This beautiful, intricate world: I

The twentyfirst number. Time to stop for a moment and enjoy the view.
It may seem an unimportant detail, but in August 2001 labels became available which supply the ongoing text with information about the concept. On my part they suit me very well because;

1. they contribute to the clearer definition of the concepts and
2. they advance the accessibility of that information to such good effect that my descriptions in pattern-line and story-line can be much more compact.

You, the reader, now have the notions and their facets directly under the mouse. Where that seemed proper they have been added to the older pages.
First I'll walk past the lines to take a look at what has happened there. I then finish this survey with a description of the result of the quest up till now and of some consequences which I draw from the acquired insights.
 

Patterns (of beginning): the identity directed towards action

Altogether six patterns have been discussed. To the three patterns directed to the outer world from the reaction in the inner world the three which are directed to action in the outer world have been added, namely the Aries-pattern in ZZZine #12, Leo-pattern in ZZZine #15 and Sagittarius-pattern in ZZZine #18. The two groups are in principle, perpendicular to and next to each other. To put it differently: the 3 forms of spatial presence from the reaction in the inner world have an energetic and contrasting connection with the 3 forms of spatial presence in the outer world.

The 'frame of thought' has been broadened with the idea of mutually related functions. How we handle, control and develop our functions (= potentialities) into capacities in the course of time.

• In #12, the Aries-pattern, the process as it intervenes practically into the outer world has been described;
• in #15, the Leo-pattern, a first start has been made with the treating of the inner coherence based on themes in "self-government, personality-type and individuality";
• in #18, the Sagittarius-pattern, the theme "elbow room, growth in relation to vacuum" has been elaborated on a little further.

Patterns are an interesting approach to the personality. The birth chart is the instrument for this [ note ].
 

From chart, via dynamics, towards functions and connections

Starting from the first descriptions of related systems and processes with their coordinates of space and time, we continued with the numbers four till six of the series:

4. - ZZZine#13: the orientation in space and time - with many illustrations and three different animations - based on the turning of the earth and its movement in respect to the other heavenly bodies was begun in # 9 and has now been rounded off. A map refers to characteristic features of an area and the hands of a watch refer to points in time in a continuous progress, and in this way the coordinates on our chart refer to the characteristic features of specific events
5. - ZZZine#16: we have looked at the process in a new manner. From the energy of contrasts and counterparts emerges a pulsating and 'natural' movement between the phases of inner and outer world: inherent dynamics. The description of her inner duality has induced a new view of the notion of individuality.
6. - ZZZine#19: gives a survey of the relations between all processes, and of man as space-time system of distinct and mutually related functions which progress as processes. It offers starting points for the treatment of the complex internal and external connections, aids for the description of the process in space and time.

With this I consider the preliminaries as more or less completed. The foundation has been laid. At the end of this zine I shall return to this.
 

How becoming happens

Meanwhile I have shared some more personal memories, discussed connections with information from my birth chart, elucidated on how I learn to manage certain functions. In short, how I have become and how I proceed on my way to what only I can become.
The titles four to six are:

4. - ZZZine #14, Family Traits: 'Mother's Genes', tells of the relation of a human being as a unique process with its origin, which naturally lies in the past, and by way of genes can be passed on.
5. - ZZZine #17, Family Ties: 'Close By and Distant', here we have an example of the necessity to get to know your past as best you can, in order to give it your attention and to try to understand its meaning for life thereafter. In view of the notion ideal the functions of interpreting, self governing and consistency have been discussed, also in their connection with the presence function.
6. - ZZZine #20, Becoming a Father: 'A Man of Principle', and 'Values, Belches as First Attempts at Fathering Myself?' Here, at last, my image of father has become more clear. Furthermore, I have talked about my fundamental standpoint, in spite of an earlier resolution not to do so. Under the notion of communication the relate & transfer function together with the exchange function has been discussed. For the first time I have applied the technique of determining a relation in time with the outer world. It turned out that the relate & transfer, self governing, consistency, renew and remove functions were directly involved with the events described.

At the start of the quest I have said: 'I found it quite paradoxical that it was inevitable that I would take my own aims and emotions as my starting-point and my essential subjectivity as a standpoint' and: 'It was just as paradoxical that unpleasant experiences turned into valuable experiences'. I explored uncertainties and obscurities and gained new insights. Perhaps as reassurance I can say that I received and still receive so much understanding and sympathy as a person could wish for. I can proceed with my search with new eyes.
 

The mutual effectiveness of the parts

The word 'theme' means, in general, the subject about which a person speaks, thinks or writes. In linguistics it is the main part of a statement which indicates the subject. In music it is an important or often repeated melody or series of notes in a composition. In processes it is the effectiveness of the parts of the inner network between themselves which indicates the mandate or the goal. The component parts of a process, the general pattern of phases and colourings, the functions in their mutual connections and the functions in relation with the genaral pattern, provide the process with a singularity which develops itself in the course of time in and with the aid of an outer world. It could be that a process expresses and develops its characteristic function in more than one theme.

The intention to discuss themes in a separate series has not yet got off the ground. In ZZZine #17 and ZZZine #18 respectively the topics ideal and elbow room and growth in relation to vacuum have been described. This does not mean that the subject has been fully elaborated on. The time and ZIGZAGZINE may not yet be ripe for it, nevertheless themes continue to interest me.
The quest for what announces itself in the connections between the constituent parts goes on.
 

This beautiful, intricate world: II

The process may at first have looked like a rigid structure but turns out exactly unbelievably diverse. And indeed, slowly the description of the theory of the process starts to take on form and substance. The process, that cannot but seek its goal, literally and metaphorically moves the world as we know it. And not only that. In the world as we can know it everything is process and all processes are mutually connected. Thus everything is continually becoming and life is a learning process for the optimal use of one's unique capacities and probably also for other reasons. Someone's origin and outer world are there for the proper mandate, like the own goal is there for the world.

The order of things

My search this far has moved (in a zigzag) past a number of important points. I find it useful for this survey to highlight the results.

• At a certain time I read about the need of management experts and other scientists for a common structure. They noted that the exchange of ideas between highly specialised disciplines was hampered by the lack of a general apparatus of concepts. Experts (like H.R. Maturana and F.J. Varela, L. von Bertalanffy and also K.E. Boulding) looked into the problem. A systems theory was developed. Thinking about the notion 'system' I arrived at the much broader notion of 'process'.
• I realised that the horoscope is a very old application of a process, although this seemingly is hardly recognised as such among astrologers. It seemed worthwhile to me to look into the structure of that age-old world view and find out why it works.
• Next I looked to Einstein and some philosophers for help, which led to the recognition of a number of elemental human principles at the base of that process.
  1. the singularity principle, every process is the unique combination of potentialities, concresced in space and time [ note ],
  2. the dynamic principle, moves itself on the duality of inner and outer world [ note ],
  3. the dialectic principle, knows three forms of activity namely initiating, opposing and uniting,
  4. the relativity principle, applies them in four combinations of space and time with its inner world and its outer world.
• When thoroughly studying space and time it became clear that there are no influences acting upon us from outer space. Both the nature of the outer world and the character of the singular process are connected with separate systems of coordinates and events are described by them. That is sufficient.
• The pairs of contrasts from Whitehead's 'philosophy of organism' matched the meanwhile described structure seamlessly. The process's apparatus of concepts could be deepened.
• While studying the coherence of processes, the extremes and the functions, which realise connections inside and between processes, the notion of duality as defined by physics became clear and the notion individuality could get a new meaning. Thus the notion of the process of man in the world gained still more clarity.

I want to draw attention to the fact that in this line of the quest ethical factors have not presented themselves once. The collection of processes of which our world as we can know her is composed, does not discriminate between good and evil or beautiful and ugly. Everything just has its function.

Consequences as I draw them

Since the first ZZZine the purpose of the search has become more clear to me bit by bit. The collected information is not particularly new but has been looked at with new eyes. What I am saying now is characteristic of the process of becoming conscious that is a constituent part of the process of self-realisation [ note ]. As I noted in the last ZZZine, I now see principles as ideals which I have tested and want to realise, from which I draw my consequences, which I translate into limits and choices. I have discovered that in my thinking and actions, in the relation with myself and the inner reactions to my outer world I want to start from the core principle that no two things are identical and as a consequence all existence has a unique and autonomous function, and consequently has equal value and so equal rights, that I as a person deserve no more and no less respect than the teacup I am using.
I think that all forms of self-governing, the practical application of a personal principle in the daily relation with their outer world, always presupposes self-respect. As a consequence of an alteration of general principles the rules according to which a person lives and their conduct can be altered. An example is the euphoria of expectations after WWII, which in ZZZine #20 for a moment caught some light. That euphoria had effects among other things on ideals about education, relations and the individual, and stranded on its egotism. The present world knows several ethical systems of thought, and measured against their practical effects their content is unclear, to say the least. I am thinking of moral, religious, economic, social judicial systems of thought including many 'Declarations of the rights of ...', like those of humans, children, women, animals. The lot could be replaced by only one other, namely of the rights of the grain of sand. This is only partly a joke.
Indeed, social structures have become unreliable and ridiculous. As a responsible person with a good common sense I feel obliged to start from my own principles instead.

General consequences?

Behind the question of who we are and what distinguishes us as an individual, another question can be detected, namely: 'What makes the world turn?'. Yes, what really moves the world of things and people? I do not mean to ask which sources of energy we have at our disposal and how they are used. The answer to that question can be found in science, chemistry and biology textbooks. I mean the question: 'What are the consequences for the thinking part of society of the statement that everything is process and therefore is mandate and all processes are connected with one another?'
Let me first point out that it is impossible that the facts about processes could replace people's religions or standards or shared rituals. It is rather a factual base that offers a framework in which ethical systems of thinking can be placed. Is this a realistic idea? If the solid principle that all existence is equivalent would be accepted as the base of a society it would be posssible

• in case of conflicts to aim at bringing parties together, the need for jails can diminish,
• for people to be inspired to communicate, knowing that they must walk further together in solidarity (the indispensibility, also of the one who has offended against the rules, is a historical fact),
• for responsibility to be advanced; unobtrusive sympathy (that only grows and works creatively on a basis of trust and respect for limits) can replace the theatrical commiserating (that exactly strives and generates relations with two totally fixed roles on a basis of power and negation of limits),
• for available means to be protected against misuse to the benefit of merely a few,
• for the person to feel less insecure and the individual to feel less lonely.

The consequences of this fundament are not immediately overseeable in all detail and possibilities. We can already expect that they are wide-ranging. Thinking about one's place in the world also means that people realise that one, just like everybody else, shall always have to use one's environment. The world is on offer for everyone, profit is a ancient principle, old as the world itself. How we balance between on the one side standing up for one's own needs as they result from the proper unique mandate, and on the other side respecting the autonomy of people and things around us by not taking an unfair advantage of them, I see as growth processes of morality (sharing fairly), of personal integrity, of conscious individuality [ note ].

Ideals and problems

A learning process needs ideals to believe in (believe me, even scientists have their beliefs!), it also needs problems and even raises problems in order to be able to grow. The environment or the outer world can neither be an ideal and faultless place, nor can we people be perfect. We can learn from everything we experience now and have experienced in the past. People and things we fear or raise our anger, for instance terrorists and criminal leaders, can teach us important lessons. It is hard but not absurd to be humble and thankful for the learning material that was offered.

Living is an art; the trick is to extract something of use from everything that 'befalls' us, to give it meaning.