Awareness & Holarchies

Instead of talking about ego vs. personality, it may be more useful to talk about awareness and holarices.

Holarchies

A holon is something that is both a whole in itself, and a part of a larger whole. Everything in the universe is a holon, from the smallest subatomic particles to galaxies and most likely the universe itself.

All living beings are a self-regulating system with its own subsystems, and part of the processes and structures of larger system. Humans are partly autonomous systems, we contain subsystems such as organs, tissues, cells, molecules, atoms, subatomic particles, and we are part of the processes of this planet, both social and ecological, and of this universe.

There is differentiation, we can discern systems and their unique characteristics, and they all are part of a seamless and fluid whole. The universe embraces both ends of the part-whole polarity.

Human Health & Development

If we look at human health and development from this perspective, we see that we need to be aware of the holarchical aspect of our existence. It is equally important to develop a strong and healthy personality, as to develop a sense of the seamless whole of existence.

Using the part-whole polarity as a guide can be helpful.

We see that we need to develop a strong sense of ourselves as a unique part, as a system among many other systems. We need to develop awareness and skills so we can take care of ourselves in the world. And we need to develop awareness and skills in how we relate to our many subsystems, including the physical, emotional and mental.

This is often referred to as developing a healthy ego.

And we also see that we need to develop a sense of the larger whole. We are part of family, social, ecological and cosmic systems and are in relationships to all these larger wholes. We need to bring these relationships into awareness, and to develop our skills in relating to all these larger systems.

Eventually, this includes developing a sense of spacious awareness in which all the phenomena of the inner/outer world unfolds.

We deepen our consious relationships with the ourselves as a whole, with our subsystems, and with the larger systems we are a part of.

Through this process, we gradually become more able to bring a more fully awake transdual awareness into life, through this body/personalty and in this world. In relationships with ourselves, others, society, ecosystems, and the universe.

We continue to develop awareness and skills in both ends of the part-whole polarity.