Living with the paradoxes of today necessitates a profound shift in mindset, as outlined by Brother Tony Leon in his presentation. 'Today there are 2 mindsets,' he explains, 'either a fixed mindset or a growth mindset. Fixed mindsets are closed who presumed to have the final answer. A growth mindset looks out beyond to wider possibility and an openness to grow and change.' This concept is exemplified by the story of Carol Dweck's research on mindset. Dweck found that individuals with a growth mindset, like the students who embraced challenges and viewed failures as opportunities to learn, tended to achieve greater success in their endeavors compared to those with a fixed mindset, who often avoided challenges and were easily discouraged by setbacks. James Hynes aptly captures the transformative power of language, emphasizing that 'words have power. Name a thing, and you bring it into being. Define a thing, and you give it form and substance. Language shapes our reality.' This idea is illustrated by the impact of positive affirmations on one's mindset and behavior. Studies have shown that individuals who regularly use affirmations to reinforce positive beliefs about themselves tend to experience greater confidence, resilience, and overall well-being.
In exploring the philosophical concepts of finite and infinite games introduced by James P. Carse, we encounter contrasting approaches to life. 'Finite and Infinite Games,' notes the presentation, 'is a philosophical book by James P. Carse published in 1986. It explores the concepts of finite and infinite games as metaphors for different ways of engaging with life.' Carse argues that finite and infinite games exist in various aspects of life, including culture, politics, religion, and personal relationships. He suggests that understanding the distinction between these two types of games can profoundly affect how we approach life. An example of a finite game is a sports competition, where the goal is to defeat opponents and achieve victory within a defined set of rules and time frame. In contrast, an example of an infinite game is the pursuit of knowledge, where the goal is not to win or reach a final endpoint, but to continue learning and evolving over time.
Carse's exploration prompts reflection on our approach to life, inviting us to transition from a mindset of competition and domination to one of collaboration and creativity. This shift necessitates an acceptance of uncertainty and an openness to continual adaptation. 'Infinite games,' the notes elaborate, 'embrace uncertainty and unpredictability. Players accept that they cannot control everything and learn to navigate the unknown with courage and resilience.' This concept is illustrated by the evolution of technology and innovation. Companies like Apple and Google, known for their emphasis on creativity and innovation, continually adapt to changing market dynamics and consumer preferences, embracing uncertainty as an opportunity for growth and exploration. Embracing the infinite nature of life enables us to find greater meaning and fulfillment in our experiences, transcending the limitations of finite perspectives.
Brother Tony Leon emphasizes the importance of maintaining a playful attitude in navigating life's complexities. Just as children effortlessly transition from one game to another, adults must cultivate a sense of playfulness to keep the game of life alive. 'Life is about improvisation,' the notes suggest, 'Can I still be playful in terms of peace?' This playful approach allows for spontaneity, creativity, and a willingness to confront the unknown. An example of embracing playfulness in everyday life is the practice of improvisational theatre. Improv actors learn to embrace spontaneity, adapt to unexpected situations, and collaborate with others to create engaging and entertaining performances. By adopting a playful mindset, individuals can approach challenges with greater flexibility and resilience, fostering innovation and growth.
In recognizing the paradoxes inherent in life, we acknowledge the tension between finite and infinite perspectives. 'Words have a lot of power,' the presentation notes. 'Finite focuses on 'titles', whilst 'infinite' mind focuses on the name.' While finite views may offer stability and control, infinite views invite us to embrace growth and possibility. Rather than viewing paradoxes as contradictions, we can see them as opportunities for deeper understanding and transformation. An example of navigating paradoxes in personal relationships is the balance between autonomy and interdependence. Healthy relationships require individuals to maintain a sense of self while also being open to connection and collaboration with others. By embracing both finite and infinite perspectives, individuals can navigate the complexities of relationships with greater empathy, understanding, and resilience.
The paradoxes found within the Gospels offer profound insights into the mysteries of faith and the nature of God. In the Christian tradition, Mary is revered as both mother and virgin, embodying the paradox of divine motherhood. Jesus Christ is understood as both fully human and fully divine, representing the paradoxical union of the earthly and the divine. Similarly, the concept of the Holy Trinity presents the paradox of God as three persons in one divine essence—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Eucharist, central to Christian worship, is believed to be both the bread and the body of Christ, symbolizing the paradoxical union of the material and the spiritual. Matthew’s Gospel presents another paradox regarding peace, where Jesus declares, “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.' This statement challenges conventional notions of peace and highlights the paradoxical nature of Christ's mission, which brings both division and reconciliation, conflict and transformation. These paradoxes invite contemplation and reflection, encouraging believers to embrace the complexities of faith with humility and reverence.
Reflecting on these key questions, we are drawn into a contemplation of the intricate interplay between light and darkness, hope and uncertainty, transformation and continuity. Sr Mercedes Navarro Puerto's evocative description of the 'magic hour' of Marist Life invites us to embrace the paradoxical force of rebirth amidst the threshold between what ceases to be and what is not yet. For resurrection to occur, there must be pain. In this liminal space, we are confronted with the dynamic tension between agonizing over change and embracing transformation. Similarly, the notion of integrity as a continuum challenges us to navigate the delicate balance between corruption and legalism, recognizing that true virtue lies in the nuanced interplay of moral choices. Václav Havel's poignant insight into hope invites us to reevaluate our understanding of optimism, reminding us that hope transcends mere outcomes and resides in the deeper conviction that life has inherent meaning and purpose. Father Tim Radcliffe's recognition of humanity's innate thirst for infinite happiness beckons us to explore the depths of our existential longing and the search for transcendence. Paradoxes abound, reminding us that love carries the inherent risk of pain, yet also holds the promise of profound joy and fulfillment. Anthony Doerr's metaphorical exploration of light underscores the mystery and unseen beauty that permeate our world, challenging us to look beyond the surface and embrace the hidden truths that illuminate our existence. As we ponder these profound questions, we are reminded of the timeless wisdom that light shines brightest in the darkest moments, offering hope and guidance amidst the shadows of uncertainty and doubt.
Further notes from the day…..
Today there are 2 mindsets. Either a fixed mindset or a growth mindset. Fixed mindsets are closed who presumed to have the final answer. A growth mindset looks out beyond to wider possibility and an openness to grow and change.
'Words have power. Name a thing, and you bring it into being. Define a thing, and you give it form and substance. Language shapes our reality.' - James Hynes
'Finite and Infinite Games' is a philosophical book by James P. Carse published in 1986. It explores the concepts of finite and infinite games as metaphors for different ways of engaging with life.
1. **Finite Games**: Finite games are played with the purpose of winning. They have fixed rules, known players, and a clear endpoint. These games are played for the sake of achieving victory or some tangible outcome. Examples of finite games include sports matches, board games, business competitions, and wars. In finite games, players are focused on overcoming obstacles and opponents to reach a specific goal.
2. **Infinite Games**: Infinite games, on the other hand, are played with the aim of continuing the play. They do not have fixed rules or predetermined endpoints. The goal of an infinite game is not to win but to keep the game in play, to perpetuate the possibility of play. Infinite games are characterized by changing rules, open-ended horizons, and an emphasis on inclusion rather than exclusion. Life itself is seen as an infinite game, where the goal is not to win but to keep playing, to keep evolving, and to keep embracing new challenges and possibilities.
Carse argues that finite and infinite games exist in various aspects of life, including culture, politics, religion, and personal relationships. He suggests that understanding the distinction between these two types of games can profoundly affect how we approach life.
Here are some key points regarding infinite games:
- **Focus on Process**: In an infinite game, the emphasis is on the process rather than the outcome. Players are more concerned with how the game is played rather than who wins or loses.
- **Creative Participation**: Infinite games encourage creative participation and innovation. Players are free to change the rules, roles, and strategies as the game unfolds.
- **Continual Adaptation**: Since infinite games have no fixed endpoint, players must continually adapt to new challenges and circumstances. This adaptability is crucial for the sustainability of the game.
- **Inclusion and Connection**: Infinite games emphasize inclusion and connection rather than exclusion and separation. Players seek to build relationships and networks that support the ongoing play of the game.
- **Embrace of Uncertainty**: Infinite games embrace uncertainty and unpredictability. Players accept that they cannot control everything and learn to navigate the unknown with courage and resilience.
Carse's book challenges readers to reconsider their approach to life and invites them to engage with the world as participants in an infinite game. It encourages a shift from a mindset of competition and domination to one of collaboration and creativity. By recognizing the infinite nature of life, Carse suggests that we can find greater meaning, fulfillment, and joy in our experiences.
In Infinite games, Kids play the best. Kids like to use make believe. When one game is finished they go to the next game.
As adults - how do we keep the game alive?
Finite avoids surprises whilst infinite confronts surprises (this is formation)
Finite view = past will end. Rigid and controlling. Avoids surprises. I have been a looser.
Infinite view = Open growth mindset. The past is unfinished. There are always new possibilities. Redfines the past. Failure is seen as a wake up moment where we learn. How do we allow God to be God.
Sometimes the infinite is not better than the finite. We need both. People need to operate with both views finite and infinite.
James Carse - “To be playful is not to be trivial or frivolous, or to act as though nothing of consequence will happen. On the contrary, when we are playful with each other we relate as free persons, and the relationship is open to surprise; everything that happens is of consequence.'
Life is about improvisation - Can I still be playform in terms of peace?
Words have a lot of power. Finite focuses on “titles†, whilst, “infinite†mind focuses on the name.
At the end of the film the Gladiator, the gladiate identifies his name first “Maximus Decimus Meridiusâ€, later, he identifies his title “Roman generalâ€. Names donate a deeper relationship. Titles focus more on the objective.
In the Old Testament Jacob wrestles all night with God. Only until he identifies his name “Jacobâ€, that a sense of peace emerges.
Maddness to fight outside when the real struggle is within.
Finite = Titles, abstract, power, thearotical, visible, serious, contradictory, plays to be more powerful, Power is an amount.
Infinite = focuses on personal names, concrete, subjective, unscripted, Dramatises, invisible, playful, paradoxical, infinite plays with strength, power extends beyond what is seen.
God is the infinite but also intimate and personal.
Book of Wisdom 7:21-24, 26, 27 - “'And all such things as are hid and not foreseen, I have learned: for wisdom, which is the worker of all things, taught me. For in her is the spirit of understanding: holy, one, manifold, subtile, eloquent, active, undefiled, sure, sweet, loving that which is good, quick, which nothing hindereth, beneficent, gentle, kind, steadfast, assured, secure, having all power, overseeing all things, and containing all spirits, intelligible, pure, and subtile. For wisdom is more active than all active things: and reacheth everywhere by reason of her purity. And all good things together came to me with her, and innumerable riches through her hands.'
Father Tim Radcliff “that dam Catholic “Andâ€â€
In photography there is the golden hour just before sunset. A finite hour. Where we do not know whether it is still day or night.
Richard Rohr suggests that we have to “See as mystics see†(Book naked namâ€
Secularism is not the problem. Secularism is more open to discovery than fundamentalism. Fundamentalism is very closed.
Rachel Held Evans - 'Fundamentalism is the triumph of certainty over mystery, but we are not called to have faith in our answers. We are called to have faith in God.'
Our world loves to see things in black and white. Life is more about shades and colour. Nuaces.
Paradox of Salvation is to surrender life to gain life.
There are many Paradoxes in Christianityo Mary is both mother and virgino Jesus is both human and divineo God is seen as three in oneo Eucharist is both the bread and the body of Christ.
Matthew’s Gospel presents Jesus paradox regarding peace - “ 'Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.' - Matthew 10:34-36
The languages we use can miss guide us. When we translate from one language to another we loose meaning.
Sr Mercedes Navarro Puerto, - “in this magic hour of (Religious) Marist Life, that develops between two lights, on the threshold, between what ceases to be and what is not yet, many of us, instead of agonising, feel the paradoxical force of rebirth that is more proper to transformation than mere continuityâ€.â€
Integrity is along a continuum - the virtue con continuum - Corruption versus legalism
'Hope is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something makes sense regardless of how it turns out.' - Václav Havel
Father Tim Radcliffe “there is a profound human thirst for infinite happinessâ€
Paradoxes - if you love you will be hurt.
Book by Anthony Doer “All the light we cannot see†- “All the light is invisibleâ€
Most of the spectrum of light the naked eye cannot see. Yet we presume to see.
The scripture says “light shines the brightest in the darkestâ€
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