#interluminism

Here's the current edition of the Interluminist Zine for laypeople to read and learn more.

Print! Share! Show others what makes Interluminism so fascinating! I'd love to see some reiteration and redesign from other Luminaries!

Once safe, connected, and in control, we feel the need to explore the world within and around. This is our core human need for self-actualization, the drive to become better than before.

At our cores are an unlimited supply of curiosity and creativity: Curiosity is the fuel, Creativity is the flame. Curiosity makes us want to learn, and Creativity uses that knowledge to create our gifts for the world around us. We're able to unburden ourselves of pain and shame through self-expression.

You don't have to try to be creative, it happens when your self is free.

You can explore this through: Art and Expression (making things to show how we feel and see) Spiritual Development (connecting to a higher power/source of purpose for ourselves) Understanding the Self (who we are, what we need, and why we do the things we do)

The symbol for COMPREHENSION is an upward-facing crescent, the color yellow, and the essence of Kase.

CONTROL is the fiery passion in all of us, it is our agency, our need to be in control and be free. It is not about bossing others or doing things your way or the highway.

Our morality and action is defined by our freedom. An enslaved person lacks CONTROL and, thusly, is crippled in their full potential. Choice and action are a core part of who we are and what we need as humans.

CONTROL is defined by the two virtues of Clarity and Confidence. Clarity means having a clean pair of lenses for the world around us, allowing us to see the truth clearly and without the grime of bias. Confidence, meanwhile, is the trust that you can handle any path forward.

Self-Leadership is the core of CONTROL. The best ways to do this are to start making clear, stark boundaries to protect yourself, your time, and your energy. It also means taking ownership of your choices, past, present, and future, and not blaming anyone. Finally, it means acting as a mirror for your inner self and showing the truth to the parts of you that limit your abilities and skills.

CONTROL is related to passion/transformation, the essence of Pali, the color Red, and the shape of a Triangle.

Humans are social creatures. This is as much a fact of life as death and taxes. We have an inherently socialized brain, meaning we are built to seek bonds with others. No man is an island, we're meant to be an archipelago.

A relationship, in this view, is not always with persons. It's with anyone and anything we see a bond with. Animals and plants may not be our 'human' relatives, but they are a part of us nonetheless. We impact them as much as we do, they.

To satisfy our hunger for CONNECTION, we use Compassion and Connectedness.

Compassion allows us to see the real truth in others without judging them. It allows us to feel that Unconditional Positive Regard, as described by Carl Rogers. Along with this Unconditional Positive Regard, we also need to be able to show Genuineness and Empathy to others.

Genuineness means being real and transparent with another: no mind games, no mind-reading, no deflection or fear. Empathy, of course, is being able to feel and share emotions with another without judgement.

Connectedness is the feeling that we belong to a family or group. When we talk to others and feel understood, we feel a sense of understanding that's hard to express. A limbic resonance. Feeling understood is one of the most valuable and mind-altering experiences we can feel.

These can be with something simple and close, like immediate family and friends. Or more complex relationships: dating, sexual partners, enemies, teachers, peers, students, nieces and nephews, ancestors, our communities, our nations, Mother Nature, the Earth itself, or even the Universe as a whole.

When we feel connected and loved, we find the strength to take charge of our own lives.

At the end of the day, how can we expect growth within ourselves and others if we can't be real and show true love?

In Interluminism, CONNECTION is associated with fluidity/adaptability, the essence of Lada, the color blue, and the shape of a circle with three circles linked in the center.

CONTINUANCE

Survival and safety are the bedrock of our existence, they're our most 'animalistic,' primal needs. Before we're even able to think about making friends, having agency, or understanding what's out there, we need to know how we're going to survive the next minute, hour, day, year.

CONTINUANCE is based on Maslow's "Psychological" and "Safety" Needs, as well as Clayton Alderfer's "Existence" need from ERG theory.

CONTINUANCE isn't only survival and safety. It's also our need to feel healthy, the desire for sex and relaxation, the need to feel like we're going to be okay.

While all the four hungers are important, CONTINUANCE is seen as the most essential because, until it is satisfied, it's near impossible to balance the others. Not totally impossible, but much harder than it should be. When we're limited in our CONTINUANCE needs, it triggers threat responses in our brain that make it impossible to develop and grow.

A plant can only grow high if its roots and soil are safe.

However, the only way to truly see growth and stability is to find the virtues that develop your Continuance. These two are Calmness and Courage.

Calmness allows us to make steady, healthy choices for our bodies without falling into panic, shame, or fear-based absolutist choices.

Meanwhile, Courage acts as our shield. It gives us the strength to protect our boundaries and needs and to face the harsh truths of reality.

In Interluminism, CONTINUANCE is associated with solidity/stability, our essence of SALO, the color green, and the shape of a square.

GREEN: #24AB25

If you've been exploring this blog for a while, you may start to see some repeating phrases/concepts. One of these are a set of four terms:

Continuance, Connection, Control, and Comprehension.

You might ask: What does any of this mean?

Here's the basic idea*:

*I am not a professional psychoanalyst or researcher, these are my own ideas I've developed as an autodidact. Do not take them as gospel or absolute truths.

Humans, at their core, have needs we're always trying to attain and ascertain. Based on Humanistic Psychology and the Internal Family Systems, I've attempted to synthesize a more comprehensive way of viewing these inner needs.

To make a long story short,

Continuance: The hunger to stay alive and feel safe. Connection: The hunger to belong and feel close to others. Control: The hunger to make our own choices and have power over our lives. Comprehension: The hunger to understand ourselves and the world and find a sense of meaning.