(1) the name of a
process. It is the
act of stringing a
line between
present time and some
incident in the
past, and stringing that
line directly and without any detours. The
auditor is stringing a
straight "
wire" of
memory between the
actual genus (
origin) of a
condition and
present time, thus demonstrating that there is a difference of
time and
space in the
condition then and the
condition now, and that the
preclear, conceding this difference, then rids himself of the
condition or at least is able to
handle it.
(2) a
process of recalling, from
present time, with some
perception or at least a
concept, a
past incident. The name
Straightwire derives from the
mest communication process of connecting two
points of a
communications system. It is essentially
memory work. It is applied to
postulates, evaluations,
incidents, scenes, emotions, or any
data which may be in the storage banks of the
mind without "sending the
preclear" to the
incident itself. It is done with the
preclear sitting up, eyes
open or shut. The
auditor is very alert.
Straightwire is done rapidly. The
preclear is not permitted to wander or reminisce. He responds to questions on the part of the
auditor. Many
preclears dislike being questioned. The
auditor must then first
resolve the
postulates against being questioned; this would be called "
clearing for
broad Straightwire."
—APA Glossary (app 11.7.90)