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Module Two
"Some Basic
Fourth Way Concepts"
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DIAGRAM 2. Everyday
Life and the Work
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DIAGRAM 2 is a continuation of DIAGRAM 1. The material in DIAGRAM 1 is summarized
in the vertical line labeled "LOVE OF MANKIND" in DIAGRAM 2.
The vertical line in DIAGRAM 2 is repeated in the line and bellcurve that are periodically
superimposed, except that points on the line are relabeled. Instead of the notes
of the musical scale, the "shorthand" notation, H48, H24, H12, etc. is
used.
Please note that:
The position of "H48" corresponds to the highest point on the octave of
the PHYSICAL BODY in DIAGRAM 1.
"H24" corresponds to the highest point in the EMOTIONS octave.
"H12" is at the level of the highest point of the INTELLECT octave.
(Use the link below Diagram 2 to review Diagram One)
Our experience of everyday life is represented by the bell curve to the right of
the vertical line. The horizontal distance between the bell curve and the vertical
line represents the amount of time we typically spend at each level.
H48 is only the statistical mean level of our everyday experience. We naturally have
spontaneous experiences of higher and lower levels of awareness, but in our ordinary
state of consciousness (called "waking sleep" in The Work) we usually do
not recognize them as such.
Common examples of experience at these different levels (i.e. "Doing what you
do well," "Fighting your work," etc.) are presented only to give a
sense of the "feel" of each. Actually each level is a very large "space"
where a vast number of experiences, all having a similar "feel" are possible.
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Click here to review Diagram One
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NOTES ON H12, H24 AND THE WORK
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Our spontaneous experiences of the higher (and lower) levels of awareness (H24,
H192, etc.) tend to make stronger impressions on our memory. Intense experiences
produce "moments I never forget." Try to remember such a moment in your
experience. Sometimes the memory is so strong that we can almost relive the experience,
as if time does not exist.
It is interesting to notice that sometimes these experiences are produced by external
events that are shared by large numbers of people. An example, might be the death
of Princess Diana, or Mother Teresa, or even OJ Simpson's low speed chase. Do you
remember where you were when you first heard about these events?
The first goal of The Work, to be achieved through guided self-observation (OBSERVATION,
IMPARTIALITY, SIMULTANEITY in DIAGRAM 1 and DIAGRAM 2) is to "artificially"
create these moments of higher awareness.
The Work teaches us that it is only through our own efforts (hence the name "Work")
that we can intentionally experience the higher levels of awareness. However, for
reasons described below, to create these experiences we also need "help,"
which can only come from the higher levels. This process is illustrated in DIAGRAM
3 in Module Three.
Higher and lower levels of awareness and being are inextricably intertwined with
each other. In The Work, this entanglement is visualized as a harmonic interaction
between higher and lower musical octaves. At certain intervals on the musical scale,
this harmonic interaction is not precisely in tune, and "dissonance" results.
It is at these points on the scale that "help" from the higher octave is
required. This process is described in more detail below. (This may have some similarity
to the New Age concept of "harmonic convergence" but, generally speaking
it is a good idea to be very careful about mixing similar concepts from different
sources.)
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USING THE MUSICAL ANALOGY
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In everyday life, because the frequencies of the higher and lower octaves are not
always precise multiples of a common base frequency, their interaction can produce
a "dissonance." (This phenomenon is well known in music, and the "equal
tempered scale" commonly used in keyboard instruments is an attempt to solve
the problem. With this tuning the scales in all keys are slightly dissonant - i.e.
out of tune - but to an extent that the average ear is unable to detect.)
This natural slight harmonic dissonance between certain corresponding tones in higher
and lower octaves is visualized in The Work as producing a "deviation"
in the direction of our efforts to experience higher levels of consciousness. These
deviations are visualized as occurring at the interval on the musical scale between
the notes "mi" and "fa" and also the interval between the notes
"si" and "do" (see DIAGRAM 2). These are the points where our
efforts to attain higher levels of consciousness go astray unless we receive "help"
to correct the dissonance. This process is illustrated in DIAGRAM 3 in Module Three
right after the following "quiz". |
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[Back to Enneagram ] [Review Module Two]
[Review Module One]
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[Back to Enneagram ] [Review Module Two]
[Review Module One]
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