On Reference Frameworks

"The particular way we make sense of who we are and what our responsibilities are in the world is completely arbitrary."

One of the purposes of my writing might be to bring forth alternative reference frameworks. In Zhineng qigong a major focus of our practice is to "see through" the frameworks that guide our thoughts and actions so that we can eventually find freedom to view who we are in a way that serves us best in every moment.

As children we are all brought up with the dominant societal reference framework of our time. Reference frameworks help us get along and function well in our communities and help us make sense of the world. For examples, major influences in most of our lives are capitalism, theories from modern science, ideas around morality from various political and religious ideologies, and particular standards of social customs. The reference frameworks we live by are often unseen and we carry on with our day to day lives guided by it in every move. There are moments where the framework breaks down and these moments often stick out as being outside of linear time, as a connection to something deep and vast, or simply as an interaction that feels miraculous.

Reference frameworks are neither good or bad in and of themselves. Reference frameworks or the way we make sense of who we are and what our place is in the world determines how we act and respond to external stimuli. Without a reference framework it would be very difficult to get out of bed in the morning. It is extremely important to remember, however, that the particular way we make sense of who we are and what our responsibilities are in the world is completely arbitrary. Issues with the implementation of a reference framework only arise when we forget this, when we take ourselves and the reference frameworks that guide us too seriously. For example, if I am influenced by a capitalism reference framework and believe that it is the only way of seeing the world, I will have trouble interacting with other beings (human and otherwise) that don't share this fundamental viewpoint. Rather than working to understand the other, I might judge the other negatively, try to convince them that I am right, and I might start a war because I am so sure that they are wrong. Of course, neither of us are right or wrong, we just navigate the world from a different internal structure. Until we can see that the source of our disagreement is merely one of differing reference frameworks, we will continue the war and call it fate, never realizing that we had the power all along to "see through" the situation and find peace, connection, and healing for ourselves and the earth.

Reference frameworks in some ways are like translation software. The absolute Truth of the universe is something that defies all words and images. It exists in non-duality and therefore represents all time, space and all of creation. Since we live our lives in duality, it is necessary to translate this Truth to apply it to our physical existence so that we can function, interact, and make decisions. Reference frameworks are created when the absolute Truth is translated first into images (think cultural symbolism and myth) and then into words (like philosophical texts). As a result, infinite reference frameworks are possible. This is fortunate as we need to be flexible in our reference frameworks to respond to and survive new situations. When our situation in the world changes, for example when a new technology comes into being (think electricity, automobiles, or the internet) it is useful to be able to quickly modify our reference framework (how we see who we are and our place in the world) to respond to the situation in the most free flowing way. If we do not change our reference framework when our environment changes, we might come up against disagreements and energetic blockages which can lead to a lot of pain to ourselves and those around us. We might fight stubbornly to maintain our reference framework by trying to stop the world around us from changing. In doing this, we create an internal war, which will naturally manifest on the outside. The only peaceful way through this situation for someone to see their invisible reference framework and allow it to adapt and evolve. In this way, we can step out of any 2 sided arguments we find ourselves in and forge a new path that is guided by an upgraded way of seeing who we are and what our place is in the world.

Part of any good awakening of consciousness involves seeing the invisible frameworks that guide, move, and in some cases restrict the free flow of our lives. My family was once on the Peter Pan ride in Disneyland when the ride stopped and the lights went on. What had been a magical scene of flying over a London night sky turned into a scene of a dusty room full of garbage, wires and cables, and rudimentary wooden sets. When we see the reference frameworks that guide us, it often feels like this; disorientating, destabilizing, and disturbing. When blind spots are illuminated, they often look like embarrassingly dusty corners and can feel like the realization that you've been walking around with no pants. The Emperor has no clothes is a good example of the trickster energy that swirls around reference frameworks and how topsy turvey interacting with them can be.

Spiritual seekers are often attracted to cultural customs and ways of indigenous peoples. If one is aware of their own dominant reference frameworks and able to be open to trying on a different one, like putting on a new skin, it can be an extremely useful exercise to work with ancient reference frameworks that pre-date the modern era. There is often a lot to learn about different possibilities of interacting with concepts such as love, connection, ownership, and reciprocity. If, however, a person only looks at an indigenous culture for the outward presentation; the customs, ceremonies, sacred images, myths, etc. they run the risk of missing the point. The outward appearance of a culture is only the byproduct of the internal reference framework of how a people fundamentally sees themselves and t

heir responsibilities to their environment. It's like someone with no dance experience putting a tutu and imitating a professional ballerina. You might vaguely look the part, and you might convince some people that you are the real thing, but you will be missing the fundamental internal energetic flow of the dance.

It is clear that the invitation of our time, this point at which where we find ourselves at a great fork in the road, is to adapt and evolve our dominant societal reference frameworks toward ones that will lead us toward finding peace, connection, and enough for all. This reality is available to us when we are able to change our frame of mind. Once we do this, the healing we all yearn for will come to us stronger and faster than we could ever imagine.