Notion of Growth

Author(s): Hermann Kuhn
Publisher: Crosswind Publishing Germany

Page 58

THE NOTION OF GROWTH
meanings to the objects, situations and events we confront. We do not experience these objects, situations etc. on this plane. This happens on another plane - bhava - where individual features of the elements (or a combination of them) are manifesting in the present.
All communication with our fellow people takes place on the plane of articulation. Here we deal only with names and terms. And only names and terms are exchanged during any communication with others.
But names and terms are far more than mere naming, are far more than the mere words we assign to objects, situations etc. Names and terms also comprise everything we associate with them when we hear a certain word. Names and terms include all the concepts and meanings that come to our mind and even all the emotions that rise within us when we hear them.
Only in the most basic interactions does the mere naming of an object express all we mean. 'Please pass the salt' is an example of plain naming. As soon as we attempt to express more complex contents17 and need to
17 The question 'Who are you?' - as simple as it may sound, - is an ex
ample for the communication of complex contents. Is this just a request for your name or a thorough inquiry into your personal, professional, bodily and emotional situation? Does it express the hope for social contact? Is it an attempt to remind you of your innermost magnificent nature or only a casual greeting that can be answered by 'just passing through'?
Similarly complex might be the answer. Since all of us play many different roles in our life - the employee or boss, the lover, the husband or wife, the father or mother we are to our children, the expert we are in our special field, - we first have to identify the level on which to answer.
'Who are you?' said the Caterpillar.
Alice replied, rather shyly, 'I - I hardly know, Sir, just at present - at least I know who I was when I got up this