Friday, July 12, 2013

The Open Paradigm


by Terry Favour

Just lately I have been talking to Don Salmon. He and his wife, Jan Maslow, authored the book "Yoga Psychology and the Transformation of Consciousness...Seeing through the Eyes of Infinity. Their book is a "comprehensive study of psychology based on the synthesis of the yoga tradition presented by twentieth-century Indian philosopher-sage Aurobindo Ghose". (Backcover) Recently at the AEA held "Barriers to Spiritual Freedom" workshop in Tucson, one of the teachers, Carol Whittaker, often referenced Sri Aurobindo. So when I began talking with Don Salmon, many things fit together.

Don and I had been talking a lot about paradigms, global, cultural and individual. We talked about Type Structure as a way of describing our individual paradigms (world views). This led me to think about paradigms as patterns. Infinite in possibilities though they are, each one of the Nine Type Structures is in actuality a mini world view or paradigm/pattern. As individual paradigm/pattern they have something in common: each ONE of these individual unique patterns, always fits together as an integral whole...much the way puzzle pieces fit together to produce a whole. No matter how positive or negative (most likely both) each separate variation of one of the Nine Type Structures individually fits together to produce a perfect whole. Each is reflecting (and limited to) whatever perspective is at its root. In other words, discordant or harmonious, they are, within themselves, a harmonic whole...yet, each one is a limited, structured, separate and therefore dualistic, whole pattern.

I got to thinking about these paradigm/patterns (Type Structures) as residing in Cosmic Consciousness. I'm going to describe Cosmic Consciousness as being formless, non-dualistic and infinite potential. In the Eastern cultures they might label Cosmic Consciousness as Emptiness and paradigm/patterns (Type Structures) as Form.

If the Type Structures are form, they are dualistic and they are a closed system (have limits)...but if they reside in the open system of emptiness or the dynamic Cosmic Consciousness which is a (limitless) living system, what are they?  They would be one (finite) aspect of this living system. However, and this is important, in the Eastern cultures they say "form is emptiness-emptiness is form"...meaning, of course, that they are one and the same.

So, I thought, if this is true, then the so called form is a cosmic, dynamic, living system too, not finite and closed. I then thought in a metaphorical way of the dynamism of the male and female (dualism) uniting to produce (create) a completely new, never in existence, form. Then I thought about the philosopher Hegel's thesis/antithesis/synthesis.
(To view the image go to: 
file://localhost/Users/andreaandress/Desktop/Blog-Nine%20Points%20of%20Light.rtfd/Hegel.jpg)



Ah ha, I thought, this closed system has, built within it, an opening!

In many spiritual systems, for example the Navaho's, we find  something like "the spirit line" (a line or some oddity in an otherwise perfect pattern leading out of and through a border [a limiting enclosure] to outside and beyond the symmetry of the pattern) and although this is not the traditional interpretation, I can not help but think that this is also representational or metaphorically symbolizing the opening to the spirit world (emptiness)...symbolizing the creative potential always available to manifest in every moment (form)...changing one closed system paradigm to another closed system paradigm, constantly and infinitely. 

So next I had a disturbing thought:  Is this what we are up against? Infinitely changing, always warring dualistic, global, cultural and individual paradigms/patterns?

Suddenly this realization came: ALL the great Spiritual teachings of all time advocate Love as the key. What they are saying to us, I believe, is that Love is the ONLY paradigm (global, cultural or individual) that is, in and of itself, an open system, one of non interference (Taoism) and therefore NON dualistic. 

Then specifically my thoughts turned to self-Love and our individual paradigms of Type.

As you all know, the Enneagram addresses the three centers of intelligence. The three centers have a characteristic "need". The Mental Center has-the need for safety and security, the Heart Center has-the need for affection and esteem, and the Body Center has`-the need for power and control.  Next I remembered, with a great sense of peace, the "Welcome Practice" that I had just participated in at the "Barriers to Spiritual Freedom" workshop in Tucson. That practice is as follows:

First we are invited to focus and sink...to experience and name whatever body sensations, emotions, or thoughts that are flowing.

Next we slowly and deeply repeat several times..."Welcome," "Welcome," "Welcome"
(Sacred symbol of consent to the presence and action of the Holy Spirit.)

Lastly we let go, saying slowly...

"I let go of my desire for Power and Control"

                          "Welcome"

"I let go of my desire for Affection and Esteem"

                           "Welcome"

"I let go of my desire for Safety and Security"

                           "Welcome"

                               .................................................................................................................................


*Source of Welcome Practice: developed by Mary Mrozowski of Contemplative Outreach Organization