Saturday, September 23, 2006

Transformation

To deepen Spiritual Flexibility in myself, I’m committed to a lifestyle of Transformation.

Transformation presupposes Humility; it is to embrace to the truth that I’ve not yet become what I’m becoming.

Both the means and the end of my transformation is Christ. Christ, the perfect human iteration of Creator Spirit, continues to create me into a new creation – one that becomes increasingly more reflective of Christ.

To remain in the lifelong moment of transformation is, arguably, the essence of true worship.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is true worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:1-2 (Today’s New International Version)


Copyright Scott Burnett 2006

Friday, September 22, 2006

Teachable

Cognitive Flexibility means taking a “bend, don’t break” approach to beliefs. It is to be teachable.

In 2nd Timothy 2:24-25 Paul writes, “…the servant of the Lord must not engender strife, but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those in opposition.”

(21st Century King James Version)

Complimenting the explicit phrase “apt to teach” is the implicit characteristic of “apt to learn”.

Perhaps it’s slightly counterintuitive, but maintaining a teachable mindset calls for fearlessness. The fear of being wrong and – even worse! – going public with it by changing my attitudes, opinions, and ideologies is frequently enough to keep me from becoming genuinely open to new ideas.

I suspect that cognitive flexibility is at least as difficult to cultivate as physical flexibility. Stretching is a uniquely irksome form of pain. Sometimes I have to remind myself of why this intention is important in my quest to more fully engage my life. But, as with my body, I want my intellect to enjoy the entire range of motion for which it was designed.


Copyright Scott Burnett 2006

Monday, September 11, 2006

Coin

A few posts ago, Craig-Bob (of Out Of Fellowship fame), asked about the rogue row beneath my Fourfold Fitness table: Finances. He wondered why it was set apart from the main grid.

My answer was that the financial dimension began as a subset of Physical, but since it isn't physiological, per se, it seemed to warrant a separate row.


T-Wolf argued that “Finance is not a component unto itself but rather an intention zone of the cognitive + the attribute strength.”

Craig-Bob followed with the idea that "Financial might fall on a z-axis because it has attributions in each of the 2-dimensional cells […] defined.”

Michael C. brought in the notion of metrics, suggesting that money measures momentum in each of the sixteen zones. He referenced Jacob Needleman's book, Money and the Meaning of Life.

For now, it remains a fifth row in my provisional paradigm. At some point, however, I intend to incorporate an additional four-directional plane to the map. It describes the way I think of resources: Time, Energy, Money, and Affection.


Copyright Scott Burnett 2006

Vision

Vision is cultivated in a context of Hope, and connects directly to Emotional Endurance [see table].

“Without a Vision is a people made naked”
Proverbs 29:18a (Young’s Literal Translation)

I had no idea that this was the literal translation! In the ancient context, nakedness meant poverty and shame; there was nothing erotically provocative about it.

In this proverb, vision obviously refers to something more than physical sight: it’s the ability to look into the future and see the prospect of joy, abundance, accomplishment, meaning…

This sort of vision has to do with attending to invisible things. I believe that every human is given something that only she/he can see; an internal treasure that needs to be externalized – the intangible made tangible. It relates to incarnation. Each of us is to champion what’s been entrusted on a spiritual level – sowing, cultivating, harvesting, distributing… to the enriching of our relational circles.


Copyright Scott Burnett 2006

Saturday, September 09, 2006

Hope

“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise Him, who is the health of my countenance and my God.”
Psalm 42:11 (21st Century King James Version)

Hope is integral to Emotional Endurance [see table]. What feeds my heart’s fire if not hope? And what distinguishes hoping from wishing? For me, hope is the belief that God is planting goodness in the future so that it’s already taking root and blooming as we step into each unfolding day.

Here's an ancient prophetic poem that was composed by a person who understood the valley of deep trouble. His words have the heartbeat of authenticity.

“There I will give her back her vineyards,

and will make the Valley of Trouble a door of hope.
There she will sing as in the days of her youth,
as in the day she came up out of Egypt.”
Hosea 2:15 (New International Version)

First, God promises to restore vineyards, which represent abundance and gladness. Then follows an image that I find profoundly moving: God will transform the valley of trouble into a door of hope. The lowest, most disturbing circumstance becomes the threshold to a good future.

The second sentence begins with the response of the people, which is carefree singing: a picture of rejuvenation and festivity. The closing line references release from slavery, and the long-awaited freedom to engage life.

That’s what this Fourfold Fitness thing is about, really [see intro]. I don’t need to be a slave to disconnection and disintegration; by God’s grace, I’m free to cultivate practices that increase my capacity for living.



Copyright Scott Burnett 2006

Thursday, September 07, 2006

Rooted

For me, there are three essential dimensions of Spiritual Balance [see table].
1) Beauty must be celebrated, and Wonder relished.
2) Upright is an old-fashioned word, but I like its imagery: spiritual balance means I stand up in my full stature, walking tall. Dignity.
3) It also connotes Grounding – having my feet solidly beneath me. Rooted.

“Plant your roots in Christ and let him be the foundation for your life. Be strong in your faith, just as you were taught. And be grateful.”
Colossians 2:7, Contemporary English Version



Copyright Scott Burnett 2006

Sunday, September 03, 2006

Motion

Physical Flexibility [see table], or range of motion, is a fantastic thing: acquiring it… not so much. Flexibility doesn’t happen without stretching, and stretching is viscerally unappealing to me. It makes me cranky.

But I believe in it – I believe it’s important enough to warrant assimilating yoga practice into my lifestyle.

I think flexibility is a proactive prevention of future injuries. I like the idea of doing my part to avoid preventable suffering (my own and that of others).

I also like being able to move fluidly – having a body that can flow with the riffles and rills of existence. To my way of thinking, it’s an important dimension of enjoying and honoring creation. If I want to fully engage my life, I’ll cultivate flexibility.


Copyright Scott Burnett 2006

Saturday, September 02, 2006

Fourfold Fitness Table


Strength

Flexibility

Endurance

Balance

Spiritual

Integrity

Humility

Transformation

Courage

Loyalty

Perseverance

Grounding

Beauty

Upright

Cognitive

Creativity

Teachable

Broadminded

Curiosity

Honesty

Follow-Through

Wisdom

Awareness

Emotional

Joy

Gratitude

Generosity

Kindness

Adaptable

Hope

Vision

Peace

Humor

Physical

Muscle

Motion

Stamina

Agility

Rest

(Financial)

Income

Giving / Spending

Savings

Budget


Copyright Scott Burnett 2006

Friday, September 01, 2006

Creativity

Cognitive strength is valuable to me; I intend for it to be among my primary character traits. One of the ways I choose to cultivate greater capacity in this intention zone is by practicing creativity.

When I’m at my best, creativity is radiating into every territory of my life. It isn’t contained or compartmentalized. So it wouldn’t be out of place in any of my sixteen zones.

But for the sake of focus, I center
Creativity at the intersection of Cognitive & Strength [see table]. In my experience, my mind nearly always comes into play when I’m being creative. Thoughts are sorted and shuffled, and arranged in new constellations – new categories are framed and tested – new pathways, sequences, connections are mentally sketched out…

It’s a very satisfying form of exertion: it feels like pushing a stalled car that I didn’t think would budge, or hiking a little farther than my imagined capacity, or splitting a cord of firewood. Creativity makes me feel strong.


Copyright Scott Burnett 2006