A Premise for Development

Development must now begin with consciousness. The delicate balance in our world relies on us all becoming more conscious than we have ever been. The current view of consciousness, in the Western world, is not up to the task.

The problem of consciousness is the largest outstanding obstacle in our quest to understand reality. We have focused on the scientific explanations and not the mental and spiritual aspects of life. Science is only one form of describing ideas that offer some clues as to how the world works. These ideas change and entire bodies of information become obsolete. We are at one of three thresholds again in this new century.

The science of physics is not yet complete, but it is well-understood. The science of biology has explained away most of the mysteries surrounding the nature of life. Where there are gaps in our understanding of these fields, the gaps do not seem intractable; we at least have some idea of the direction in which solutions might lie. The word ‘lie’ is interesting here. Whatever science has presented us with does not explain the emerging paradigms. The cultural and spiritual premise needed for the new world is lacking.

In the science of mind and spirit things are not quite so rosy. Much progress is being made in the study of cognition. Consciousness itself, which is spiritual, is as much of a problem as it ever was. There can be no true development until this expansion of consciousness is accepted.
The world is embracing Eastern ideas that are causing us to adopt different views of life, healing and creative expressions. The East-West synthesis has much to offer us if we are open and are willing to make the shift needed. There are some natural principles thousands of years old that have retained their meaning and relevance even today. These form the essence of the Eastern experience that continues to sustain their cultures, and the same principles could do the same for the West. In looking for principles to create future development, we have the benefit of this global perspective we can apply to the oneness of life today.

Consciousness is fundamentally a threefold dynamic principle, and is critical in creating a harmonious foundation for holistic living. We can define consciousness as the synthesis of Mind, Body and Spirit. The physical or material, the mental and psychological are harmonized with the spirit (creative) and energy that all things, processes and expressions follow. Space, time and energy are part of this continuum. No sustainable society can ever be built without this threefold symmetry and the dynamic working principles associated this natural law.

Vital forms of the ARTS need to be expanded as our consciousness expands. Consciousness, Cognition, and the Arts fit into the triadic aspects of understanding that we seldom encounter even among our learned men and women, especially those who submit totally to the materialistic life as we know it today. Here again, the spirit, mind and body principles correlate with consciousness, cognition, and the arts. How we learn, grow and are healed are essential to the cause and effect dynamic of consciousness and knowledge. Knowing what life is, informs us about how we maintain it. Life support systems are the results of observation, experiment, living, and experience. This lets us know what forms of infrastructure and other life support systems we need to have in place to promote, sustain, and support life with the appropriate tools, institutions, skills, and resources needed. This is the premise and overview for how development needs to be thought about before any planning begins. We need to avoid the physical, materialistic human comfort motivations that have guided our past efforts.

Articulating the future is based on the threefold dynamic that follows: This represents the consciousness model. These are principles for the comprehensive development of Haiti.   

One of the basic analogs of how the human brain operates is the modern computer. Though it is still a binary (2) logic system it is close to the way the human brain works. The brain is the seat of consciousness. Somewhere in its midbrain region is the seat of the Soul. The heart has a very special function beyond being the physical circulation pump. Here we see this as a physical manifestation of how the brain works. What are the metaphors and tools for our behavior and our spirit; creative work energy and the link to the higher self?  If we look at some Eastern cultures we find some very interesting systems that explain the subtler energies that give us insight into the deeper workings of human beings and consciousness itself. We will get to these later.

For now we want to use the computer model to create the development concept. A computer needs hardware (a CPU, monitor, etc.), an Operating System, and Programs for various types of work to be done.

Using this analogy for development can help simplify the initial approach to be taken. We will create a schedule for each of the three parts of the computer as the development components as follows:

These distinctions and responsibilities are meant to define the roles and responsibilities of all involved in the development process. Developing and protecting the local culture, society, and nation with all aspects needed for full development, while allowing the people to determine their own future, is paramount. It is the first rule of humanity and dignity to be extended to crisis and other situations that any other nation might find itself in today.

The ARTS would be represented by a Cultural Council of artists, performers, literary professionals, architects and all other talented people to lead the development charge. This body will be the voice of the people working with Governments to ensure that all of the arts are represented in the development efforts. They form the vision for the nation and monitor it.
Having a political agenda without true cultural presence will not solve the creative problems most cultures experience when it comes to delivering meaningful representation for all its citizens, and the access they need to participate in their own growth and their country’s prosperity.

There are many people whose consciousness has not been awakened, if not jolted by crisis, that could benefit from this strategy. It applies to any nation seeking to make adjustments, wanting to embrace the future and what it will force us all to do to succeed as generations evolve. Haiti needs to be prepared for its own self-determined success, cultural, creative, and spiritual autonomy. There are principles that science has not been able to define for us, such as mentalism, correspondence, vibration, polarity, rhythm, cause and effect, and gender. Perhaps ART, which tends more to spirituality, might shed some light on these vital principles and we can begin to incorporate new and crucial knowledge to our lives.

Care must be taken for the pace of development, and the resources available to be commensurate with the mission and the level of skills needed. Evaluating where the status of development is compared with trends, expectations, and visions, especially of foreign entities with much more experience and resources, must be put into proper realistic perspective. A long-term growth path, with all the patterns and systems that can manifest a sustainable future, must be included in a reasonable plan with achievable goals. It must be done in phases over time and done well.

The need to identify all the natural assets available to form the identity and attractions for the development is a critical component that becomes the cultural aesthetic and economic engine of the country. The history and cultural rhythms of Haiti are essential building blocks that already exist, and can be put into proper design context to complement the development efforts and the programs needed.

There are many technologies that can help put the intelligence gathering, the demographics and psychographics into manageable systems to complement the planning process to serve the people better. They all use computer technology, which has been used as the metaphor for this strategy. They run the gamut from the geotechnical and environmental, to the structural and seismic, as systems of monitoring future crisis are researched to mitigate future disasters. Disaster readiness for the cultural sector is also critical. This needs to be addressed not only for the infrastructure, but for the cultural assets, art objects, and their archives as well. A culture growing from crisis is real.

This experience in Haiti should be seen as a warning for the Caribbean region. Many of these nations can benefit from an honest collaboration for the exchange of intelligence, resources, and talented professionals. Providing aid is the human thing to do, especially when it is done in the context of this emerging consciousness and the new paradigm that does not rely solely on materialism without humanity.

Haiti in its natural wisdom has a tradition of balancing its Body, Mind and Spirit continuum, however basic it has happened. Foreign intervention is not the means with this opportunity to change the nature of the Haitian people. Haiti has already been on a conscious and spiritual path that must be augmented for all of its citizens, and those in the Diaspora to seize this moment for true change, meaningful development, and prosperity for its future to be imagined.