To incorporate themes and rituals without dogma, you need to make them live, to become alive for you, yourself.To do this, any ritual or theme signifier has to evoke a “signified” in you; in other words, it has to bring forth some sort of inner meaning or feeling in you.
If you think a particular ritual or theme is beautiful, then you already have a start on the signified feeling or meaning.Your job, should you accept this challenge, is to amplify and deepen that feeling or meaning, to make that ritual or theme your own.Once that is done, then the dogma (intellectual, non-experiential) aspect has been greatly reduced or eliminated.
The effect of dogma on rituals and themes is similar to a metaphor I once read.It described how a new religion is like a new light bulb.It initially glows brightly in the dark and helps cast away shadows.However, as time goes by, theology and dogma replace experience and this is like putting a shade over the light.It not only directs the light, but also colors it.Later, as the shade and the bulb age, less and less light is cast.The rituals become hollow, where previously they were more meaningful.Twilight approachesThen another light bursts forth and the cycle of life and creation continues.
So, the bottom line is you’re going to have to create your own “light”.This can often be done through researching about how these particular rituals or themes originally developed and evolved, so as to get an idea of what sort of “light” they were originally broadcasting, so you can “tap into it”.By “tap into it”, I mean that through your research and meditation on the ritual or theme, often a particular inner feeling or understanding about it is elicited.By figuring out ways to accentuate that feeling or meaning, you can help re-create that light again.Different stimuli elicit different responses in different cultures.Thus, your act of creation is to find what stimuli you and our present culture need to be presented in order to call forth that particular feeling or light.Looking at this from a semiotics point of view, you create a particular sign or signifier that brings forth a signified that corresponds to a particular meaning or “light.”You really are creating true meaning when you do this, make no mistake about it.
Another way to do this is to just sense into your self and see what sorts of feelings or meanings are evoked by the particular ritual or theme you are exploring.Once that is done, then be creative and figure out other ways to accentuate that feeling, both internally and externally.While this might seem pretty idiosyncratic or even narcissistic, there are two ways to look at this: are you doing the ritual for your self or for others?If for yourself, then the results are what counts and so what you are doing is appropriate.However, if you are also doing it for others, because we are all connected at some level, when a person delves deeply enough into a ritual or theme, idiosyncrasy vanishes and archetypal symbolism (deep structure) arises.Thus, what is created is something that evokes a similar feeling in many people, not just your self.This is the way of great art.Something may be done just for the satisfaction of the artist and/or their customer, but the result may evoke feelings of awe and beauty for generations or even millennia.Think the Beatles, the Talking Heads, Mona Lisa, Monet, Venus de Milo.
It is the creative aspect you are adding that makes the ritual or theme live and fills it with meaning.This is an example of the effect of “Eros” that we see bandied about on Integral Life.The act of creation is its “juice” and experience is its vehicle.So, go create some today!
I don't know if you have heard about the "metaphor neurons" Apparently there is a certain area of the brain that lits up when a metaphor hits the right spot. In some people this particular area is well-developped and "alive" and in others it is not so much. I think I read this in the New Scientist some time ago. Well there is no doubt that it all gets very busy up there in certain states of meditation and not necessarily just in meditation. I guess it is the UL dancing with the UR. It is very interesting that you used "creative" "juice" and " Eros" in connection with great art and beautiful rituals. Beautiful rituals hit the Eros spot every time but you have to be awake to their intrinsic and alive meaning for them to renew themselves at every performance and continue to nourish your body and soul.. Otherwise, as you said it is old Dog-ma when it becomes too ritualistic, repetitive, and eventually dead.
It is also obvious to a practitioner of some experience that for these areas in the brain, the neo-cortex I believe, to become "alive with bliss" (I don't know how else to express it) and pervading the rest of our particular embodiment, at least at this stage, the only thing that seems necessary is an out-of-the-ordinary strong feeling of empathy with others. And whether this feeling is one of sharing fully in their joy or compassionate sorrow for their troubles, it does not seem to make much difference to the firing neurons, they fire! They do what they do, and the practitioner begins to understand in wonder, the real meaning of the expression "Living under Grace" And I think this is what the original Light of these beautiful rituals was supposed to enact in the devotees, ans still does, but you have to be awake!.
Always enjoyable to read you Mike. Say hello to the beautiful canine.
.jpg)
Please Log in to Vote.
2 out of 3 members found this useful.
Creative Incorporation: Teaching old dog(ma) new tricks
Posted June 11th, 2009 by Mike BrelandTo incorporate themes and rituals without dogma, you need to make them live, to become alive for you, yourself. To do this, any ritual or theme signifier has to evoke a “signified” in you; in other words, it has to bring forth some sort of inner meaning or feeling in you.
If you think a particular ritual or theme is beautiful, then you already have a start on the signified feeling or meaning. Your job, should you accept this challenge, is to amplify and deepen that feeling or meaning, to make that ritual or theme your own. Once that is done, then the dogma (intellectual, non-experiential) aspect has been greatly reduced or eliminated.
The effect of dogma on rituals and themes is similar to a metaphor I once read. It described how a new religion is like a new light bulb. It initially glows brightly in the dark and helps cast away shadows. However, as time goes by, theology and dogma replace experience and this is like putting a shade over the light. It not only directs the light, but also colors it. Later, as the shade and the bulb age, less and less light is cast. The rituals become hollow, where previously they were more meaningful. Twilight approaches Then another light bursts forth and the cycle of life and creation continues.
So, the bottom line is you’re going to have to create your own “light”. This can often be done through researching about how these particular rituals or themes originally developed and evolved, so as to get an idea of what sort of “light” they were originally broadcasting, so you can “tap into it”. By “tap into it”, I mean that through your research and meditation on the ritual or theme, often a particular inner feeling or understanding about it is elicited. By figuring out ways to accentuate that feeling or meaning, you can help re-create that light again. Different stimuli elicit different responses in different cultures. Thus, your act of creation is to find what stimuli you and our present culture need to be presented in order to call forth that particular feeling or light. Looking at this from a semiotics point of view, you create a particular sign or signifier that brings forth a signified that corresponds to a particular meaning or “light.” You really are creating true meaning when you do this, make no mistake about it.
Another way to do this is to just sense into your self and see what sorts of feelings or meanings are evoked by the particular ritual or theme you are exploring. Once that is done, then be creative and figure out other ways to accentuate that feeling, both internally and externally. While this might seem pretty idiosyncratic or even narcissistic, there are two ways to look at this: are you doing the ritual for your self or for others? If for yourself, then the results are what counts and so what you are doing is appropriate. However, if you are also doing it for others, because we are all connected at some level, when a person delves deeply enough into a ritual or theme, idiosyncrasy vanishes and archetypal symbolism (deep structure) arises. Thus, what is created is something that evokes a similar feeling in many people, not just your self. This is the way of great art. Something may be done just for the satisfaction of the artist and/or their customer, but the result may evoke feelings of awe and beauty for generations or even millennia. Think the Beatles, the Talking Heads, Mona Lisa, Monet, Venus de Milo.
It is the creative aspect you are adding that makes the ritual or theme live and fills it with meaning. This is an example of the effect of “Eros” that we see bandied about on Integral Life. The act of creation is its “juice” and experience is its vehicle. So, go create some today!
Yours in Creation,
mb