Value Diagram

All cultures in the world, at some point in time of their evolution, have come to the understanding of the relationship of the individual with the community and the cosmos. This relationship was acknowledged – and expressed in art, architecture, thought, ideas, anything that humans wished to do.

How are these components sequenced? And what becomes of our nature of existence? Let’s try to answer above questions –

The very first component is the void/ space/ formlessness/ consciousness which is the medium wherein, everything else gets manifested, transformed/changed and dissolved. This is a direct experience that cannot be verbalized. We all are made of this stuff. Since it is eternally present, It is beyond the effects of Time and Space. Applying this logic to everything, it therefore follows that everything has a define property – everything just exists - everything can be said to be beyond judgment. But the Formless nature manifests into something continuously and again slips back to its original character. This fundamental tendency is to be accepted. Once accepted, we can also accept ourselves as projections of tendencies occurring in this divine consciousness, which lead to subsequent action and products/ built environment. This tendency of continuous creation represents a “worldview”. This tendency is the subject matter of having a “direct experience” – moksha or enlightenment.

By the very nature of creation – everything that may be termed as good or bad, gets created and changed. Good or bad are the labels we give by the effects these thoughts create on the external environment. Otherwise causes and effects (or tendencies of manifestations) are neutral events. Since we realize the effects of positive and negative actions on all things that are dependent, we ‘prefer’ good thoughts/actions/ products. This choice of good thoughts is to be exercised continuously. Another word for good thoughts is ‘values’. Environment, dependence, social, moral behaviours, support, empathy, cooperation, good will, right action – all come under values. Values represent preferred ‘intent’ behind actions. Values also represent a position taken by the individual that he/she is more than the limited body and the limited mind. Since he/she becomes aware of this reality, he/she is required to think about his/her actions in much more depth.

How should one exercise values or intents and how would they establish the link from the cosmic tendency to our individual acts? This gets expressed in “idea diagrams”. Another way of looking at idea diagram is to make tangible those cosmic tendencies and their subsequent implied values towards right action, which will reinforce this connection of cosmic to the individual acts of creation. Idea diagram may be expressed as a sketch, sculptor, painting, installation, architecture, music – probably anything. Vastupurusha mandal is one such idea diagram. Yin and Yang is another diagram that talks about the tendency of manifestations and Time. Thus idea diagrams need to say something about Time, interconnections, hierarchies, Space, recurrence or transformations, our role in the creative act. In other words, idea diagrams may be considered as ideal templates for living and devising a path that responds to the tendency of cosmic creation.

These idea diagrams then lead to more tangible stuff such as activities/ rituals/ systems/sequences/ actions (the “how” of action) and the subsequent organization of spaces and the built environment.

This is finally where things get seen.

Therefore, what is seen will eventually be transformed at a physical and mental level. What is seen indicates a divine quality and an intent + process. What is seen, is just a ‘pause’, else everything is just dynamic.

All cultures have acknowledged this, have expressed this, and have created modes of action accordingly.

Even if we didn’t know the above realization of knowledge, our mind + body is a mechanism to make us realize above fact. The way to do this is to act and review/ decode. It will individually lead each one of us to the same realization. Despite such broad observation laid down here, Krishna indicates 5 steps (intents/ approaches in action) that reveal the divinity in us and the environment.

a.       To meditate – and to just observe the nature of thoughts, the rise and fall of the thoughts and to understand the meaning of attachments they create. Hence, to remain fixed/ centered in the experience of divinity.

b.      To realize divinity in all existence

c.       To concentrate on just one form or a situation compassionately and understand it completely so as to realize a divine potential in oneself.

d.      To be engaged in work and offer all fruits of action to God.

e.      To be engaged in one’s living without expectations regarding one’s actions.

All our actions take place in this template and whatever we do, we are dealing with consciousness. In our day to day living, we will realize the “weight” of thoughts that compel us to act and the tussle one has to deal with - essentially of memory and freedom. It’s a tough road ahead and the only way to respond is to keep doing the right thing as long as we live.