January 11, 2024
Principle 1. The Principle of Adaptation. Second Week.
“To Go Against the Evolution of Things is to Go Against Oneself”
Last time: A New Cycle Begins
This time: Stories, Game # 2
This Week:
Over the previous days we focused on two things: the general structure and implications of the principle, and the first experiment with our monthly games. This week we’ll also do two things in regard to the principle. First, we’ll investigate how this principle played out (or didn't) in our past. Can I discover situations where I applied, or violated this principle? What were the consequences? How would I characterize these results?
Second, we’ll play a round of our new game called, "Ask About It”
Once again, we might consider that all of this work is not just in order to deepen our understanding of a particular principle, but also to cultivate reflection about our daily behaviour. That is something very different from self-recrimination, or the assigning of blame.
At our next meeting we can discuss our discoveries, and our difficulties with this week’s reflections.
Personal Reflections:
Here’s some raw material that I hope you will find useful in your own reflections.
As was discussed at out last meeting there are many ways to understand the word “evolution”. It can have different meaning in different circumstances. Often, in daily discourse it means something like the way things are developing. It is perhaps worth noting that we call this principle the Principle of Adaptation. It has been explained that a very useful way to understood it is as referring to how we can adapt our thinking, our expectations, our behaviour, etc. in the face of events that are developing in ways that may not be totally to our liking.
We also touched again on the problem of knowing how events are really developing. How can I distinguish the ripples on the surface, from the deep currents; the fads, accidents, and momentary blips from the often unclear but underlying “evolution of things”? How can I tell when my acceptance of this tendency is just weakness, laziness, or simply a mistake on my part, and when it is really the appropriate course of action?
Of course, it’s easiest in hindsight, so perhaps reflecting on the past is the place to begin.
Birds hatching out their egg; The course of a raging river; A child growing,and becoming increasingly independent; aging and death; The great cycles, like the inevitably of day following night, and being followed again by day; The moon waxing and waning; The tides rising and falling. These are all examples that come to my mind when I think about the “evolution of things however, if I believe every momentary trend or little breeze is a hurricane or the inevitable “evolution of things” I will be passive in many situations in which I should take action. It’s like Rafael Edwards’ “silly” illustration of a chick hatching from an egg and then trying to go back into it.
It seems there are these two serious potential errors here, believing something is “the evolution of things” when it isn’t, and not believing it is inevitable when it is. How can I know if something arises from a greater situation and it makes sense to just get out of the way — or, using a marine metaphor, learn to surf those waves? On the other hand, perhaps it is just a passing situation which I can and should confront or work to change.
We find ourselves in a situation that is not too dissimilar from
trying to distinguish false hopes from real ones, or valid actions from contradictory ones. As Silo said:
You must make no mistake at the moment you find yourself faced with your actions, for if you do you will jeopardize your future and invert the stream of your life—and how then will you end your suffering?
Internal Landscape IX:16
“Finding It”. Yet Another Example:
Roberto contributed another example, this time not from a fairy tale but from his family history with the story of a 19th Century ancestor who manufactured harness for horses and carriages, and couldn’t adapt to the arising of the horseless-carriage.
This principle also led me to rethink the meaning of the famous story of King Canute which is usually told as an illustration of his piety and humility. However, there are other lessons that one might draw from this familiar tale.
The great king Cnute (or Canute), irritated by the incessant flattery, and ass-kissing of his courtiers, had his throne brought to the seaside. Surrounded by the members of his court and other hangers-on, he commanded the waves not to touch his shores. Ignored by the water he (apparently) pointed to this as proof that Earthly power was nothing and that “God in his heaven was the only king worthy of the title.” But, as you might guess from my watery metaphors earlier, reflecting on this principle gave this old story new meaning for me.
This Week:
We spent the last week or so looking for examples of the principle of adaptation, and maybe even looking for ways to help us dig up those examples. This week we will try to focus our reflections on the past. Can you find examples of this principle in your own past.
Game for Week 2:
This week we start to explore another way to open new perspectives in our thinking about the principle. This is the game of “ask about it”. The easy part of this challenge is to ask at least one other person how they understand the principle. The more difficult part (for many of us) is to really listen to their answer, and not to give them your opinion. It seems easy. I say to my spouse, kid, neighbour, cashier at the market, or random person on the street: “I’ve been thinking about this phrase”. Or if you prefer, “in a group I attend we’ve been talking about this idea”. Or even: “what do you make of this sentence”?
Then it gets more difficult. Carefully, listen to their answer. Really try to get what they are saying, even if they respond with something like: “I think that’s bullshit”.
The hard part is to restrain yourself. Do not explain, or teach, or clarify. Listen. This isn’t a conversation, or weekly meeting. The idea isn’t that they give you their interpretation and then you share yours. You ask, listen, restrain yourself, and say “thanks I’ve got to think about that”, or “you may be right”. You are not the teacher, guide, or instructor. That’s another game for another time.
There’s four parts to the game. Each is important:
Ask. Shut up. Listen. Say Thanks.
Coming Up:
In the coming weeks we’ll look at how this principle might apply in my current situation, and how I imagine it might impact my future.
We’ll also play two new games.
Remember:
Sometimes, when times are changing, and you can’t stop the changes, — even if you don’t like them— then letting go of the past can open the way forward.
Worth Repeating:
Who am I? Where am I going?
Want More:
Join us at our weekly meeting. Every Wednesday at 6:30 PM ET.
Ask me for a Zoom link, or find it on our Facebook Page
Note:
These notes have been posted on Facebook (Community of Silo’s Message Toronto Annex) and sent to our email list. You will also find them along with other comments, and reflections on my website: dzuckerbrot.com
Stay tuned…
