enlightenment2 - neuroscience etc in search of the ineffable - some hugely clever stuff now presented in bite sized video chunks
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
gross national happiness
The term Gross National Happiness was first expressed by the King of Bhutan His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck. It is rooted in the Buddhist notion that the ultimate purpose of life is inner happiness. Bhutan being a Buddhist country, Bhutan's King felt the responsibility to define development in terms of happiness of its people, rather than in terms of an abstract economic measurement such as GNP.
http://www.grossinternationalhappiness.org/index.html
http://www.grossinternationalhappiness.org/index.html
Sunday, January 04, 2009
STEEPLeS Horizons
STEEPLeS Horizons
George G Clark, 04 January 2009
There are those who think about development (change for the better). It is a massive and interdisciplinary topic. There is an ever present danger of 'experts' reifying particular bits and thus missing out on the bigger picture. How might we guard against this?
Elsewhere we have noted that it is useful to isolate seven factors of development using the acronym STEEPLeS[1]. It is also possibly useful to think of each factor in terms of eight horizons that expand from self through family, community and tribe and on to nation and humanity and possibly even to biosphere and planet. The following table maps the factors against the horizons so as to create an inclusive matrix.
| | S | T | E | E | P | Le | S |
| Self | | | | | | | |
| Family | | | | | | | |
| Community | | | | | | | |
| Tribe | | | | | | | |
| Nation | | | | | | | |
| Humanity | | | | | | | |
| Biosphere | | | | | | | |
| Planet | | | | | | | |
Notes:
(1) For each horizon there is need to make allowance for variations based on sex, age, class, ethnicity etc and to set these in dynamic historical perspective ie to beware of being too focussed on the bulked up average person.
(2) For each STEEPLeS factor there is the option of detailing a before and after scenario for each horizon[2].
(3) It might be thought that the matrix covers too much and that it either trivialises or gives too much value to particular points of view. The key issue is to know when bias and partiality is in effect and thus to coolly relax about relatively narrow viewpoints and try to see the bigger picture. But this intellectual position has to be bedded in self knowledge - and this is ultimately grounded in values and thus in the spiritual factor.
(4) The horizons can be expanded at both top and bottom. Below the level of self we have organs and tissues; cells; molecules; atoms; sub atomic particles; and quantum entities. Above the level of the planet we have the solar system, the universe and the cosmos (the multi-verse?). How big can (and should) the picture be drawn? Who decides? On what grounds?
essence of freedom and peace
Essence of freedom and peace
George G Clark 04 January 2009
| … Buddhism … is ultimately about letting go of all forms and concepts and becoming free. - John Snelling, Elements of Buddhism |
This morning I had a slightly blue feeling. It was mind made. But there are options. And there is freedom to choose the option that is active. The trick is to 'accentuate the positive' and to 'eliminate the negative'.
The formula is as follows:
· Continue existing good thought trains
· Promote new good thought trains
· Discontinue existing bad thought trains
· Do not promote new bad thought trains
| The Five Hindrances |
| · Craving · Aversion · Restlessness and anxiety · Sloth and torpor · Doubt |
This of course begs the question of good v bad. In essence it is good if it brings deep peace and ease and it is bad if it brings deep anxiety and dis-ease. There are the five hindrances that tend to lock people into bad states (see box).
The main 'practice' involves being mindful of what is going on. Rather than responding automatically to your causes and conditions you can inhabit the space between stimulus and response and evoke a more considered reaction: a reaction that is based on a more insightful view of the context in its totality.
And with practice (ie sitting in meditation and being aware of what the mind gets up to) it becomes easier to avoid being totally caught up by automatic causes and conditions. And that is the essence of freedom (liberation) and thus of peace.
the talking stick
Whoever holds the talking stick has within his hands the sacred power of words. Only he can speak while he holds the stick; the other council members must remain silent.
The eagle feather tied to the talking stick gives him the courage and wisdom to speak truthfully and wisely. The rabbit fur on the end of the stick reminds him that his words must come from his heart and that they must be soft and warm. The blue stone will remind him that the Great Spirit hears the message of his heart as well as the words he speaks. The shell, iridescent and ever changing, reminds him that all creation changes -- the days, the seasons, the years -- and people and situations change, too. The four colors of beads -- yellow for the sunrise (east), red for the sunset (west), white for the snow (north) and green for the earth (south) -- are symbolic of the powers of the universe he has in his hands at the moment to speak what is in his heart. Attached to the stick are strands of hair from the great buffalo. He who speaks may do so with the power and strength of this great animal.
Friday, December 12, 2008
padding the STEEPLeS
Padding the STEEPLeS
George Clark, 12 December 2008
The STEEPLeS acronym offers a checklist against which to rate the fit of a unit of development theory or practice. This presupposes an agency for change (individual or group) with a vision of a before and an after in at least one of the seven factors. The details will vary with time and place. The following table offers a very rough rule-of-thumb for a set of before and afters that correspond respectively with modern and post-modern[1] phases of development.
| Type of change | Before | After | |
S | Social | Parochial (xenophobic) | Global (pluralist) |
| T | Technological | Mechanical | Smart |
| E | Environmental | Exploitation | Stewardship |
| E | Economic | Inequality (profit) | Equality (wealth) |
| P | Political | Hierarchy (elites) | Democracy (participatory) |
| Le | Legislative | For the rich | For the greater good |
| S | Spiritual | Linked to 'religion' | Linked to 'psychology' |
Each type of after demands its own agency of change and style of activism. But the task ultimately is to change minds and this involves motivations, intentions and actions that are rooted in beliefs and values.
Beliefs and values are themselves deep rooted in the 'spiritual' domain. This might thus be viewed as the foundation upon which the others are built. There is thus a call not so much for minor 'norm cracking[2]' as for major 'paradigm shifting[3]'. There is need for epiphany[4] on a massive scale if we are to move from a situation of blind faith in a divisive ideology[5] towards a situation of widespread experience of the non-egoic state of peace, compassion and happiness.
Much work has been done to create effective change agents for social development[6]. Some of this can be coopted by change agents for spiritual development although they might want to find a less jarring label for their profession! There is the possibility of building on the various 'mindfulness-based' methodologies that are fast gaining ground in serious medical circles in the West[7].
[1] We can think of a progression from pre-modern (traditional), modern, post-modern and now the post-post-modern. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postmodernity
[4] (1): a usually sudden manifestation or perception of the essential nature or meaning of something (2): an intuitive grasp of reality through something (such as an event) usually simple and striking (3): an illuminating discovery, realization, or disclosure
[5] religious or secular (eg scientism, communism, market fundamentalism etc)
[6] http://www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/infokits/change-management/roles/agent and, from high up the Google search, - http://www.caledonia.org.uk/change.htm . Also, with repeats, at http://www.srds.co.uk/cedtraining/bast/bast12.htm
[7] Follow links from Jon Kabat-Zinn and the offshoots of his Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) programme. See http://www.mbsr.co.uk/index.html
Thursday, December 11, 2008
building steeples
Building STEEPLeS
George Clark, 11 December 2008
Those who climb steeples get a bird's eye view. They see the big picture and take the grander perspective. Whether as analyst, policy-maker or planner at global, national, district, community or individual level it helps to be systematic and comprehensive in your way of thinking. Checklists can help.
The following table traces the growth of a seven point STEEPLeS checklist as a tool to ensure wide ranging and insightful thinking about the development process[1].
| E | The single bottom line is the economic (financial) one. The only goal and measure of success is net income – by whatever means and at whatever external cost[2]. |
| ESE | The triple bottom line[3] captures an expanded spectrum of values and criteria for measuring organizational (and societal) success: Economic, Social and Environmental[4] |
| STEP | This is an acronym for the Social, Technological, Economic and Political factors of the external environment. Realistic and feasible policies have to address all the factors. They are often listed less optimistically as PEST[5]. |
| STEEP | This puts the environmental factor into the STEP collection and moves closer to being comprehensive. There is a STEEP learning curve for policy makers seeking integration, coordination and harmonisation. |
| STEEPLe | This adds 'legislation' to the STEEP collection of factors. This is in recognition of the fact that policies often have to be embedded in legal frameworks if they are to be effective. |
| STEEPLeS | This adds spirituality to the collection. It highlights the need for a deep change in value systems and beliefs as part of the development process. Policy is guided by the motivations and intentions of the policy makers. |
"Since wars begin in the minds of men it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed."
From the preamble of UNESCO's Constitution
[1] From STEEP onwards the growth is due to my involvement as a plain language author with Hakikazi Catalyst – a Tanzanian CSO - see www.hakikazi.org
[2] This is a very narrow minded approach that has now, arguably, been largely superseded - see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bottom_line
[3] For more on the TBL see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triple_bottom_line. Note that in the private sector, a commitment to corporate social responsibility implies a commitment to some form of TBL reporting
[4] Also referred to as "People, Planet, Profit"
[5] For more on PEST see http://www.netmba.com/strategy/pest/
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
better ways to be human
Better ways to be human
George Clark, 10 December 2008
By comparison all things shine[1]. I had little to complain about from a childhood in small, coastal towns in the NE of Scotland in the 1950-60s. From upper working class roots I made it to University where I studied Biology. By the late 1960s I had committed to zero population growth and to finding better ways to be human. I then gravitated towards 'education' and lived and worked for many years in various parts of the tropics. Forty years later I am back in the NE of Scotland as a freelance consultant/ landlord/ recluse and I am still trying to figure better ways to be human.
I gave up the idea of an absolutely 'correct' way to be human. In any given socio-cultural situation there is the potential for ways of being human that are more or less positive. Judgment hangs on how you view the purpose in life for yourself in particular and for humanity in general. And, although we won't go there, this begs the question of how you view the purpose of the planet, solar system, and universe.
The theme can be dealt with in three parts "better" "ways" "to be human". We will look at the options for each of these in turn and then try for some kind of conclusion.
"to be human"
As humans we have animal roots. We are part of a lengthy evolutionary process that has cultural, biological and cosmic phases. Our bodies and brains have been designed to ensure the survival of ancestors living in ancient conditions. Recent findings from neuroscience and evolutionary psychology have highlighted the importance of these roots -- especially in terms of brain structures and functions. Our brains are hard wired in many subtle ways but usually in terms of generalities that are populated by immediate environmental specifics (eg we are hard wired for language in general (nature) but the particular language we end up using depends on our culture (nurture)).
As humans we are social animals. This idea can be plotted on an expanding horizon. Quantum entities give rise to atoms and molecules that form cells that form tissues and organs that form you -- the self. But a self does not stand alone. For better or for worse a self is a member of a family, community and tribe that between them provide all manner of social capital to ensure mutual survival. And tribes combine to form nations and welfare states that may be more or less functional. And, although we won't go there, nations combine to make up the global, human species that is a partner in the ecosystems that make up the planet that is part of the solar system and so on in the cosmic zoom[2].
"ways to be human"
STEEPLeS · Social · Technological · Environmental · Economic · Political · Legal · Spiritual |
There are as many ways to be human as there are people willing to make an inventory. I have found a shortlist of seven to be useful. It is captured in the acronym STEEPLeS (see box).
Because of their mental causes and conditions different people will be more interested in some of the ways than others. This is not a problem but hopefully awareness of the options will help to keep more people open minded more frequently and for longer.
"better ways to be human"
Better and worse involves value judgements. And they can be applied to each of the STEEPLeS topics -- and many of these interact. There are no easy and undisputable answers; particularly in this post-modern age of cultural relativism.
The number of letters in the STEEPLeS acronym has been growing over the years[3]. The S for Spiritual is the newest. I added it because it holds the promise of a foundation for judging the efficiency and effectiveness of the others[4]. The essence is highlighted in the following table:
| "worst ways to be human" | "best ways to be human" |
| · war · discontent · poverty · social injustice · environmental degradation | · peace · happiness · prosperity · social justice · environmental stewardship |
The spiritual dimension is the root of the others. There needs to be a massive change of hearts and minds and of motivations and intentions. This is possible but the ultimate arenas are (a) the individual consciousness and the causes and conditions that have shaped it in its present form and (b) the causes and conditions that might reshape it.
The spin doctors of the advertising and public relations industries (and their attendant academics[5]) have developed many techniques for changing minds. Their tools can be used to promote high or low ends.
The essential higher end is 'mindfulness' as that is now understood in the West in such practices as mindfulness based stress reduction[6] and mindfulness based cognitive therapy[7]. These lean heavily on a psychology of perception that has developed in eastern cultures over the last 2500 years[8]. The basic goal is to remove the clouds of illusion (particularly the illusion of an abiding ego) such that our birthright in the sunshine of universal compassion becomes an apparent and active motivating force. The basic technique for 'liberation' is to be aware of, and bear witness to, what your mind is doing from moment to moment.
This line of thought did not cross my mind in the NE of Scotland in the 1950-60s. It flashed in and out of focus in the years since but I did not begin to pay constant and systematic heed till about fifteen years ago when I was encouraged to write a series of 'words of faith' for a newspaper in Lesotho[9]. Since then I have been fairly regular in building time for stillness into my daily routine. So has the illusory ego disappeared and am I now more compassionate than of yore? I now live alone, work from home and lead a simple and frugal life: but what of my existential core? It remains turbulent but arguably less than it used to be.
So have I found a better way to be human?
How is such a thing to be judged?
See above!
[3] it began after the Rio Summit ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_Summit ) as ESE (Economic, Social and Environmental)
[4] You might find it constructive to consider the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Declaration_of_Human_Rights ) and the Millennium Development Goals (http://www.srds.co.uk/mdg/ ) in relation to the STEEPLeS categories.
[5] See Howard Gardner (2006) Changing Minds; ISBN 1422103293
[8] Essentially Vipassana meditation -- see http://www.vipassana.com/meditation/mindfulness_in_plain_english.php
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