Systasis & Synaeresis (1)

The integral structure of the consciousness

By trying to exemplify the transparency and wholeness – typifying the integral structure of consciousness – Jean Gebser introduces 2 terms : “systasis”, meaning “the conjoining or fitting together of parts into integrality” and “synaeresis” – “the conjoining or fitting together of 2 seperate perceptions within the same unity”. This and more you may read in my newest book.

The wholeness is the integral level of your consciousness, where e.g. kind of perception bring the higher, integral interpretation. That’s the world of “All-and-Nothing”, according to Dabrowski level #5, according to Spiral Dynamics’ level of “Coral Red”, corresponding with #9, which represents the wholesness of the process of Healing – Gurdjeff´s & Ouspensky’s enneagram. It’s therefor impossible contemplating these 2 words separately.

Viewing an organism as a special kind of system that excludes no subjectivity and thereby no emotions. Systasis grants the parts of a system a transparency, allowing the organism to be understood as a subject perpetually becoming whole. This is – according to Jean Gebser – a remarkable difference with the definition of a system in a generally speaking. The system that represents “The Individual and introspective Autopoiesis transcending into or together with the Collectivum and extraspective Concrescence” is the integral and a integrative conjunction.

This what systatis means to me in a broader way. When I compare systasis with autopoiesis, then it looks – by the word ”part” – that systasis is more objective, a more composing process by parts from outside into the borders of e new, integral system, while autopoiesis is working from inside out based upon self-(auto-)reproduction from a view of networking, whereas autopoiesis looks more organic, more subjective and so even more emotionally driven. So that’s why I like to say it is composing 2 different “systems” which transcendent to a higher integral level of consciousness.

How do I integrate the word “synaeresis” in this description ? Basically the meaning of the word is simply : “perceiving in a new way after 2 seperately being perceived objects/subjects/parts have conjoined (systasis)”. Phonetically let’s take the example of the letters “p” and the ”h”, pronounced as “pi” and “aadg” after conjoining them into –ph-, “phi” is heard. Instantly I can not find out if this phenomenon – “synaeresis“ – is appointed to 1 dimension of perception, in this example “the audibility”.

Is this a kind of prove that human is unable to define a phenomenon by 1, 2 or perhaps a combination of 3 dimensions of perception tools ? Is this where lays the power of intuition within : “touch – matter” / “smell/taste – molecule/ion” / “hear – vibrating molecules” – “see – frequency” / “intuition – resonance” ? Is intuition or sympathy – Henri Bergson – a kind of tool or to be  developed skill that may help human himself – “individuation” – to perceive and interpret other human beings and their surroudings – “collectivum” – in a more proper way; free of disturbance and noise so more pure as an energetic entity ? Does this also imply that the learning process for human – getting conscious – is an ultimate way by using all perception tools during the 4 phases of learning, simply translated into ”learning-by-doing & (self-) reflection”, so by experiencing phenomena as a whole ?

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