But to me the term conjures up a different idea. I think sometimes, in order to make real progress in life, we need to step out beyond the horizon of our present understanding and stake our claim in the unknown, not knowing exactly what this entails or how we'll get there. Sometimes, when our existing systems feel worn and tired, we can feel impelled to move forward to a place that is not yet clear - and I think giving a name to that place can be a good thing. It gives us something, however nebulous, to give our attention to, and then this very act of giving it attention becomes the catalyst that creates the substance and brings it into our reality.
So how do we get to 'there' from here if we don't know where 'there' is?
Well, reason won't get us there because our understanding is always limited by our existing belief system.... and so it can never take us beyond itself. As Albert Einstein would probably have told us, you sometimes have to take a leap of faith in the direction of your dreams, leave the scientific method in the labs and go out on limb, go ride a sunbeam and leave the reasoning to 'reasonable' people.... trusting there'll be time enough later to draw the map and write up the notes.
So what then does it take?
Perhaps it just needs a little courage, trusting that what we need to know will be known when we need it, a little willingness to rely upon our intuition rather than our understanding - to 'receive' instead of plan. As Blaise Pascal said:
"The heart has reason that reason cannot know."
The old ways are dissolving and the new way has not yet shown itself. If this is true then must engage with one another differently as explorers and discoverers."..... Margaret Wheatley
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