis he a he's own ations gn scene’ own sats desi Essen nee oem endo Betis othe Sterperonal il Hence, the le then inthe nanan of her apie Bc theetfectiveness ofthe interactive strategies she develops (7a s sercte agency in its own sate sopulation” Gf Thought ofthis asthe paradox of greater dependency. On the Ilys greater elloxt required on my part to Slapt ois states and greater dependency omy baby's part to achiewe “venvagsitent in-state of equilium in the system isa condition in chef the arx Freactvity to the external as opposed to the sense of agency that ween Reari He continues by contrasting this experience “with the situation in the incomperent system, in which the infant rexperiences is este as eng result oe Secondary 0 & mote primary structure oF ‘outer evens" [p. 11 —— Tris worth noting how Sander introduces here the notion of Mewelops cheough t more harmonious adaptation. In Ghis way his thinking elosely elated to thot of Winaicoe (1971). For instance, the bvety interested in seaching the transitional experience in which the sat detnguching outer and inner can be relinquished, and he mates use ofthe idea of reegniing the spontancous gst Sender's observations on the development of gency seem related ta thone concepts and loro Wincott “eae lion," ashe ermed theta well sense of omnipotence when tink ha thas made the beast apped In other words the knby does not yet dsingsith tenomtnication (Lasker fo come) from making things spp tcl made her aps. Onty ray en ths exper be ‘Sparated. What Lextpiat fom this original confluence that a {eros of agen) andthe blero recone the ther arent orgy ‘opposed, atin the notion of competi wt But muse develop in tandem with one anther This sue ares By Sander 1992) ‘cher he Fring agency nt lationship wth negation. The degree to which the felansip confirm the "infants agency wo iat Sevon in regulating its cu Se SINT oiganising eoaS tha ae St ‘yen deenmines whee that elatonahip staat on the spectrum beemeen imposition and negotation (p11. Unpacking Sander thought shows us a numer of difere elements in the recognition proces: tecognition of the specifi Splut eakances agency, el-cobeston an ultimately the capac tO eecogize the other At the same time, thee elements can be tinerood a apes fs stem a latins, n which esagit serve to tesulve paradoxes of being distinct and being 0H Sfenting greater coherence and unity even as it facies “fercntaton ofthe individual. Froqueney, shat we ate confont Srth tn the lineal situation are the repercussions of lack Srunement the flue of enrinment co rhyhnliy of afer Su flr has genre the pblem of competing ws a sate bs Ge imponiton, Teappests fo the patient asf the succesful {plementation of nt son agone Bing hindered bythe arene ime fy exter other para “The Rhythm of Recognition a) sid test dnc eer ‘hand, we hear ofa space in which the patient can experience initiate, chia ln lth aac8 Jessica Benjamin moving betwen external and internal wou tran. Ths it seems Tor Rlomonvus alpearion engenders sense of agency but ao a seine af fw etm cht goes eyord agency. Does this mean ‘Eucweshoul thnk of mutosty and gene ay dere axs nthe ittenrng stem! Or pete we cul sey chat dere are two dient, iceleof aici he fist might be th esclDotin between tates Eling egetheseth apd being apart external tetsu itera Sfeealonengagetoenc i one'somn acti) he accord he rhythm tin the mally adapting Ineraction, an the Hooking at and TGokng away. st peas the cae that one lve of oxilaon is (Spdnate aene phase, such a esetaninment of Bry, 0 Poy ays ely moran iterating sens “The Ceaminnion of Fytunkt, swe the alteraton between acti shting of sponse anvennes” a qualdes of nterotion asin wa tothe way career accommesation lends coherent © “petpaum The dea pone ocean theory, which Snder hae edited eepete tor the coherence of the idiidual, bet saat level of organization, are enhanced by communiacon SEF M he ape of he shared sgl In at, this peti catnances he cis eectvenes and Teed back two the system tending tena of coherence and feedom- Thus Sanders stay of cay ung panera provded 9 billane sco of how, when see uit other t pemeable, responsive, eco ing that Gres ver wo the Hythm ofthe baby--the sytem sees to move early inte dirceton of deeper Taw” fret Through tuning manning fan eneramment oro n) oct 0 that the system oe work nn mee flores way. I asthe qahty of something etn though one parejas in creting I, dhe tansional wig as abich tis nor possible to say whether i hasbeen made of iBone apn heen conta with what cote? Thi oie quay civenes a sro-coercton—min ther word ice aminteraetasfacekichwothng demanded of You ad, just 8 ingore you have not had to demande extract anything, Fom ‘Someartrtricive space cr pone to fel the mot authentic wR orency ab emcring fom wii While many have etiued TESSSSth of Wiancors tam tue af Ge Michel 199) tho the nce stereo cis exponece of gene 5 trace Paes Seeancd We ae speaking hve nok of3 reed Tiny Bu OTs aT EEE vac cha allows for coat. The Rtn of Reston w Capabilities of the other person. recent wt ! Tc nat lq fants ay ch tic syn ich pene Sees Ne Lecimcnaionsasoriemtae eaJeni Bena * ~ —= “the Rhye of Reson _ experience the bal demand ss oppor Ce et eta fe nce Sie ynchhcctine popes tthe ser Thi junction n nes TRE Carrer a walla seme cohetearonsstion betwee ‘ there is another aspect to isl Ti human relations, however, t achtevernent avin to do with conscious activity [have the ia aaeeererfice more or less have to synchronize, and at some des [logis level here ae things humans have todo os well, Bot hua Fes nar ont cach wih wha ty bet doo shld gar est ero dnp Thc mands od eon wolate oo wrtecne fn punars oe tm nis delice, Be et sees yn ch enue iS ° nthe ox aos aa el ecm ef neon to oe =F, Pe cic fom, tonare can bees espe teadog By aay beakertbrale we gllcedaty scar eee tik asin the chne-and dg cacton hich revels Pal larson alan ag gp Pers topes vicars re Coghr win fh apa penton Bis cprstion te evtlehing pt sccm to accel fom alate elon hides Passo em hs evn Harned sores nrg have now hed the ppm vo BO in choy pts varus oon nt Bec anol apse of te tes yc oa en singel esther urn imouto of tpeisnes hat pode cape te is lbs fer ce engeutey calesgng ak emerine Cares tanocrr cl tha eenement hey, petal pater rin etn» ees att he ee orl sha precede val epeeaton Gee Koto 00 s oe 1993). “ Be crtsrnciececenocnacgnantanps coegenases Eomples sen an to esc slegten, Ths wld be Steet vn Scant Tne eae ad ach lin the ems pene of wen scence and Gono theindt eeming cg openings nh fn tha aa wealth cae png ee flowing te hed hay thse, te ee of eltatng 9 GaSe setae ecite nnd pattem as ext synchrony. Sande a hv eaternal arte in clation to thinness a greater Lente a een a the mother» eapetcing he "rd i he oe Hoe el hi of eps the nbn 0 mail ra een undemindwonenesfor the mother ot "emt A anh bby fens melt be th et. dete he Sel cee ney ae may fo noting is neds, Conte 1 ba co giv toon cailen meni oy “ene ithe ae enfant with compen PenaJey Benim 2 Furthermore, ina way Lean onby intuit the patterning that comes eeu recognition ofthe other's specie need gestures He eee un abe effec not only of increasing coherence bot ao of an ete aw nfeneray ler the concept shyamiciy particulary aaesae es rhythm of oscillating systems become couples when sree fore a comamon sign” (Sander, tis sue). Sander continues ee eetnngthaccoupling amgliis the signal, enhancing the owing aoa nkich “cam be thought of motional.” This formulation aoe erareese so Hapowtant becatse it seems to be a move toward ari atcbat lve ohen been conceived as separate systems ode Fiat on energy metaphors and those based on informasional essa The grenterinclsion and clerence that coal metas rae pteratin of these two different perspectives docs, indeed eam offers great potential for expanding conscious oe comelled vo pose lxt question relating ro the effort 6 shiek of eecounition inorganic term: what are he implications 1 te E ght ofall we know about ehe rernible vicissitudes of bumany aa on, of seting out principles of recognition in teleological seaere that, a2 necessary for adaptation an development? serge afer ll conclade that many human groups ae learned rane th precious tle recogssion of specifiy in crucial ate Fae ade thunk aout how often the recognition process Be see porns ae destabilized, expectancies volte ard the ei 2 ition breaks dawn! As psychoanalysts, we are const ce ectting the results of our human freedom ro deviate fom t sefneines that enhance geowth and facie recognition, espe sre risiple of shythmicity. As exciting as ts to ponder d ree earons ofa non-mechanistic concept of unifying bsogtal a Ante perspectives, there may be glfharween thems rare mon of human freden—that we must not ony strive to br Fee alse meintain, Perhaps this isthe specificity of che psychic spe I Senders exiting an thought provoking integration opens UP sds Recognition and deseucon, to: Relat Benlamin, J (1999), Aes i's A Michal Aoi eS te Engen fa Tan, Ni the Arle Pres 21-210 Rh Rsoontion Toe Rive 5 ip spine meting acts Fo, NOL, Aged Hee Posemedac iv an chink. Drvision 39 spring meeting, New York, April Tenuate ‘Beebe, B. & Lach (1988), The contribu an Joes ee seth 290, Te ee pc taal deni oe Opien, T (199), Subjects of Archys, Nocthvak pots Boeke Sts Te toe he teers of on Tara Sa toane hares wi fear Wat © feign itt ene ae zee i prermte weenganng Denote, Seligman, $. (1993), Infane observation anc sivas the. Pca Seon Stat aces Poko Nasal Ee of Thera Dap ile. N: spect in sel ‘Calor Daria 2s Wa 2208 Sst New et NY 10018 Seiboranom