Skip to main content

16 Dimensions

As stated here on many occasions my integral approach to development is largely based on holistic mathematical consideration of 1-dimensional, 2-dimensional, 4-dimensional and 8-dimensional interpretation in development.

However it may help a little to say a little in this context about my Stages of Development approach.

Overall I include 7 Bands in development (each of which comprises 3 main Levels, comprised of a unique holistic mathematical structure). So we have 21 main Levels in all.

The first Lower Band is largely concerned with overcoming confusion with respect to the three central polarities in experience. L3 (Lower 3) relates to initial differentiation of the diagonal polarities (form and emptiness); L2 then entails additional differentiation with respect to the vertical polarities (whole and part); finally L1 relates to further differentiation with respect to horizontal polarities (internal and external).

Then with preliminary successful differentiation having taken place with respect to the three polarities the next Band is concerned with specialisation of linear (1-dimensional) interpretation (where the three polarities are clearly separated in experience).

As we have seen this is the very approach that characterises conventional scientific understanding.

In truth development largely plateaus with the Middle Band in Western culture.
However where authentic contemplative awareness unfolds, further Bands are required.

The third Band (Higher Band) relates to the unfolding of circular (intuitive) awareness.

The first level (H1) is concerned with 2-dimensional interpretation (where both internal and external aspects are now seen as dynamically complementary - and ultimately identical - in experience) The positive aspect is associated with periods of illumination whereas the negative (where substantial dynamic negation of phenomena occurs) is associated with corresponding periods of purgation!

The second level (H2) is concerned with the unfolding of 4-dimensional interpretation. Here whole and part in any context are qualitatively distinguished enabling their proper integration in experience. This leads to the realisation that all reality is properly complex (in holistic mathematical terms) with both real (analytic) and imaginary (holistic) aspects.

The third level (H3) relates to 8-dimensional interpretation (where now both form and emptiness are eventually united). This requires a very subtle form of appreciation where form is equally interpreted with respect to real and imaginary aspects (which has an alternative empty expression as null lines!)


For some time my mapping of development largely culminated at this point. Though I did include a later Radial Band, it was largely for completion purposes without being fully integrated with the earlier Bands.

However gradually I came to realise - that just as linear understanding has its own specialised expression with the Middle Band - that circular understanding has its own specialised expression with a further 4th Band (that I sometimes refer to as the Higher Middle Band). As well as allowing for a further refining in spiritual contemplative awareness, this Band also addresses a typical imbalance as between form and emptiness. Frequently the drive to unity is driven by the transcendent spiritual aspect in the desire to achieve emptiness (beyond all form). However the immanent aspect is equally important as the desire to see such emptiness as inherent in all form.

Once again a holistic mathematical appreciation of the Riemann Zeta Function led me to the realisation that the completion of this Band (with immanence and transcendence in equal balance) coincides with 16-dimensional development. This would also perfectly equate with the inclusion of immanence and transcendence as two additional fundamental polar opposites in experience.

So Radial Development proper only commerces in a mature sustainable manner (with 16-dimensional development). In my latest work, I include three additional Radial Bands (so that we have 21 main Levels in all).

To see a fuller explanation of this model, dealing in detail with the structures and states characteristic of each main level
See Stages of Development; Chaps 8 - 12.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Number 137

The number 137 has raised considerable interest. Its reciprocal (1/137) approx. is referred to as the fine structure constant in physics and is related to the probability of electrons (or other particles) emitting or absorbing particles. Much has been written regarding the "mystical" properties of this number. Indeed some years ago my attention was drawn to its significance through correspondence relating to Jungian archetypes. And just recently an interesting article by Giorgio Piacenza has been published on Frank Visser's Integral World web-site. Without wanting to claim too much for the "mystical significance" of this number, I would like to initially broaden the topic to highlight some important general properties of prime numbers (of which 137 is a specific example). From one perspective prime numbers can be viewed as the basic building blocks of the natural number system (which we literally view in a linear manner as stretched out on a strai...

Multidimensional Nature of Time and Space (8)

In dealing with the nature of 2, 4 and 8 dimensions of time (and space) respectively, we saw how that in each case they are characterised by the complementarity of opposite poles. So 2-dimensional reality is characterised by the complementarity of the "real" poles (i.e. external and internal). 4-dimensional is then characterised by the additional complementarity of the "imaginary" poles (i.e. whole and part). 8-dimensional is finally chracterised by the additional complementarity of special complex poles where both real and imaginary parts are of equal magnitude. This can then be understood as relating to the ultimate interaction as between form and emptiness (i.e. where the dynamic interaction of phnomena are so refined that they do not even appear to arise). So in this sense the dynamic nature of form becomes inseparable from emptiness. Now it must be understood that further distinct structures with respect to the nature of time (and space) are associated...

Integral Science - holistic mathematical nature

In Conventional Mathematics both real and imaginary numbers are used with respect to their (merely) quantitative interpretation. However the key starting point of Holistic Mathematics is the realisation that every mathematical symbol can also be given a corresponding qualitative meaning. The limitation therefore of Conventional Mathematics is that it is confined in qualitative terms to merely real understanding (corresponding to default one-dimensional interpretation). The role of Holistic Mathematics is to provide corresponding imaginary interpretation in qualitative terms. Whereas real interpretation corresponds directly with conscious, imaginary interpretation - by contrast - corresponds directly with unconscious understanding. Once again the real aspect relates to linear logic (where opposite polarities in experience are clearly separated) whereas the imaginary aspect relates in turn to circular logic (where such opposite polarities are treated as complementary). Thus when we separ...