_The STRANGE ATTRACTOR METAPHOR IN MIND SYSTEMS
– the Af-x RELEVANCE _
What follows here offers more grounds for understanding by those whose minds like to embrace all possible explanations and alternative pathways of thinking (i.e.: multiple ways of explaining the same idea). I have taken an unusual step in this presentation of presenting the piece TWICE within this same page. Many people who read seemingly complex material require it to be interpreted in some way. I present the actual raw text first, and then follow it with the same text with “conversational” interpretations. I do this because I maintain that this understanding of the advanced systems theory, while not absolutely necessary, is of great value to one’s cache of perception of the human mind and mind-change. I gently advise you not to put distance between you and the following overview of what Chaos Theory can tell us about affect development. Much of this could almost replace a lot of the detail of affective neuroscience and theories about habit. This originated as a short piece that I wrote for practitioners in a professional development workshop. Over the years since writing this piece, I have had occasion to realize the importance of this overview of the influential passage through a mind’s life that is better explained through this distilled version of strange attractors. Those years have tightened up my own belief that this metaphor is more than a metaphor and is the perfect explanation regarding important matters in Af-x where “certain dots must be joined.” Some would say it is complicated and unnecessary, but I believe that it is the perfect explanation of the hyper-dimensional path that the brain and mind takes in its fuzzy development – the development and persistence of deep affect reactive issues and how they are maintained in what we can describe as “some sort of order.” The existence of the strange attractor explanation in Chaos Theory, Quantum Physics, Advanced Mathematics, and Advanced Systems Theory provides a perfect parallel explanation regarding the influence that affect initiators (“first-ever” preverbal affect encodings at A.P.O.O. – Actual Point of Origin) have over subsequent learnings and how they go on to create “soft” influential affect perseveration* in later adult life. *perseveration = automatic repetition “counter to logic” Further to that, within the explanation of strange attractors and their “movement” and later replacement, there is the perfect explanation about what Af-x aims to achieve and how it does it. ….. And by the way, the title below was originally intended to be semi-humorous (now, it is not!) |
_ The Vagaries of Fractal Break-off Non-Predictors of Affect Unconsciousness in the Evolvement of Who We Are: -
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“Strange Attractors” and Chaos Psychology as it Pertains to Af-x _
We may well (perhaps) mention here “the butterfly effect”, and know about how affect perseveration builds on itself in non-linear ways, with repetitive patterns not ‘exactly patterning’ or replicating due to fractal self-similarity dynamics creating plasticity of the continuum. I, of course, don't know the formal, mathematical, definition of “strange” chaotic attractors, but it seems to me that what we are attempting to define is a chaotic system that is extremely sensitive to initial conditions. Let’s say the “initial conditions” are those that take place during and at the initiating preverbal affect learning. In other words, A.P.O.O.* *APOO = actual point of origin, as opposed to NPOO, narrative point of origin. According to the theory, a strange attractor results if a system is sensitive to initial conditions and is not conservative. Chaotic systems display certain characteristics including complex feedback loops, self organization, holistic behaviour, and inherent unpredictability. Strange attractors automatically create self-iteration* and they can take an infinite number of different forms, which are all fractal and demonstrate infinite self-similarity. *self-iterating = self-repeating A prime characteristic of a strange attractor is that it is defined as the focus of a pattern of seemingly chaotic behaviour. But it is the pattern that signals the presence of that focus which cannot be identified in any other way. In systems that are sensitive to initial conditions, the trajectories of the points defining initial conditions will move apart in some directions, closer in others, but there will be a net shrinkage in volume. Ultimately, all points will lie along a fine line of zero volume. Some trajectories may exhibit highly eccentric orbits, but the ultimate pull towards the attractor will remain fundamental, even if it may be barely sensed at its more extreme points by those involved. Attractors seem to be the stable factors within the chaotic dynamics of a system; they represent the general trend of the system around which the details oscillate. A strange attractor never comes to rest and does not produce any single rhythm to the exclusion of all others - yet a subtle order is established, that of self similarity. When an attractor disappears due to an unexpected change of conditions, the system becomes temporarily structure-less and experiences a term of "transient chaos" before another attractor is found. This can be achieved by diving to the deepest levels of the system and initiating a process that produces revolutionary transformation. This process fosters the establishment of a new strange attractor, a new iteration. This theory does in fact describe the non-linear, deterministic and at the same time chaotic, eternal, self-iterating loops of affective reactions, with the original critical (initiating) affective experience being the strange attractor. And Af-x is the non-linear process that fosters a deep, fundamental change in the original critical affective (preverbal) experience producing a new self-iterating strange attractor: a ‘new iteration.’ The comment referring to the system becomes (becoming) temporarily structure-less and experiences a term of "transient chaos" before another attractor is found can clearly be seen as alluding to the period of confusion and/or mild discomfort that a small number of ex-clients have reported following Af-x work. It certainly exemplifies the usual vague period whereby the system (mind) FOLLOWING Af-x TREATMENT may require some time in order for new attractors to assimilate within that system and create their more positive self-iterations. Nevertheless, this can serve as a somewhat obscure – but in my way of perceiving – exacting and explainable dynamic of understanding what on earth Af-x is all about. The strange attractor is the ‘actual initiating affect response,’ the self-iteration speaks of the habitual perseveration of the response as a pattern, ‘the subtle order that is established’ becomes the person’s emotional (overt) or affect (covert) personality or series of response patterns, and ‘initiating a process that produces revolutionary transformation with the fostering of the establishment of a new strange attractor, a new iteration’ is the Af-x affect reframing process itself. _Appendix:
A QUOTE: “ … The only problem is that linear systems exist more in theory than in practice. Living systems and forces of nature are nonlinear … ” … S.L. Bloom This quote above helps put paid to the age-old theories related to linear-driven therapeutic change – you know, “make a change to the traumatic event and everything will be fine (healed)”. This, in turn, exemplifies that fact that Af-x, although theoretically concerned with what has been learned in “the past” and what has initiated strange attractors and how they perseverate as unconscious affective habits, is an approach that LIVES AND BREATHES IN THE PRESENT. Af-x is concerned only in the effects that strange attractors and affective perseverations place on human behavior TODAY. QUOTE: Identification of four classes of dynamic systems: Class III: Governed by strange attractors. Chaotic behaviour which never settles into a predictable pattern. No stability. Structures breakup as soon as they form. _ Colloquial Interpretations
“Strange Attractors” and Chaos Psychology as it Pertains to Af-x We may well (perhaps) mention here “the butterfly effect”, and know about how affect perseveration builds on itself in non-linear ways, with repetitive patterns not ‘exactly patterning’ or replicating due to fractal self-similarity dynamics creating plasticity of the continuum. I, of course, don't know the formal, mathematical, definition of “strange” chaotic attractors, but it seems to me that what we are attempting to define is a chaotic system that is extremely sensitive to initial conditions. Let’s say the “initial conditions” are those that take place during and at the initiating preverbal affect learning. In other words, A.P.O.O.* *APOO = actual point of origin, as opposed to NPOO, narrative point of origin. According to the theory, a strange attractor results if a system is sensitive to initial conditions and is not conservative. Chaotic systems display certain characteristics including complex feedback loops, self organization, holistic behavior, and inherent unpredictability. Strange attractors automatically create self-iteration* and they can take an infinite number of different forms, which are all fractal and demonstrate infinite self similarity. *self-iterating = self-repeating "Street-talk" version of the above paragraph: “Sensitive to initial conditions” describes the way the mind automatically ‘connects’ with initially encoded feeling reactions in unconscious memory. The subconscious as a “system” may be chaotic but is partially confined by, and defined by, self-similarity – that is, although “fuzzy”, it obeys a certain pattern formation. A prime characteristic of a strange attractor is that it is defined as the focus of a pattern of seemingly chaotic behavior. But it is the pattern that signals the presence of that focus which cannot be identified in any other way. In systems that are sensitive to initial conditions, the trajectories of the points defining initial conditions will move apart in some directions, closer in others, but there will be a net shrinkage in volume. Ultimately, all points will lie along a fine line of zero volume. Some trajectories may exhibit highly eccentric orbits, but the ultimate pull towards the attractor will remain fundamental, even if it may be barely sensed at its more extreme points by those involved. "Street-talk" version of the above paragraph: Within the “chaotic system” of the unconscious, there is always a state of flux; even an occasional breakaway pattern, but the influence of the attractor is always present and making itself felt in perseverating responses. Attractors seem to be the stable factors within the chaotic dynamics of a system; they represent the general trend of the system around which the details oscillate. A strange attractor never comes to rest and does not produce any single rhythm to the exclusion of all others - yet a subtle order is established, that of self similarity. When an attractor disappears due to an unexpected change of conditions, the system becomes temporarily structure-less and experiences a term of "transient chaos" before another attractor is found. This can be achieved by diving to the deepest levels of the system and initiating a process that produces revolutionary transformation. This process fosters the establishment of a new strange attractor, a new iteration. "Street-talk" version of the above paragraph: The “subtle order” created by the self-similarity of strange attractors can be ultimately broken by the introduction of a “change in conditions” like the affect reframing and subsequent subconscious mind’s “new realization” of Af-x. This fosters a new strange attractor within the subconscious dynamic which leads to ultimate new and more matured perseverations. This theory does in fact describe the non-linear, deterministic and at the same time chaotic, eternal, self-iterating loops of affective reactions, with the original critical (initiating) affective experience being the strange attractor. And Af-x is the non-linear process that fosters a deep, fundamental change in the original critical affective (preverbal) experience producing a new self-iterating strange attractor: a ‘new iteration.’ "Street-talk" version of the above paragraph: An explanation of what happens with “unconscious change” to more positive and productive matured affect sense of self as an operative mind system. The comment referring to the system becomes (becoming) temporarily structure-less and experiences a term of "transient chaos" before another attractor is found can clearly be seen as alluding to the period of confusion and/or mild discomfort that a small number of ex-clients have reported following Af-x work. It certainly exemplifies the usual vague period whereby the system (mind) FOLLOWING Af-x TREATMENT may require some time in order for new attractors to assimilate within that system and create their more positive self-iterations. "Street-talk" version of the above paragraph: The subconscious MAY take a little time to re-build its new strange attractors and consequent self-iterations. This can account for sometimes delayed positive outcomes in Af-x. Nevertheless, this can serve as a somewhat obscure – but in my way of perceiving – exacting and explainable dynamic of understanding what on earth Af-x is all about. The strange attractor is the ‘actual initiating affect response,’ the self-iteration speaks of the habitual perseveration of the response as a pattern, ‘the subtle order that is established’ becomes the person’s emotional (overt) or affect (covert) personality or series of response patterns, and ‘initiating a process that produces revolutionary transformation with the fostering of the establishment of a new strange attractor, a new iteration’ is the Af-x affect reframing process itself. "Street-talk" version of the above paragraph: Af-x affect reframing creates an interruption of the initial preverbal strange attractor and introduces a new, “mature,” contemporary attractor to rebuild mind patterns. If you prefer to read this page in another format OR print it, then open the embedded Word document below.
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