Greetings, dear family and friends,
I hope you are well today and enjoying the fullness of this time of year. The weather has been rather lovely here, and I am so appreciative of the sunshine on my face. I feel a sense of anticipation rising for the rest of the year. I hope you do too:)
And so, this is week 1 of my new approach to the Sunny Optimist. I am delighted you decided to continue with me, and I am looking forward to this new adventure with you. As I shared last week, my posts will be shorter and will offer you a wee snippet that caught my attention. I am hopeful that it will spark something, and you are called to share your insights with me. I love it when you do!
Responding to Polarisation
I enjoy listening to a podcast series called The Daily Evolver with Jeff Salzman. He likes to comment on and critique US current affairs through the lens of Integral Theory. This week Charles M Johnston was a guest on the show to review his latest book called Creative Systems Theory. I had a look at the book, and it is a BIG read, comprehensive and complex — a wee bit beyond me. Yet, I was intrigued by Charles's approach to the concept of polarisation. I find there is so much dissent around now, and people are often embedded in one side or other of a topic. Be it politics, climate change, equality, and diversity, and so on. My tummy tends to contract when I encounter debates where the people are entrenched in a point of view and are not listening to each other.
What Charles was offering was a way to rise above the duality. He does not recommend looking for a third way that will be a compromise to the lowest common denominator. More to look for opportunities to reframe the conversation at a higher order of sophistication. One example he gave was around immigration. Rather than say we are 'for' or 'against' immigration, he suggests that we look at it through the lens of permeability.
Charles uses the metaphor of the cell's semi-permeable membrane. This ability enables the cell to make conscious and healthy choices about what it allows inside and what it does not. I rather like that and how he uses the intelligence of the natural world as our guide to wholeness. MMMmmmmm
So there you go, folks. My snippet for the week is a way of reframing duality by rising above the two opposites to seek new insights and agreements.
My Questions for this Week
What are your views on polarisation?
Does 'rising above' work for you?
Do you have any examples of where ‘rising above’ might reframe a duality?
As always, I would love to hear from you.
Ann
Hi Ann. Thank you again. Your post instantly reminded me of this Son and Mother Duo singing "Rise Up"
https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=rise+up+mother+and+son&iax=videos&ia=videos&iai=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D3AnzWa4AJ1w
Deep peace to you
Mark
Ann—marvelous, interesting and useful food for thought! As always, you offer us unique views, healthy alternatives and refreshing ways to move forward in our lives and relationships. Somehow your offerings encourage me to choose a life of resonance and more community harmony. As a person who is music-centric, this feels so right! Thank you, Ann! With love and gratitude,
Dirje 🙏🏼♥️