DOC – Paintings – The Metastabilian Movement

life~death

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TSS: “Only life, only death, either life or death, both life and death, life changing to death, death changing to life, between life and death, neither life nor death, beyond life and death…”

Fluxor Metastabilian’s Synopsis: “The squiggle life~death is the primal rhythm of existence. Life affirms growth, change, and continuity. Death brings cessation, dissolution, and return. Yet their relation is never final — life and death interpenetrate, giving rise to cycles of renewal, decay, and transformation.”

Dynamical Mode 1: Only life

Definition: A state of pure vitality, growth, and continuity. Existence is affirmed without regard for endings.

Examples: A flourishing ecosystem in spring; a newborn child; unbroken creative energy.

Notes: Life in isolation may forget its finitude, striving endlessly without reflection.

Dynamical Mode 2: Only death

Definition: A state of complete cessation and dissolution, without the pulse of vitality.

Examples: A barren desert; a withered organism; total annihilation in thought or matter.

Notes: Pure death removes all becoming, leaving only absence and silence.

Dynamical Mode 3: Either life or death

Definition: Existence alternates between vitality and cessation, never present together.

Examples: The cycle of day (life) and night (death-like stillness); cultural eras of flourishing followed by decline.

Notes: Here the poles are exclusive — one rules as the other recedes.

Dynamical Mode 4: Both life and death

Definition: Life and death coexist, bound together in every moment.

Examples: Cellular turnover where growth and decay happen simultaneously; compost giving rise to new plants.

Notes: Death feeds life, and life carries death within it. They are inseparable companions.

Dynamical Mode 5: Life → Death

Definition: The transition of vitality into cessation.

Examples: The aging process; the falling of autumn leaves; the close of a creative cycle.

Notes: Life inevitably tends toward death as a natural phase of its unfolding.

Dynamical Mode 6: Death → Life

Definition: The renewal of vitality from cessation.

Examples: Seeds sprouting after winter; cultural rebirth after collapse; resurrection myths.

Notes: Death is not final but generative, the ground from which new life emerges.

Dynamical Mode 7: Between life and death

Definition: The liminal zone where vitality and cessation blur.

Examples: Near-death experiences; twilight states between waking and sleep; mythic underworld journeys.

Notes: This in-between often births transformation, where boundaries dissolve.

Dynamical Mode 8: Neither life nor death

Definition: A suspension beyond both vitality and cessation.

Examples: Deep dreamless sleep; mystical voids; states of pure potential without manifestation.

Notes: In this suspension, neither pulse nor silence dominates — only stillness.

Dynamical Mode 9: Beyond life and death

Definition: A transfigured state where the opposition itself dissolves.

Examples: Enlightenment traditions that see birth and death as illusions; cosmic unity beyond duality.

Notes: Beyond life and death lies Being itself — the undivided ground of existence.

emotion~passion

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TSS: “Only emotion, only passion, either emotion or passion, both emotion and passion, emotion changing to passion, passion changing to emotion, between emotion and passion, neither emotion nor passion, beyond emotion and passion…”

Flexor Metastabilian’s Synopsis: “The squiggle emotion~passion is subtle and rich. It deals with intensities of feeling, their grounding in life, and their transformations…”

Dynamical Mode 1: Only emotion

Definition: Emotion is the broad spectrum of human affect — transient, diverse, sometimes soft, sometimes stormy. Gentle, passing states of feeling without escalation into passion.

Examples: Feeling sadness at a film scene, a moment of delight at music, brief anxiety before a conversation.

Notes: Here, feelings remain in the everyday register, shifting and dissolving with circumstance.

Dynamical Mode 2: Only passion

Definition: Passion is emotion amplified, focused, and given enduring force — a sustained fire rather than a flicker. Burning intensity without the subtle play of lighter emotions.

Examples: A revolutionary’s unwavering drive; romantic obsession; unrelenting artistic devotion.

Notes: Passion overwhelms smaller feelings, becoming an enduring force that shapes action and identity.

Dynamical Mode 3: Either emotion or passion

Definition: The psyche alternates — sometimes dwelling in passing feelings, sometimes seized by passion, but not both at once.

Examples: A scholar at times calmly reflecting (emotion), at other times fiercely pursuing a discovery (passion).

Notes: Life shifts between softness and fire, but never in the same moment.

Dynamical Mode 4: Both emotion and passion

Definition: Simultaneous presence of fleeting feelings and enduring drives.

Examples: A parent passionately committed to their child’s wellbeing, while at the same time experiencing everyday joys and frustrations.

Notes: The spectrum interweaves — passing moods circulate within the steady flame of passion.

Dynamical Mode 5: Emotion → Passion

Definition: The escalation of a simple feeling into a sustained drive.

Examples: Attraction becoming love; indignation swelling into political activism.

Notes: Passion is often born from the seed of an emotion, given depth, repetition, or focus.

Dynamical Mode 6: Passion → Emotion

Definition: The dissolution of passion back into lighter feelings.

Examples: The cooling of romantic intensity into affection; artistic obsession settling into quiet enjoyment.
Notes: What once burned as fire subsides into sparks of feeling, still alive but less consuming.

Dynamical Mode 7: Between emotion and passion

Definition: An intermediate zone where feeling hovers on the edge of intensity.

Examples: A performer on stage whose nerves balance between mild excitement and passionate immersion.

Notes: This liminal zone is often the most fertile, where emotion strains toward passion without fully igniting.

Dynamical Mode 8: Neither emotion nor passion

Definition: A state of affective neutrality, absence, or suppression.

Examples: Emotional numbness after trauma; meditative equanimity beyond feeling.

Notes: The psyche rests without the play of moods or the flame of intensity.

Dynamical Mode 9: Beyond emotion and passion

Definition: A transfigured state in which both emotion and passion are surpassed.

Examples: Mystical union described in spiritual traditions; a philosopher’s state of serene clarity untouched by affect.

Notes: Beyond both flicker and flame lies a different ground of being — one not driven by affect at all.

human~alien

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TSS: “Only human, only alien, either human or alien, both human and alien, human changing to alien, alien changing to human, between human and alien, neither human nor alien, beyond human and alien…”

TEST

strange~familiar

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TSS: “Only strange, only familiar, either strange or familiar, both strange and familiar, strange changing to familiar, familiar changing to strange, between strange and familiar, neither strange nor familiar, beyond strange and familiar…”

TCN~TSS

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TSS: “Only TCN, only TSS, either TCN or TSS, both TCN and TSS, TCN changing to TSS, TSS changing to TCN, between TCN and TSS, neither TCN nor TSS, beyond TCN and TSS…”

yogasana~pranayama

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TSS: “Only yogasana, only pranayama, either yogasana or pranayama, both yogasana and pranayama, yogasana changing to pranayama, pranayama changing to yogasana, between yogasana and pranayama, neither yogasana nor pranayama, beyond yogasana and pranayama…”

mythos~logos

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TSS: “Only mythos, only logos, either mythos or logos, both mythos and logos, mythos changing to logos, logos changing to mythos, between mythos and logos, neither mythos and logos, beyond mythos and logos…”

signal~propagation

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TSS: “Only signal, only propagation, either signal or propagation, both signal and propagation, signal changing to propagation, propagation changing to signal, between signal and propagation, neither signal and propagation, beyond signal and propagation…”

past~future

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TSS: “Only past, only future, either past future, both past and future, past changing to future, future changing to past, between past and future, neither past nor future, beyond past and future…”

dharma~makyo

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TSS: “Only dharma, only makyo, either dharma or makyo, both dharma and makyo, dharma changing to makyo, makyo changing to dharma, between dharma and makyo, neither dharma nor makyo, beyond dharma and makyo…”

global~local

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TSS: “Only global, only local, either global or local, both global and local, global changing to local, local changing to global, between global and local and local, neither global nor local, beyond global and local…”

oath~commitment

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TSS: “Only oath, only commitment, either oath or commitment, both oath and commitment, oath changing to commitment, commitment changing to oath, between oath and commitment, neither oath nor commitment, beyond oath and commitment…”

"wave~particle", digital painting David Engstrøm, plate from The Dialogue of Clockmasters Series, 2005-2020, SN#-

arriving~leaving

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TSS: “Only arriving, only leaving, either arriving or leaving, both leaving and arriving, arriving changing to leaving, leaving changing to arriving, between arriving and leaving, neither arriving nor leaving, beyond arriving and leaving…”

wave~particle

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TSS: “Only wave, only particle, either way or particle, both wave and particle, wave changing to particle, particle changing to wave, between wave and particle, neither wave nor particle, beyond wave particle…”

center~surround

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TSS: “Only center, only surround, either center or surround, both center and surround, center changing to surround, surround changing to center, between center and surround, neither center nor surround, beyond center and surround…”

left~right

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TSS: “Only left, only right, either left or right, both left and right, left changing to right, right changing to left, between left and right, neither left nor right, beyond left and right…”

yin~yang

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TSS: “Only yin, only yang, either yin or yang, both yin and yang, both yin and yang, yin changing to yang, yang changing to yin, between yin and yang, neither yin nor yang, beyond yin and yang…”

potential~kinetic

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TSS: “Only potential, only kinetic, either potential or kinetic, both potential and kinetic, potential changing to kinetic, kinetic changing to potential, between potential and kinetic, neither potential nor kinetic, beyond potential and kinetic…”

aggregation~dispersion

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TSS: “Only aggregation, only dispersion, either aggregation or dispersion, both aggregation and dispersion, aggregation changing to dispersion, dispersion changing to aggregation, between aggregation and dispersion, neither aggregation nor dispersion, beyond aggregation and dispersion…”

individual~collective

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TSS: “Only individual, only collective, either individual or collective, both individual and collective, individual changing to collective, collective changing to individual, between individual and collective, neither individual nor collective, beyond individual and collective…”