Dabrowski’s theory of positive disintegration

Edited by Sal Mendalgio

Published by Gifted Unlimited

ISBN: 978 0 91070 784 8

£24.99

Review by Paigetheoracle

I think of Dabrowski and his theory of positive disintegration as like a volcano, where lava is the unformed, undifferentiated potential in everyone and certainty the volcanic cone or differentiated and compartmentalised (crystallised layers of reality); stillness and motion. It is like shuffling a pack of cards to create new formulations of reality. For some, facing the vastness of infinite possibilities is too much as in The hitchhiker’s guide to the galaxy and the Total Perspective Vortex or the whale in the same series, who is enthralled by anything and everything he experiences as opposed to the potted plant, who has a fatalistic attitude of “Oh no, here we go again” (Groundhog Day for those consciously reincarnating).

Overexciteability? Hyper-aware? Hypersensitive, more like. As such, being a hermit alone with your thoughts makes you asocial, seeing society as irrelevant before the vast creative potential hidden within us.

R D Laing, Art Janov and Stanislav Grof have all stumbled over this same need to breakdown and rebuild ourselves afresh each day. Films like
It’s a wonderful life, A monster calls and indeed A Christmas carol have all struggled with this Dark Night of the Soul and the need to understand it as necessary for our spiritual growth as human beings.

Overconfidence is inflated ego, which stops us trying (certain we’re right). Underconfidence pushes us to more effort because of our uncertainty. The more you think of yourself, the less effort you will put into achieving (the Fonz effect). Altruism is seeing the bigger picture, than the limited one of just the individual self alone (short- versus far-sighted). This is concern for the future (the bigger self as opposed to the present, smaller self).

Still waters run deep — shallow ones run fast. This means perception is lost through action or gained through stillness and silence. Struggling? This is hitting the social glass ceiling, where you are ignored, or sound-barrier equivalent that you cannot penetrate. What is positive disintegration but the chrysalis effect of re-organisation — the I-ching statement of “Before the beginning of great brilliance, there must be chaos.”