Centerlife - Happiness Through Nature's Design May 2019 | Page 25

Larger Circles Yet – We Social Animals
Whether it be in groupings, institutions, infrastructure, or how time is structured;
when we interact, we do so in center-oriented arrangements as demonstrated in
the following examples.
Time
Time is divided into and punctuated by key moments in time not unlike the rise
and fall patterns of crashing waves, full moons cycles, breaths, heartbeats, and the
firing of neurons.
For instance, our clocks are keyed to the top of the
hour and high noon. Our weeks include high and low
points (TGIF and Sunday morning respectively). Our
months and years are punctuated by core national
holidays as well as key anniversaries (Independence
Day, New Year’s Day, and our birthday).
Even our life spans have key moments in time.
Weddings and child bearing qualify as one of life’s
prime centers as do career, retirement, and finding
our destiny.
Rituals and Internal Rhythms
Practically all of our reflexes, expressions, and mannerisms unfold in rise and fall
patterns. Sighs, frowns, crying, blinking, stretching, the ‘chills’, itching, sneezes,
and smiles all feature a climactic moment in time as do hugs, kisses, and bear hugs.
Greetings also reflect this rhythm as with handshakes, curtsey’s, hand kissing, and
bowing.
Celebrations and displays of enthusiasm capitalize on the tension building rhythm
of center-oriented events such as with the clinking of glasses during a toast, wine
testing, and imploring others to “make a wish” as well as exclamations like High
Fives, ‘Ka-Ching!’s, and the shouting “YYYYYess’!
This rhythm also applies to larger and more formal events such as ‘surprise’ birthday
parties, blowing out candles, bursting of piñatas, the buildup up when introducing
a keynote speaker, weddings (‘you may kiss the bride’), and the countdown to
‘Happy New Years!’.
Groups of Humans
When humans group, they do so about a central figure. Within families we organize
about parents and grandparents on family trees. In larger social circles we bunch
about teachers, coaches, and superstars.