3 Lenses through which to view Life As IT Is
Dr. Brad Brown, one of the co-founders (along with Dr. Roy Whitten) of the More To Life Program, looked through three lenses when discerning the full reality of any given situation. And it was through these three lenses that he designed experiential exercises that allowed people to arrive at spiritual truths.There is a very big difference between mental knowing of spiritual truths and visceral knowing…like the difference between the concept of riding a bicycle and the actual experience of employing balance, alternate leg movements, and steering.
The three lenses are intra-personal, interpersonal and trans-personal.
Viewing life through the intra-personal lens focuses on knowing who I am and taking radical responsibility for myself. It's about my level of personal mastery and my commitment to it.
Viewing life through the interpersonal lens focuses on the quality of my relationships with others. Do I play second fiddle, assume the lead, create equal partnerships, or any combination in different circumstances?
Viewing life through the trans-personal lens focuses on the bigger picture, whether it's a common goal, a departmental deliverable, the good of the many, the world picture, God/Life/The Force/Universal Light.
In the public courses, Brad taught it as Self, Others, Context. In business, we teach it as Individual, Teams, Company or Personal Accountability, Mutual Respect, Sustainability. (The companies that teach the More to Life principles and skills in the corporate sector are: TriVergent (based in Houston); InterAction (based in London); and Momentis (based in London).
In Christian theology, these same principles apply, except they are known as God the Father (Trans–personal); God the Son (Intra-personal), and God the Holy Spirit (Interpersonal); or The Creator, The Redeemer, The Sanctifier; or Faith, Hope, Love; or Life Is As It Is, I Am Who I Am, You Are Who You Are; or The Limiter, The Exposer, The Evoker. Other religious traditions have different names, but the concept is similar.
If you are into comic strips, it is Lucy (as the Limiter), Charlie Brown (as the Exposer), and Snoopy (as the Evoker).
These three themes run irrevocably through our lives. The more clarity there is regarding each of the three lenses, the more likely we are to be in alignment with ourselves, with others, and with Life Itself. Ignoring any one of these three is like trying to sit on a three-legged stool that has one leg missing.
Admittedly, most of us are more adept in one of these spheres than the others. And it would behoove us to pay attention to all three. My better decisions are made with reference to all three. Example of one of my 'good' decisions: I bought a car that had a GPS in it (for me), it had a high safety rating (for driving around with Hayleigh), and it was a hybrid (for conserving oil resources).
In my experience, the sphere that has the most impact on the other two is – yes, you guessed it – the intra-personal. The more connected I am to my true self, my dreams, my self-mastery – the deeper my relationships, and the more aligned I am with the Bigger Picture. When working with anyone or any group, it is wise to consider each of these lenses.
In my life, I tend toward the trans-personal sphere, with the interpersonal sphere running a close second, and the intra-personal sphere lagging behind the other two. The way it looks in my life is that it really matters to me (at this stage of my life) to be a part of the spiritual evolution of humankind. Most of my energy is spent in some activity that furthers that enterprise – Senior Trainer for the More To Life Program, Partner in TriVergent International, psychotherapist, Reiki Master. I have high quality partnerships in which I am invested and which also serve that enterprise. What gets set to the back burner is my commitment to exercise, and what gets me recommitted to exercise is the difference it makes in my stamina when training – which circles back to being a part of the spiritual evolution of humankind.
How do you relate to these three lenses?
