Matryoshka Dolls and Integral Theory

On the outskirts of Red Square one passes a number of vendors selling Matryoshka Dolls in different sizes and colours.  Seeing them I was immediately struck by the fact that they so aptly illustrate the concept of “transcend and include”.

These Russian nesting dolls are a reminder of the “nested hierarchy”.  Each doll contains the next in size which in turn opens to reveal the next.  Some of them are made up of only 5 pieces whereas some exclusive sets have up to 30.

Unpacking them to discover how many there are within is just as much fun as putting them all back together – a reminder that “unfolding” goes hand in hand with  “enfolding”.  That which has been enfolded is unfolded by the pull of Eros.  Surely this is what life is all about.

With all these thoughts flashing through my mind, I was reminded of the fact that I had once seen a lovely piece on Merton within Merton within Merton.

I recalled too, that the work of Wilber (who is also bald) has unfolded in stages and that he would make a lovely Matryoshka Doll.

More recollection followed as I saw a Matryoshka Doll of Obama and thought about the posts on this site debating whether he heralded the start of the integral age in world politics.

When I got back to the hotel and thought about writing this post, I remembered that it must be about a year since I joined this site.  When I checked I discovered that it was – to the day! It was a post about the state of affairs in South Africa at the time and I can remember my excitement when writing it. 

Seeing I was on a “down memory lane” trip, I looked at my second post, written in almost a stream of consciousness fashion, and in it I had written, “Now that’s what I should do.  Write a piece about Booma dollies!”

These dolls illustrate the whole concept of stages or levels of development as one puts one doll into the next.  We are evolving beings taking in more and more perspectives as we grow.

At the same time the Matryoshka dolls remind us when we unpack them that we also need to go within, as we deal with shadow material and peel off layers of masks,  until we reach the core of who we really are and the place of One Taste.

I am fascinated by doors and photograph them when I travel.  (You can see some of them here and if you are interested, follow my current travels in Moscow on Twitter).  Doors remind me of the fact that they stand between a space behind and a space ahead.

Crossing the threshold to the new can be exciting as can be the return home.

One last thought:  I have included so many links in this post because I feel they are the online equivalent of Matryoshka Dolls. They enable you to see what is within, that is within, that is within  ..... giving you more perspectives as  you expand ever outwards and include even more and more and more .......