the process of becoming true self
TRANSCRIPT
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The Process of BecomingYour True Self Dr. Rodney H. ClarkenNorthern Michigan University
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The process of becoming your
true self is
a model of human development based on
an integration of knowledge from psychology, philosophy and religion.
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It identifies knowing, loving and
willing as the three basic human capacities and
describes how they are developed through the body, mind and soul.
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It views the body, mind and
soul as the three basic natures of human
beings, that develop in hierarchical stages in an individual from embryo toadult (ontogeny) just as they did in theevolutionary development of human life(phylogeny) through the stages of mineral, vegetable, animal ( body ), human( mind ) and beyond ( soul ).
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SoulSpirit
Mind
BodyKnow
Love Will
self True Self
MineralVegetable
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Your true self: the beginning
You are here
.
We all start of as a one-celled microscopicorganism, invisible to the human eye. Thatis your true self at the initial stage of your development, containing all your future
potentialities.
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The process of becoming
How do weget from here .
To here
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From the humble beginning
of a one-celled being, we progresshierarchically through all the kingdoms andstages of development that we did in evolution:
Mineral
Vegetable
Animal
Human
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Human (Brain/Mind)Animal (Body)
VegetableMineral
Stages of MaterialDevelopment
Matter
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These are the same stages
that the world has gone through
evolutionarily over millions of years First, there was matter that formed into
minerals, that over time created the right
conditions for the evolution of plants, thatwere followed by animals, which set thestage for humans.
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Hierarchy of material creation
Human
Animal
Vegetable
MineralMatter
Relative abundance of realm
Time
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The human being is the latest
and highest realm of creation,incorporating in itself the qualities andattributes of the earlier and lower creations: mineral, vegetable & animal
These physical developments that tookbillions of years to accomplish inevolution, we pass through in ninemonths within the womb
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Human nature
The human being combines all the lower levels of creation of mineral, vegetableand animal in its body, and shares their qualities.
Humans add the element of mind , basedin a more evolved brain, and have thecapacity to transcend them all with itssoul .
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Soul Divine SpiritualMind Human Mental
Body Animal Physical
VegetableHuman Nature Mineral
Each higher level encompassesand transcends the lower
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Stages of human development
The body, mind and soul each go through amineral, vegetable, animal and human stage of development in the process of your realizingtheir full potential.
The true self is your soul endowed with full
spiritual powers. We will briefly explore each of these.
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The stages of the body: 1. mineral
We start off as one-celled organisms made up of atoms and molecules held together like the atoms
and molecules of a mineral. Our one-cell divides into two, each successive
cell follows a similar pattern, then the cells begindifferentiating into different body parts and
integrating into patterns, like a mineral crystal. We do not lose the mineral qualities of cohesion
of our body until we die, when the atoms andmolecules break apart returning again to simple
matter.
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The vegetable stage of body
The fetus implants itself on the wall of theuterus and draws nourishment from the host
mother through an umbilical cord. If uprooted,we die.
We grow from the one-celled seed, augmentingin size, qualities and development until at birthwe have billions of cells and the organs tomove to the animal stage. This vegetativequality cause us physical growth throughout our lives.
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The animal stage of body
Adds the animal qualities of sensation andmovement.
In the womb, the senses and capacitiescommon to animals are being developed, butnot yet actively used.
At birth the physical body, which humans sharein common with animals, is able to begindeveloping its sensorimotor capacities.
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The human stage of the body
What distinguishes humans from animals
is reason, which physically depends onthe developed brain which has evolvedover eons.
Understanding the physical brain canhelp us to understand the more abstractand higher mind and its role in the body.
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Man finds himself in the
predicament that Nature has endowed him essentially with three brains
which, despite great differences in structure,
must function together and communicate withone another. The oldest of these brains isbasically reptilian. The second has beeninherited from lower mammals, and the third isa later mammalian development, which, in itsculmination in primates, has made manpeculiarly man. (MacLean, quoted in Koestler, Ghost in the machine , pp. 277-78)
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The Triune Brain
Reptilian brain(brain stem) oldest
Paleomammalian brain(limbic system) later Neomammalian brain
(neocortex) latestBased on MacLeanhttp://www.ezls.fb12.uni-siegen.de/mkroedel/paul_maclean.html
http://www.ezls.fb12.uni-siegen.de/mkroedel/paul_maclean.htmlhttp://www.ezls.fb12.uni-siegen.de/mkroedel/paul_maclean.html -
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The reptilian brain
As infants, we operate primarily from the oldestpart of our triune brains, the brain stem, whichroughly corresponds to the reptilian brain. Itcontrols internal functions, instinctive drives,reflexes, sleep, arousal and impulses
As we master and transcend some of theseinternal primitive activities and forces, weadvance to higher animal functions
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The paleomammalian brain
We move to the higher more evolved limbicsystem, the second oldest part of the brain, which
processes information in such a way that itbecomes experienced as feelings and emotions,which become the guiding force for behavior.(Jantsch, Self-organizing universe , p. 167)
Very similar in organization, chemistry andfunction to the paleomammalian brain of horses,dogs and cats, and intimately connected to thebrain stems visceral and emotional functions
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The neomammalian brain
The neocortex constitutes the latest andhighest stage in evolution of the brain. It
encompasses the limbic system and the brainstem.
It is what distinguishes humans from animalsphysiologically.
It is the seat of thought and most voluntarymovements: mother of invention and father of abstract thought.
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Three brains in one
Reptilian brain stem: controls muscles, balanceand autonomic functions, such as breathing
and heartbeat; is active, even in deep sleep Paleomammalian limbic system: concerned
with emotions and instincts, feeding, fighting,fleeing, and sexual behavior
Neomammalian neocortex: comprises higher cognitive functions which distinguish humansfrom animals
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The triune brain as body, heart
and mind Body, brain stem , part of ourselves the regulates
systems in our body. Perceives itself in the lower belly, the area of its major biological functioning
(i.e., hunger, sex) Heart, limbic system , the part of ourselves that
feels emotions. Perceives itself in the chest, thearea of its primary responsibility and sensory
awareness. Mind, neocortex , the part of ourselves we most
often think of as who we are. Perceives itself inthe head, the are that forms judgments, handles
short term memory and does abstractions
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Triune brain and the three basic
human capacities Body: to will, centered in brain stem
Heart: to love, centered in limbic system
Mind: to know, centered in neocortex
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The knowing, loving and willing
process of becoming true self
LovingHeart
WillingBody
KnowingMind
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Each of the triune brains thinks
differently Body thinks in gestalt sequences of body
sensations; body consciousness
Heart thinks in sequences of feelings;emotional consciousness
Mind thinks in sequences of words,concepts, thoughts, logic, etc.; mentalconsciousness
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Soul Divine SpiritualMind Human Mental
(Heart Mammal Emotional)Body Animal Physical
Human Nature &Triune Brain
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The brain-mind connection
The brain is the physical organ that is the seat of the subjective mind, but the conscious mind is
different and distinct from the objective brain. First person (I) subjective mind (conscious
experience) reciprocally interacts with thirdperson (it) objective brain (neurological systems).
The brain is in the body and the body is in themind.
Next, we will look briefly at one aspect of the stagesof the mind using Piagets cognitive model.
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Stages of the mind: 1. mineral
The initial mineral stage of the mind is thebonding in simple patterns of the elements of sensations, perceptions, impulses, images, etc.into a coherent mental representation.
The mind is primarily sensorimotor and takes
as its object the sensorimotor realm. Its generalself-sense is material and physical.
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Animal stage of the mind
The animal stage of mind can sense and movewith and within the mind without the need of material senses and movement. Here the mindcan see and hear for itself, without physicaleyes or ears. This is the concrete operationalstage where the mind can conserve and canlogically and systematically manipulate symbolsrelated to concrete objects.
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Human stage of the mind
The mental mind, where the mind can thinkabout itself and reflect upon and represent nonmaterial (abstract) reality. This stage isrepresented by formal operations: logicalmanipulation of symbols related to abstractconcepts. It takes as it object the world of thought and is creative, constructive andsystematic.
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Soul stage of the mind
When the mind reaches the soul stage,the mind transcends itself and isillumined by the soul which lead to higher authentic, autonomous, unified, visionaryand intuitive thinking. The mind becomespost logical, rational, personal, verbal,etc., no longer limited by those mentalconstructs.
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What is the soul?
\Soul\ The animating and vital principle
in humankind credited with the facultiesof thought, action and emotion andconceived as forming an immaterial entitydistinguished from but temporallycoexistent with the body. Dictionary
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an animating and vital
principle Energy; courage; spirit; fervor; affection,
or any other noble manifestation of theheart or moral nature; inherent power or goodness. Definition 4 of soul from Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
The soul is like the sun which illumines,sustains and is reflected in the body andmind.
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faculties of thought, action
and emotion Thought (Mind) : Knowing , Thinking
Understanding TRUTH
Action (Body) : Willing , Doing Justice GOOD
Emotion (Heart) : Loving , Feeling Unity BEAUTY
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an immaterial entity
\Im`ma*te"ri*al\ 1. Not consisting of matter;incorporeal; spiritual;
\Spir"it*u*al\ 1. Consisting of spirit; not material;incorporeal; 2. Of or pertaining to the intellectualand higher endowments of the mind; mental;intellectual. 3. Of or pertaining to the moral
feelings or states of the soul, as distinguishedfrom the external actions; reaching and affectingthe spirits. 4. Of or pertaining to the soul or itsaffections as influenced by the Spirit;
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distinguished from buttemporally coexistent with thebody The soul is different and distinct from the body,
but associated with the body for the limited timeof its life
The body is like a horse and the soul is like therider. At one level we identify with and care for
the body as it is the vehicle for the soul, our true identity, which exists after the body dies.
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The soul is like an embryo
As an immaterial entity it is hard tocomprehend. We can use material metaphors
to help us understand what it is and how itworks
The development of the embryo is analogous tothe development of the soul. As the embryodevelops all the physical attributes for thisworld, the soul develops spiritual attributes for the next.
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The womb of this world
Just as the body develops all of it physicalcapacities while in the womb of its mother, thesoul develops its spiritual capacities while in thewomb of this world. The human body serves asthe placenta to the soul, taking in and filteringthe nourishment of the world so that the soulcan develop the spiritual qualities andcharacteristics needed in the next realm.
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Mineral stage of the soul
At conception, the soul comes into being. Itmight be compared to the simple one-celledorganism of the body. It has all of the capacitiesinherent in it, but they have yet to bedeveloped. Initially the soul in the mineral stagecan be conceived of as the cohesion of atomsand molecules of spirit and virtues bindingtogether to make a new entity, a uniquespiritual identity, just as the body is a uniquephysical identity.
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Vegetable stage of soul
As interpreted by the Scholastics, thevegetative soul was common to plants,animals, and humans; the sensitive soulwas common to animals and humans;and the rational soul was found only inhumans. Vegetable love is thus a lovethat grows, takes nourishment, andreproduces, although slowly. The American HeritageDictionary
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Animal stage of soul
At this stage the human soul adds thecapacity of sensation to the earlier mineral spirit of cohesion and thevegetable spirit of growth andreproduction: we see, hear and feel withour soul, in a similar way that we can firstsee, hear and feel with our physicalsenses, then later with our mental.
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Spirit stage of the soul
The soul can transcended itself mergingwith the Great Holy Spirit, freeing itself of all physical, mental and spiritualattachments, such as attachment to thevirtues and names of the Divine Creator,rather than to the Ultimate InfiniteEssence that transcends all limitationsand divisions.
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How do negotiate these stages?
Using our knowing, loving and willingcapacities through our body, minds andsouls.
The following figures and charts willpresent some correlates of these to help
us understand how we might use them tofurther the process of becoming our trueselves.
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SoulSpirit
Mind
BodyKnow
Love Will
self True Self
MineralVegetable
Knowing
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Thinking
WillingDoingGood
HandJusticeMorals
LovingFeelingBeauty
HeartUnityArts
mind
soul body
Knowing
ScienceUnderstanding
HeadTruth
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Table 2. Some correlates of knowing, loving and willing
WillLoveKnow
GoodBeautyTruth
AutonomyAltruismAuthenticity
DoFeelThink
Creation/
Construction
Compassion/
Caring
Consultation/
Investigation
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CourageCompassionReason
BodySoulMind
ConativeAffectiveCognitive
HandHeartHead
JusticeUnityUnderstanding
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Practical ReasonAestheticJudgment
Pure Reason
TranscendIntegrateDifferentiate
Communion-adaptation
Eros-transcendence
Agency-preservation
MoralsArtsScience
Intersubjective(We)Subjective (I)Objective (It)
Ethics/ OntologyAesthetics/Axiology
Logic/Epistemology
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Table 2: Some correlates of body,mind and soul
VirtuesKnowledgeNutritionFood
DivineHumanAnimalKingdom/Realm
SpiritualMentalPhysicalWorld
SoulMindBodyNature
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Post Rational(certitude)
Rational(empirical)
Pre Rational(drives)
Reason
Trans Logical(inspiration)
Logical(reason)
Pre Logical(magic)
Logic
Post Verbal-Deeds
Verbal-Words
Pre Verbal-Body, Cries
Language
TranscendentalSubjectiveObjectiveReality/Spirit
HeartHeadHandSymbol
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4 th and onpostconventional
2 -3 rd person,
conventional
1 st , person,Preconventional
Perspective
ReligionScienceNatureSource
Theo centricEgo World
centric
Bio centricSelf Center
TheosphereNoosphereBiosphereSphere
Super-Conscious
Self-Conscious
Sub-Conscious
Conscious-ness
Transpersona(universal,transcendent
Personal(ego, ethnic)
Pre Personal(physical,emotional)
Identity
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Soul
Mind
BodyKnow
Love Will
self True Self
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References
This presentation has drawn from theworks of Bahaullah, Abdul-Baha andKen Wilber. I refer you to their writings for more breadth, depth and clarity on thesetopics.
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