Personal Mastery and Organised Abandonment through the path of Sadana.
In Peter Senge’s The Fifth Discipline, one of the five disciplines is Personal Mastery (the others being Systems Thinking/ Sensing, Mental Models, building a Shared Vision, and Team Learning). Senge equates personal mastery with personal growth and learning, espoused by those who “are continually expanding their ability to create the results in life they truly seek.”
In the field of Systems Dynamics the seeker of the interconnectedness of things is known as a Systems Practitioner and their daily practice is known as Personal Mastery.
In the Vedanta traditions, the seeker on the path of Jnana Yoga - the study of consciousness through the path of knowledge, is known as a Sadak. Their daily practice is referred to as Sadana.
Let's explore the foundational principles of Personal Mastery, Organized Abandonment, and Systems Thinking through the lens of Sadana.
Viveka: Discrimination between the Real and the Unreal
Viveka is the capacity to discriminate between first principles or universal truths and temporal assumptions. It is also the capacity to recognise the impermanence of all things and the ability to retain a sense of proportionality or equanimity through the vicissitudes of life.
This requires us to keep suspending and also updating our assumptions while sincerely seeking to understand and accept what is. Simply put Viveka is the capacity to accept current reality, it is the state in which we expect nothing and accept everything exactly as it is.
It’s only once we cultivate equanimity or an acceptance of ‘what is’ or our ‘current reality’ that we can start building the muscle for Vairagya or dispassionate attachment.
Much like in the Vedanta, in the practice of Personal Mastery from a Systems perspective, it is only once we accept our current reality relative to our desired state can we generate the creative tension required to move from mindless activity or inertia into generative momentum.
Vairagya: Liberation from the Feverishness of Desires
In the Vedantic philosophy it is said that when a thought occurs and is mulled over and entertained with attachment it turns into a desire. When this desire is pondered upon for too long turns into either an anxiety (loss aversion), or anticipation (projection) taking us away from the present reality into a state of illusion based on our biases and projections.
The practice of Vairagya is the systematic suspension, evaluation and abandonment of attachment to assumptions as well as limiting beliefs and self created constraints. Vairagya is not about owning nothing; it's about nothing owning you.
Liberation from the feverishness of desires requires a broader vision, balancing passion and dispassion. True dispassion radiates enthusiastic tranquility. It is the space in which curiosity and insight thrive.
For a Systems Thinker the practice of Vairagya - detachment from our assumptions and mental models allows us to move from our perceived data to look for more data and move beyond our initial conditioned interpretation of things to a more objective view on things on the ladder of inference.
Shadshampat: The Sixfold Virtues
Shadshampat, the sixfold virtues, shape our character and foster spiritual growth:
Sama (Control of the Mind): Achieving mental equanimity by regulating our limbic systems to move beyond amygdala hijacks to a state of neutral present awareness.
Dama (Control of the Senses): Cultivating somatic awareness allows us to move beyond addictive behaviors that keep shifting the burden of pain from one part of our life and system to the other.
Uparati (Renunciation): Detachment from expectations of short term results or the ability to delay gratification.
Titiksha (Endurance): Cultivating patience and resilience through consistently doing the reps and building the muscle.
Shraddha (Faith): Focusing on lead measures in an awareness that the lag measures will take care of themselves.
Samadhana (Concentration): Attaining one-pointed focus for personal practice.
A central philosophy in Systems Thinking is “Structures shape behaviors”. Following this structure would allow a systems thinker to manage their internal system - mind, body and intellect which in turn has an effect on the external systems they create and occupy. Regulating our state which have a positive effect on the stories we tell ourselves which will inturn allow us to play on the front foot from a place of humility and curiosity rather than freeze, fight or flight mode activated by anxiety, fatigue and loss of connection and focus.
Mumukshutva: The Strong Yearning for Liberation
Mumukshutva is the fervent desire for liberation from limiting beliefs, biases and assumptions towards objectivity or neutral present awareness. This yearning is born not from dissatisfaction but a deep understanding of impermanence of all things and also the limitation of our own understanding and comprehension.
For a Systems Practitioner this yearning is rooted in a deep understanding of the limitations of our understanding of the larger systems we occupy and also in an acute awareness of the fact that cause and effect are not always close in time and space.
Much like a Sadak's pursuit of knowledge in pure consciousness, a Systems Practitioner is immersed in perpetual learning. This journey involves embracing new perspectives, adapting to change, and staying attuned to the ever-evolving dynamics of systems.
Systems Practitioners cultivate adaptive thinking, recognizing that every action and decision sends ripples through the interconnected web. They navigate complexity with a flexible mindset, understanding that true mastery lies in the ability to respond effectively to the interplay of variables.
The path of Personal Mastery in Systems Dynamics demands an integrative approach. It goes beyond isolated skill development, emphasizing a harmonious integration of skills, insights, and a profound awareness of the systemic nature of our reality.