Determining the Orthodoxy: L4 & L5

L4: Formalized Membership

The formalized membership body is the official home of the doctrine. It is set up partly to serve the identity and interests of adherents within society. However, above all, it exists to provide a focus for organised dedication to the perpetuation and use of the orthodox doctrine. Non-member adherents may, and often do, develop the doctrine independently but the likelihood of abandoning the strict orthodoxy then increases greatly.

Centre

Dynamic Duality: The created institute is a social embodiment of the school's orthodoxy, and this is a group matter. At the same time, maintenance of the institution is the task of each individual member who cares about the doctrine and its orthodox perpetuation.

So, in the Tree, this level becomes a single balanced Centre:
 L4_B is labeled Membership Institution.

Psychosocial Pressure :

The Stage pressure is autonomy—the members of the institute need to personally choose to work in it and for it, or energy will fade away and little will get done. The Root psychosocial pressure is well-being which links with the expectations of members to benefit from their social body and the way it represents them and their doctrine in wider society.

Channels

L4 ↔ L3

The institute is maintained by its members' continuous focus on the doctrine and its proper formulation and application. So repetitive re-statements of the doctrine, examples of the value of the doctrine and especially creation of standardized publications-L3_P are basic ways to identify with the School and for the School to know itself. Members typically find this work gratifying and their acceptance and appreciation by the School keeps them involved and supportive.

L4_B ↔ L3_P Channel is labeled: School Identification.

Membership bodies-L4_B support dissemination events-L3_S in order to attract new adherents. Such events allow informal contact between members and interested outsiders and provide an opportunity to explain both the doctrine and role of the institute-L4_B in its promotion.

L4_B ↔ L3_S Channel is labeled: School Expansion.

L4 ↔ L2: 

The membership body-L4_B grows through new individuals joining, but requires such applicants to be indoctrinated via mentoring-L2_B.. This is to ensure genuine adherence to the orthodoxy, and protect the reputation and future of the school. So this activity is promoted and endorsed. Those engaged in personalized mentoring-L2_B promote their membership and endorse the membership body in regard to its importance for maintaining and spreading the orthodox doctrine.

L4_B ↔ L2_B Channel is labeled: School Endorsement

L4 ↔ L1:

Awareness of fundamental (L1) does not directly determine or affect the membership association (L4), and vice versa: mediation via mentoring or active dissemination is required. So there is no direct channel.

L5: Recognized Guardianship

If the doctrine is to outlive its founder and early adherents, a focus on guarding its integrity and ensuring orthodox transmission is necessary. The doctrine can be safely transmitted in practice: first, by accepting statements of the orthodoxy from authorized invididuals without argument or doubt; and second, by appreciating the doctrine through listening and learning from charismatic masters, and spontaneously identifying with them. These approaches naturally impact on Centres in other levels.

Centres

Dynamic Duality: Two types of guardians of the doctrine were identified: socially authorised orthodox leaders and emergent personal masters of the doctrine, and these correspond naturally to the poles of the L5-duality.

So this level in the Tree will generate two polarized but connected Centres:
L5_P and L5_S.

L5_P is labeled Expositions by Masters
L5_S is labeled Authorised Orthodoxy.

Maintenance of the school as a viable group unified by its doctrine depends on the orthodox leaders. Depending on the unpredictable views of charismatic masters is risky because such individuals may generate doctrinal schisms and ultimately split the membership body. So the social pole is dominant and placed on the right in the Tree.

Psychosocial Pressure :

The Stage psychosocial pressure is certainty, which is what adherents must accept and what guardians of both types must communicate. The Root psychosocial pressure is understanding: all pronouncements by guardians must be properly understood if they are to function as the basis for effective and secure transmission of the orthodoxy.

Channels

L5 

The two L5-Centres are linked because masters get trust and validation from their deep appreciation of orthodox formulations. Because masters reject rules and slavish adherence to custom, what they say has the potential to sow division or even create a schism. Formal leaders benefit from the vitality and enthusiasm injected by masters, but are always concerned that divergence does not go too far. The relationship is therefore uneasy.

L5_S ↔ L3_P Channel is labeled School Tensions.

L5 ↔ L4

The requirement for secure transmission puts an onus on the membership body.

What authorized leaders say counts because their formulations are taken as the definitive orthodoxy. Perpetuation of the orthodox doctrine is the primary rationale of the institute, and creates the common bond amongst members. So official orthodoxy provides the substance of its mission to perpetuate the doctrine. 

L5_S ↔ L4_B Channel is labeled School Unification.

The opportunity to learn from charismatic masters is typically highly valued and sought after by members. The membership body looks for ways to take advantage of this by facilitating interactive events. Expositions by masters generate excitement and may attract large crowds.

L5_P ↔ L4_B Channel is labeled School Enthusiasm.

L5 ↔ L3 

There is a natural link between guardianship of the doctrine and its dissemination. In this case, there are 4 possible channels.

Orthodox leader formulations (L5_S) directly impact on the creation of standardized publications (L3_S). Those writings are expected to adhere to orthodox formulations. They may need to be checked for anything too idiosyncratic and approved as orthodox

L5_S ↔ L3_P Channel is labeled Doctrinal Conformity

However, dissemination projects (L3_S) have a political dimension and can only be indirectly impacted by orthodox leaders and their formulations. Projects seek to expand and support the institute (L4_B) and this is what determines social dissemination.

So there is no direct L5_S↔ L3_S Channel.

Expositions by charismatic masters (L5_P) directly activate and facilitate dissemination projects. The projects often engage the masters who commonly desire to participate.

L5_P ↔ L3_S Channel is labeled School Initiatives

However expositions of masters (L5_P) are too idiosyncratic and potentially socially risky for an ordinary member to use them as the basis for their publications (L3_P) unless and until aspects of those teachings have been vetted either by the orthodox guardian (L5_S) or by the membership body (L4_B).

So there is no direct L5_P ↔ L3_P Channel.

L5 ↔ L2 & L1

L5 ↔ L2: Guardian positions (L5) do not directly influence mentoring (L2) which must focus on the immediate need to provide a basic doctrinal understanding to meet the needs of a particular person and issue. Any influences would be mediated by the membership institution (L4) or dissemination activities (L3). Nor does mentoring (L2) directly influence guardians (L5) and vice versa. So there is no direct channel.

L5 ↔ L1: As at L4, affirming fundamentals (L1) does not directly influence guardians (L5) and vice versa. So there can be no direct channel.

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• Continue to Levels 6 and 7 which enable modification of the orthodoxy.

Originally posted: 4-Dec-2022. Last updated: 25-Aug-2025.