From the author: December, 2010. Parable “ABOUT THE OLD BLIND LONELY BEGGAR” An old blind lonely beggar accidentally caught a bird of happiness. “Let me go,” she asked, “then I will fulfill any of your wishes.” But keep in mind that there can only be one wish. The old man thought, released the bird and said: “I want to see my grandchildren playing with diamonds on the seventh floor of my palace!” What is this parable about? - About the old blind lonely beggar! - one will say. “It’s about physical handicap and poverty...” another shrugs. - About old age and loneliness? - the third will say thoughtfully. “No, most likely, about the bird of happiness...” the next one will object. - Why about the bird of happiness? Perhaps about desires and goals! - the fifth one will exclaim. - About kindness, because he let the bird go. - the sixth one will say with sadness in his eyes. - No no no! About restrictions! After all, the bird promised to fulfill only one wish... - the last of those who did not speak out will say. From this dialogue it follows that this parable can be viewed from different angles, and each of the opponents will be right, since they see something of their own in it. If, at the moment of reasoning and discussing history, a person is not prevented from being spontaneous, then the flow of associations will bring him to the level of self-understanding that this particular person needs for the “here and now” state. By limiting ourselves in a spontaneous response, relying on other people’s experience, on the assessment of “right or wrong,” adjusting our vision of history to the norm and rules, we deprive ourselves of being ourselves in the choice of interpretations. Considering interpretation not only as “interpretation, explanation, disclosure of the meaning of something.” (D.N. Ushakov), but from a slightly different side, for example, as life experience, worldview, knowledge base, attitude towards ourselves and with others, we can look at ourselves and our values ​​from a different angle, in a safer mode . What is safe mode? This is a direct path to knowing yourself... and therefore to your subconscious. The example with the parable was indicative in terms of describing the process of work of projective techniques, which include METAPHORICAL ASSOCIATION CARDS. Metaphorical associative cards allow a person to get to know himself through visual images and gain access to his deep knowledge. Each of us is initially a source of knowledge about ourselves and the world around us, which is reinforced by the insights we have made in the process of life. Insight is something that we already knew about ourselves, but temporarily could not see! Cards help to return and direct our attention to ourselves through a comparison of an image and an exciting question. The image in this case is a guide to the world of the “past”, which comes into contact with the “present” and finds support in the “future”. A little history... The first deck of a series of metaphorical associative cards appeared in 1975, thanks to the wonderful art history professor Eli Raman from Canada. His passion for the modernist movement in art is built on the use of variable forms in which the viewer becomes an accomplice in the process of change (“variable structure”). Interestingly, the name of the deck fully reflects the meaning inherent in working with these cards! “OH”... at a moment of surprise and confusion, a person utters a similar sound, freeing the internal space from tension. Subsequently, Eli Raman, together with psychotherapist Joe Schlichter, developed the rules and principles for using cards as a tool for projective therapy. And in 1983, Eli Raman met with the German publisher Moritz Egetmeier, which became the starting point on the path to recognition of cards as an independent method. Today, “ON” cards have been translated into many languages, including Russian, and besides them, there are 17 more unique card decks that can be used as