Borders
Borders have been a constant presence in my life, tracing their way through my life from birth in 1954 until my move to Arizona in 2019. This realization dawned on me for the first time as I was reflecting on my life while writing my autobiography in 2016, recounting the multitude of places I have lived.
I was born in Slavonski Brod, Croatia, a city where the River Sava serves as a geographical border, separating Croatia to the north from Bosnia to the south. Growing up in Bosnia, I lived in the border city of Foča, where another river, the Drina, separated Bosnia and Serbia. Eventually, I relocated to the city of Pančevo, nestled on the edge between the northern province of Serbia named Vojvodina and Belgrade, the capital of Serbia and the former Yugoslavia. Here, the Danube River segregated these two regions.
When I emigrated to the United States, I settled in the city of Fargo positioned on the boundary between the states of North Dakota and Minnesota, separated by the Red River of the North. As time went on, I felt a pull towards the eastern coast of the United States. In 1996 I found myself living in the city of Providence, which is located near the northern end of the state of Rhode Island, bordering Massachusetts. Here, there was no river, only the invisible border between these two New England States.
Through my own life story of navigating borders, I have come to question why borders are created. I remember learning in school about the teachings of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels that the eventual goal of communism was the establishment of a classless and stateless society. People would be free to move and live wherever they choose, and the artificial divisions between people based on nationality would disappear. This idea, with a different flavor, was reenacted in Europe by the creation of the European Union. While not abolishing national borders, the EU allows for the free movement of goods, services, capital, and people within its member states. Overall, the EU advocates for shared values of promoting peace, stability, and prosperity across Europe.
My experiences living in various border regions, as well as the European unique example, have taught me that borders are merely geographic or political divides. By their essence, they have the potential to create opportunities for connection, understanding, and solidarity. By thinking critically about the borders that are constructed, we can challenge partial systems that maintain their existence and work towards inclusivity and fairness.
Borderland
As a result of this consideration, I have come to appreciate the significance of the borderland, the area surrounding or near a border between two distinct regions, countries, or territories. This area is often characterized by a mix of cultures, languages, and identities due to its proximity to different political or cultural entities. Borderlands can be zones of interaction, cooperation, and blending, where influences from both sides of the border intermix (1).
If we are able or willing to acknowledge and appreciate the existence of the borderland, we will be able to recognize the limitations and artificiality of the boundaries our minds impose. Instead of perceiving the world as a rigid and divided structure, we will become aware of the fluidity and flow of energy that permeates and connects what appears separated. This understanding creates opportunities for dialogue, empathy, and the exploration of new perspectives.
The concept of the borderland invites us to embrace the interconnectedness of our world. It urges us to transcend limited beliefs and engage in a more nuanced understanding of our shared humanity.
Blurring of Boundaries
With this perspective, I also envision the borderland not as a physical place but as an idea rich with potential. It is a liminal space between the tangible and the intangible, the observable and the elusive, the empirical and the transcendent.
In the borderland the demarcations between the natural and supernatural become porous, allowing for an exploration of phenomena that extend beyond the limits of our current empirical understanding. It is a domain where the enigmatic aspects of existence coexist with the rigor of scientific inquiry, inviting us to expand our intellectual horizons and question established paradigms. I am even inclined to suggest that the borderland can be viewed as an area where creativity and imagination flourish unrestricted.
The concept of borderland serves as a ground for the integration of science and spirituality. It recognizes that these two domains, often perceived as opposing forces, are complementary aspects of the human quest for understanding. It calls for an approach that appreciates the insights gained from scientific exploration while honoring the wisdom of spiritual and contemplative traditions.
Integral Worldview
The way I perceive things is a mode of thinking that seeks harmony by integrating ideas from various angles. Rather than viewing things as mutually exclusive, the integral worldview, which I embrace, allows different viewpoints to coexist. It acknowledges that these perspectives can all fit together in a larger picture, promoting a mindset of "both-and" instead of "either-or". In this way, we feel a strong connection to nature and realize that there is a larger consciousness at work.
In the integral worldview, universal and existential concerns hold a central position. Questions regarding the fundamental nature of life and death, the pursuit of self-fulfillment, global challenges, and our capacity to make a positive impact on society, as well as the concept of existence itself, carry immense importance. This worldview asserts that individual growth, the well-being of society, and the health of our environment are interconnected. It encourages us to transcend self-centered thinking and take responsibility for the unity of all phenomena (2).
Four Ways of Knowing
The integral worldview values the various ways in which people perceive and engage with reality. It claims that to gain a comprehensive understanding of the world, we must take into account four essential ways of acquiring knowledge: our personal experiences, observable and measurable phenomena, the impact of relationships and communities, and the interconnectedness that influences all aspects of existence.
The subjective perspective affirms that each person has their own unique way of thinking and feeling, which affects how they see the world. Subjectivity highlights the importance of introspection, self-reflection, and personal growth in gaining insights and expanding awareness.
The objective perspective, on the other hand, focuses on the outside world and relies on evidence and facts. It seeks to understand reality by observing, measuring, and analyzing things. It explores the natural world, the laws that govern it, and the quest for the truth through careful investigation and experiments.
The communal perspective looks at how social and cultural surroundings shape our knowing. It recognizes the importance of communities, shared values, and relationships in creating meaning. It treasures cooperation and the connections we have with others, nurturing a sense of belonging.
The systemic perspective sees everything as part of a larger interconnected system. It motivates us to examine the complex web of interactions, feedback loops, and emergent properties that shape our world, encompassing ecological, social, and global systems.
The integral worldview holds that all four perspectives are valid and necessary for an understanding of reality. By considering them all, individuals and societies can move beyond narrow views and instead cultivate a more inclusive, multidimensional awareness.
A Holistic Lens
Embracing the richness of the borderland and the integral worldview we are provided with a holistic lens through which to explore the mysteries of existence. By acknowledging the interconnectedness of different perspectives and ways of knowing, we can cultivate a more nuanced understanding of our world and ourselves. This approach transcends rigid boundaries, bridging the realms of science and spirituality, subjective experiences and objective observations, personal growth and communal well-being, and the elaborate systems that shape our lives.
The integral worldview invites us to immerse ourselves in existential questions, urging us to approach them with curiosity and an open mind. This understanding can lead to a sense of unity and empathy towards others as we navigate the complexities of existence.
The idea of integration can be traced back to ancient philosophical and spiritual teachings, where the importance of harmony, balance, and unity were emphasized as pathways to success and well-being. In modern times, Daniel Siegel advocated the concept of integration and its importance in mental health (3).
I understand integration as a force consisting of a combination of positive feelings, awareness of the present moment, and the ability to understand and change the internal world. Positive feelings make us feel alive and connected to ourselves and other people. They help us build relationships and attract others to us. Feelings like happiness, love, and gratitude have an impact on our well-being and make us resilient and healthier. Love, in particular, is very powerful, acting as a dissolver of fear, anger, selfishness, and elitism. When we feel positive, our body is in a balanced state and our relationships are meaningful, caring, and characterized by harmonized communication. When we practice being mindful, we develop a positive mindset, openness to new possibilities, curiosity, and receptiveness to new experiences. By being aware of the subtle dynamics within us and in our interactions with others, we gain insight into how to optimize the integration of our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
Final Words
Let’s circle back to the beginning. I am happy to share that since 2019, I have been a resident of a charming small town in the northern part of Arizona called Cottonwood. Surrounded by beautiful landscapes and a close-knit community, Cottonwood has become a significant chapter in my life. It marks the first time I am living away from a physical border, a change that feels deeply symbolic. It represents my evolving aspiration to foster and nurture unity in every facet of life.
Living in Cottonwood has reinforced my belief that true prosperity comes from integration and harmony, rather than division. Divisive barriers, born from the urge to "divide and conquer," can hinder our growth and connection with others. Instead, I am committed to embracing the value of "integrate and prosper."
Over the past five years, I have discovered the integral worldview through Ken Wilber’s books and began practicing the oneness spirituality of Ekam. This practice encourages shifting from a state of suffering, born from our internal divisions and their projections onto the world, to a beautiful state. This beautiful state acts as a stepping stone towards enlightenment, where the illusion of separateness is replaced by the experience of unity with all that exists.
More recently, I have taken up qigong, which promotes connection with our body and mind, the energies of the earth and cosmos, and other humans. This practice emphasizes connectedness over separateness, acceptance over rejection, deepening our experiences rather than projecting them, and opening ourselves to both novelty and discomfort. Through these practices, I am transitioning from an ego-centric state of consciousness to a world-centric one, where the “world” encompasses everything that exists.
1. Rethinking Borderlands: Between Borders and Borderlands, by David Newman, European Journal of Social Theory, 9: 171-186, 2006
2. A Theory of Everything, Ken Wilber, Shambala, 2000
3. Pocket Guide to Interpersonal Neurobiology: An Integrative Handbook of the Mind, by Daniel J. Siegel, W. W. Norton & Company, 2012
Comments