Principle 1 Adaptation – Week 3 – 2025

 January 16, 2025 

Principle 1. The Principle of Adaptation. Third Week.
“To Go Against the Evolution of Things is to Go Against Oneself”

Last time: Stories and the Game of Ask!

This time: Is it dusk or dawn? The Game of Name It!

Over the previous two weeks we focused on the  general structure, and implications of the principle, and we also investigated how this principle worked (or didn't) in our past. We also played a game of Ask About It! 

Did you try it out? Did you listen? Did you hear?

This Week:

Over the previous weeks we focused on: the  general structure and implications of the principle, and how it applied in the past. We also played two of our monthly games.

As for me, this week I’m going  turn to considering how this principle might cast light on my current situation. I’ll try and list some the pressures, challenges, or difficulties that I am facing. I’ll ask myself how my understanding or behaviour might be informed by the principle of adaptation? What light does it shed on these circumstances? How might it change things and so on? Equally I might consider what the consequences could arise from misapplying or ignoring it? 

Can I see at least one situation where taking the principle into account might be useful? 

Second, we’ll play a round of our next game called, 

“Name It!”

The idea is easy, come up with an alternative name and wording for the principle. It should synthesize your understanding of a central aspect of 

what it means for you. As in the following example, these personal takes on the principles generally only capture an aspect of the original. Still, like stories, jokes, and anecdotes they seem worth considering.

Personal Reflections:

Here’s some more raw material that I hope you will find useful in your own reflections.

Last week when I was reflecting on past situations, I at least had the advantage of hindsight. That is, looking back in the past I could discern, to some extent, the path that events followed. That allows me to say that what I thought of as inevitable direction was just a hiccup, or what I thought was just a fad was the first stirrings of a historical trend. Looking at my present situation it can be much more difficult to make those judgments. How can I know when a tendency is “the evolution of things” and when it’s just a possibility, an accident, a passing fashion?

For example, given the ecological, economic, political and social chaos of our times it’s easy enough to believe that the world is inevitably heading toward destruction. Is that what is happening?

What looks like we are falling head over heels into the apocalypse can just as easily be understood, not as the fall of humankind but, as the much overdue collapse of outgrown institutions and ideas making room for something new. Certainly civilizations run their course, and people outgrow their ideologies but that’s not the end of the world… perhaps as some of us believe it signals, on the contrary, the real birth of the human being.

The consequence of mistaking the end of certain institutions for the end of history could prove ridiculous, or even tragic.

Coming Up:

Next week we will look at what it might mean to apply this principle in relation to our future. We’ll also play a round of our fourth game called, Explain It!

Remember:

Close your eyes 

Dive deep inside and discover the source of inner peace, vital force and real joy. 

Open your eyes 

Live intensely and discover how to transform the ordinary circumstance of your daily life into your spiritual path.

Worth Repeating:

…Though you may be wise and powerful, if happiness and liberty do not grow in you and in those around you, I will reject your example… …Follow the model of that which is being born, not that which takes the path toward death…

Internal Landscape Chapter I The Question

Evolution or Apocalypse?

Is it the end or a new beginning? Is it dusk or dawn? Take a look at the picture. Is the cat going up or down the stairs? Look again you might be wrong. What about the people in the Escher drawing?

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 (where you can also find information regarding our Sunday study group, and our biweekly guided experience meeting).

Note:

Peter has volunteered to be our host next week.

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

Is the cat going up or down the stairs?