[form] Name[text,r_name,30] Email [text,r_email,30] REFRAME Level 3 Lesson 07 UNDERSTANDING THE POLARITIES THAT FRAME A CONTEXT In an earlier lesson we spoke of contexts as being something in which two opposites could function. To reinforce this, here is an example from the Book of Ecclesiastes. 1 ¶ There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: This shows that within TIME Seasons function, and within seasons, we function in our human action. 2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, 3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, 4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, 5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, 6 a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, 7 a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, 8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. 9 What does the worker gain from his toil? 10 I have seen the burden God has laid on men. 11 ¶ He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. This is a good warmup to contemplate the idea of polarities as we use them in REFRAME. Polarities Our brain is made so that it thinks about things in opposites or dichotomies. This takes place by recognising SAMENESS, DIFFERENTIATION and the ability to bring both together as in INTEGRATION. For example we are aware something is dark because we compare it to light, we know something is strong because we compare it to something that is weak. For us to understand something or give it a meaning, we usually compare it to its opposite (so quickly and without too much deliberation) and then decide just how different it is from its opposite. Our meaning arrived at will be somewhere between various sets of polarities or opposites. We use various words in our language to help us describe what we mean about differences or similarities, or finer degrees of difference or similarity. Assessing an Issue To help get an idea of what we need to do with an issue, the REFRAME approach leads you to try and understand the thinking-frames you are holding in relation to that issue. REFRAME uses three common thinking-frames to do that, ones that almost everyone uses almost every day. One may use quite a few thinking frames. For the story of Genesis, you observed six. For normal purposes in life, three are sufficient, and if you wish to use more, you will find that you’ll need to create an additional three as three is a key unit for us to obtain meaning. Groups of three have a dynamic of their own. Action Step: The dynamics of the Proverbs writing style The Book of Proverbs is the core resource for REFRAME in spotting the structures of how people hold issues in their thinking. A CONTEXT is FRAMED by two opposites which we call polarities. They are called polarities because without both the context would not exist. For example what is light without also understanding darkness? There are 3 key ways truth is structured in Proverbs. 1. Coupling: ideas that are the same are paired together in a proverb. This is our brain's ability to spot SAMENESS (two things that look, sound, smell etc. similar) 2. Contrasting: ideas that are opposite to each other written together in a proverb. This is our brain's ability to DIFFERENTIATE (two things that are opposite to each other) 3. Complementing: Don't mistake this for giving compliments. This is about our brain's ability to INTEGRATE. Think more of a complementary angle. This in Proverbs is about both contrasting and coupling together to help describe outcomes. e.g. The proud man becoming humble and the humble becoming exalted. It's the idea of something moving from one state and changing into its opposite in the process. This kind of language is used to describe the truth or wisdom of consequences. It is also the structure of how our mind distorts things as for example exaggeration when we relate something that is small appear larger than what it is (the fishing tales). We can also make something relate as smaller than what it really is (diminish). We can talk about a seed growing into a fine tree or the demise of a fine tree that has its roots eaten away by a small creature (the foxes in Song of Solomon). Click Here for an image sheet to print out ASSIGNMENT TO make sure you've gathered what I wanted to share in this lesson... Please find me 3 - 5 examples (other than my examples) and quote the reference of each: 1. Coupling structures: e.g. Prov. 3:13 ¶ Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. [textarea,coupling examples,4,70] 2. Contrasting structures: e.g. Prov 3:32-35 32 For the froward is abomination to the LORD: but his secret is with the righteous. 33 The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just. 34 Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly. 35 The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools [textarea,contrasting examples,4,70] 3. Complementary structures: e.g. Prov 3:27-30 27 ¶ Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. 28 Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee. 29 Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee. 30 Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm. 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