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Civilisational Clashes and the Shadow Paper Title: Civilisational Clashes and the Shadow Author: Marcus Anthony

(B/A Hons., Dip. Ed., PhD) Abstract Civilisational clashes may be exacerbated by unconscious psychological projections, involving both national leaders and populations. In such cases emotional responses may override rational behaviour. Harmonic Circles is a deeply introspective Futures tool, and works with the human unconscious the shadow. The purpose is to enable both parties in a clash to assume greater responsibility for their mental and emotional states, with the goal of enhancing dialogue and healing. The mechanics and philosophy behind the tool are outlined (drawing upon psychological theories including depth psychology and transpersonal psychology). A hypothetical application is brought forward involving a possible civilisational clash between the United States and China. Finally, the further possible applications of Harmonic Circles are listed, including the strengths and weaknesses of the tool. Key words: introspection, psychohistory, civilisational, the shadow, depth psychology, confrontation, projection, futures Bilgin (2006) has pointed out that economic, military, political and demographic factors are central to potential clashes of civilizations. In turn Inayatullah (1998) argues that issues can be analyzed at various layers the litany (empirical), systems/social, the worldview level, and the myth/metaphor level. Inayatulah's mythical/metaphorical level reveals the hidden and explicit mythologies, narratives, symbols and metaphors. This also may include any emotional, unconscious and archetypal dimensions within the subject matter (Inayatullah 1998). In keeping with the essential thrust of critical and postconventional futures studies (Slaughter 2006), I will address various levels of the problem. However, the focus of this paper is mythical/metaphorical level, where the human mind and deeper psyche are central. Forces which come into play here can potentially include evolutionary forces (as in evolutionary psychology), neuroscientific factors, collective attitudes and mentalities, collective civilizational issues (trauma, collective attitudes) and spiritual imperatives. i Here I am dealing with the topic of civilisational clashes in a way that directly touches upon two of these (the human psyche, collective issues) and indirectly a third (spiritual imperatives). In a previous paper (Anthony 2007) I introduced a new futures tool called Harmonic Circles.ii Harmonic Circles is a process which elicits introspection within individuals involved in clashes, or what I call confrontational binaries (Anthony 2007).iii These are situations where individuals or groups face-off at one another and take opposing sides of an issue or argument and proceed to 'battle'

each other. The essential presupposition of the Harmonic Circles method is that anger, hate and blame of the other is in part a function of deeper psycho-spiritual factors. The Harmonic Circles method encourages people to assume greater responsibility for the contents of their psyches, and to assume a willingness not to project those psychological issues onto others.iv Analyses of conflicts that fail to address the psyche may inadvertently become entrenched in the projections of the psyche. v Purposes of this paper The main purposes are: . To indicate how Harmonic Circles can be used by opposing parties to reduce conflict and move towards a healing space. To show how the Harmonic Circles tool can bring into conscious awareness the often unconscious mental processes which prevent deep understanding of conflicts from emerging. To indicate how this application of Harmonic Circles might be applied by futurists to futures studies in general. To bring forward the Harmonic Circles method for consideration and reflection by futurists and interested parties, with a view to seeking further discussion and modification in the future, and ultimately the practical application of the tool. The process to be outlined below is exploratory. It is a method born of years of work with the human psyche. However the precise application here is as yet untested. The process is an intricate one and should only be employed in the presence of a skilled facilitator.vi The irrationality of 'argument' That civilisational clashes are at least in part 'irrational' is readily seen in the many clashes between different cultures, races and nations around the world. For example, in the Arab/Israeli conflict both parties typically accuse the other of atrocities and extremism. It is not uncommon to meet Israelis and Palestinians who claim the world media is biased against their nation/race. 'Negative' human characteristics are to some degree a matter of interpretation. Almost any character trait can be interpreted in either a positive or a negative light. Are Muslims spiritually-ennobled or fanatical idealists ? Are the Chinese enthusiastic entrepreneurs or greedy businesspeople? Are Americans rugged individualists or self-obsessed egotists? In this paper both the positive and negative expressions of various civilisational characteristics will be outlined. Ideally, the identification of the negative expression of a collective trait can be transformed into a positive expression via the awareness of the projection process that underpins the negative expression. The need for depth

Depth psychologists going back to Freud and Jung showed that human beings have an unconscious mind, and that people are not purely creatures of conscious awareness. If the latter were truly the case, there would be no need for psychologists, and personal behavior would be immediately subject to the human will. Yet as virtually any human being knows, much of behavior is driven by forces which are not immediately conscious. Recent cognitive science has tended to focus upon neuroscience and genetics, while eliciting reductionist explanations at the biological level. This is understandable because cognitive science has become a handmaiden to neuroscience (Maddox 1999), which in turn is dominated by the neo-Darwinian and mechanistic paradigms. I have argued this extensively in previous papers (Anthony 2005, 2006). The ways of knowing employed in these discourses centre upon critical rationality and what I call the critical/rational worldview.vii There is an effective hegemony of a narrowly defined rationalism in mainstream psychology, as well as science in general (Anthony 2006). In terms of a complete explanation of human behavior, reductionist science is not enough. We must return to the psyche at a deep level, including the transpersonal. The process of positing psychological underpinnings to historical events, especially as experienced by individuals and societies is commonly referred to as psychohistory. As with psychohistory, a presupposition of Harmonic Circles is that there are psychological underpinnings of civilizational clashes. Personal background and Harmonic Circles Before beginning my academic studies, I explored the depths of the psyche (both personally and in groups) through deep introspection, cathartic emotional work, and meditative and reflective processes. At various times I worked within healing groups where the key goal was to heal personal pain and suffering related to psychological issues and childhood abuse. This involved a great deal of work with the human 'shadow'. During my time exploring the psyche I suspended most of the intellectual activity that had previously dominated much of my mental space. This process lasted about five years. Whereas prior to that period I had spent much time reading and reflecting on a range of subjects (especially history, philosophy of science, psychology, and spirituality), I then shifted into an intense emotional and cathartic period. I came to believe that unbalanced intellectualism retards deeper knowledge of the self, even when the subject of intellectualism is the mind itself. This is because exploration of the human mind is not purely an intellectual process. During my exploration of the psyche I began to meditate, record my dreams and intuitions, and to deliberately employ non-ordinary states of consciousness to glean information from my own psyche. I did this very thoroughly and with great determination. I was more than a little shocked to discover that these realms of mind contained invaluable data, information and wisdom. Shock is the appropriate word, as cognitive shock is the only way to describe the transition

process from a purely critical/rational worldview to one which is balanced with aspects of mystical spirituality.viii I discovered that many of my judgments of, and even 'dramas' with, other people were projections emerging from unresolved issues within my own mind. ix A perfect example of this involves my judgments towards the ruling Communist Party of China (the CCP). When I first came to mainland China in 2001 I found an extreme dislike for the kind of control and power structures I saw being implemented in Chinese society. Eventually I was able to see that this was not simply the result of political/ideological differences, or western educational bias. It was a dream, several years after my arrival in China that brought this to my attention. In the dream I was using my computer and scrolling down a web page. The page was neatly divided in two. On the left side of the page were images of the leaders of China, the Chinese army and various motifs of militarism and imbalanced patriarchy. Yet of the right side of the screen were images of my father. I awoke from this dream and immediately knew what it represented. When I 'looked' at the CCP and its leaders I was not 'seeing' them. I was 'seeing' my father. To put it more adeptly, I was 'seeing' an image which touched upon the unresolved pain, trauma anger and fear within myself. My experience has therefore led me to strongly believe that plumbing the depths of the psyche has to incorporate 'non-rational' processes and other ways of knowing, not merely the 'rational.' A failure to understand this creates a kind of delusion, where the individual thinks he understands the psyche, but in fact does not. This is because the way of knowing being employed is inadequate to understand the subject being investigated. Trying to understand the psyche purely with the intellect is like entering an art gallery with a calculator, walking up to a classical painting and starting to punch in figures about the shape and structure of the painting in an attempt to appreciate it. For Freud the shadow emerges from the suppression of sexual energy, but for Jung (1989) it was more expansive, and included the suppression of the life force itself. Thus for Jung the acknowledgement of the shadow and the mental problems it generated was a potential healing force, a force which could facilitate spiritual growth and individuation (Jung 1989). My experience with working with healing groups is that the shadow also incorporates a great deal of repressed trauma from childhood and other spiritual dimensions of mind. As with Jung, I came to see that the suppression of the shadow creates issues whereby people project their own pain, anger, fear and judgment onto others, at an unconscious level. One way to work around this problem is to bring the shadow into consciousness, and to do whatever healing work is necessary to shift the emotional energy which underpins it. Exemplar: China vs the USA: The United States has been the undisputed world superpower since the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1990. This balance of power is now shifting, with Russia, India and China emerging as new potential world powers. A further issue is a possible decline or even collapse of the United States as a world power. Recent problems in the United States which have contributed to this

perception include a declining global image, the housing crisis and potential recession, the fiasco surrounding Hurricane Katrina, and the failure to effectively manage the Iraq occupation. The United States and China have a potential to clash in the foreseeable future, even as the balance of power continues to shift. Recent friction includes the 1999 American bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade; Chinese copyright violations; the controversy surrounding Chinese exports (toys and food) to the US; the trade dispute centering on the value of the RMB and the trade imbalance; allegations of systematic Chinese hacking of American state computer systems; and the perennial problem with Taiwan. Analyses of these issues in media and academia typically have a social/systems focus, with worldview distinctions sometimes featuring However the focus of the Harmonic Circles process is not upon actual specific problems like these stated above. Instead attention centres upon the mental states that those problems evoke. Such specific disputes still need to be dealt with at a practical and diplomatic level. Ideally however, the introspective nature of Harmonic Circles can be employed before such diplomacy, in order to minimise psychological projections. Harmonic Circles in practice There are a possible seven steps in the Harmonic Circles process. 1) Affirming intention: Gathering both parties in a single location. Stakeholders state their intentions to move beyond conflict and towards healing. 2) Finding commonalities: Using the Harmonic Circles template, commonalities between both parties are listed. 3) Situate differences: Moving to different locations, stakeholders situate the differing arguments, ideas and values of both parties into the Harmonic Circles template. 4) Letting the shadow speak: Allowing the darker side of the mind to surface, acknowledging it, then making a commitment to direct its power in more productive ways. 5) Integrating and Empathising: Acknowledging the shadow and feeling the connection with 'the other.' 6) Dialogue: Returning to a single location, both parties open discussion with each other, using the language of respect, compassion, and empathy. 7) Deciding: Mapping preferred and/or possible futures. The following outline is designed for parties with minimal experience with depth work and the psyche, however ideally at least some familiarity with such concepts and processes is required before this process begins. The Harmonic Circles tool is not a debate, nor is it negotiation. Debate and negotiation typically occur within the consciousness of confrontational binaries. They tend to engage the intellect, but with the emotional body and psyche potentially playing out a strong if not dominant role at an unconscious level. A

key purpose of Harmonic Circles is to bring the emotional body back into full consciousness, and claim full responsibility for it. Debate and negotiation should ideally follow the Harmonic Circles process. Harmonic Circles may create a more fluid space for parties to work with each other and maximize potential for a positive outcome. Step One: Affirming Intention The process begins when the two parties involved in the conflict gather in a single location, such as conference rooms or some other appropriate setting. The essential requirement is a willingness on behalf of all stakeholders to engage 'the other' in meaningful dialogue, and to work towards greater understanding (especially self-understanding), empathy and healing. At the outset, individuals should express a willingness to move beyond judgment and towards harmony and healing. An affirmation or prayer should begin proceedings, such as: I/we am/are now willing to work in a spirit of love/cooperation/forgiveness so that we may find an harmonious outcome to this situation. This should be internalised by all participants. The statement should express an intention to move towards something positive, not away from a negative. Step Two: Finding commonalities Communal sharing of commonalities is a healthy way to begin. It is important that both sides start by honouring the things they have in common. This is first done by drawing two large overlapping circles on a piece of paper, and writing the names of the two parties above the circles. This paper is what I call the Harmonic Circles template. The facilitator should draw similar circles on a large whiteboard, and ask participants to share their ideas. At this point individuals should not dispute what others say, even if they disagree with what is brought forward. Figure 1, below, gives an example using China and the USA. The purpose of this first step is to encourage both parties to see themselves as part of a greater common humanity, rather than as opponents. Positives should be emphasised as much as possible.

China

USA

Both proud nations. Strong sense of nationalism. Desire to protect own interests. Both see themselves as world leaders. Often seen as threatening or abusive by others. Strong capitalist thrust.

. Figure 1: Identifying commonalities: China vs USA Step Three: Situating differences The two parties now move to different locations/rooms, as Step Three may exacerbate hostilities if done together. A facilitator in both venues can once again use a whiteboard to map emerging ideas and facilitate proceedings. In either circle, participants list all the differences they perceive they have with the other party: arguments, values and ideas. These should be as factual as possible, rather than generic judgments. For example, China has a much longer history than the USA is factual. China has a much more noble history than the USA is a matter of opinion. Figure 2, below, gives an example of this. The two parties may list differences that are quite different from each other, and that is fine. There is no sharing of this information between the two parties during this step. Strong judgments and personal opinions should be left out of this section they can come in at Step Four. However it is natural that personal biases will emerge here. Since this step has potential to arouse strong feelings, it should not be allowed to be the focus of proceedings. Many individuals will already be familiar with all the ways in which they are different from the other, as this tends to be human nature. It is more important to simply list the differences, and move on to Step Four. Referring to Inayatulah's (1998) Causal Layered Analysis, Step Three represents the litany and social/systems level of the conflict, and worldview issues may be identified also. Stakeholders will be familiar with many issues here, though individuals may posit different ones. China USA
The collective is more import. than individual. Development comes before human rights. Taiwan is an integral part of China. America should not interfere in Chinas internal affairs. Democracy is key. Human rights crucial.

Both proud nations. China should respect its Strong sense of people more. nationalism. Desire to protect own interests. Taiwan should be Both see themselves as world allowed to choose its leaders. own destiny. Often seen as threatening or abusive by others. The RMB is undervalued. Strong capitalist thrust.

Figure 2: Situating Differences, China vs USA Figure 2, above, maps central differences between China and the United States in terms of politics, society and culture. They are merely possibilities. They are also generalisations. For example many Chinese people consider human rights to be crucial to Chinas development, and some people in the US think democracy is overrated and a highly abused concept. Step Four: Letting the shadow speak In the fourth step of this process, the participant allows aspects of the subconscious or unconscious parts of the mind to surface. This is where the Harmonic Circles process becomes more personal, more emotional and more difficult. The final step of the Harmonic Circles process visualisation of desirable futures involving the issue at hand is less likely to produce the desired futures without addressing the deeper emotive, subjective and unconscious aspects of the situation at hand. Shadow work as I define it involves making explicit the judgments, accusations, anger, ridicule and shaming projections that we do not normally make public or explicit in a debate or intellectual argument. Step Four will also likely bring up fears and anxieties. These these may have been partially or completely unconscious prior to the exercise. In this step the individual is best advised to retreat to a private place, as the process may be quite personal. First, a third circle is placed on the other side of the Harmonic circles template. However this time the cognitive process will be quite different. Here the participant 'channels' the contents of the psyche, writing them into the circle as they 'come' to him or her. I use the word channel because the conscious mind has to temporarily permit the unconscious to have voice in this process, which involves a 'letting go.' This is a stream of consciousness process. To do this effectively, the participant can imagine standing before 'the others' and really letting them know how he/she feels and thinks. It is important to let emotions into this process anger, fear, blame, hate, judgment, sadness and so on. Emotions are an essential aspect of Step Four, and a true unveiling of the shadow cannot occur without at least some emotional expression. If the participant wishes, he or she can literally 'act out' the shadow by moving about physically, talking,

accusing, even yelling and screaming (in privacy!). But after this emotional expression, the essence of the feelings and thoughts should be committed to the circle in writing. This process should be brief. The participant should touch upon the essence of the shadow, then return to a 'normal' state of mind. This is a method that does take some practice, especially for those of us used to working with the 'dry' intellect as is the norm in academia. Academia is typically highly resistant to the emotional and cathartic, in part to uphold the ideal of intellectual detachment. Regardless of whether the participant in the process I am outlining here is an academician or not, there is normally some resistance from the conscious mind or ego when the contents of the psyche become too 'ugly', too emotional, or too loose. However it is important to note that this is a personal procedure, and that the information gleaned from the psyche does not have to be publicly shared. x

American hegemonist! Get out of Taiwan! You Americans dont know how to love, you only know how to rape and destroy. Your History is full of lies about China! We should destroy the Americans! China must be number one! China is the rightful ruler of the world! Western nations are barbarians! We dont want your MacDonalds & Hollywood movies! Chinese culture is superior!

Figure 3: Some typical Chinese projections towards the USA

Godless Communists! You are all brainwashed, the lot of you! Your government massacres its own people; what kind of country is that? You are pigs, spitting and throwing rubbish everywhere. You make me sick! There are too many of you. What we need is a few

Figure 4: Some typical American projections towards China In Figures 3 and 4, above, I list some typical projections and judgments that Americans and Chinese have towards each other. Listing these here may arouse strong emotional reactions or indignation in some readers. Some of the words are simply racist or deeply bigoted. Many of these kinds of projections can be readily seen on the internet. The internet is a great source of insight into the human shadow. People write things under the anonymity of the web that they would never say to another persons face. Sites such as the Yahoo news comments section (now discontinued) and Chinas English language chinadaily.cn (news comments and discussion forum) are typically heavily racist and prejudiced sites. Despite the vulgarity, I include some here to give an indication of the kinds of mental projections we I am talking about. I have declined to write some of the more descriptive sexual and shame-oriented projections, but the reader might be able to guess what those might be! Nobody likes to think of himself as racist or bigoted, but my experience is that these are characteristics which exist to some degree in most people, including myself. With Step Four of Harmonic Circles the key is to allow the shadow to speak, but not be scared of it. Whatever insights the process produces, the participant should avoid thinking of themselves as being a bad person. Sometimes the thoughts and feelings that emerge out of the shadow have strong emotional or even sexual themes shaming of groups, gender, sexual orientation and so on. While this may come as a bit of shock, I would like to emphasise that this is perfectly normal. This is my conclusion after working for over a decade with the shadow. Finally, since such 'shadowy' thoughts are generally unacceptable in most societies, all individuals in the process should be careful that the information they write down is not accidentally seen by others. I suggest putting the Harmonic Circles template in a safe place, or even destroying the paper as soon as the process is completed. Step Five: Integrating and empathising

In order for integration of the shadow to occur an individual has to 'own' the contents of the shadow, and declare an intention to assume responsibility for it. The simplest way to do this is for the participant is to return to what she has written in Step Four. She should sit quietly with the paper in front of her. A kind of reflective or meditative state is ideal here. The participant then reads back through what she has written, and then declares an intention to acknowledge it. Ideally, there should be an expression of a simple affirmation such as, I am now willing to fully acknowledge the contents of my mind/shadow, or whatever words the person feels comfortable with. Ideally, this involves a non-judgment process. The way NOT to do this is to pretend that what has been gleaned from the psyche in Step Four is not really real; or alternatively for the participant to beat herself up for it and declare herself to be 'bad.' Still, self-judgments and denials are inevitable. The key is to simply witness them as they rise from the mind. This is a meditative process. Just as in Buddhist meditation, where the workings of the mind are allowed to surface without attachment, in Step Five the participant allows the judgments and denials to surface. There is no need to try to change them. The participant should simply be aware of them, assume an attitude of willingness to be responsible for them, and just let them be. Integration of the contents of the psyche is largely out of immediate personal control. The field of depth psychology indicates that the unconscious is not immediately amenable to conscious manipulation by the individual (Wilber 2000, Jung 1989), and my experience confirms this. In this sense all one can do is take on an attitude of willingness to assume full responsibility for the psyches contents, do whatever is required, and to go with the flow. Personally, I find that prayer helps at this point. Prayer is an affirmation that we are powerless in the face of certain forces beyond immediate control, and it encourages a letting go. Harmonic Circles is ultimately a 'spiritual' process, where the human ego releases the illusion of immediate control. It is about healing of individuals and groups. If the participant is uncomfortable with the notion of prayer, then affirmation can be used at this point. For example, he might declare: I am now willing to let go and allow the natural integration of these thoughts and feelings to occur at the right time and pace. Finally, to complete Step Five, the participant returns to the two circles on the reverse side of her page. He should focus upon the overlapping segment, where the commonalities with the other party are written down. He should then allow himself to feel an empathic or intuitive connection with the other party. Again, an prayer or affirmation will help. A suitable one is, I am now willing to acknowledge the commonalities with (the other), acknowledge our differences, and accept them with openness. The key here is to feel a sense of connection. If she likes, the participant can imagine feeling or seeing warmth or love being projected at the other. Such a process will not eliminate the workings of the shadow, but it will bring a person into a greater degree of awareness of it. It will make the participant more conscious. This entails an ego fall. The shadow, and the ego that often attempts to repress it, has been exposed.

Step Six: Dialogue The next step in the Harmonic Circles process is where both parties return to a common venue and share what they have learned. This is best done in smaller mixed groups featuring members of both parties. Smaller groups help to make the experience personal, and remind stakeholders that 'the others' are in fact thinking and feeling human beings too. The focus at this point should be on what has been learned about oneself, and ones own thinking processes. It is unnecessary for participants to 'confess' at this point, to bare their entire soul to the group. In fact it would be unwise to go into the specific contents of the shadow here, as it may trigger conflict. Yet what will happen ideally is that the respective 'egos' of individuals will have been quietened, opening a space for greater empathy with 'the other.' Step Seven: The expression of possible and desirable futures In Step Seven individuals decide where they want to go with the whole process. This is an expression of preferred futures. Most likely the preferred futures will be related to the essential purpose of Harmonic Circles: to initiate a more distanced perspective towards a particular area of inquiry, a debate, or a confrontational relationship with an opposing idea or group of people. This can be done with both parties remaining together as a whole, or in small groups. Each participant should sit quietly in a relaxed or meditative state. He should 'see' himself situated with the opposing group. The participant then imagines himself being able to 'witness' any information, arguments or individuals on the 'opposing' side with a greater degree of detachment. The question should then be asked, What can I do in the future to continue to create harmony and empathy with (the other)? Ideas and feelings can be committed to paper. Participants may decide upon small scale actions such as maintaining an open attitude toward the other, or may choose more decisive actions, such as working diplomatically on the issue with the other party. Participants can then share their intentions with others from both parties in small or large groups. An alternative is to map out decisive actions regarding future issues and conflicts between both parties. This could then move into more formal negotiation and debate. Working with the shadow is a lifelong task for those committed to it. The shadow never disappears. But in a sense it can become a friend. For as Jung knew all too well, its 'voice' is a potential catalyst towards personal, psychological and spiritual development. Civilisational issues and the transformation of consciousness Ideally, the Harmonic Circles process outlined above should be supplemented with a conscious awareness of the civilizational issues that the respective cultures have developed during their histories. These issues can be a source of reflection or conscious debate for both parties. They may help to facilitate the introspective processes of Harmonic Circles. Again, focusing upon

one's shadow shifts attention away from finding fault with the other party, and potentially disempowers the ego's desire for judgment, blame and projection. The precise inclusion of the mapping of civilisational issues in the process of Harmonic Circles is flexible. It is probably best left till a time after the seven steps of Harmonic Circles have been completed, so as not to prompt responses during those steps. Alternatively, individuals can be assigned this activity prior to the meeting of both parties, and conclusions can be presented to the group for discussion. These kinds of civilizational issues may not be easily seen or acknowledged via a merely introspective process. A strong knowledge of history and psychology (at a practical level) is also necessary. Inevitably this knowledge and these insights will vary from individual to individual. In order for this awareness to be made more explicit, participants in the Harmonic Circles process can spend some time mapping and discussing these issues as a group. The two parties should do this separately. Afterwards the two parties may share their insights into their own culture's 'issues'. While listening to the other party present their findings, the second party should listen without judgment. It requires an act of courage to publicly admit one's weaknesses, and this courage should be respected. What then are the key issues for China and the United States? Here I offer my perspective by briefly outlining four key issues for both nations, and suggesting how the 'energy' of these negatives can potentially be transformed into positives. xi China's civilisational issuesxii 1. Us vs Them. In China formal indoctrination regarding the Chinese people is very strong. A result is that there is a well developed us versus them mentality, perhaps best metaphorically exemplified by the Great Wall of China (built to keep out the Mongolian hoards). In the twentieth Century, Mao Ze Dong deliberately played upon this, encouraging people to adopt names which identified an individual as being against another country (Fairbank 2006). Negative expression Difficulty in Chinese people seeing themselves as part of greater humanity. Seeing all non-Chinese as outsiders (Chinese people are Zhongguoren Middle country people while foreigners are waiguoren outside country people. It is not unusual to hear Chinese people traveling abroad to refer to the locals as foreigners in their own country). Empathy and compassion for non-Chinese people is reduced. Stubborn patriotism. Xenophobia. Potential positive expression A strong sense of Chinese identity. Clear appreciation of civilisational differences, including strengths and weaknesses. 2. Blame and victimization

It is difficult to underestimate the depth of this problematique in modern China. Foreign invasions throughout Chinese history (The Mongols, The Opium Wars, The Japanese) have been enough to establish this issue. However the problem has become exacerbated in recent years by government and media manipulation. Atrocities caused by foreign sources are highlighted (and arguably exaggerated e.g. the Nanjing Massacrexiii, foreign influence in the Taiping Rebellion) while internally created atrocities (Tiananmen, Tibet) are whitewashed from history (Fairbank 2006). The ruling Communist Party has often avoided responsibility for problems it has directly or indirectly created, a factor undoubtedly exacerbated by its unaccountable position of authoritarian power, including control of media and publishing. Negative expression: A tendency to attribute the causes of Chinas problems to outsiders, both in official and public circles. A predisposition to become easily outraged when conflicts arise with other nations, and fail to consider the possibility that China may be the cause of the problem in part or in whole. This may help explain why Chinese leaders often react with hostility and infantile emotionality to criticism, as evidenced by the policy of tit-for tat when other nations criticize, or censure China. xiv Potential positive expression The assumption of responsibility and accountability when addressing conflict with others and identifying causes of problems, with subsequent greater empowerment for China's government and people. A refusal to submit to the tyranny of outside forces that wish to control and manipulate China. Refusal to assume the 'apologetic mode' of the colonial servant. 3. Superiority/inferiority Rather contradictorily, Chinas history has led it to develop both a sense of superiority over other nations and races, and a sense of inferiority. In its early dynasties China regularly suffered invasions from such groups as the Mongolians, Uigur, and Tibetans. Psychologically, as a means of compensating for the humiliation of these incursions, China came to see the invaders as barbarians, and themselves as culturally superior (Fairbank 2006). Yet the sharp denouement of Chinese society after the Ming Dynasty, and the relative ease with which China was overpowered by the European colonial powers also created the reverse a sense of being less developed than other nations, especially European and American (Fairbank 2006). Negative Expression: A sometimes confusing combination of arrogance and self-loathing. A shift between the boastful claim that China will rule the world (its rightful position) and fear that it will never achieve its potential due to its internal problems and corruption. A related habit is constant comparison with other nations, especially the United States, which is seen as the worlds most powerful nation by the Chinese. A subsequent tendency to both revere Americans and their culture, and to despise it. This reflects a fragile sense of self,

featuring the tendency to deny 'dark' parts of itself and boast about the more attractive parts. Potential positive expression: A greater degree of genuine self-confidence and more realistic appraisal of China as a nation. A more robust national identity. The acknowledgment of China's strengths and defining qualities, and the positive roles played by foreigners past and present, without resorting to a need to compare and contrast with other nations. 4. The Barbarians are Coming China is a deeply wounded nation (Huang 1997). These wounds have accumulated over centuries. The scars are both externally and internally inflicted. The former include the foreign invasions and colonisation (including the European powers and the Japanese), while the latter include abuses at the hands of corrupt or misguided leaders (The Warring States period, The Taiping Rebellion, abuse of warlords during the decline of the Ching Dynasty, The Mao era, the Tiananmen massacre, and present corruption and abuses of power such as land grabs by local officials and injustices). The continued governmental whitewashing of the dark past means that great wounds lie festering just under the surface of Chinese society. Negative expression: Fear of outsiders, a general mistrust of human beings (both Chinese and foreign), haste to financially prosper before society degenerates once again (by any means, including corruption). Conversely, a naive trusting of foreigners. The people mistrust the leaders, the leaders mistrust the people, and the people often mistrust each other. The expectation that betrayal is simply a matter of time. Potential positive expression With the courage to face the truth of the past and present may come the healing of past wounds. Greater social stability and the resumption of trust in humanity. Preparedness to stand firm in the face of cultural or military incursions into Chinese space. I now turn to four equivalent issues for the USA

The USA's civilisational issues 1. Isolation The United States has long been isolated from the clashes, wars and problems of the Old World. Even in Word War Two the mainland United States was almost completely free of enemy attacks, and this has remained largely true to this day, despite the obvious exception of 911 incident.

While it is true that the United States is a multi-cultural society, knowledge of the rest of thee world remains relatively poor. A related issue is the lack of appreciation of alternative values of other civilizations and the assumption that all others want what the US wants. Bilgin (2006) refers to the non-inclusive plurality of The West, and The United States arguably stands as an exemplar. Negative expression Inability to see things from the perspective of the other. Lack of knowledge and understanding of other nations, peoples and values, especially those not motivated by consumerism and materialism (Bilgin 2006). Dissociation from the implications of its own foreign policies, and the often devastating effects this sometimes has on the people of other nations (e.g. wars in Vietnam, Iraq). Mistrust of the other, especially other races/civilizations (e.g. Soviets, Chinese, Muslims). Potential positive expression A strong sense of identity and appreciation of its strengths and acknowledgement of its weaknesses. A genuine pluralism which embraces, and empathises with, other cultures and peoples, both within America's borders and beyond. 2. World policeman/moralizer. The United States consistently intervenes (or negatively, interferes with) other nations and peoples across the globe. This may have its roots in Christian culture, where the Christian is seen as the guardian of Gods truth, and the rest of the world is ignorant and has to be saved or converted. Christianity has long been a powerful influence on American society and culture, and continues to be a strong influence on politics and policy making. Negative expression: The habit of repeated moralisation often results in much time examining the faults of others, with less time introspecting upon America's own values. Hypocrisy is sometimes the result (e.g. lecturing China on human rights while torturing prisoners in Guantanamo Bay and Iraq). Perceived moral and political superiority to other cultures, and lack of awareness of America's dark side. Inability to appreciate moral codes, political systems and values of other nations. Potential positive expression A deeper appreciation of and empathy for other cultures, and greater awareness that American values are not universal. This may see the USA better able to exert influence in a more consistently positive way. Examination of its effective hypocrisy may grant it greater legitimate authority to intervene more positively in world trouble spots. A capacity to assist in the creation of safe and secure communities across the globe, and a readiness to confront forces that might threaten those communities.

3. Arrogance/superiority This is strongly related to the previous issue. The driving belief here is that America is the world leader and that it knows best. This often leads administrators and the general public to believe that America is culturally and morally superior to other nations. This plays upon a typical foible of human nature, (and is certainly not exclusive to America). Negative expressions Inability to empathise with and listen to others. The belief that America is culturally, morally and politically superior to other cultures. Tunnel visioned foreign policy which ignores input from others. A failure to consider the genuine needs of other nations and cultures beyond American values. Potential positive expression A strong sense of the ways in which America culture and society has advantages above and beyond many other nations and cultures (freedom of expression, the democratic ideal, the rights of man); and a strong sense of what it believes is right. 4. Excessive individualism Rugged individualism and the idea that the individual can fight the system and succeed lies at the heart of American culture. From Huckleberry Finn, to John Wayne and Rambo, we see this trait repeat itself throughout American literature and entertainment industries. Negative expression Lack of community. Isolation, alienation and depression. Glorification of neurotic ego states (the loner, machoism, vanity, dysfunctional masculinity, dissociation, destructive and violent behaviour). The gun. Neglect of those who fail within the system. Fear of the collective, and authoritarian government. Fear of other cultures with a collective ethos (e.g. Communism, East Asian and especially Chinese cultures). Inability to see the big picture. Potential positive expression A 'can do', 'anything is possible' attitude. Self-empowerment. The sense that anything is possible given the human will and enough determination. Egalitarianism, and opportunity for the lower classes of society to rise and succeed. Standing up to oppressive systems, regimes and abuses of power. Human rights. Maximal potential for activation of higher stages of human potential.

Transformation It can be seen that each of these civilizational issues for China and the USA has the potential of exacerbating conflict with other nations and cultures. Yet as indicated these civilizational weakness can be converted to strengths, if they are

fully acknowledged and expressed positively. What is required is a strong awareness of the weaknesses and a willingness and commitment to work with them to turn them into constructive traits. There is a high potential for an understanding and integration of these civilisational issues if combined with the seven steps of the Harmonic Circle process. Whether it be China vs the USA or another clash involving different cultures, nations and civilisations, the deliberate activation of inner worlds and a closer connection to the human psyche has the potential to increase awareness and decrease conflict. The potential uses of harmonic Circles for futurists The exploratory uses of Harmonic Circles as outlined in this paper may help to minimise conflict by increasing levels of responsibility for emotional reactions in stakeholders. The result may be a greater level of 'spiritual maturity.' Futurists (individually or in groups) can use the processes outlined here to reflect upon their biases (personal and civilisational), and their tendencies towards creating confrontational binaries. Futurists can also use the insights gleaned from Harmonic Circles in their own work, study and writing. Harmonic Circles can therefore be used to discern deeper motives for the strong confrontational binaries that occur when cultures, nations and civilisations move towards conflict and clash. The introspective nature of Harmonic Circles situates it more within critical, postconventional and integral futures studies than other domains of futures (Slaughter 2006). One possible specific application is within Inayatullahs (1998) Causal Layered Analysis. At the mythical/metaphorical level of analysis the unconscious, often emotive dimensions of an issue under consideration can be brought to the surface. Harmonic Circles could easily be used here, as participants engage in introspection. Notably, Inayatullah (1998) finds that distancing is a key aspect of critical futures studies, and that positing alternative pasts and futures is a possible key outcome of critical futures. It can be seen that the Harmonic Circles process potentially grants a distancing perspective from our own biases, and therefore opens the way to more receptively consider desirable and alternative futures, with a greater awareness of the deeper psychological issues that may hinder their creation. Problems and issues with using Harmonic Circles in civilisational clashes. From my experience in working with the shadow in groups, there are various potential pitfalls which need to be considered before embarking on the journey into the deeper human psyche. Here I consider just four. Introspection. In order to be able to employ Harmonic Circles, the individual must be able to engage in introspection, or have a willingness to do so. Prior work with the shadow or employing non-ordinary or meditative states of consciousness would be preferable. Willingness. Ego states are addictive. Individuals may become attached to habitual states of mind. It is much easier to maintain a state of blame, anger and

hatred than to consciously employ the human will to intervene and take responsibility for projections. This requires personal discipline. It may also require a spiritual perspective, including a sense of responsibility to humanity in general, not simply to your people, country or civilisation. A problem is that governments tend to indoctrinate people to see themselves as members of the race or nation, and not as members of humanity, Gaia and cosmos. Playing victim. Individuals within civilisations featuring a long history of blaming others, or those with a particular historical enemy may find deep resistance to the process. Blaming the other precludes the necessity to undertake the hard work of introspection and acknowledging one's shadow. Various groups take part of their identity from their role as 'the wronged', or as victims in a particular conflict. Such groups are numerous. Just a few include feminists, the men's movement, Jews, Palestinians, indigenous peoples, Chinese (vs Japan), Muslims (vs the west), African Americans, the working classes, nations that have been colonised, and so on. There is a great potential for strong emotions to be brought forward when such people are asked to address their part in such conflicts. The emotion of manipulation. One of the problems with human emotion is that it is often used for manipulation: seeking attention and sympathy, winning others to a cause or to get others to feel ashamed or guilty, to give away power or to claim it and so on. Any emotions brought to the surface during the Harmonic Circles process should be treated with absolute responsibility, and not used for emotional leverage. This is a problematic process, because the human psyche is a trickster. Individuals often use emotions to manipulate others without being fully aware of what they are doing. Therefore having an experienced facilitator in the room during the Harmonic Circles process is crucial. A failure to do so may see the whole process become entangled in a web of projection and counterprojection. Focusing on the negative. In doing shadow work, the darker nature of ourselves is brought forward, but it should not become the focus of proceedings, or seen as an outcome in itself. There should remain a focus on a positive and affirming goal. In the process described above, it is the vision of the preferred future. Conclusion There is no guarantee that the use of Harmonic Circles will create an harmonious future between two clashing parties. But if done properly it will likely create greater self awareness, engender empathy and respect for 'the other', and lead to less projections of the shadow onto the other. Harmonic Circles is a healing tool. But it is not a tool which can right the wrongs of the past. It is an internal process where individuals come to terms with their own shadow, and the anger, fear and pain that lies within. In one sense the decisions and behaviors of the 'other' party are irrelevant. Whenever individuals have an expectation conscious or unconscious that the other party will apologise or admit wrongs, then these people are unlikely to 'heal.' The demand that the other apologise is a demand of the ego. No apology can make right the

Japanese invasion of Nanjing, undo the slave trade upon which European and north America developed much of their economic prosperity, or undo the Holocaust. Nor should Harmonic Circles be seen as a means to ignore dark history. Healing can only occur when the ego assumes responsibility for its own pain, and the truth of the past is fully acknowledged. Finally, after the hard work of working with the human psyche, the focus should shift towards a hopeful vision of what lies ahead, and a determination to create preferred futures. Once the shadow has been unveiled, one should move into the light.
References Anthony, M., (2005). 'Integrated Intelligence and the Pychospiritual Imperatives of Mechanistic Science.' Journal of Futures Studies, 10(1), 31-47. Anthony, M., (2006). 'A Genealogy of the Western Rationalist Hegemony.' Journal of Futures Studies, 10(3). Anthony, M., (2007). 'Harmonic Circles: A New Tool for Futurists.' Foresight Vol 9 No. 5. 23-34. Bilgin, M., (2006). 'On civilized plurality: Mapping the clash of civilizations within the market.' Futures 38, 247260 CBS News (2007). 'Mattel Apologizes to China for Toy Recall.'

www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/09/21/business/main3285776.shtml. Accessed
27.12.07. Fairbank, J., (2006). China: A new history. Cambridge: Belknap. Grof, S., (1996). 'Psychological Roots of Human Violence and Greed.' International Journal of Humanities and Peace. Available from: www.primalspirit.com/Grof_PlanetarySurvival_art.htm [Accessed 22 April 2004]. Huang, R., (1997). China: A Macrohistory. Armonke: Sharpe. Huff, T., (2003). The Rise of Early Modern Science. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Inayatullah, S., (1998). 'Causal Layered Analysis: Poststructuralism as Method.' Futures, 30(8), 16. Jung, C., (1989). Memories, Dreams, Reflections. New York: Vintage. Kristof, N., (2003). 'The China Threat.' New York Times, Dec 30. Maddox, J., (1999). What Remains To Be Discovered. New York: Touchstone. Slaughter, R., (2006). 'Beyond the Mundane Towards Post-Conventional Futures Practice.' Journal of Futures Studies. Vol 10, no. 4, 15-24. Wilber, K., (2000). Integral Psychology. Boston: Shambhala. Footnotes

'Spiritual issues' constitute any implicit spiritual imperatives, e.g. de Chardin's Omega Point, or Wilber's (2000) evolutionary model where Spirit becomes conscious of itself. These are obviously deeply philosophical claims that transcend empirical verification, and will not be discussed in this paper. ii Some small parts of that paper have been incorporated into this paper, for the benefit of those who have not read it. Ideally an initial reading of that first paper would aid in the understanding of the concepts and applications presented in this one. iii As I outlined in my previous paper (Anthony 2007), confrontational binaries are counterproductive to harmonious relations between conflicting parties. In a confrontational binary, one party typically takes a single side in an issue and then battles it out with an opposing party or idea. From such a way of thinking and seeing the world, the critical rational worldview became the dominant worldview of the West, and critical rationality the dominant way of knowing. Confrontational binaries stultify the capacity for self-awareness, empathy and healing because they encourage blame and exacerbate psychological projections. iv The process outlined here is based on my experience in engaging in similar processes in healing groups. However the precise process described here is experimental in that it is an initial application to the idea of the clash of civilizations. Ideally, I will apply this system in groups sometime in the near future and report the findings in this or another journal. v Postcolonial theorists sometimes falls into this trap by typically finding fault with the West and attributing minimal responsibility to non-western cultures. Bilgin (2006) for example finds that western nations are guilty of an effectively non-inclusive plurality, and despite advanced technological advancements, have not attained the intellectual evolution and idiosyncratic understanding of valuesof Chinese and Islamic cultures (Bilgin 2006: 248). This does not take account of the fact that Han Chinese society has relentlessly subsumed other cultures across central Asia for thousands of years, often violently (Fairbank 2006); and Islamic culture has clashed violently with numerous other cultures it has come into contact with, including Jewish, Christian, Hindu and various indigenous societies around the world. vi Readers wishing to use the Harmonic Circles method with groups can contact me, Marcus Anthony. I greatly advise against using this method without my initial presence, as there are a great many subtleties which need to be considered in the actual employment of the method, many of which I cannot outline in this paper. vii Critical rationality is the predominantly Western approach to knowledge based upon logic, reason and the scientific method. It emerges from the critical/rational worldview. The key ways of knowing are classification, analysis, experimentation, and verbal/linguistic and mathematical/logical intelligences. viii Mystical spirituality is the approach to knowledge based upon fusion of self and other, knower and the known. It emerges from the mystical/spiritual worldview. It features intuitive ways of knowing. ix I use the word drama here in a special sense. It denotes the playing out of conflicts and certain types of patterns of behavior with people, stemming from unresolved issues within the psyche. Drama in this sense involves both a conscious observable behavior, and deeper secondary process; an unconscious projection of fear, anger, shame, guilt or hurt. The conflict at hand is thus driven by unresolved issues within the mind. x In this paper I am targeting readers with limited experience in working with the shadow. Shadow work can get very deep and very intricate. For example, transpersonal researcher Stan Grof (1996) has found that many of the worlds major conflicts are projections of deep psychospiritual drives within the human psyche. These include perinatal (in utero), biographical and transpersonal issues. Obviously it is beyond the scope of this paper to explore these domains of mind. If in the course of doing shadow work an individual uncovers 'issues' that are of concern, a depth psychologist or mental health professional should be consulted. xi These civilisational issues are not intended to be exhaustive. Further, they are based upon my own experience and research, and they are a matter of interpretation. xii In this paper I will not address more obvious social, cultural and political factors that affect relationships with other nations. For example the idea of 'face' in China, or 'democracy' in the United States.

xiii

Initial reports to the League of Nations indicated that 20 000 Chinese people had been killed by invading Japanese forces in this massacre in 1937. Other figures vary, with the official figure at the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal being about 140 000 victims (Kristof 2003). Yet these figures are rarely raised in China, and the official memorial to the massacre in Nanjing has the figure of 300 000 victims boldly blazoned on its front wall. It is also not unusual to meet Chinese people who claim that up to 50 million Chinese people were killed by the Japanese during the entire invasion. Most estimates, including Encyclopedia Britannica, put the total figures at about 11 million. As Kristof (2003) notes, these figures are so terrible that they do not need exaggerating. xiv For example in the recent food and toy scandals involving China, Mattel was forced to publicly apologize for the scandal in order to give face to the Chinese party, with the probable motivation being continuation of business. Chinese product safety chief Li Changjiang said the US was at fault for exaggerating the problem. Li was quoted as saying, I really hope that Mattel can learn lessons and gain experience from these incidents (CBS News 2007).The obvious problem occurs if China fails to learn its lessons from this situation due to its own stubbornness and desire not to lose face.

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