Pathways

Contents

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Pathways and their design

The purpose of pathways

Implementing the aim of the way

Aim in universal terms

Shared discovery and realization of the ultimate in, for, and from the immediate.

Aim in process terms

Realization of the ultimate in this life and beyond.

What pathways are

Given incompleteness in being or feeling, and a metaphysics with meaning and ethics

A pathway is a way to completion in one or both of (i) experiencing of completion in the immediate (ii) a way of experience, reflection, and action toward real completion in the immediate, so far as possible, or the ultimate or both (given the developments so far, the complete is the ultimate)

A pathway is (a) individual and shared (b) is negotiated (does not merely follow received prescriptions and questions its own foundation) (c) open to return to ground level and abandonment of designed process.

Design of pathways

This is a ‘meta-section’ on design of pathways and the pathways chapter

Aim of the design

To implement the conceptual development as a program of awareness and action toward realization of the ultimate (“in, from, and for the world”).

Some elements for design—the categorial system with dynamics

Being and non-being.

Concepts—the real metaphysics including meaning and ethics, universe as experiential-relational field, with concept (mind) and object (world) sides and their mesh.

Details—oneness of being vs process; transformation of experience vs transformation in extension; immanence-vs-explicitness-of-principles-and-ideas-including-meta.

Dynamics—structures that comply with logic.

General form (intermediate between the universe and worlds)

Concepts—abstract form transcends and includes temporal formation and spatial form.

Dynamics—transients (arising from the void), of which some are more persistent as a result of symmetry and therefore stability, of which some effectively populate the universe in their experiential reflexivity.

Our world – and its general paradigms as dynamics

Concepts

Knowledge of our world (i) is formulated as a system of levels (physical etc, below) (ii) from which paradigms, many well-known, are extracted (iii) which may be generalized and applied as justified by the real metaphysics (iv) which, together with the metaphysics enables negotiation of the universe.

Dynamics (paradigms)

Physical—mechanism (determinism with indeterminism) and causation.

Complexity from the physical to the living—form, emergence, and evolution – variation and selection (a case of formation).

Mind and its aspects—experience itself including experiencing, the concept side (cognition, emotion-feeling – especially pleasure and pain, attitude, choice), experiential relation (concept and linguistic meaning, knowing, acting), and the experienced (world including process, body).

Society and culture—competition, cooperation, and amplification of the power of mind, with technology of space and mind exploration.

Implications of the categorial system for pathways

Enlightened and effective pathways

Attitude, cognition-feeling-choice (and action and will); pleasure, pain (‘suffering’), and their address.

Sharing, negotiation, and therapy; leadership

From our incompleteness (including that of received ways), the pathway(s) will be shared and negotiated, the fortunate and strong will aid others; therapy appropriate to the times and understanding of the ultimate will be available, and there may be recognized leaders and elements of received ways, but no a priori ultimate authority.

Tradition and implications for tradition

Introduction

Because traditional religions and related movements have appeal, their formulaic approaches and spiritual content may be recommended as a useful supplement to some people. For example, the four truths of Buddhism may help understanding of the human condition and the eightfold way of Buddhism and Yoga may help some people toward realization here on earth.

However, TWB is not presently formulaic and its principles do not recommend any particular religion. Further, while the religions and their institutions have positive and negative attributes, to assess their contribution and to suggest (needed) improvement would lead away from the purpose of a brief version of TWB.

There is a range of traditions, ancient to current, which, if only indirectly, address the aims of the way. These include the religions, philosophical systems, science, and art.

Though no single system is seen as absolute or final, there is a place for (i) inclusion of some of their elements (subject to reason and fit) (ii) re-interpretation of those systems.

Those interested in the way of being and its paths may bring their own elements of thought and tradition to the pathways.

On yoga and yoking

There are many yoga systems today. In an original meaning, ‘yoga’, which signified yoking or binding of beings to being—the universe, is (i) approach to, embracement of, and being the ultimate (ii) systematized for essence and efficiency. ‘Yoking’ (also: ‘minding’) is engagement in yoga.

Repeated definition. Yoga is a (the) pathway of practice and action (of the experiential and the physical – mind and body) in and for this world, in and as (toward identity with) the ultimate in peak states (I have sought an alternate English term for yoga, e.g., binding, but continue to use ‘yoga’).

Yoga is (i) all aspects of human experience, knowledge, and action (ii) systematized for essence and efficiency (iii) to be understood as remaining in-process with regard to its nature and aspects. Yoking (minding) is yoga-in-process-and-action.

Streamline use of ‘yoga’ in this chapter.

What the chapter should have—completeness and adaptability

Completeness

Completeness is built in via the categorial system and elements of traditions.

Adaptability

Adaptability has the following specific elements.

A general section on the nature and essence of pathways (enlightened pathways) and a section on implementation or programs with specifics and examples (currently the authors planning).

Orientation to a range of personality types and projects, situations, and cultures (for the range or situations also see a system of knowledge).

Chapter structure

Enlightened pathways in being

The general section above. The treatment is generic and qualitative.

It emphasizes being in the world and process toward the ultimate.

Programs

Local

Emphasis—individual and community

Aspects—immersive and instrumental

Universal

Emphasis—universal, global society

Aspects—instrumental and immersive

Integration – four aspects as one

Local-Immersive	Local-Instrumental
Universal-Immersive	Universal-Instrumental

Examples

Generic.

Personal.

Other examples to be introduced later.

Some sources for use in writing the chapter

…a system of knowledge.html.

journey in being – pathway design, received ways of realization, design and planning.html for possible further sources

The master document—previous material through knowledge, emphasizing the real metaphysics, ethics and meaning, categories

Need: traditions of material (physical, technological) and experiential (self, world) exploration

Enlightened pathways in being

Was, simply, ‘Pathways’

The aim of the way, elaborated

Elaboration

To live experientially at two levels—the immediate (world) and ultimate as one.

Place the following definition earlier, at an appropriate place.

An enlightened way attends to the mundane and its problems as part of the process. It employs mind in its fullest sense (defined earlier). It attends particularly to the issue of pleasure and pain.

In the world, to share living in all its dimensions (categories) and negotiating the way to the ultimate.

Enlightened living

Attention to the quality of all being (including life and a quality hierarchy from need to fullness) on the way to the ultimate.

Pathways “to the ultimate in, for, and from the world”

There are effective, enjoyable paths to the ultimate.

The paths invoke all capacities of beings, object-like (of the object, but not ‘objective’) and subject-like (of the subject or experience but not ‘subjective’).

Immediate and ultimate as one

A balance between realization as process and in the moment – the immediate and the ultimate as one. Being on the way. Emptiness – oneness of being(s) and the void (nothingness).

See yoga.

When discussions of yoga are brought into one place, relink the above.

A healthy life

From the categories, the dimensions of healthful living are mind which includes the physical and the world, community which includes society, and spirit.

And, to repeat, attention to the quality of all being (including life and a quality hierarchy from need to fullness) on the way to the ultimate.

Sharing, seeking positive relations

Paths are shared – there is sharing of functions of living and of path negotiation, the more capable assist the others, positive relations are sought and fostered.

Negotiation of paths, binding yoga and meditation

Paths are negotiated (realization is discovery – or rediscovery – in which received paths and leaders may inspire but are neither authority nor final truth).

Minding is employed—binding yoga with yoga-in-action, analytic, insightful, and calming meditation—including immersion and intentional action, in the world and toward the beyond.

Leadership and initiative

A charismatic leader inspires. A true leader encourages balance of individual, path, society, and emergence and continuity of leadership.

The focus of leadership is not just that of recognized or designated leaders, but also of individual and shared initiative.

Attitude and its elements

Effective attitude

A good or effective attitude for realization is that of shared endeavor and positivity to and recognition of the worth of being and all beings in the immediate world and on the way to the ultimate as detailed above and below.

Setting and sustaining and setting effective attitude (recognize, acknowledge, defuse, affirm, return; summary)

The effective attitude is maintained by keeping good attitude in shared awareness.

An approach to sustaining a positive attitude is the sequence – recognize, acknowledge, defuse, affirm, return; a summary version is defuse – center – act.

Recognition

Maintaining a healthy attitude requires awareness of attitude. A way to recognize decay of attitude is good, e.g., a worn item, reminders, cultivating a spacious approach to the day, perhaps via meditation.

Acknowledgment

Acknowledge negative attitude, accept in the sense of not judging it negatively but as something to turn around.

Defusion

Take time away from activities of the day, exercise, meditate (calming, analytic, and emphasis on attitude awareness).

Affirm

One’s place in the universe (self = all). The way of being with discipline (in balance with abandon), security, and sharing.

Return

Return to activities of the day.

A summary version

Defuse – center – act.

Affirmation and dedication

Affirmation

Affirming commitment to the world and its inhabitants and to identity with the ultimate real.

Dedication

A dedication to the way of being—to living in the immediate and ultimate as one.

What does this mean?
How is its truth and value known?
How is it realized?
Why being?

To its shared discovery and realization under the pure and pragmatic dimensions (categories) of experiential being in form and formation on the way to the transparently limitless ultimate.

From being to limitlessness to experiential being
to enlightened pathways to attitude
to health to address of pleasure and pain.

To overcoming the bonds of limited self, so that even in trouble or doubt or pain, life is flow rather than force.

Via therapy and sharing,
Direct address of pain,
Attention to a path and the meaning of pain and doubt.

To realizing the ultimate in this life and beyond.

A process version of the transcendent
living in the immediate and the ultimate as one.

Feeling—pleasure, pain, emotion—and their intelligent address

Could be “Synthesis of the elements of experience in process”

Pleasure and pain have function but are not always functional; they deserve to be addressed but their address is often dysfunctional. The development here accepts the functionality and addresses dysfunction.

Pleasure and pain (and doubt) are inevitable; an effective path emphasizes pleasure in the path itself (over diversion). Pain is addressed—

Therapy and sharing

First – By the best available therapy (use and development), and by the fortunate assisting the less fortunate.

Direct address of pain

Second – Where indicated by addressing with pain, doubt, and destruction directly, but not with the intent of eliminating all pain (as elaborated below).

Direct address – is by looking at pain and its reasons, by addressing its reasons, by not avoiding but rather by that meditative awareness that attenuates pain by exposure and seeing any sources in erroneous thinking.

However – there is no attempt or intent to eliminate all pain, which would be a counterproductive and endless task.

but not by an attempt or intent to eliminate all pain.

Attention to a path; meaning of pain and pleasure

Third – Rather, there is an optimum of the address of pain and being on a path, in which residual pain is given meaning by being on an aware path of realization.

Pleasure – is not (essentially) sought for its own sake but by being on a shared path.

The issue of death and its address

A will to live and avoid death is natural. However, that we die and that our cosmos will end or become uninhabitable seems almost certain. Though we generally expect lives of people and worlds to follow a ‘normal’ trajectory, the end may come at any time. Coming from this point of view (and a secular view) we may wonder whether the metaphysics and realization have any significance. We may wonder whether they are at best mere solace. On the other hand…

We have seen that we are eternal; that on death, a person or a cosmos enters a diffuse state to emerge again; that the process is repeated and one path is through higher and higher form as peaks are approached.

This gives balance to passive nihilism. Death is a teacher. Motivated by the metaphysics, we may seek equilibrium and to engage in the way of being. It is a point upon which to meditate—first in calming (should anxiety be an issue), second in analyzing and intuiting the upward-downward cycles of realization, and third in commitment to realization in this world and beyond.

Programs

Design of programs

Program definition is currently formatted to be part of the mobile and mini-versions—this may be changed later.

Those who would be on a path may develop and share path programs which address the needs of paths (described above), will continue learning and revising paths and programs, and, where needed, return to the beginning of the way, which includes abandonment of what has gone so far as a source of freshness and inspiration.

The programs have two meshing and merging emphases (i) the level of being, which emphases the universal and the long-term and which frames (ii) the level of beings. Details of the programs are developed below.

Design for the programs has (i) a menu of activities from personal and local to social and universal and (ii) a daily program or routine, also a menu, with home and journey options and a long-term program of foundation and realization. The design for the menus and the programs is based on the real metaphysics, the ideal and ultimate framework, filled in with cumulative pragmatic knowledge, which includes argument as an approach to generation and justification.

The menu is based on categories of being from elementary to high levels. In this account menus and programs are merged.

The level of being (aim, program – foundation and realization)

Aim

Development—develop a long-term program for the following in sequence and parallel, in terms of months – years – phases of life and history. Consider institutionalization of TWB – reasons and cautions (taken up below).

Categorial emphasis:

Ultimate including levels of description in terms of time and space, universal in time and space, experiential being and nonbeing with ethics and meaning.

Immersive

Experiencing the ultimate in the immediate.

Immersive approach to world transformation with emphasis on elements of society conducive to individual and collective realization.

Instrumental

Categorial levels from world to universal.

Action: sequential and parallel with timelines.

Program – foundation and realization

Defining a program—the elements of the program are the topics underneath. ‘Ideas and foundation’ is perennial, ‘Practice and retreat’ is every six months to annual. The remaining elements are engaged in parallel.

The level of beings (aim, program – a routine)

Aim

Implement the level of being in individual life and shared realization.

Explicit categorial emphasis

Local (here-now), home (and away), daily, short term, our world

Immersive

Yoga or yoking as

Immersion in the aspects of experience – the two sides of experience – meditative (subjective, inner, of mind, immersive) and physical (objective which also has a representation of the meditative, outer as metaphor for world and body, instrumental).

Practice and discipline, in transition to action, and yoga-in-action including immersion.

In an expansive sense, yoga is the entire endeavor of being.

Becoming one’s highest self – overcoming limited self (in balance with communal morality); attitude, pleasure and pain, and cognition and intelligence.

Individual and community – emphasis: beings

Realizing – sharing (co-action, the strong helping others), negotiating, leadership as guide and aid (perhaps charismatic but not authoritarian), communal mind, elements of traditions

Communal action – therapy, work and productivity (economic, political, knowledge, shared understanding of realization), relationships

Program – a routine

Defining the program as a routine—the routine is presented as a menu of possible elements for (i) planning and activities from which to select (ii) flexible times and durations. The emphasis in at the level of being is universal; here it is individual through community.

An institution or organization for The way of being (purpose, emphases – foundation, realization, action)

This is essential to the informal and essential versions—perhaps in abbreviated form.

Francis Bacon (“Salomon's House”) (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy).

The purpose and foci may be—

Purpose

Subject expertise, support (e.g., web design), action, power of sharing and teaming.

Emphasis – foundation

The theoretical background and consequences.

The realm and range of the possible.

Emphasis – realization and action

Ways of realization—traditional, new, and synthesis.

World problems and opportunities (see the resources).

Ethics and meaning.

Publications. Example, A manual of health.

Design

Emphasis

Above.

Planning

To be undertaken as part of immersion in being and the world after completing the essential and informal versions of the way of being.

Review of concept (the section on ‘An institution’).

Search further external sources.

Review and planning of the elements of design.

Elements of design

Central location and building vs distributed and virtual.

Funding—preliminary and beyond.

Needs—establishment (information, production).

Needs—human – primary, administrative, support.

Being – the world and beyond

Ideas and foundation (experience, reading, reflection, synthesis, writing, publishing, and advertising)

Program for the way of being—experiencing the world, reading, reflection, synthesis, writing, publishing, advertising—a program of study and development.

General—experiencing the world, reflection, synthesis and sharing—a program of development.

The content is at present suggestive.

Experience

Direct receptive experience of the world.

Includes experience of one’s actions and results.

Reading

Indirect receptive experience of the world.

Reflection

Evaluating receptive experience of the world.

Synthesis

Synthesis of experience, reading, and reflection.

Writing

For consolidation and as a record to be improved upon.

Publishing – as sharing

For communication.

Advertising – to create community and shared endeavor

To attract and form community.

Practice, retreat, and renewal… in nature and culture

General options—travel and journey for immersion in nature and culture; retreat for renewal of awareness, self, and attitude.

Nature as place of being, immersion, and inspiration

Pictures?

General—as path to real self and being.

Society and culture—instrumental and immersive approaches (political economy, society – its elements and institutions)

Political economy

General options—economic and political thought, individual, charismatic, and collective action, local through global community – challenges and opportunities.

Society and its elements

General options—reflection and action on social organization and institutionalization—small to large scale; cultural (knowledge – generation, vertical and horizontal transmission, and institutions of knowledge and education), political, economic, aesthetic (play, art as understanding and as inspiration, spirit).

Society, institutions, and the individual

General considerations—will leaders in culture, spirit, politics, and economics arise from within institutions or without? It will likely depend on the field of endeavor; and it will not be ‘either / or’—the leaders will have ties to culture via institutions but are likely to act with independence.

General considerations—in ideas, leaders will likely have absorbed ideas and issues of world thought. However, thought within institutions today seems constrained by ideology and mass production. We expect and encourage leaders to have independence from the mainstream. This depends on field and an assessment is that it is more likely in philosophy and humanities than the sciences that the next great ideas will be extra-institutional.

Artifact—technology as being and assistive (self-evolution, exploration of mind and space, synthesis of natural and artificial being)

General considerations—beings undertaking and designing for self-evolution; exploration of mind and space; synthesis of natural and artificial being.

Self-evolution

Possibilities of being.

Exploration of mind and space

Meditation and exploration of space via technology.

Synthesis of natural and artificial being

Independent and cooperative artificial being.

Universal (yoga, search for the ultimate)

Yoga

Yoga (practice and synthesis of be-ing and becoming; living at two levels, pure and pragmatic; synthesis over spacetime and above spacetime.

Search for the ultimate

Search for gateways to the ultimate in and from the immediate.

Beings and community

Morning, first things – wake early (everyday preparation, home, away)

Every day

Set and sustain attitude

Set and sustain attitude – defuse, center, act. See affirmation and dedication, and the Internet resources for more on affirmation and dedication.

Review and plan the day through life, death, and beyond

Review day through life plans.

Focus for the day – single vs multiple.

Rise and prepare for the day

Rise – preliminary actions for the day (e.g., medications, treatments, and breakfast).

Home

Prepare for activities of the day (e.g., open folders and files, set times and alarms, short walk).

Away

Chart the day.

Ground

Though part of the way, ground is preliminary (i) as support for the way (ii) for urgent needs as they arise.

What is essential? Return to minimal living in the moment at any time (‘zero’)

Safety, security (e.g., money, place – nature and community – for TWB).

The way (foundation, realization)

Foundation

Experience the world, reading, reflection, synthesis and sharing (e.g., developing TWB, sharing, publishing, advertising, earning).

Realization

Living the way, yoga (physical, meditative), sustaining path through doubt, pain.

Nature as inspiration.

Society and sharing – general options—local to global; politics and economics; relationships, work, school; sports.

Technology – general options—technology for exploration of space, and experiential being – AI as agent and complement to (human) beings.

Afternoon (tasks, exercise and excursion)

Tasks

Tasks, lunch (from day to life+).

Exercise and excursion

Exercise, excursion, select activities (e.g., up to two hours walk or bike; explore; local hikes-rides-climbs; photo essays).

Evening (review – plan – prepare, activities, sleep)

Review, plan, and prepare

Review planning and other activities – immediate through long term; shower, supper, and fluids.

Activities

Share, network, the way.

Entertainment without dissipation, home or evening out, relaxation.

Sleep

Sleep early.

Resources

To be overhauled.

The Way of Being

Daily routine – home (pdf, word docm), away (pdf, docm).

The Way of Being – a program (pdf, docm).

The Way of Being – affirmation with dedication and attitude setting and resetting.

The Way of Being – site, in-process long version of this work.

Reference

For a system of (human) knowledge based in the real metaphysics, see a system of knowledge.

Action and immersion

For social action, see challenges and opportunities.

Sources

For sources, see my influences and main influences.