4/5 Protocol: the Four Quarters

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The Four Quarters is the fourth section of ZenTactics, but can be used along with the fifth section (the Five Questions) as a simplified protocol in and of itself.

Some background theory may be in order...

Although we tend to think of ourselves as unified individuals, the truth is much more complex than that: We are not a unified identity; we are a collection of somewhat-related sub-routines, which all run quasi-independently under the banner of each individual's identity- his "I." For our purposes, we will consider this "I" to be our sense of unified identity, which is itself an amalgamation of "the id" or "the ego," and what I refer to as "the eidolon," and which is more limited in scope than what we will refer to here as "the true self" (the goal of psychology is not to reveal this true self but rather to create this true self, because its creation is neither easy nor inevitable). Thus, "the I" is something like a mask or persona, which is itself constructed of the aforementioned aspects:

• Id: Our more basic instincts and impulses, such as what a professor of mine once referred to as "the four Fs"- Feeding, Fighting, Flighting, and Sex (*ahem*);
• Ego: Our more complex thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, including most of what we might consider to be executive function, and whatever else might separate us from the animals at the most fundamental level, but which is still strongly driven by the id;
• Eidolon: Our highest and most complex aspect of consciousness, which is more closely related to art, logic, religion, and so forth, and which is more abstract and universal than the ego itself, which tends to be more personal and more practical than the eidolon, which is impersonal and impractical (self-sacrifice is driven by the eidolon).

[NOTE: Freud spoke of the id, the ego, and the super-ego. I purposely refer to the eidolon rather than the super-ego in order to be clear that the eidolon represents an ideal, and is not a construction of social convention, as Freud seemed sometimes to imply. Thus, the eidolon is akin to a Jungian archetype; it is neither merely a moral construct nor merely a social construct.]

Now, although each of these has a purpose, still each must be constrained by all others. So the goal is balance; the purpose of the Four Quarters is to ensure this balance. And we accomplish this by cultivating our inner potential in four directions simultaneously: the Tribal, the Personal, the Professional, and the Psycho-spiritual:

• Tribal: Our desire to be a part of a tribe, and to be useful to the tribe;
• Personal: Our desire for personal development, which often entails health, diet, exercise, and so forth;
• Professional: Our desire to develop our skills-sets, in order to increase our usefulness to the tribe, and which requires personal development in order to optimize ourselves efficiently;
• Psycho-spiritual: Our desire for a why- the fundamentally human existential question-, for meaning and for purpose, and for our need to feel that we are a part of something greater than ourselves, which transcends identity.

When we plan out our lives (plans that will almost certainly have to be adjusted over time, yet we cannot proceed into the unknown with no direction whatsoever), we must take into account all four of these domains. If we do not do this, we become monsters of a particular aspect, and this will inevitably result in the long-term erosion of agency, efficacy, and efficiency. But why? Because each aspect of personality relies on each other aspect of personality.

For example, let us say that we have health problems: If we do not develop our Tribal aspect, we will feel isolated and alienated, and this will destroy our motivation; if we do not develop our Professional aspect, perhaps we will not have either the time or the money to dedicate ourselves to a beneficial program of health; if we do not develop our Psycho-spiritual aspect, whatever benefit we gain from our plans will feel hollow and without meaning.

For another example, let us say that we want to reach the next level in business: If we do not develop our Tribal aspect, it will be difficult to network or to build the connections necessary to succeed; if we do not develop our Personal aspect, perhaps our health will fail, which will result in sub-optimal performance at both the mental level and at the physical level; if we do not develop our Psycho-spiritual aspect, again, whatever benefit we gain from our plans will feel hollow and without meaning.

These are just two examples, but of course any number of examples could be imagined.

What is really critical in personal development- and what the vast majority of personal development systems fail to take into account- is the critical importance of balance to the human being. We are not singular beings; rather, it is almost as though we are many individual beings trying (often ineffectively) to work together as one. Therefore, we must consciously direct this four-fold development. If we do not, the failures of one domain will destroy our sense of balance, and this will wreak havoc on our desire to optimize the other three domains.

~ Joshua van Asakinda

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