Engage Your Self: G1

The Core Self

Responsibility for the functioning of a School rests with every single adherent who is expected to take the doctrine extremely seriously.

As shown in the diagram at right, the existence of any doctrine and its school depends on those 7 levels as re-listed in the previous topic.

No adherent has to discharge every level of responsibility, but everyone must realize the fundamentals-G1¹. Many will enjoy getting engaged with new initiates via personalized mentoring-G1². Rather fewer may be involved with higher levels of responsibility although they are likely to be seriously interested in who carries these roles and what they do.

At every level the responsibility demands a full engagement of the self (G1). It is not enough to refer to "engagement" because a person may engage with a set of ideas or paradigm in a superficial "take it or leave it" way or in a dispassionate "apply when obvious or convenient" way.

The specific requirement here is for an immersion or deep involvement that is honest, genuine, and authentic. If the responsibility is not sincere and personally meaningful, it will not be correctly and effectively discharged.

As a result, adherents find that much of their spare time is spent on school matters because this strengthens their sense of self. Also much of their socializing is with like-minded adherents because this reflects, reinforces and reaffirms their engagement and its value as well as confirming their identity.

The quality provisionally applied to the monads and hence g1, the first level in all groups in the framework, is genuine.

Psychosocial Pressure

The core self, must surely be driven by a pressure for autonomy. Otherwise, how could one be certain that it was being engaged?

This aligns with the general finding for G1 in structural hierarchies as investigated for Domain Fundamentals and Controls.

Alternatives: Pressures like understanding or certainty may be important, but surely they are secondary. If a person is excessively pressured by acceptability or well-being or performance, then a doctrine is unlikely to appeal, and selflessness is would oppose engaging your core self.

Responsibilities

G1¹: Realized Fundamentals

If the realization is genuine, the person's experience of the fundamentals will lead to an inner change in their orientation to the world. Their identity will be affected and it will not be comfortable, possible or responsible to ignore the ideas going forward.

G1²: Personalized Mentoring

Mentoring becomes a serious matter. The approach must be genuine with a deep concern to adapt to any recipient's existing personality and biases so as to assist each to reach their own correct understanding of the doctrine.

G1³: Standardized Dissemination

Adherents who take on dissemination often write a book re-stating the fundamentals of the doctrine. They may give public lectures or speak at events. Serious commitment is required because time and effort will be required while there is minimal or no financial benefit.

G1⁴: Formalized Membership

Those carrying this responsibility take on Board roles (Chairman or President, Secretary, Treasurer) typically honorary (unpaid), or get involved in unpaid work in the library or on committees that are liable to proliferate. All adherents are expected to become paid-up members which involves such things as regular attendance at meetings, special events and reading of approved literature.

G1⁵: Recognized Guardianship

Some adherents will find themselves becoming guardians or leaders for the doctrine, and as a result treated with deference by other adherents. This demands a very public identification with the membership body, a deeper and continuous immersion in the doctrine and preoccupation with the future of the school.

G1⁶: Authorized Revision

Those with a scholarly disposition take on the responsibility for analyzing, explaining and developing the fundamentals of the doctrine in a way that will be approved and confirmed by colleagues. Authorization is quasi-informal and occurs through publication in journals and books, invited addresses at member-only meetings and school conferences, and the general response of colleagues.

G1⁷: Generalized Applications

This responsibility entails engagement with some aspect of social life that has been managed without the benefit of the doctrine and showing that the doctrine provides guidance on how to handle that aspect better.

Transition

A school can come into being if the G1-Responsibilities are discharged, but it does not have any life unless the adherents congregate, exchange views and get to know each other.

It is therefore necessary that the school fosters collegiality, and this is made possible by adding an additional level to form dyads.

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• Continue with Collegiality-G2 Dyads.
• Go to the review to see the full picture.

Originally posted: 28-Apr-2024.