Creation philosophy and psychology (5)

In the previous blog posting we halted description at the stage of acting.

Assagioli’s stages end at this point, because he looks at the process moving from inside (will, imagination) to outside (steering of physical act).

There is however also the opposite direction: from outside to inside.

Knoope continues his description with:

9. Persevere

10. Receive (the fruits of your work)

11. Value/appreciate

12. Relax/rest/let go

Phase 9 can be seen as a continuation of phase 8, but can involve a reorientation on why one has started the whole enterprise in the first place!

Motivation may have to be renewed, refreshed, strengthened, etc.

A reappraisal of the idea and plan may be necessary in this stage.

A reinforcement of the whole idea will give the motivation to go on new fuel (a pranic, vital stream).

Phase 10, Receive the fruits of your work.

First of all, I envisage the flowing and propagation (reverberation) of one’s work through the various networks of society (physical and information channels, also comprising appreciation of one’s work by others, and, hence, karmic effects). Karma means action, and also the (moral) effects of one’s intents and actions. It entails a feedback-loop from intent and manifestation of intent to the fruits one reaps from one’s actions.

One reaps what one sows, in this life or another. Difficult to swallow for some of us, but that’s the way it is. Our intuitive sense of justice demands it, and one life is simply not enough for the human monad to experience the scala of possibilities on this plane of life. The discussion of karma and reincarnation (not of the personality, but the human monad) has been extensive in theosophical literature, including my ebook, so I won’t go into that here.

The form in which karmic effects manifest depends on many factors, since environment changes over time and so do the persons involved. That makes sense, I hope. Mass-karma or collective karma makes up for a large percentage of what happens in one’s life. One is embedded in society. Are you sure that you are thinking your own thoughts, or might it be that you are just rechewing what others have thought before?

Phase 11. Value the fruits. This goes with phase 10, in my opinion.

How one values karmic results has to do with one’s character and the development of perceptive faculty. What is acceptable and agreeable to one, may be seen as too meagre a result by another. Do you see that this takes place in the inward sphere of valuation?

Phase 12. Relax and let go.

Some people have trouble in letting go. It is an important phase, though.

I am inclined to think that letting go already starts in phase 10 (phases overlap in reality, as internal and external acts can be parallel and serial). If one does not cling to results, then it might be easier to enjoy the process of creation! Keep in mind what Sri Krishna says about this in the Bhagavad Gita: rise above the polarities or opposites. This is a form of non-attachment to results. Certainly important in spiritual work. One cannot always see or estimate results of one’s efforts. That is another thing one can contemplate!

Phases 10 and 11 have especially to do with the social and intrapsychic levels I have indicated in the diagram in my previous blog posting. The feedbacks during the process are internalized into the psyche as memories, acquired insights, etc. Assimilation.

Phase 9 can involve multiple levels from the diagram as rebuilding of motivation, a reorientation on idea and plan involve feedback loops and steering.

Phase 12 looks to me as going inwards, during and after assimilation of results and effects.

That ends the overview of creation philosophy.

I will continue this series under the heading of integrative philosophy, since the philosophy of the levels, layers or spheres of action, and stages of ‘creation’ or formation involves a good deal more than the stages of Assagioli or Knoope alone.

For example, we have to deal with a very important aspect of the paradigm I’ve sketched thus far: decision making and control.

We will encounter decisions at several stages in the creative process. They serve to connect levels and set up flows of matter/energy, and involve information transfer and attribution of value/meaning (transactions).

In human organizations, there is the flow of values and control throughout the organization. In the human body, there is the flow of neurotransmitters, electrical impulses, and hormones. Analogy abounds!

The four-layered model will serve us well in our analysis of process, be it of the human brain, human psyche, human organizations, society, and possibly other fields of knowledge.

It may provide a testable model of many phenomena, if elaborated upon.