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03-27-2003, 10:37 AM
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#1 |
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Foot Elite
 Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 3,344
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Integral theory....
I thought I'd explain this 'integral theory' i've mentioned with this thread. I'm gonna go at it in parts, instead of slamming y'all with it all at once.
Basically, I'm going to introduce you to a system of developmental psychology called 'Spiral Dynamics' (which Wilber has slightly adapted). Enjoy. Spiral Dynamics sees humanity proceeding through eight general stages, which are also called memes. In Spiral Dynamics, a meme is simply a basic stage of development that can be expressed in any activity. These memes are NOT rigid levels but flowing waves, with much overlap and interweaving, resulting a dynamic spiral of consciousness unfolding. Development is not a linear ladder but a fluid and flowing affair. The first six levels of consciousness are called 'first-tier' levels. But then there occurs a revolutionary shift in consciousness: the emergence of the 'second-tier' levels. We will be paying particular attention to this quantum leap into the hyperspace of second-tier consciousness. Here is a brief description of all eight levels of consciousness (Wilber tracks a few more than the standard eight in his system), the percentage of the world population at each wave, and the percentage of social power held by each. Both colors and names are used for the stages. Here goes: -1) Beige, Survival Sense: sharpen instincts and innate senses -2) Purple, Kin Spirits: seek harmony and safety in a mysterious world -3) Red, Power Gods: express impulsively, break free, be strong -4) Blue, Truth Force: find purpose, bring order, insure future -5) Orange, Strive Drive: analyze and strategize to prosper -6) Green, Human Bond: explore inner spirit, equalize others -7) Yellow, Flex Flow: integrate and align systems -8 ) Turquoise, Whole View: synergize and macromanage I will go into the specifics in the next post.
__________________
"Ninpo began as training to become a moral people and to learn to endure in whatever social condition one is in; to know and accept one's fate, and to live for human beings and all other creatures. The person who masters all of these is a Ninja." (Masaaki Hatsumi) |
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03-27-2003, 10:44 AM
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#2 |
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Foot Elite
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 3,344
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Biege
1. Beige: Archaic-Instinctual. The level of basic survival; food, water, warmth, sex, and safety have priority. Uses habits and instincts just to survive. A distinct self or 'ego' is barely awakened or sustained. Forms into survival bands to perpetuate life.
Where seen: First human societies, newborn infants, senile elderly, late-stage Alzheimer's patients, mentally ill street people, starving masses, the shell-shocked. Forms approximately 0.1% of the world's adult population, and holds 0% of the social power.
__________________
"Ninpo began as training to become a moral people and to learn to endure in whatever social condition one is in; to know and accept one's fate, and to live for human beings and all other creatures. The person who masters all of these is a Ninja." (Masaaki Hatsumi) |
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03-27-2003, 10:50 AM
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#3 |
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Foot Elite
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 3,344
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Purple
2. Purple: Magical-Animistic. Thinking is very animistic; magical spirits, both good and bad, swarm the earth, leaving blessings, curses, and spells that determine events. Forms into ethnic tribes. The spirits exist in ancestors and bond the tribe (resulting in the tribal 'ancestor worship'). Kinship and lineage establish political links. Sounds 'holistic' but is actually very atomistic: 'There is a name for each bend in the river but no name for the river.' Aligns with Jean Piaget's pre-operational mode of consciousness.
Where seen: Belief in voo-doo like curses, blood oaths, ancient grudges, good-luck charms, family rituals, magical beliefs, and superstitions; strong in Third World settings, gangs, athletic teams, and corporate 'tribes'; also magical New Age beliefs, crystals, tarot, astrology. 10% of the adult population, 1% of the social power.
__________________
"Ninpo began as training to become a moral people and to learn to endure in whatever social condition one is in; to know and accept one's fate, and to live for human beings and all other creatures. The person who masters all of these is a Ninja." (Masaaki Hatsumi) |
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03-27-2003, 10:56 AM
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#4 |
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Foot Elite
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 3,344
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Red
3. Red: Power Gods. Also known as Egocentric. First real emergence of a distinct self or 'ego' separate from the tribe; powerful, impulsive, egocentric, heroic. Manifests a belief in mythic saints, archetypes, dragons, and beasts. Archetypal gods and goddesses, powerful beings, forces to be reckoned with, both good and evil. Feudal lords protect underlings in exchange for obediance and labor. The basis of feudal empires--power and glory. The world is a jungle full of threats and predators. Conquers, outfoxes, and dominates; enjoys self to the fullest without regret or remorse; be here now.
Where seen: the 'terrible twos', rebellious youth, frontier mentality, feudal kingdoms, epic heros, James Bond villians, soldiers of fortune (mercenaries), wild rock stars, Attila the Hun, Lord of the Flies, mythic involvement. 20% of the adult population, 5% of the social power.
__________________
"Ninpo began as training to become a moral people and to learn to endure in whatever social condition one is in; to know and accept one's fate, and to live for human beings and all other creatures. The person who masters all of these is a Ninja." (Masaaki Hatsumi) |
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03-27-2003, 11:05 AM
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#5 |
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Foot Elite
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 3,344
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Blue
4. Blue: Mythic Order. Life has meaning, direction, and purpose, with outcomes determined by an all-powerful Other or Order. This righteous Order enforces a code of conduct based on absolutist and unvarying principles of 'right' and 'wrong'. Violating the code or rules has severe, perhaps everlasting repercussions. Following the code yields rewards for the faithful. The basis of ancient nations. Manifests rigid social hierarchies; paternalistic; one right way and only one right way to think about everything. Law and order; impulsiveness controlled through guilt and fear; concrete-literal and fundamentalist belief; obediance to the rule of Order; strongly conventional and conformist. Often 'religious' in the mythic-fundamentalist sense. Sometimes referred to as the 'saintly/absolutistic' level, which can also be a secular or atheistic Order or Mission (such as with the communist 'world revolution'). Aligns with Jean Piaget's concrete-operational mode of consciousness.
Where seen: Puritan America, Confucian China, Dickensian England, Singapore discipline, totalitarianism, codes of chivalry and honor, charitable good deeds, religious fundamentalism (e.g., Christian and Islamic), Boy and Girl Scouts, 'moral majority', patriotism. 40% of the adult population, 30% of the social power.
__________________
"Ninpo began as training to become a moral people and to learn to endure in whatever social condition one is in; to know and accept one's fate, and to live for human beings and all other creatures. The person who masters all of these is a Ninja." (Masaaki Hatsumi) |
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03-27-2003, 11:19 AM
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#6 |
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Foot Elite
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 3,344
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Orange
5. Orange: Scientific Achievement. Also called Rational-Egoic or Rational-Formalistic. At this wave, the self or 'ego' escapes from the 'herd mentality' of blue an seeks truth and meaning in individualistic and scientific terms. The world is a rational and well-oiled machine with natural laws that can be learned, mastered, and manipulated for one's purposes. Highly achievement-oriented, especially toward materialistic gains. The laws of science rule politics, the economy, and human events. The world is a chessboard on which games are played and winners gain preeminence and perks over losers. Manifests as marketplace alliances; manipulate earth's resources for one's strategic gains. The basis of corporate states. Aligns with Jean Piaget's formal-operational mode of consciousness.
Where seen: the 'Age of Reason', Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged, Wall Street, emerging middle classes around the world, the cosmetics industry, trophy hunting, colonialism, the Cold War (from the American side anyways, the Russian side was blue), deism (belief in the 'God of Reason'), the fashion industry, materialism, market capitalism, liberal self-interest. 30% of the adult population, 50% of the social power. Orange is the 'center of gravity' in both North America dn Western Europe.
__________________
"Ninpo began as training to become a moral people and to learn to endure in whatever social condition one is in; to know and accept one's fate, and to live for human beings and all other creatures. The person who masters all of these is a Ninja." (Masaaki Hatsumi) |
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03-27-2003, 11:30 AM
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#7 |
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Foot Elite
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 3,344
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Green
6. Green: The Sensitive Self. In Wilber's system, this stage is referred to as Early Vision-Logic or the Early Centaur. Communitarian, human bonding, ecological sensitivity, networking. The human spirit must be freed from greed, dogma, and divisiveness; feelings and care supersede cold rationality; cherishing of the earth, Gaia, and life. Against hierarchy; etablishes lateral/horizontal bonding and linking. Permeable self, relational self, group intermeshing. Emphasis on dialogue and relationships. The basis of value communities (i.e., freely chosen affiliations based on shared sentiments). Reaches decisions through reconciliation and consensus (downside: interminable 'processing' and incapacity to reach decisions). Refresh spirituality, bring harmony, enrich human potential. Strongly egalitarian, anti-hierarchy, pluralistic values. Belief in the social construction of reality, diversity, multiculturalism, relativisitc value systems; this worldview is often called pluralistic relativism. Subjective, nonlinear thinking; shows a greater degre of affective warmth, sensitivity, and caring, for earth and all its inhabitants.
Where seen: 'deep ecology', postmodernism, Netherlands indealism, Rogerian counseling, Canadian health care, humanistic psychology (like Abraham Maslow), liberation theology (like Martin Luther King, Jr.), cooperative inquiry, World Council of Churches, Greenpeace, ecopsychology, animal rights, ecofeminism, post-colonialism, Foucault/Derrida, politically correct, diversity movements, human rights issues, multiculturalism. 10% of the adult population, 15% of the social power. These percentages are quite a bit higher in North America and Western Europe, where green is very powerful. It's around 20 to 25 percent of the adult population in the United States, for example. Green is the last of the first-tier levels. Second-tier is next.
__________________
"Ninpo began as training to become a moral people and to learn to endure in whatever social condition one is in; to know and accept one's fate, and to live for human beings and all other creatures. The person who masters all of these is a Ninja." (Masaaki Hatsumi) |
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03-27-2003, 11:50 AM
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#8 |
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Foot Elite
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 3,344
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About second-tier
With the completion of the green meme, human consciousness is poised for a quantum leap into 'second-tier thinking'. This is referred to as a 'momentous leap' where 'a chasm of unbelievable depth of meaning is crossed'. This literally changes everything.
In essence, with second-tier consciosness you can, for the first time, vividly grasp the entire spiral of development. You can therefore understand that each level, each meme, each wave, is crucially important for the health of the overall spiral, and thus each is to be cherished and embraced. Very simply, with second-tier awareness, you can see the big picture--and the entire world suddenly appears in a new, vivid, startling light. It's important to realize that each and every individual has all of these memes potenitally available to them. The focus is not on types OF people, but types IN people. Thus, each wave can itself be activated as life condition warrant. In emergency situations, we can activate red power drives; in response to chaos, we might need to activate blue order; in looking for a new job, we might need orange achievement drives; in marriage and with friends, close green bonding. But what none of the first-tier memes can do is fully appreciate the existence of the other memes. Each of the first-tier memes thinks that its worldview is the only true perspective. It reacts negatively if challenged; it lashes out, using its own tools, whenever it is threatened. Blue order is very uncomfortable with both red impulsiveness and orange individualism. Orange individualism thinks blue order is for suckers and green egalitarianism is weak and woo-woo. Green egalitarianism cannot easily abide excellence and value rankings, big pictures, hierarchies, or anything that appears remotely authoritarian, and thus green tends to lash out at blue, orange, and anything post-green. Let me put it bluntly: any first-tier meme will prevent world peace. All that begins to change with second-tier thinking. Because second-tier consciousness is fully aware of the interior stages of development, it steps back and graps the big picture, and thus second-tier thinking appreciates the necessary role that all of the various memes play. Second-tier awareness thinks in terms of the overall spiral of existence, and not merely in terms of any one meme. And thus, with second-tier consciousness, the world begins to make sense, to come together as a whole, to hang together for the first time. Operating from second-tier consciousness, the possibility of genuine peace opens invitingly on the horizon. Where the green meme--the highest of the first-tier memes--begins to grasp the rich diversity and wonderful pluralism of different cultures, second-tier thinking goes one step further. It looks for unions that link and join these different cultures, and thus it takes these separate systems and begins to embrace, include, and integrate them into holistic spirals and integral meshworks. Second-tier thinking, in other words, is instrumental in moving from pluralism to integralism. Well, that's second-tier. On to the specifics....
__________________
"Ninpo began as training to become a moral people and to learn to endure in whatever social condition one is in; to know and accept one's fate, and to live for human beings and all other creatures. The person who masters all of these is a Ninja." (Masaaki Hatsumi) |
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03-27-2003, 11:59 AM
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#9 |
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Foot Elite
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 3,344
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Yellow
7. Yello: Integrative. In Wilber's system, this is referred to as Middle Vision-Logic or the Middle Centaur. It, along with turquoise, is also sometimes referred to as Aperspectival-Integral. Life is a kaleidoscope of interrelated, flowing systems. Flexibility, spontaneity, and functionality have the highest priority. Differences and pluralities can be integrated into interdependent, natural flows. Egalitarianism is complemented with natural degrees of excellence, qualitative distinctions and judgments. Knowledge and competency should supersede power, status, or group. The prevailing world order is the result of the existence of different levels of reality (or memes) and the inevitable patterns of movement up and down the dynamic Spiral. Good governance facilitates the emergence of entities through the levels of increasing complexity (nested hiearchies, or holarchies). 1% of the adult population, 5% of the social power.
__________________
"Ninpo began as training to become a moral people and to learn to endure in whatever social condition one is in; to know and accept one's fate, and to live for human beings and all other creatures. The person who masters all of these is a Ninja." (Masaaki Hatsumi) |
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03-27-2003, 12:03 PM
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#10 |
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Foot Elite
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 3,344
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Turqoise
8. Turqoise: Holistic. In Wilber's system, this is referred to as Late Vision-Logic or the Mature Centaur. Universal holistic system, waves of integrative energies; unites feeling and knowledge; multiple levels interwoven into one conscious system; the basis of extensive wholeness. Universal order, but in a living, conscious fashion, not based on external rules (blue) or group bonds (green). A 'grand unification' or big picture is possible, in theory and in actuality. Sometimes involves the emergence of a new spirituality (such as the 'Web-of-Life' or 'Divine Web' theory) as a meshwork of all existence. Turqoise thinking is fully integral and uses the entire Spiral; sees multiple levels of interaction; detects harmonics, the mystical forces, and the pervasive flow-states that permeate any organization. 0.1% of the adult population, 1% of the social power.
__________________
"Ninpo began as training to become a moral people and to learn to endure in whatever social condition one is in; to know and accept one's fate, and to live for human beings and all other creatures. The person who masters all of these is a Ninja." (Masaaki Hatsumi) |
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03-27-2003, 12:12 PM
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#11 |
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Foot Elite
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 3,344
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a lil more about second-tier
With less than 2 percent of the adult population at second-tier thinking--and only 0.1 percent at turqoise--second-tier consciousness is relatively rare because it is now the 'leading edge' of collective human evolution. Examples of second tier include: the 'global village' itself, Teilhard de Chardin's noosphere, the growth of integral psychology (example: Ken Wilber), chaos theories, complexity theories, the 'spectrum of consciousness', integral-holistic systems thinking, and Ghandi's 'universal harmony'---with increases in frequency definitely on the way, and even higher memes still in the offing....
First-tier memes generally resist the emergence of second-tier memes. For example, religious fundamentalism (blue) is often outraged at second tier because of what it sees as an attempt to unseat its given Order. Egocentrism (red) ignores second tier altogether. Magic (purple) puts a hex on it. Green acuses second-tier consciousness if being authoritarian, hierarchical, patriarchal, marginalizing, opressive, racist, and sexist....
__________________
"Ninpo began as training to become a moral people and to learn to endure in whatever social condition one is in; to know and accept one's fate, and to live for human beings and all other creatures. The person who masters all of these is a Ninja." (Masaaki Hatsumi) |
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03-27-2003, 12:16 PM
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#12 |
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Foot Elite
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 3,344
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hmmm
ok, im done guys. sorry bout the length there!!
 i hope questions and/or discussion ensues. also remember there is a 'third tier' (in Wilber's system) which consists of four additional memes that deal with the truly 'spiritual' levels of consciousness. enjoy!!
__________________
"Ninpo began as training to become a moral people and to learn to endure in whatever social condition one is in; to know and accept one's fate, and to live for human beings and all other creatures. The person who masters all of these is a Ninja." (Masaaki Hatsumi) |
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03-27-2003, 01:02 PM
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#13 |
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Inactive Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: California!
Posts: 11,101
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Wow, that was actually informative!
While I understood what was being said, it didn't "make sense" to me until you started on the second tier. Parts of it reminded me of chakras, and a few other systems I've read about. However, the idea of a spiral, and not "burning your developmental bridges" is a concept that I really found intriguing.
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03-27-2003, 01:44 PM
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#14 |
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Foot Elite
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 3,344
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hmmm
yes, Wilber gave chakric 'parallels' with these....
Chakra 1: beige Chakra 2: purple Chakra 3: red and blue Chakra 4: orange and green Chakra 5: yellow, turqoise, and 'psychic' (shamanism/nature mysticism) Chakra 6: 'subtle' (deity mysticism/archetypal mysticism) Chakra 7: 'causal' (formless mysticism) 'Beyond' Chakra 7: 'nondual' (integral mysticism) There are, of course, parallels in other systems... such as Jean Piaget's and Abraham Maslow's. Its rather alarming how 'coincidental' all these different developmental models are at points....
__________________
"Ninpo began as training to become a moral people and to learn to endure in whatever social condition one is in; to know and accept one's fate, and to live for human beings and all other creatures. The person who masters all of these is a Ninja." (Masaaki Hatsumi) |
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03-27-2003, 01:59 PM
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Handsomest Boy in School
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: The Realm of SJW
Posts: 4,642
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Most impressive
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03-27-2003, 07:04 PM
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#16 |
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Banned
 Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: The Lost Sewer
Posts: 1,829
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Ummm, how did they decide what colors to use and what things they represent?
 
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03-28-2003, 08:41 AM
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#17 |
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Inactive Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: California!
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Anybody can tell you that colors evoke emotions and thoughts. Red, Yellow, Blue, they all effect us in different ways. Maybe not consciously, but definitely subconsciously. We all know Red is a very strong color, we think of strength, anger, passion, power. Blue is calming. Yellow is sunny, happy, and full of energy.
These color archtypes have been around for centuries. |
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03-28-2003, 09:15 AM
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#18 | ||
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Foot Elite
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 3,344
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hmmm
Quote:
Quote:
__________________
"Ninpo began as training to become a moral people and to learn to endure in whatever social condition one is in; to know and accept one's fate, and to live for human beings and all other creatures. The person who masters all of these is a Ninja." (Masaaki Hatsumi) |
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03-28-2003, 01:18 PM
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#19 |
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Banned
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: The Lost Sewer
Posts: 1,829
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Yea, but what if someone thinks black is passionate and pink is rage and blue is instinct and stuff, this all sounds like mere opinions to me...
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03-28-2003, 01:43 PM
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Foot Elite
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 3,344
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hmmmm
Quote:
The colors, in the chakric systems, are often used as meditation tools. If you contemplate red, along with specific breathing forms and hand postures, it may 'activate' chakra 1. These colors aren't pick and choose here. Green works for chakra 4 meditation, it doesn't work for chakra 1. In addition, to those that can actually 'see' chakras and auras and the like, it becomes quickly obvious the colors associated with these chakras have quite literal connotations. Your 'aura' is actually the color of the associated chakra, a very interesting phenomena.
__________________
"Ninpo began as training to become a moral people and to learn to endure in whatever social condition one is in; to know and accept one's fate, and to live for human beings and all other creatures. The person who masters all of these is a Ninja." (Masaaki Hatsumi) |
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Linear Mode
