TRANSFORMATION is Dr. Wolf’s primary focus in Chapter 3 of the book “Matter into Feeling” which we are studying currently on Quantum Leap Book Club. He demonstrates how MATTER (objective) is related to FEELING (subjective).
Dr. Wolf’s book “Mind into Matter” explores the transformation that occurs betweem the interaction of mind and matter. In this book “Matter into Feeling”, Dr. Wolf presents how we can utilize the transformation of matter into feeling. He connects material and psychological forces and shows us how each is involved in transformation.
Key words to explore in this chapter include transformation, elements, objective and subjective. He helps us follow the transformation of one element to its opposite or complement. Transformation can be defined as a complete change in the appearance or character of something or someone, especially so that thing or person is improved. Another definition of transformation is “the act of changing in form or shape or appearance.”
Chapter 3 starts with his description of “ghimel” representing the urge to move and “lammed” representing the actual motion. There is an obvious transformation that occurs from the one state to the other.
To quote Dr. Wolf, the “Key to this transformation is feeling. Everything alive feels.“
He introduces the idea that by dealing with our feelings, we open the potential of finding solutions. I anticipate this connection between feelings and solutions will be expanded as we move further in this book.
The following description I found with my research is worth pondering: “Thinking we are limited limits us. And when we believe we are limited, it is too easy to expand that to believe that possibilities outside ourselves are limited.” Then we get trapped into giving our power to what is outside of us. The reverse is worth considering: on the spiritual path, if we put all our focus of transformation on our spiritual life, the risk is that we live and die never realizing that other phases of transformation are possible. An expanded description of transformation is offered us in this profound book.
Dr. Wolf gives us a framework for understanding the structure or mechanics existing behind transformation. The process of transformation is demonstrated by his diagrams comparing what he calls the “out there world” and the “in here world”.
Dr. Wolf describes the interaction between the “out there world” with the four elements of fire, earth, water and air – all as objective elements and he brings in the subjective qualities of hot, dry, cold and moist as they are related to the elements. He leads us to consider there is a major interaction and influence between the sensory qualities we experience when we interact with the elements.
Then he moves to the subjective “in here world” of thought, sensation, feeling and intuition and shows how each interacts with the objective qualities of time, space, energy and motion.
I find it very intriguing to look at his organized presentation of how the above framework not only affects daily life but actually is a framework to increase our awareness for the purpose of creating different results in our lives.
Just like we transform food, water, and oxygen into our own bodies, nature is transforming sunlight and soil to plants and plants to animals. Also, humans transform nature in many ways. We turn meadows into pasture for cows, and we turn forests into neighborhoods. TRANSFORMATION is all around us and serves many purposes at times beyond our awareness.
Stay tuned for how Dr. Wolf leads us to a greater understanding of the relationship between matter and feeling and the transformational effect on our lives.
Joyce Mollenhauer, cohost of Quantum Leap Book Club