Last column I wrote about how spiritual and psychological systems are useful in many ways, but one way is seeing how kind of ridiculous we can be. When you see your flaws as part of some psychological model or flows of energy, they seem lesser, they seem kind of foolish. Not to discount the very real psychological work we need, but some issues look more ridiculous when you classify them, like realizing you could just oil that squeaky hinge.
Systems – psychological, mystical, etc. – help us see we can be better. Which is something I’d like to address.
Having a “System of Self” (I probably need to make my own term here) means that you are viewing yourself as a process. You’re not solid, not inevitable, not immovable. You’re a thing of inputs and outputs, processes and changes, evolution and decay. You can change – and will change.
You can also decide on the kinds of changes you want to make. Because you are a system – be it one of energy flows or psychodynamics – you can decide how to direct and correct that system. When you think in systems you have a way to see yourself and see where you can make changes. From releasing repressions to changing your elemental balance, you have a way to ask what do I change.
That is incredibly empowering. Your system is a way to think of yourself so you can heal, evolve, and grow. To have a good system is to have a way to rethink yourself and to develop. When you see yourself as parts, it’s easier to be whole sometimes.
For myself, the use of energy flow concepts from Taoist practice, and the psychological ideas of the Five Elements are helpful. When I really began evaluating myself, seeing myself as these changing processes, my perspective shifted into one of tweaking and adjusting.
As noted several times in my writing, I don’t even think the system has to be that good or accurate. It just has to be something to get you started so you can start thinking and learning – and something with the leeway to let you play and think. I mean there’s plenty of criticisms of Freud, but his initial ideas were simple enough to work with.
I think we all need A System to think about ourselves. We need that power to say “yes I can evolve and change.”