The most basic principle of Stav is to be able to see Reality. To be able to see things as they are, right here, right now, with no preconceptions. While of importance, however, this principle is of little value without two other factors. If we remain static within that Reality, we will experience no change, no growth. Therefore, we need to be able to see where we want to get to, and perceive a future-reality that we can aspire to. These two are still fairly useless without the introduction of a third element, the Line that joins the two together.
Two Webs: current Reality and future Reality, joined by a Line. This is the essential structure within Stav, with which we can achieve anything. This can include simple, day to day use such as ‘The dishes are dirty’ (current Reality), ‘they need to be clean’ (future Reality) ‘time to wash the dishes’ (Line taken to get from the first state of affairs to the second). At the other extreme, the Web-Line-Web structure can be used to lead us through the entire life plan of our Orlog. It can also help us to isolate where we are getting stuck within our lives, as shown by the following diagram:
Key:
1: Draining Position
2: Balanced Position
3: Power Position
Some explanations on this key are called for:
1: This position is a powerful one for the mindset to be in, but it will cause
a drain on his power and motivation. The Class mindset can often see the Reality
of this position, but can become hung up on its issues.
2: This position is usually the hardest one for a mindset to get into: the other two are much easier for him to operate in. However, it is in this position that he can do his best work for himself.
3: This position is where the mindset’s main power comes from. It is a pleasant position for him, as it’s the source of his motivation, but he can become too tied up in it. It is the strongest position, and the one that can be used to help others from.
When operating in position two, but being aware of position one and three, the energies cancel out the problem and they lend their strength to the Class member in his harder role. If he becomes too caught up in one or the other, though, their weaknesses will collapse on him once more.
The diagram is cyclical: once the future Reality has been created, it becomes the current Reality and the cycle begins all over again with a new future.
How the Class mindsets fit into this.
The ‘Number One’ positions on the diagram are the order in which the three Classes are associated with the Norns within the Hafskjold tradition: Urd (Past-present) with Jarl; Verdhandi (present-future) with Karl; Skuld (future) with Herse.
The ‘Number Two’ positions are ones that I worked out when considering how the Class mindsets could operate to their best potential within a community: Current Web, Herse, needing to deal with the here and now; Line between, Jarl, needing to perfect the task in operation; Future Web, Karl, needing to be aware of future needs, markets, harvests etc.
The ‘Number Three’ positions are, basically, the ones that were left.
Applying the Classes. (Remember, these are the Class mindsets: it is not to imply that all people of a particular Class will operate in this specific way.)
Karl
The Karl’s strength comes from the Current Reality. He has most affinity for the location and situation of the Now, and how things currently stand. This is his motivation. The Karl is, however, in danger of becoming too content within the current situation, preventing him from moving on.
The Karl’s drain comes from the Line between the Webs. This is not due to his being unable to produce the work required – it is often the opposite problem. The Karl can become so engrossed in his immediate task that he forgets the job was intended to serve a purpose and becomes obsessed with the rewards of the job at the expense of the original goal.
Keeping On Course is the hardest thing for a Karl: maintaining sight of his
goal, since he gets hung up on the Current Reality and the Line. However, once
the Karl can get focussed on the Future Reality, he will be able to work in
that direction to achieve his goals.
It is of particular importance for the Karl to always have a slightly unbalanced
Current Reality, to give him a ‘problem’ to latch onto and find a
solution for. If he becomes too comfortable, he will lack motivation.
Herse
The Herse’s strength comes from working on the Line. His affinity is for knuckling down and getting on with the task in hand. This is his motivation: to get on with things. However, the Herse is in danger of becoming obsessed with the job for its own sake, and forgetting its original purpose.
The Herse’s drain comes from the Future Reality. He can start off with
a clear goal, but they can be too ambitious, causing the Herse to become doubtful
of his own ability to achieve it. This leaves him with no clear aiming point.
Operating in the Now is the hardest thing for a Herse, as he becomes hung up
with the Line and the Future Reality. However, once the Herse can get focused
on the Now, it will ground him and allow him to progress to attainable goals.
It is of particular importance for the Herse to always have something to work
on, some task to be getting on with, otherwise his motivation freezes.
Jarl
The Jarl’s strength comes from the Future Reality. His affinity is for seeing the outcome, recognising goals to be achieved and inventing new paths for the future. This is his motivation: to reach out for the future. The Jarl, however, is in danger of sinking too deeply into dreams of the future, and so can lose sight of the action required to achieve it.
The Jarl’s drain comes from the Current Web. He doesn’t want to exist Now, he wants to exist in the future. The Jarl can get hung up on worrying about the exigencies of the Now and procrastinate rather than getting on with them.
Getting On With It is the hardest thing for the Jarl, as he gets hung up on the Current and Future Webs. However, once the Jarl can get focussed on the Line, he will romp along and achieve a great deal.
It is of particular importance for the Jarl to always have a future goal, an aiming point that he must strive to achieve. Once a goal is achieved, he will become static, hung up in his new Present.
From this it can be seen how a community can operate. The Karl can use his superiority in the current Web to help the Jarl over his difficulties there. The Herse can help the Karl maintain his grasp on things while traversing the Line. The Jarl can support the Herse’s vision of the future and help him find his way there. The one in the neutral position of each section can help the one lower and be helped by the one higher.
Where the Thrall fits in.
The Thrall mindset will sneak its way in anywhere that someone is not operating at his best. The Thrall does not necessarily mean the person is backing down from the task on hand. Sometimes, with the best will in the world, a person will find he has adopted the Thrall attitude due the above mentioned weaknesses of his Class mindset. The Thrall mindset attacks through both the Draining position and the Power position. It attacks less through the Balancing position, as this is where the class member needs to stay focussed and alert. The Thrall will try to get him off the balancing position, though, by whispering through one of the others.
Although it is our own mind and inhibitions that speak to us, the Thrall mindset
can resemble the guiles of Loki when it comes.
The Karl will find the Thrall whispering at him that if he takes more work he
will earn more money and get greater esteem for what he’s doing. Alternatively,
the Karl may find the Thrall insisting that he is comfortable and doesn’t
need to progress further than his current position. Both can appear to make
perfect sense, but in each case, the Thrall mindset is causing the Karl to forget
his original purpose in doing the job was to achieve a certain goal, and so
that goal will become further away.
The Herse will meet the Thrall dismissing his ideas of what he wants to achieve. The Thrall will try to persuade the Herse that the goals are unattainable or are unworthy of the Herse’s efforts and attempt to divert him away from them. Alternatively, the Herse will find the Thrall wheedling about how well he’s working, and what a good job he’ doing, in an effort to make the Herse continue the job for its own sake, and so keep him from attaining his goals.
The Jarl will see the Thrall highlighting all the things that currently stand between the Jarl and his beloved goal. The Thrall will point out all the issues that make it ‘impossible’ for the Jarl to begin working towards his goals until they are resolved. Alternatively, the Jarl will find the Thrall singing praises of his dreams, and will become enchanted by them. Either way, the Thrall will distract the Jarl from working, and so he will often not even begin the task, or else soon become discouraged.
In each case, the Thrall mindset has made the Class mindset lose sight of the structure of Web-Line-Web, and in so doing has made sure the future Web is not achieved. This time round, at least. We can always begin again, and it is the determination to keep going against failure and adversity that gives us one of our best weapons against the Thrall mindset.
Where the Konge fits in.
The three Classes see the Web-Line-Web as three distinctly different things. They have a power in one, a drain in another and a balancing point in the third. The Konge is unique in having only two positions: Power and drain, with no balancing point. The Konge’s power comes from being a Konge: holding all three parts of the structure and seeing it as a whole, with the three sections being one and the same. Unlike the other Classes, this is not the Konge’s motivation. One of the defining characteristics of the Konge Mindset is a lack of motivation, and the ability to do what needs to be done when it needs to be done, with no internal need.
The Konge’s drain comes from being a Thrall: losing sight of the structure and becoming hung up on the concerns or motivations of one Class mindset. Because of this, the Thrall can work on him from any angle. All of the three parts are just as likely to become weaknesses. When any of the other Classes drop their weak portion due to the Thrall mindset, they retain a grasp on the other two, and so only have to sort out one issue. They can fudge over their weakness with the strengths of other two. When the Thrall mindset successfully attacks the Konge, he drops the entire structure. This creates an ‘all or nothing’ attitude with Konges, which can be seen graphically in the martial arts: attacking or defending, a Konge will either be devastating, or will totally fail. There are no grey areas for a Konge.
It also means that the Konge is in the unique position of being able to help all other Class mindsets, as he can pick up the strength of their weaknesses. All the other Classes will be able to assist the Konge, but it will take all three to be able to fully support him once the Thrall has got a grip on him.
Mastering the process. (Note, this does not necessarily mean becoming a Stav Master)
Mastering this process is obviously becoming able to use the entire structure
of Web-Line-Web without giving the Thrall mindset a handhold in it. There is,
however, more to it than that. The three Class mindsets will always have a hang
up over one part of the structure: their balancing position, which will remain
their weakest place. Mastery will involve coming to see that the three parts
of the structure are all one and the same. This understanding – essentially,
adopting the Konge mindset over it – will help them to keep the Thrall
in check over their weak area, allowing them to work fully with the entire structure.
This is not to imply that the Konge is already a master, or that mastery will
be easier for a Konge. What the other Classes have to do with one aspect of
the structure, the Konge has to do with all three: he has to learn to work in
the balancing point of all of them, to be able to adopt whichever is of greatest
relevance, or to use them all when necessary. The Konge has already realised
the unity of the structure, but to achieve mastery he also has to learn how
to utilise each aspect individually to keep the Thrall in check.