Six-stage self-examination
- Event or thing
Everything has a beginning, including our lives. We originate from a reaction between our father’s and mother’s reproductive cells, which is called fertilization. Our heart begins to beat after about seven weeks, after which our nervous system develops and we begin to take shape as human beings as a result of various molecular processes. Our conscious heart beats very early on, as does our sensory and emotional nervous system. This fundamental construction of our being is completed after a few months, when we are born into this vast, information-filled reality.
A new kind of journey of discovery begins. We breathe, open our eyes, listen, and feel, receiving information from this vast world. We begin to interact with it more actively every day. We begin a lifelong learning process that starts with recognizing ourselves physically, perceiving our bodies, and learning about them. We understand that we are physical, controllable objects on the platform of reality’s physical structures. We learn to walk. We fall, we get up, we observe our mistakes, and we do it again until we can walk. We listen, we learn words , we learn the meanings behind the words, and we learn to combine these meanings into sentences. We learn signs and their meanings, how they fit into our mouths. We learn to speak and read. We learn the code of our thinking, the language with which we interpret information, but also understand it. This applies equally to physical reality and our thoughts. We learn to think and solve problems, we learn to see different equations in our lives, and we begin to understand the logic behind events and things. We become aware of ourselves and our impact on our reality, as well as our ability to shape this whole with our actions and ways of thinking.
Life is like a circle that begins with an event or a thing. After our birth, this circle changes into many different, understandable, and challenging problem-solving situations that represent the learning process. We experience events and things that we need to observe and examine. Based on our current understanding, we make choices and decisions that lead to different outcomes. We experience failures, but we still learn. These events, which we perceive as failures, give us the opportunity to develop and learn to understand causes and consequences. We learn to analyze and make observations that lead to insights. The insights gained from these events serve as building blocks for a larger whole, for the whole of our lives.
Life becomes one big process of learning and insight. In addition, life also includes various emotions and experiences, the recognition and experience of which color life as a counterbalance to its consistency and meaning. Life also reveals an individual’s strengths and weaknesses. People realize that they have different levels, both mentally and physically. People grow to see themselves as they are and become increasingly aware of themselves. People find themselves in a situation where they ask themselves: ”Who am I? Who would I like to be? What does life mean to me?” By questioning themselves, their life, and their reality, people begin to make choices to find themselves and strive to find a way of life that suits them.
Life is a process, a changing and constantly evolving whole. Life happens like a fluctuating wave, with the extremes touching each other’s opposites. The extremes are imaginative intelligence and the primitive ways of feeling, surviving, and acting written by nature. In order to achieve intelligence, an individual must become aware of themselves, the prevailing circumstances, and the reality that surrounds them. What influences what, and why? What are life and reality, and what are their mechanisms of operation?
Individuals program themselves throughout their lives. There is an equation and a reason for all actions, and nothing is truly coincidental. Despite the experience of inconsistency, life is actually consistent and purposeful. As awareness and understanding grow, this consistency becomes visible, and through intelligence, individuals can choose their solutions to the events, issues, and problems that arise in their lives. This takes individuals further away from emotional and reaction-based primitivism.
This is the true pinnacle of human intelligence. The reconstruction of independent thought, life, and thinking. The abandonment of all thoughts and the shaping of life into something efficient, systematic, and consistent. The individual then controls their entire life on a conceptual level and chooses their actions according to the situation. Understanding, acceptance, and letting go. Experiencing life and simple observation. Observing everything that happens around you and living in it without attaching yourself to anything. Being and observing life through oneself. This is the only path that leads to the most important thing. Deep into the core of humanity, to one’s own conscious self.
Life is full of events, things, and problems. Many different moments, colored by different places, people, feelings, reactions, and, of course, the individual themselves. Things happen and different events occur. People find themselves in the most unusual situations during their lives. Life is an adventure in a huge chain of events. Things follow and connect with each other and form equations that can be examined as an individual. Everything has a beginning, a cause, a source, a catalyst for the future.
When considering life as a whole, it is not always possible to take everything into account or understand it. It is not always possible to consider an event or issue important, but it can have a major impact on an individual’s experience of life and their thoughts about it.
When experiencing oneself and reality, the main object of observation is one’s personal attitude toward the event, thing, or problem. How does it affect oneself, and what is the meaning and purpose of this event or thing? One questions oneself and reality and examines the event, thing, or problem. Why is the event or issue important? What feelings does it evoke?
At the same time as the event or issue, it is also good to examine the mechanics of the problem.
Problem
Life is a progressive process that would probably be a straightforward journey from event to event if there were no obstacles along the way. Obstacles provide an opportunity to examine oneself, one’s existence, or one’s current reality. We can also describe obstacles more familiarly as problems.
We could imagine the problem mathematically as follows. If we think that the goal is to get from point A to point B, the problem could be the obstacle between point A and point B. The aim would be to find this obstacle, examine it as closely as possible, and find a solution to the problem from the problem itself.
The aim is to find the problem in question and examine it as thoroughly as possible. What is the real problem, what is the nature of the problem, what is involved in the problem, how are you as an individual involved in the problem, what is the solution to the problem, and what concrete change will eliminate the problem? What is the real problem? What is the source of the problem?
If you only see problems, life is probably one big problem. Once you understand the problem, you are also ready to think about solutions. Solutions instead of problems and solutions before problems. Like problems, solutions can also be found within each of us.
A solution to the problem or a search for a solution to the problem?
Does the problem exist, or do you create the problem yourself? Does the problem exist if there is already a solution to it?
There are numerous situations in life that offer opportunities to solve problems. Life itself is also one big problem. A problem that requires a solution. Many different reasoning tasks in various situations and adversities. Balancing different reactions and emotional turmoil. Balance is not about things being in balance, but about having a balanced attitude towards things.
So what is the real problem?
The real core of problems is your personal attitude towards them. If your shoelace breaks and you see this as a problem, buying a new shoelace is the solution. If you solve the problem by simply buying a new shoelace, there is no problem, only a solution.
In mathematics, there is a task. An equation that produces a solution. For example, 5+5=10. Here, 5+5 is the equation that needs to be solved. The number 10 is the solution. The elements and factors in a problem contain equations like this. The problem and the solution, the situation and the solution. The most important thing is to know what the real problem is.
For example: A person has a headache and takes painkillers. Does that solve the real problem? Why does the person have a headache?
Often, solving the problem takes precedence over understanding the problem itself. The most effective approach would be to understand the problem, which will inevitably lead to the solution. If the person has a headache because they are not drinking enough water, the problem will be solved without having to make unnecessary decisions. Unnecessary decisions are simply unnecessary.
Life is full of such events. It is amazing how every event, issue, or problem in life follows a very similar equation. There is an equation, or a problem, and a solution. There is a solution to everything. All that is needed is the willingness to focus, think, and find out.
Once you understand the problems, all that remains are the solutions. That is why understanding the problems in life helps to make life, but also reality, simpler. Very often, problems follow the same equation. The issues and factors are different, but the problem can essentially be the same. As your understanding of different problems grows, you can apply the same solution to different problems.
- Adversity, success, ”mistake”
Events and things usually involve thoughts, behaviors, and a wide variety of perspectives, opinions, disagreements, and ways of thinking.
Events and things can sometimes appear to be something completely different from what they really are. This is influenced by personal ways of thinking and expectations regarding events and things. Events and matters can also be experienced as successes. It is very important to examine what is happening in life, what is happening around us, and how these things relate to ourselves. What is adversity and why does it exist? If we succeed, what has led to our success?
It is also important to think about what you consider to be a mistake and why. If you make a mistake and fail, but then find a solution through that failure, was it really a mistake or a failure?
It is also very important to think about how you yourself think about events and things. Would it be possible to examine and find out what happened, what it was and why, and to think about your personal attitude towards these things? Could there be something good in adversity? Could success be used in the future for another event, issue or problem?
At the same time, it is also good to examine the nature of the problem.
The nature of the problem
There are many events or things in life that, due to their thought structures, can be experienced as problems or that contain things that are experienced as problems. It would be good to examine events and things thoroughly in order to find the real problem. What is the problem? How does the problem affect you? What does the problem consist of?
The problem may simply be an obstacle between two points. To determine the nature of the problem, these two points should be examined separately and investigated in relation to the problem itself. Point A could be considered the starting point and point B the goal. In this case, we should examine what the starting point A is, what it contains, and how it relates to the target point B. How does the starting point A affect the achievement of point B, and what actions and tools are needed to reach point B?
We also need to examine point B, what the goal is, what needs to be done to reach it, and how point B differs from point A. How does a possible obstacle hinder reaching point B from point A? A very simple examination makes it possible to grasp the nature of the problem. It is also important to consider whether the problem lies in personal ways of thinking or acting, or whether it is caused by some external factor. It is also necessary to examine the structure of the problem, i.e., the equation. How does the real problem manifest itself?
- Analysis
Analyzing events and issues is very important in understanding them, but also in the process of getting to know oneself. When analyzing events and issues, it is important to examine the course of events and issues, as well as their various moving parts and their impact on oneself. Closer examination and analysis help you to grasp the event or issue in more detail and more objectively. Objectivity should be the goal if you want to get the most out of examining an event or issue.
Your own feelings, opinions, and thoughts about things distort situations. It is important to rise above these things and examine the event or issue as if it were separate from yourself. You should examine the event or issue only as an event or issue, observing, studying, and reflecting. It is important to consider where the problem arises, familiarize yourself with the problem, understand the problem, and seek a solution to the problem itself.
Your personal attitude is very important. You must see things as they are and try to see the impact of yourself and your views on the matter.
When analyzing, you must separate yourself from the event or issue and see it as an equation to be solved. It is essential to take responsibility for examining the event or issue, any shortcomings, and related factors as comprehensively as possible. What factors are important in the event or issue and why? What do you want to learn from the event or issue and why?
We also look at the issue from the perspective of the problem
Problem analysis
The purpose of examining the problem itself and its nature is to clarify the problem and its nature. What is the problem, what does it consist of, what factors influence it, and how should it be approached? After this, we will focus on analyzing the problem. What are the factors that influence the problem? What does the problem consist of? What are the main factors of the problem?
A problem can consist of anything. A problem can involve different ways of thinking or attitudes. Different ways of acting can also become a problem. Different people and things can also be experienced as a problem.
When analyzing a problem, it is important to examine it from many different perspectives. It is important to look at the problem as objectively and critically as possible, taking into account the problem and the factors affecting it as comprehensively as possible. The aim is to break the problem down into as small pieces as possible and examine each part and factor affecting the problem as accurately and consistently as possible. How does each part relate to the problem itself and how do they affect the problem itself? It is also important to see the problem as a solvable equation and to examine it as such. What is related to point A and what is related to point B? How do the factors in the equation interact with each other?
- Self-examination
Self-examination is about getting to know yourself and examining your own affairs. Self-examination increases your understanding of yourself, but also your understanding of life and its mechanisms. Understanding life also increases your understanding of the reality around you. It is essential to reflect on oneself and the thought structures that manifest themselves within oneself. By becoming aware of oneself and one’s ways of thinking and acting, it is possible to change and shape them to one’s liking.
The most important tools for self-examination are honesty and questioning. Without honesty, self-examination is only superficial. Questioning, on the other hand, challenges us to consider the consistency of our thought structures and the accuracy of our views. Questioning applies to all thoughts and accessible information. Personal thoughts and attitudes must be pushed aside. Who am I? What am I?
The idea of self-examination is to examine the significance and impact of oneself on things. Self-examination emphasizes personal responsibility for one’s life and consciousness, as well as one’s choices, both mentally and functionally. As your understanding of things increases, things change and the equations involved become clearer. Life and the events or things it contains become more consistent and simpler.
We also examine self-examination in relation to problems.
Self-examination in relation to a problem
Self-reflection is the examination of one’s own affairs and oneself. In many cases, self-reflection plays a very important role in solving problems. The purpose of analysis is to reveal the various factors involved in a problem and their impact on the problem itself, while the purpose of self-examination is to identify one’s own possible contribution to the problem. What impact do you have on the problem and why? Is it possible that the problem exists only in your own mind?
The purpose of self-reflection is to understand your own impact on the problem. It is important to consider how you can influence the solution to the problem. Can the problem be solved through self-reflection alone?
It is necessary to examine how the problem affects you and why, as well as what significance this effect has in relation to the problem. Through self-examination, it is also necessary to examine the equation of the problem. How do you relate to the starting point, point A, and how do you relate to the goal, point B?
The goal of self-examination is also to reflect on your personal ways of thinking about the problem, your attitude towards it, and whether the solution to the problem could be found by changing these things in yourself. How does the problem relate to you? What part do you play in the problem?
- Insight and realization
When examining an event or issue, you must first define it. Then you must examine it from many different perspectives. You must examine your attitude, analyze and examine your own role and view of the event or issue itself. The aim is to find out what the nature of this event or issue is, what your own attitude is, what the factors look like, and what the moving parts of the factors are. How do the factors within oneself interact with the event or issue, and what is the significance and impact of one’s own thoughts and behavior patterns on the event or issue?
Analyzing events and issues and engaging in personal self-reflection inevitably lead to insights. After examining your thoughts and attitudes, analyzing the structures of the event or issue, and reflecting on their significance to yourself, you will be able to examine the event or issue itself from many different perspectives. This allows you to identify the problems related to the event or issue. The problems can be found either in the event or issue itself, in your own attitude, or in your ways of thinking and acting.
Therefore, you need to examine the problem itself from a wide range of perspectives, understand the problem, and find a solution to it. Have I been thinking about things as separate issues? What is the problem itself? What is the core of the problem?
Insight and realization regarding the problem
When examining a problem, the aim is to identify the real problem in the event or issue. The aim is to identify the problem and consider what the problem is and why. After this, it is necessary to consider the nature of the problem, what and why the problem is related to, and how the problem itself manifests itself. The purpose of the analysis is to examine what the problem entails and what parts are related to it. The aim is to break the problem down into as small parts as possible and examine the whole as objectively and accurately as possible. The purpose of self-examination is to determine your own role in the problem. How are you connected to the problem, how do you affect the problem, and would it be possible to find a solution to the problem through yourself?
The most effective and clearest approach is to construct as simple a view of the problem as possible, examine the problem, and find a solution to the problem from the problem itself. The problem becomes clear and visible by examining point A from each of the four perspectives (Problem, Nature of the problem, Analysis of the problem, Self-examination in relation to the problem) and by examining point B from each of the same four perspectives. However, the most important thing is to examine the obstacle between these two, the problem itself, as extensively and accurately as possible.
The purpose of insight is to build an understanding of the problem and, through that, find a solution to the problem itself. After this, it is possible to move on to solving the problem itself. Have all perspectives on the problem been taken into account? Do you understand the problem itself?
- Changing actions or thoughts
Thinking about the event and the issue allows you to identify the problem areas that affect the event and the issue. This also allows you to identify the problem and find a solution by understanding it. Putting the solution into practice requires direct action if you want the solution to become a reality. This requires utilizing insights and crystallizing the entire thought process into a single solution.
The purpose of the investigation is to stimulate and highlight ideas, problems, insights, and solutions related to the matter under investigation. The most important thing is to work consciously on the investigation of the event or matter, taking into account every existing perspective.
The aim is to gather all the understanding and ideas that have been gained so far and to start acting on that basis. However, the most effective approach is to continue the process of researching the issue step by step, over and over again. This inevitably reveals similarities between events and issues, as well as clear principles for the learning process. What does change require? What needs to be changed in our thinking?
Change in relation to the problem
Change in relation to the problem means concretely changing the factors that affect the problem and create obstacles in order to solve the problem. In this way, the solution becomes concrete. All the previous thinking and the process that has emerged from it is necessary, which, through understanding, becomes a concrete solution to the problem.
As is usually the case with processes, the solution may not become apparent on the first attempt, despite consistent research. For this reason, consistent research requires repetition and even more careful and comprehensive consideration of the factors involved. The problem may also cease to exist or become apparent in the early stages of research. The problem does not always require concrete operational change; rather, the problem may be found in personal ways of thinking, attitudes, or actions.
It is also important to understand that once one problem has been solved, there are more problems to be solved. When the problem between point A and point B has been solved, point B becomes the starting point and point C becomes the goal at the other end of the line. It is a good idea to review the problem-solving process and consider whether the insights gained during the process could be applied to other existing problems. What is the solution to the problem? How is the change concrete?
The three stages of being
- Understanding
Understanding means seeing an event, issue, or problem from different perspectives and grasping the significance of every small detail and factor in the whole. Why is something the way it is, and how does it affect other things? What effect does each thing and factor have on other things?
Understanding is seeing the connections between the mechanisms at work in different events, issues, and problems. Understanding events, issues, and problems increases understanding and awareness of the structures of different issues and problems and also enables the exploration and utilization of different solutions in different situations. One must understand oneself before it is possible to fully understand life, just as one must understand events, issues, and problems before one can understand solutions.
Research conducted during events, issues, and problems and the learning process that occurs in them lead to understanding. This also shapes one’s personal view of life. This builds a personal worldview and a foundation for independent thinking.
Understanding is the internalization and experience of knowledge and the perception of the big picture with all its issues and factors. Understanding is seeing different issues, factors, and thought structures, but also events, issues, and problems as a whole in an objective manner. Through this, these factors also fall into place. Understanding is seeing everything in order, as individual things and factors in their proper places. The main purpose of understanding is to create the clearest and most consistent path possible for accepting these events, things, and problems. After this, it is possible to examine things and factors in relation to oneself and how one wants to act with regard to them.
Understanding creates a clear picture of things and factors. When you understand the true nature of an event, thing, or problem, how it affects you, and whether the event, thing, or problem ultimately has any greater significance, it is easier to accept them. You can either look for a solution to the event, issue, or problem, or you can simply let it go. If the event, issue, or problem needs closer examination, you can revisit it.
It is necessary to examine your own understanding of understanding and what understanding means to you as an individual and as a human being. What is understanding? What does understanding mean?
- Acceptance
Acceptance is one of the most important tools and forms of being in life. In life, there are and always will be events, issues, and problems that simply must be accepted. Acceptance is the end result of examining events, issues, and problems.
Acceptance comes through understanding an event, issue, or problem. To understand an event, issue, or problem, it must be examined from many different perspectives. They must be broken down into the smallest possible parts, the factors and elements that influence them, and they must be examined as thoroughly as possible. If the event, issue, or problem is simple, then it can be approached simply. If the event, issue, or problem is complex, it must be examined and processed as extensively as possible. Ultimately, the event, issue, or problem appears as a whole composed of different parts, factors, and elements. Understanding this whole also makes it possible to accept it.
Acceptance is the end result and final stage in dealing with events, issues, or problems. After acceptance, the decision on what solution to choose is left to the individual. Do they want things to stay as they are, or do they want to change them in some way? Giving up on an event, issue, or problem is also an option.
When you internalize the importance of understanding and acceptance in examining things, you can also use them as tools for every event, issue, or problem in life. How can you achieve understanding and acceptance? What is acceptance and what does it mean?
- Letting go
Letting go means releasing an event, issue, or problem. A thorough understanding of the nature and structure of the event, issue, or problem paves the way for acceptance. After this, solutions to the event, issue, or problem also become apparent.
An event, issue, or problem must first be accepted before it can truly be let go. It is possible to change and fix events, issues, and problems, but first you must let go of the old in order to build something new in its place. Building something new always requires letting go of the old.
Letting go is a step that seals the long-term investigation of an event, issue, or problem. Letting go means letting go and moving forward, as well as accepting the new. The purpose of this action is to let go of problematic, impractical, and inconsistent things and factors and make room for new ways of thinking and acting. As a result of letting go, these things and factors cease to exist, making life clearer and simpler. What should you let go of? What event, issue, or problem should you examine?
the Self
- the Self
By examining the event, issue, or problem, you can systematically address the impractical and inconsistent things and factors that affect it. Impractical things and factors create conflicts and obstacles, causing reactions both in the individual themselves and in their interpretation of life and reality. By examining events, issues, and problems, personal understanding becomes clearer and thoughts and patterns of behavior become visible. This makes life and reality more consistent. This creates a chain reaction that causes the individual to question their life, their reality, and also themselves. Who am I? What am I? What is life? What is reality?
Questions like these arise from a sense of wonder and curiosity. The individual is then transported to completely new territory. These questions provide an opportunity and a very necessary means of exploring one’s personal life and reality and constructing them in a way that is as pleasing as possible. Questions also lead individuals to themselves, which is the ideal outcome. Creating a path to the deepest core of the individual.
What is something that should be discovered and let go of? This is the basic idea behind circular thinking. After the aforementioned measures, once the hindrances and excesses have ceased to exist, the remaining space is freed up for something else. Self-examination also leads the individual to become aware of themselves, which serves as a tool for a new journey of exploration: deeper into the individual themselves. Self-awareness creates the opportunity to observe not only oneself, but also the surrounding world as separate from oneself. This makes it possible to see things as simply existing and interacting with each other as things and factors. Thus, in the end, there is only ”me,” with everything interacting and happening within oneself, but also around oneself. Everything simply is. In this case, the choice is left to oneself as to which of these things to grasp and which to let be and go.
When exploring the self, one must forget all other thought processes and exploration and simply settle down with oneself. The purpose of this stage is to let go of everything, give up everything, and see oneself only as oneself. At this stage, the aim is to practice everything that has gone before in concrete actions and to see oneself only through the three stages of being.
You can find diagrams for Life is in the shape of a circle -philosophy of life here!