Circles, squares, triangles...
On this page we will be talking in brief about the special system of work forms that our organisation uses.
When Māntrikadeva received the inspiration to create this organisation, it was clear it would be part of its purpose to instruct people to work together closely and constructively. To be able to do so, it is important to let members shift between roles.Another part of the purpose of this organisation is to further away from the rigidity of traditional work form of master-apprentice learning. Further than the teachers of the past decades had already done.
Out of these two elements in the dharma (destiny) of this project, a unique system of spiritual cooperation was born. It is a system that uses the simple inherent patterns of geometry and their symbolic relations to create a structure that works towards both these parts of our purpose.
The work form used varies from week to week, depending on the level of initiation the class is intended for, following a cyclic pattern of four weeks. During this cycle, some classes are, for example, more top-down and others more bottom-up, or they allow members regularly switch between roles. This allows for group dynamics to constantly be somewhat on the move, and for all members to gain experience in different roles.
Also, it allows room for students to express their questions and needs, while teachers also have space where they can safely be more top-down. This is important, because we firmly believe that the world should be neither a place where work is organised from the top down, nor from the bottom up. We believe that only when both are brought into balance with each other, work can be done in a way that is both durable and wholesome.
Work forms
For learning members, lessons follow a pattern of short cycles of circumpunct, closed circle, open circle, closed circle.
In the circumpunct, the teacher's story is central and listening to it will be the main activity of the group, so the energy is very top-down. In the closed circle the teacher's story is also central, but with much more group interaction. In the open circle, students bring their questions about subjects discussed in earlier lessons, and the teacher discusses them. It is also a moment to talk about experiences needs a student experience that he/she deems also relevant for others.
The term circle as we use it here, should not be confused with the circle work form that is already being used in, for instance, dialogue training, conflict resolution, etcetera. Our interpretation of the circle symbolism is very different.
For initiate members, the lessons follow a different pattern. Or in fact, two different patterns. As they start out in one form, and in a later phase move towards a form that allows greater independence.
Their lessons initially use the pattern of closed circle, triangle, open circle, triangle. Later on, their pattern is open circle, triangle, square, triangle.
During their closed circle, subjects are interactively discussed with a master. During triangles, three members work together doing spiritual research. In phase 1, this is on subjects provided by our organisation, in phase 2 on subjects the initiate members choose together. During open circles, they can ask their questions, share experiences. And during squares, four members explore the working together for concretely bringing some idea into form.
For master members, they get together regularly on an organically equal level, in an open circle meeting that allows room for intervision and mutual exchange & exploration. Or instead, they might choose to get together with other master members in circles, triangles or squares to work on projects of their own, or they may start their own local teaching group or work on growing our repository of methods & techniques.
In principle, we work 40 weeks a year. Members try to be present each week if they can reasonable manage to do so. This number can be raised for voluntary attendance.