THE ICON: THE THUMBPRINT OF GOD

There are five aspects that comprise the integral map I will be using; quadrants, levels, lines, states, and types. To qualify as an integral map each of these aspects must be addressed concurrently in one way or another. For a novice such as myself, another way of describing the map is the short form; body, mind, and spirit. My task is to develop a practice comprised of certain disciplines (injunctions) that address each area of my life as a vehicle of transformation, enabling me to realize the promise of a fuller and more meaningful life.

To aid the traveler on the integral path it is helpful to have images, charts, graphs and pictures as a means of orienting yourself and plotting the route for the next day's leg of the hike. But the bases that need to be covered are of such growing complexity, two dimensional or even three dimensional depictions are pushed to their limits. I will use them in the future as they have helped me, but we do well to remember that the map is not the terrain. The wind blows, breathes, where it will; and though you hear its sound, yet you neither know where it comes from nor where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.

Another tool that can help us is the icon, with a long history and prominent place among the wisdom traditions of the world. In contrast to the signs and pointing out directions on our map, the icon is the child of symbol. The sign is the straight line on our map. The icon is the voice of the terrain as best as we can depict it in form, with all the power and mystery that we deeply sense we are in the presence of.

And Joseph awoke from his sleep and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place and I did not know it.

My gift to you is an icon for the integral path,a twenty first centruy madala; the fractal image above. It derives from the Mandelbrot set, a simple mathematical equation; Z=Z2+c, where the = sign includes arrows at the end of each line, making it an iteration; a math problem from your geometry teacher that goes on with out end, literally to infinity, and you fall asleep with your head on the desk. Discovered on March 1, 1980 by Dr. Benoit B. Mandelbrot, it brought with its arrival very concrete consequences, now used by such global giants as Microsoft, Mitsubishi, Virgin and Multicom to mention just a sampling, its most notable application in the field of fractal image compression systems. I could go on and on, but refer you to the reference listed below. Give yourself the present of the video, "Fractals; The Colors of Infinity" and soak up the wonder and enchantment that life holds for those with ears to hear and eyes to see.

"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science."

Albert Einstein


http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/fractals_the_colors_of_infinity/