[Neurons] 2017 Neurons #15 Meaning-Making and the Matrix Model

Mon Apr 3 00:03:30 EDT 2017

From: L. Michael Hall

2017 "Neurons" #15

April 3, 2017

The Matrix Model Series #3

MEANING-MAKING

AND THE MATRIX MODEL

Within the systems model known as The Matrix Model, the grounding sub-matrix
is the state matrix (the subject of Neurons #14).  If you ask, "Where does
state come from?" the answer takes us to the most important of all of the
sub-matrices, the meaning matrix.  It is here that you and I create meaning.
We create it- that is, invent it, construct it, call it into being- because
apart from our brain and nervous systems (our neurology), meaning does not
exist.

Strange as this seems, this fact is the dominating fact in human experience
and one of the most shocking facts when people first heart it.  In fact,
many people who tend to do concrete thinking will not, and perhaps even
cannot, believe this.  They think there is such a thing as meaning.  They
have lived in a world where people treat meaning as real and solid and
factual, and so it seems stunningly ridiculous when they first hear a
Neuro-Semanticist say, "There is no such thing as meaning."  At first they
cannot believe their ears.  "Of course, there is."  "How can there be no
meaning?  That's stupid.  I know what things mean!"

Yet meaning does not exist outside of, or apart from, the human
meaning-making capacity.  It does not exist externally as a self-contained
thing or entity.  That's why you've never walked down a sidewalk and stepped
into a puddle of meaning.  You have never opened the refrigerator to find
some left-over meanings.  Meaning is not that kind of thing.  In fact, it is
not a thing at all.  It is a process of the mind- how you and I look at
something.  It is the interpretation that we give to things, events, people,
experiences, etc.

How do we do that?  Ah, now there's a mystery if there ever was one!  We
don't know.  Read the 830 pages of Science and Sanity and let Alfred
Korzybski share his knowledge about how you and I encounter the
energy-manifestations of the world and then "abstract" from that to create
what we call our "senses" (sights, sounds, sensations, smells, tastes, etc.)
of what exists "out there."  Even the latest updates from the Neuro-Sciences
does not explain how we construct our "sense of meaning" from the world.
Korzybski used the map-territory metaphor to describe it.  The co-founders
of NLP used the word simulation- that we construct a simulation in our mind.
And phenomenologically, it does seem that we have in our "mind" (another
mystery upon this mystery) a central processing place, a movie screen where
we entertain pictures, sounds, sensations, smells, tastes, etc. 

Yet we do not.  It seems that way, but it is not that way.  Yet we use it
and that is how we have consciousness of things.  It is as if we have a
mental map or model in our minds that we use to navigate the events,
objects, and happenings out there in the world.  So, without solving these
mysteries, we begin working with the constructs that we invent.  These are
our meanings simply because this is what we "hold in mind" (the literal
definition of meaning) and from these meanings we move through the world of
things, objects, people, and activities.  Generally speaking, when we have a
mental map that enables us to navigate work, relationships, wealth creation,
leadership, friendship, and a thousand other objectives-if it works, gets us
our outcomes-then we keep using it.  It it doesn't, then we use the feedback
of what did not work to keep updating our mental models until we construct
one that works, at least for the present time.

In Neuro-Semantics, the Meaning matrix is central because by it we create
all of the other sub-matrices within the Matrix.  This is also the realm of
NLP.  Here we use the NLP Communication model to understand the first ways
we construct meaning- via pictures, sounds, sensations, words, etc. to
construct representational meaning. Here also we use the Meta-Model of
Language to understand linguistic meaning.  We use the Meta-States model for
understanding all of the meta-levels of meaning (beliefs, values,
understandings, identity, permission, etc.) and we use the Meta-Programs
model for understanding perceptual meaning.

A short and easy way to begin exploring meaning is to ask the four construct
questions.  These enable us to figure out various aspects of meaning that
someone presents to us (See Neurons #9).

              What is it?                          Reference that you are
selecting, linguistic meaning, name, identity.

              How does it work?            Causation meaning, what causes
what?  How does it function?

              What is its significance?   Evaluative meaning, what value
does it provide?

              What is your intention?                 Intentional meaning,
what is your purpose, agenda, or motive?

There are many, many more construct questions that you can ask, but these
are fundamental as they show the beginning of a person's construct of
meaning.  That nothing inherently means anything, things can have dozens
upon dozens of meanings.  And they do.  Open any dictionary and one of the
amazing things about it is that the smaller and simpler the word, the more
meanings it has accumulated over the years.  There's a reason for that,
words do not mean, people mean.  A word, as a symbol, is just that- a
written set of letters or symbols or some sounds said in the air- it is the
person writing or speaking the words that has some meaning to convey.  The
person uses the symbol to try to convey his or her meaning. 

Given that, now you can more fully appreciate the NLP Communication
Guideline: "The meaning of your communication is not what you intend, it is
the response you get."  In other words, the meaning that the person hearing
your words gives to the words.  That's what your words mean to that person.
If you keep using the same words, you will create the same
mis-communication.  If you want to get your meaning and understanding over
to the other, use some different words.

Meaning, while seemingly simple, is actually a complex process.  That's why
there's a whole discipline of training required to effectively communicate
meaning, construct life-changing meanings for your life, reframe
unresourceful meanings, etc.  That's why the ability of a Meta-Coach or
Trainer or Neuro-Semanticist to detect meaning and facilitate updating
meanings is a special skill that requires study and practice.  That's why we
use the Matrix Model for all of this.

Order the Matrix Model

www.neurosemantics.com / Products / Books

L. Michael Hall, Ph.D.

               Neuro-Semantics Executive Director 

               Neuro-Semantics International

P.O. Box 8

Clifton, CO. 81520 USA                             

               1 970-523-7877 

                    Dr. Hall's email:
<mailto:meta at acsol.net\hich\af31506\dbch\af31505\loch\f31506> meta at acsol.net

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