Sense of Self & the Spiral Complex

What is The Self?

In this investigation, we will be looking at a perennial concept—the sense of self—in a new way.

«The self», much like «the mind», is a term that is often used rather loosely. It has become evident in my researches that both are commonly synonyms for "personal functioning". The phrase «sense of self» is more precise because it indicates that we feel there is a self there—whether there is or not!
Examples:

My orientation here is a pragmatic helpful one based on rather simple observations that anyone can replicate or challenge and correct. So, unless there is likely to be confusion about my meaning, I will often use the term "self" in the conventional way.
More:

• These studies are not easily tied in with the usual psychotherapeutic approaches—for those, see the Stabilization Methods-PH'4.
• Nor is the view of current neuroscience that the self does not exist given credence. This attitude refuses to distinguish two planes of reality: the physical and the metaphysical, or if it does distinguish, it denies the metaphysical any power or even the right to exist.
• Some philosophical and social science approaches do align with the present inquiry, especially those which emphasise mindfulness and presence.

New Thinking

The sense that we have «a self» permeates all personal functioning. Many view references to the self (and indeed the whole PH'4-Experience Domain) in a limited way e.g. just about psychotherapy, or just about spiritual issues. A broader view is required: the self experience must be recognized as a core constituent of personal functioning.
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The PH'4 Typology specifies methods for stabilizing personal functioning (i.e. mental stabilization or self-stabilization). These methods underpin practical theories of psychotherapy because the clientele is destabilized persons unable to pursue their endeavours.

Realizing that complex endeavours were the basis for evolutionary success, forces a different orientation to willed experience. This lets us understand what the self or, to be more precise, the experience of having a self, is about.

In investigating the Spiral transformation of the Typology, it was necessary to go back to first principles and draw on more recently developed concepts to appreciate the role of the complete PH'4-Spiral Complex in personal functioning.

The Spiral Complex

The Types in any Typology optimize the Fundamentals in that Domain. They do this by guiding the use of the Primal Vehicle (the PH• Tree)within a Primal Field which is the Tree defined by the Groupings (G) in the Primary Structural Hierarchy.

Here are the fundamentals in the Experience Domain. Provisional versions of these frameworks have been developed and named, but (apart from the Levels). Current draft versions are available in the Taxonomy Notes section.

The TET Axes define the psychosocial context for the Primal Field.

In the case of Experience-PH4, the psychosocial context of a Motivated Presence is determined by attention given to handling others (X-axis: social) and to handling inner mental states (Y-Axis: psychological). Plotting the PH'4-Methods then provides the basis for understanding Domain Controls starting from development of the Spiral trajectory as explained in this section and moving on to the full Spiral-Complex.

Any Spiral-complex specifies essential Domain Controls, the most important of which are:

1. Psychosocial Pressure
   Each Root Level defines a Primary Domain and carries a psychosocial pressure which has a neuro-biological origin and can be irresistible in practice.

   In the case of Experience-RL4, the psychosocial pressure is held to be Well-Being.

2. Primal Need
   In the case of Experience-RL4, this need is held to be Individuality.

   It is evident that all Domain Fundamentals (i.e. an authentic perspective, character manifestation, and a motivated presence) contribute to generating individuality.

3. Primal Means
   Each Domain has a specific Means to meet its Need. In the case of Experience-RL4, the Means to enable Individuality is held to be a Sense of Self.

   Individuality requires a sense of self as a core around which personal functioning as a whole can be individualized. Because our individuality is treated much like a football in social life, the degree of strength of this sense of self is directly relevant to maintenance of our well-being.

4. Primal Controller
   The Means is itself subject to control by Requirements associated with and responding to the Domain's psychosocial pressure: Well-Being

   The Controller for individualizing is currently conjectured to be Adaptation i.e. we adapt under a pressure for well-being to ensure our individuality.

The proposed relation between the Spiral Complex and the Domain Controls for Experience-RL4 is shown in the diagram below:

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• Consider key conceptions before proceeding.

  then

• Apply the Spiral principles

  OR

• Jump to a fuller overview of the self and its development in the Review.

Originally drafted: 25-Jan-2016. Last amended: 10-Jun-2016.