Mindstructures » Development

Describing Personal Development

Annemieke — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 16:59:08 +0000

For some time now, I am trying to describe my view on personal human development.

But so far I could not get it done in a way that made much sense.

I really had a hard time finding the right words to say what I meant to say. I kept trying but until now, most of the posts just stayed drafted.

In the meantime I got really fascinated by David Bohm.

I saw some videos where he was interviewed and heard him say some things about mind and matter that were really very interesting.

But at that moment I was not exactly thinking about him in relation to development. More in relation to consciousness and how mind and matter might interact. And about his ideas about dialogue, which are also very interesting.

But again and again I was pulled back to writing about development. No matter how interesting consciousness and dialogue are, my main interest was and stayed with development. I just had to find the right words to write about that.

Then, in my search for words, I came across David Bohm again. I found out that he had been experimenting with language at some point in his life.

It was in a book called ‘Wholeness and the Implicate order’.

Now that title, as interesting as it sounds, seemed to suggest that the book was way over my head. It was an attempt of Bohm to describe what happens on the quantum level.

He says that our western language is not really capable of describing what happens there, because it is to static. So he proposes a new way of using our language.

It is not a new language, but more a new mode. And it is meant to describe the world as an ongoing movement.

He calls it the ‘rheomode’, ‘rheo’ from the Greek verb meaning ‘to flow’. And ‘mode’ because it is not a new language, but more a new way of using it.

Reading this was the reason for me to get the book. I really got curious to read his experiment because it seemed exactly that what I was looking for.

And it was!

Even though much of the book was indeed way over my head, it was really so exciting to read about his experiments with language and how he used it to describe processes.

In the next few blogposts I want to write down my understanding of what he did. Not sure if my understanding is correct, and also not sure if I get coherent blogposts done, but at least I can give it a try.

Development, Evolution and Transformation

Annemieke — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 10:17:17 +0000

Still discussing the transformation of consciousness, I suddenly realised something. Transformation is a word I tend to use a lot, but also a word like development.

So what exactly is the difference and what is the resemblance. And also what is the difference of those two with evolution.

First I will go and look up the general definitions and see how they relate to how I use them both.

Development
Act of improving by expanding or enlarging or refining.

Evolution
A process in which something passes by degrees to a different stage.

Transformation
Changing in form or shape or appearance.

Difference

First off it seems that transformation is more radical. Changing into something else. While evolution and development tend to change more over time.

But I think there is another difference. It is just only a thought, but somehow I have the feeling that transformation happens after a certain time of development or evolution. As if evolution and development (at this point I can not see where exactly those two differ) are gradually building to a certain point.

And transformation needs another element to change into something else.

So developing (evolving) is more like building or constructing and transforming is more like collapsing first and grow into something totally new.

Mind and Matter

Somehow I have the feeling developing is ‘matter’ that grows in complexity. Or ‘mind’ that grows in complexity.

But at some point they transform into something new.

Maybe this is where the potential side of mind (psyche) and matter (energy) comes in.

12 Phases of Blogging

Annemieke — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:42:53 +0000

These are 12 phases a blogger might go through. It is a cycle for all development, so I thought why not for blogging.

It is a cycle that can take a whole (blogging) lifetime, but it can also be something that you go through very fast, or only partly.

For some the focus is very much on one part and you might get stuck there. Or you might skip some phases and add them later with a new blog.

But above all it is a very abstract cycle. Just a way of differentiating one phase from another. With no other purpose then to categorise and to bring order. Very phase 6 actually.

But lets start with the beginning. The beginning of taking action, the birth of a new process. That of blogging.

1. Action
This is the phase of starting with a blog. For the first time you heard there is something like an online way to say what you want. Or the first time you hear there is a way you can make money online. Or the first time you hear you can have some space of your own, online for the world to see. You hear about WordPress and you just start a new blog without even knowing anything about HTML or CSS. You just sign up for an account and the next thing you know is that you are writing without any structure or purpose as just the fun of it.

2. Manifestation
Here the first action gets a form. You think about the form it should get. The colours the design, the widgets, style and so on. Very focused and practical. It is also the phase of value. Maybe a way is found to materialise it into money. There is no exchange, no interaction it is just about taking a form, growing and becoming massive.

3. Interaction
Time to interact with others. Not so much about personal stuff, but circulating news, share the latest gossip. It is about networking, getting to know others, about making connections. Seeking novelty and being easily bored. But also about learning. Not so much improving your own qualities (that comes later) but just learn as much as you can about others, about the world around you and about blogging in general. Just trying things out and go to the next interesting subject.

4. Emotion
This is the phase of listening to your own feelings. Maybe blogging about your personal life, about your children or about how difficult it is to cope with life. Or maybe the whole blogging thing is not turning out to be what you wanted. Or life is just getting in the way. Or life is getting in the way and you realise what really is important. And as a result start blogging about that.

5. Expression
Here a whole new phase is starting. A phase of self expression. Working with the whole blogging thing has given you all kind of possibilities to express your own self. You have found a way to really be you. But it is also the phase where you have to separate yourself from your background. It can be the start of taking your own domain. Finding your own voice that you want to use further. It can be a very selfish phase, but at the same time it is a very important one. Discovering what you really want, what makes you unique and stand out from the rest of the world.

6. Function
What you were doing so far is all a bit unorganised. Many ideas, many posts, many reactions of others but not yet a clear structure. The phase of making categories, lists, unclutter and so on. Cleaning the place up. But also the phase of improving yourself, learning more skills, getting more techniques, learn and help others. Learning how to overcome problems. Analyse what has happend, and do it again and better next time. Being efficient and functional.

7. Reflection
Now that all is better organised it is time to interact with others in a more personal way. So not just interact about the world but more reflective about your own work. Giving it all a more attractive look so that others tend to like it. It is also the home of art and design and the home of those who blog about relationships. And also about fashion and beauty. It is all about presentation of your self.

8. Integration
This is the phase of looking at your own reaction on other bloggers. Why do you admire some and dislike others. So doing some soulsearch. But it is also the home of research bloggers, or those who blog about psychology. Of those who want to deeply investigate one part of life. Or who want to know all about one subject very deeply. About obsession and fascination. About psychology and deep inner turmoil. Or maybe the death of a blog because of many outside attacks. It is the phase of potential transformation. About integrating all parts of your self.

9. Vision
Again a whole new phase. Very tempting here is to get your own ideas into the world. Let everyone hear what you think and try to convince others of your ideas. Or try to sell what you made or what you find important. But it is possible that when the previous phase is not integrated well, or when there is no real knowledge of yourself, you get carried away. It is also the home of bloggers about religion or philosophy. Or who blog about travelling or other cultures. Or everything that goes beyond your own individual self.

10. Construction
Here the blog becomes an institute. A place where facts and authority are important. No more bleu sky ideas, but the theory has to become reality. Here you know the rules and play the game. It is the home of political blogs. About companies but also about building. The construction of societies. And in the process of the blogging cycle it is the blog that has the practical role in society with a certain authority.

11. Invention
This can be a phase of total destruction. Where all the rules from the previous phase are to strict and there is no more growth possible. But it can also be the phase of freedom and collaboration between other individuals. Important is that others are seen as equals, recognising their individual character. It is about focusing the mind to formulate new and unusual ways of dealing with people, groups, society and the world.

12. Compassion
This is the end of this cycle and maybe a new one is starting soon on another level. But maybe it is just the phase of giving to others without wanting something back. Some might come into this phase to early and feel very easy drained by all the demands of others. Or feel overwhelmed by hackers or other bloggers. It can be blogs about mysticism or charity. But also about fairytails or myths. About what is outside of society.

This is the phase of forming seeds for another cycle. Because next is the start of a new one. Maybe that of another blog, now about a whole new subject. Or just another cycle of the same blog on another level.

More than One Spirit

Annemieke — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 14:42:42 +0000

Although spirit and soul are words that have all kinds of different meanings, I just have to use them here because I have no other way of describing the way I see the human development.

So in the zodiac I use them for the fire signs (spirit) and the water signs (soul).

In the post Ego development I described the sign leo as being the first sign in the individual part of the zodiac.

It is a fire sign which I call in this context spirit.

So as a result it is the individual spirit. Which is different from the primordial and the universal spirit.

ACTION (aries)

Primordial spirit (personal outside)
Aries is the primordial spirit and it is something that happens even without individual awareness. It is a force, an energy that can suddenly ignite and burn up just as easy. In Integral theory it falls in the quadrant of personal outside. At first I thought it was odd to see something as action, which is the core of aries, was outside. But then I thought there is also another spirit (leo) which is personal and inside and belongs to the age of 14. Aries is the first force and it belongs to the beginning of all live, birth.

- Activity that is self-motivated, unaffected by others.

- New beginnings, the start of new cycles, birth, vitality.

- Aggressive, willful, powerful, assertive.

- Focused in short bursts, unlikely to sustain interest in the long term.

- Adventurous, pioneering, warrior-type energy, impatient, works best alone.

- Unconcerned with approval or acceptance.

- Lacks persistence and stamina.

- Honest and forthright.

EXPRESSION (leo)

Individual spirit (personal inside)
The individual spirit is symbolised in the zodiac by leo. It is the first sign of the individual part of the zodiac and in Integral theory it falls in the personal inside quadrant. It is an active part, like aries, but the difference is that it is inside. It is part of an independent individual that is capable of discovering its own inner core. Its own creative and unique quality. Seeing that it is different from its surroundings and being proud of that. It belongs to the age of 14, puberty, when the person becomes an individual, seperate from his primordial surroundings.

- Ego development, setting yourself apart from the rest of the world.

- Becoming your own person.

- Self-expression, being true to your inner nature, acting from the heart.

- Dawning awareness of self in relation to others.

- Ego, self-centered, arrogant.

- Artistic or creative expression.

- Needs to be a center of attention, likes to be noticed and appreciated, ego-strokes.

- Personal integrity, true to self, honorable, trustworthy, self-assured, confident.

VISION (sagittarius)

Universal spirit (collective inside)
The universal spirit is symbolised by the sign sagittarius. It is the first sign of the universal part of the zodiac and it is the individual that is becoming aware of a bigger whole. It is the individual that takes its unique self into the world. It is the individual who has a vision of how his individual self can be needed in the world. But it requires awareness of the self, of its power and disabilities. The previous sign scorpio has to be integrated to be able to use this vision as an individual that is whole and not seeing only part of the self. In Integral theory is falls in the quadrant collective inside. And it belongs to the age of around 42, midlife.

- Becoming a member of a wider society.

- Experiences that lead to consciousness expansion.

- Being receptive to new points of view, wisdom, enlightenment.

- Using your talents for the benefit of the greater whole.

- Freedom loving, idealist, unfettered by small thinking; inspiration; religion, philosophy, the law.

- Awareness of connections to the rest of the world, can be distant from others.

- Afraid to give up freedom, reluctant to be tied down, aware of the value of the social contract.

- Enthusiastic, generous; loves abstract, theoretical ideas, sees the big picture, ignores the details.

- In love with an ideal; strong opinion; foreign travel, liberating experiences.

Three Levels of the Mind

Annemieke — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 20:04:32 +0000

The individual mind of the previous post Ignorance and Projection is different from the primordial and the universal mind.

In the zodiac there are three basic levels.

These levels are seen everywhere and in everything, but here it is used for the individual human development of the mind.

‘Primordial’ is used for the pre-individual phase and ‘universal’ is used for the trans-individual phase. The mind in general is used for the astrological airsigns gemini, libra and aquarius.

Interaction (gemini)

Primordial mind (personal outside)
The primordial mind has to do with how a person interacts with the world around him. It is symbolised by the sign gemini and it is an interaction on a superficial level. It is the learning of a language, the language of the family and culture where you grow up. It is learning what is taught at schools.

- Clever, curious, communication.

- Making connections with surroundings.

- Trying to figure things out, intelligence.

- Talkative, sociable, loves to interact with others on a superficial level.

- Unemotional, impersonal, ruled by rationality.

- Requires great mental stimulation.

- Playfull, inconstant, attention easily drifts to something new, seeks novelty.

Reflection (libra)

Individual mind (collective inside)
The individual mind is symbolised by libra. It is the mind that is interacting on an individual level. Exchange what is important for the individual and comparing that with others. Not always with a normal language as there is not always an agreed upon language that can be used. So one other possibility is by art or by use of a metaphorical language.

- Individual entering into relationship with others, partnership.

- One-to-one relationships.

- Meeting others as an equal, interdependency.

- Encountering repressed part of yourself through others.

- Going beyond ego bounderies.

- Peace, harmony, balance, social awareness.

- Learning how to get along with others, treating others as equals.

- Art, beauty, harmonious surroundings, distressed by inharmonious interactions.

- Dialogue, debate, conflict, enemies, justice.

Invention (aquarius)

Universal mind (collective outside)
The third mind is also called universal mind. It is the mind that in the zodiac is symbolised by the sign aquarius. It is a mind that is connected to the world. A mind that goes beyond the obvious and the agreed upon. But also an inclination to destroy the rules and constructions.

- Freedom and cooperation between individuals.

- Free-thinking, unorthodox, far-sighted, idealistic, utopian.

- Impersonal thinking, detached from emotional considerations.

- Interested in focusing the mind to formulate new and unusual ways of dealing with people, groups, society and the world.

- Progressive view of things and rarely follow the beaten path.

- An insatiable urge for discovering that which isn’t known.

- Or developing that which is known into something which is new, refreshing and completely different.

Of course these can not really be seen as separate. It is just a way to differentiate between existing thoughts that might be present at the same time.

Human Development

Annemieke — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 07:31:59 +0000

Okay, so the words that I want to use in the context of this blog are clear now, defined on the page Basics. The next step is to describe my understanding of development.

Development as a growth in complexity that can be seen everywhere around us and which is perfectly reflected in the cycle of the zodiac.

Now the words and concepts that I want to use here are especially chosen for the human development.

A word like vision, that I will use for sagittarius, is an aspect of the archetypical image of that sign, but expansion is also an aspect of that image.

The reason I chose the word vision, is because I see that as the healthy form of the polarity judgemental and withdrawal. Vision forced upon others might result in being judgemental and vision turned inside might result in withdrawal from the world.

The astrological concept of sagittarius is the beginning of the universal part of the zodiac, as the concept of leo is the beginning of the individual part, and aries the beginning of the primordial part.

The universal part means that the individual is becoming aware of being part of a bigger whole. And so the sign sagittarius is also the image of travelling and philosophy.

For the dividing in four, I use the words from integral theory. That is, I use the words objective and subjective, but instead of individual and collective, I chose personal and impersonal.

The reason for that there a some words that are used in Integral that are the same as in astrology, but the meaning of the words are a bit different. So to use the words personal and impersonal is meant to differ between under the horizon and above as in astrology.

But all that does not yet say anything about the individual human development, as I think that is something that is not necessary something that is developed already. It is very well possible to have a development that does not include the selfrealisation that is part of the individual development.

And the signs that I see as Individual are so, only potential. A sign like virgo has the potential to develop individual skills that are a result of an inner drive, but can also symbolise being the perfect servant of someone else.

The individual signs are leo (individual spirit), virgo (individual body), libra (individual mind) and scorpio (individidual soul), which I call expression, function, reflection and integration.

Ego Development

Annemieke — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 15:10:19 +0000

(Model is turned, see the post Basic Concepts)

What I like most about the zodiac is that it shows a development in a development. Every sign can be seen at every level. And I think life, as it is an ongoing proces, goes through al stages all the time. But that does not mean that all goes smoothly and without problems. There are that do, but there are several that are difficult to transform.

The signs can be used for every development in nature, but here I like to focus on the human development. And the zodiac as a whole can be used as a model for all stages of age. I want to do that in another post, but here I want to focus on a very important part of the development, the development of the ego.

In very general it starts with the sign leo. It is what I will call the ‘subjective individual spirit’, in short Expression.

Ego development, setting yourself apart from the rest of the world. Becoming your own person. Self-expression, being true to your inner nature, acting from the heart. Dawning awareness of self in relation to others. Ego, self-centred, arrogant. Artistic or creative expression. Needs to be a center of attention, likes to be noticed and appreciated, ego-strokes. Personal integrity, true to self, honorable, trustworthy, self-assured, confident.

It is the phase that theoretically belongs to the age of 14. The phase where a person discovers a very unique inner drive that makes him different from his surroundings. Of course the age of 14 is very general and there are many who discover it earlier. And there are many who discover it much later. Or maybe even have died without ever discovering it.

Apart from the individual, humanity as a whole goes through these phases too. In integral theory there is a very interesting model, Altitude, that describes the phases of development in different cultures over time.

What I love about the zodiac is that it makes visable how something like the development of the ego goes through different phases. There is a very early and selfish phase where the whole world is just about me, me, me. But there is also the very developed phase where the ego uses his uniqueness to serve the world. And everything in between.

But the most important thing is that the ego IS discovered. Because if it is not, the individual might just as well come into the very developed phase where he wants to serve the world. But without a strong inner power that is very hard.

Development in the Zodiac

Annemieke — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 13:40:08 +0000

1. Impulsion (aries)
Activity that is self-motivated, unaffected by others. New beginnings, the start of new cycles, birth, vitality. Aggressive, willful, assertive. Focused in short bursts, unlikely to sustain interest in the long term. Adventurous, pioneering, warrior-type energy, impatient, works best alone. Unconcerned with approval or acceptance. Lacks persistence and stamina. Honest and forthright.

2. Manifestation (taurus)
Grounding, bringing down to earth. Constancy, steadiness, entering matter, taking on a form. Earthy, grounded, in touch with the body. Sensual, pleasure seeking. Stubborn, fixed, stands their ground. Focuses and concentrates energy, gives it concrete expression. Practical, provides stamina and persistence. Slow, steady, methodical.

3. Interaction (gemini)
Clever, curious, communication. Making connection with surroundings. Trying to figure out, intelligence. Talkative, sociable, loves to interact with others on a superficial level. Unemotional, impersonal, ruled by rationality. Requires great mental stimulation. Playful, inconstant, attention easily drifts so something new, seeks novelty.

4. Emotion (cancer)
Nurturing, support, emotional bonding, belonging, roots, source. Ground of your being. The unconscious, feelings, emotion, first emotional attachments to the world. Mothering, emotional and physical nurturing. Experiences and imprinting during infancy and childhood. Family, ancestors, heritage, relationships to the past. Belonging, feeling at home, caring. Feeling supported, that needs are provided for. Insecurities and fears if your needs haven’t been fulfilled.

5. Expression (leo)
Ego development, setting yourself apart from the rest of the world. Becoming your own person. Self-expression, being true to your inner nature, acting from the heart. Dawning awareness of self in relation to others. Ego, self-centred, arrogant. Artistic or creative expression. Needs to be a center of attention, likes to be noticed and appreciated, ego-strokes. Personal integrity, true to self, honorable, trustworthy, self-assured, confident.

6. Function (virgo)
Embodiment of the individual in the world. Problems of adjustment dealing with the world and others. Perfection of the approach to life. Development of mundane skills, ability to change to adapt to life better. Service, helping, perfectionist, always seeking to improve, efficiency, practical, functional, analytical. Interested in crafts and projects, true to self in a simple, unassuming manner. Reacts to defeats and setbacks by pulling back and altering approach. Lacks confidence in the face of opposition, lives up to duties and responsibilities. Interested in maintaining the body as a fit vehicle.

7. Reflection (libra)
Individual entering into relationship with others, partnership. One-to-one relationships. Meeting others as an equal, interdependency. Encountering repressed part of yourself through others. Going beyond ego boundaries. Peace, harmony, balance, social awareness. Learning how to get along with others, treating others as equals. Art, beauty, harmonious surroundings, distressed by inharmonious interactions. Dialogue, debate, conflict, enemies, justice.

8. Integration (scorpio)
Transformation, change, ego-death, rebirth, transcendence. Intense emotional involvement with the process of personal growth. Movement from individual certainties to the mysteries of life. Spirit breaking through the limitations of the individual ego. Intense, passionate, brooding, magnetic, unyielding, driven by emotions. Stands up for self, usually covertly, manipulates power. Understands deeper layers of the psyche beyond the ego, unable to communicate this well leading to misunderstandings. Intrigued by the dark side of life. The underground, people whose job involves going beneath surface appearances. Breaking free of illusory limitations. Self-mastery.

9. Vision (sagittarius)
Becoming a member of a wider society. Experiences that lead to consciousness expansion. Being receptive to new points of view, wisdom, enlightenment. Using your talents for the benefit of the greater whole. Freedom loving, idealist, unfettered by small thinking, inspiration, religion, philosophy, the law. Awareness of connections to the rest of the world, can be distant from others. Afraid to give up freedom, reluctant to be tied down, aware of the value of the social contract. Enthusiastic, generous, loves abstract, theoretical ideas, sees the big picture, ignores the details. In love with an ideal, strong opinion. Foreign travel, liberating experiences.

10. Construction (capricorn)
Bring about the perfect society. Making practical, efficient connections with others on the physical plane. Ambitious, feels pride in accomplishments. Reality, hard facts. Relationship to authority. Serious, determined, disciplined, focused. Fathering, disciplining love. Authority figures. Seeks certainties in life. Want things in concrete. Concerned with the practical relationships to support yourself within society. Not interested in blue sky ideas, needs to bring theory into concrete reality. Knowing the rules and playing the game.

11. Invention (aquarius)
Freedom and cooperation between individuals. Free-thinking, unorthodox, far-sighted, idealistic, utopian. Impersonal thinking, detached from emotional considerations. Interested in focusing the mind to formulate new and unusual ways of dealing with people, groups society and the world. Progressive view of things and rarely follow the beaten path. An insatiable urge for discovering that which isn’t known. Or developing that which is known into something which is new, refreshing and completely different.

12. Compassion (pisces)
Surrender to the universe, to higher goals, ego sacrifice. Compassion and empathy, selfless work. Seeing the unity of all things. The end of cycles, forming seeds for the next cycle of growth. Mysticism, fails to make normal distinctions. Laziness, victim, martyr, servant. Tends to escapism. Fantasy, drugs, alcohol, religion. Very receptive, sensitive, even psychic. Co-dependency, care-taking.

Birth: Action (aries)

0 – 7: Manifestation (taurus)

7 -14: Interaction (gemini)

14-21: Emotion – Expression (cancer – leo)

21-35: Function (virgo)

35-42: Reflection (libra)

42-49: Integration – Vision (scorpio – sagittarius)

49-63: Construction (capricorn)

63-77: Invention (aquarius)

77-84: Compassion (pisces)

Age 7: Saturn square

Age 14: Saturn opposition, Uranus square

Age 21: Saturn square

Age 28: Saturn return

Age 35: Saturn square

Age 42: Saturn opposition, Uranus opposition

Age 49: Saturn square

Age 56: Saturn return

Age 63: Saturn square

Age 70: Saturn opposition, Uranus square

Age 77: Saturn square

Age 84: Saturn return, Uranus return