Aaaarrrgggg!

Every time I think I have got this thing nailed, it shifts and something else comes in. I don't know now whether I am any nearer to a conclusion or not. What I have been focusing on most recently is the sections of the wheel and considering that the 4 elements are tools for success in the 6 wheel areas. I am also trying to incorporate a metaphysics of quality, control dramas, the hero's journey, the battle with the ego, the power of now, 6 islands narrative, a module on personal development and a symbol that combines all this in one comprehensive and simple structure and I feel like I am going mad with the 'almost but not quite' nature of it all.

The wheel represents area of life to master. There are six areas that need to be addressed either at the same time or in chronology. These might be phases of life, or they could be applied to one day or one experience. All I can say for sure is that together they cover the main aspects of life and they are equally balanced between the external and internal. The areas are either called: -

• belonging
• relationships
• quality
• creativity
• planning
• contribution

or they have recently morphed into verbs

• belong
• connect
• discover
• create
• plan
• contribute

which makes them actions rather than areas. This seems to help as it leads to a set of six qualities that help these activities, almost like the tools you need for the job. These are:

• compassion
• love
• curiosity
• imagination
• discipline
• purpose

But I'm not sure if these are right. The benefit of being successful in these areas are:

• a sense of belonging
• feeling of being loved and understood
• understanding of quality and inspiration
• personal expression and transformation
• structure and focus
• a sense that you are making a positive difference

Within each of these paths lies the danger of being seduced by the ego. The ego operates in 3 main ways - passive, aggressive and passive/aggressive. In short, 'life is doing this to me', 'I'll bloody well show them who's boss' and 'life is doing this to me and I'll bloody well show them who's boss'. This manifests as:

• 'they won't let me belong', 'I won't let them belong' and 'I won't let them belong before or because they don't let me belong'
• 'they aren't interested in me', 'I am not interested in them' and 'I am not interested in them before or because they are not interested in me'
• 'There is no quality to find in my life', 'I don't need any more quality in my life as I have decided I have it all' and 'I have decided I have it all before or because I fear there is no quality to find in my life'
• 'I am not creative', 'I know how to create and have my set ways to do it that work based on habit,' and 'I will follow my set ways to create because I fear I am not creative'
• 'I can't control my resources,' 'I have ultimate control over all my resources, based on habit', 'I fear I can't control my resources, so exert ultimate control, based on habit.'
• 'I have nothing to offer anyone', 'I know what you need and will advise you accordingly', 'I fear I have nothing to give, so overcompensate by taking change and relying on what has worked in the past'

These become a bit confusing but generally the three points are the 'passive' one who takes on too little responsibility for their life through a fear of failure. It is easier for this person to blame external events for why they are 'less than' others. The 'aggressive' one who makes a point of making it known that they are 'more than' others. The 'passive/aggressive' view is of someone who is tired of feeling 'less than' and subsequently wants to prove they are actually 'more than'.

So if these are all versions of the ego and how the system can go wrong, what is the right way to be?

This is where the 4 elements come in. The 4 elements present a series of principles that must be learned in order to navigate through the ego. The elements are as follows:

• earth - centre
• water - flow
• air - freedom
• fire - passion

TBC

Static Dynamic Wheel

Simplify

What about this?

6 areas of the wheel: -

Belong - the starting point, home, the team, the tribe, familiarity, security
Connect - other people, listening, sharing maps, new information, signposts, different perspectives
Discover - venturing beyond familiar, seeking quality, adventure, new experiences
Create - developing new solutions, thinking in new ways, personal expression, personal transformation
Structure - creating new structures, developing ways to use new perspective, planning positive change
Contribute - sharing new perspectives, introducing new structures, providing signposts to others

The Hero's Journey and the Wheel

The wheel seems to nicely fit with the Hero's Journey (Joseph Campbell):

Belonging - the hero is at home in familiar comfort zone
Relationships - the hero has relationships with individuals, sometimes a partner, but it is the arrival of a new relationship that heralds the call to adventure
Quality - the new person points the way to increased quality of life - treasure, enlightenment and often gives the hero something 'powerful' to aid him on his journey (magic sword/shield/lightsabre). The hero crosses the threshold of the familiar and begins the journey
Creativity - the hero is forced to confront a new challenge such as a (dragon/monster/evil sith lord) and is forced to creatively find a way forward to defeat the evil. In doing this the hero wins the treasure/enlightenment
Planning - having gathered the treasure, the hero begins the journey home and has to plan how to use the new treasure/enlightenment in the best way
Contribution - the hero returns home with the new treasure, ready to benefit his community

This divides the wheel into two distinct halves.

Or...

AREAS EARTH WATER AIR FIRE QUALITIES             Belonging accept existing ability to belong accept and appreciate the external factors that affect ability to belong identify in what way you want to expand your ability to belong identify what the next action will be to expand your ability to belong Humanity             Relationships accept existing ability to connect accept and appreciate the external factors that affect ability to connect identify in what way you want to expand your ability to connect identify what the next action will be to expand your ability to connect Love Quality accept existing ability to identify quality accept and appreciate the external factors that affect ability to identify quality identify in what way you want to expand your ability to identify quality identify what the next action will be to expand your ability to identify quality Motivation             Creativity accept existing ability to create accept and appreciate the external factors that affect ability to create identify in what way you want to expand your ability to create identify what the next action will be to expand your ability to create Imagination Planning accept existing ability to plan accept and appreciate the external factors that affect ability to plan identify in what way you want to expand your ability to plan identify what the next action will be to expand your ability to plan Discipline             Contribution accept existing ability to contribute accept and appreciate the external factors that affect ability to contribute identify in what way you want to expand your ability to contribute identify what the next action will be to expand your ability to contribute Compassion

10 at 40

Here is my top 10 pieces of advice for life as I approach 40. These ideas have been evolving for many years and this is the best I can do (for now)  

6 Principles of the Wheel:

1. Wherever we are, we all belong
2. Whomever we are with, connect with love
3. Wherever we are, seek the universal
4. Whatever we create, create intuitively
5. Whatever we have, invest it in the future
6. Whomever we meet, contribute to their journey

4 Lessons of the Elements:

1. Learn to be centred through self-acceptance
2. Learn to flow through accepting what is
3. Learn to be free through choosing your direction
4. Learn to be passionate through taking the next step now

A New Wheel applied to Scenic Art

A New Wheel