Inspired by Gregory Bateson’s systemic imagination and William Blake’s poetic insight, Fourfold Vision describes a way of attending to life that widens our sense of connection. It began as a frame for therapeutic practice but has grown into a way of living from a second-order, non-dual perspective. Rather than reinforcing separation or certainty, it invites a more fluid, ethical and interconnected stance. This can be grounding in a world marked by polarisation and ecological loss.
Now I a fourfold vision see,
And a fourfold vision is given to me;
Tis fourfold in my supreme delight,
And three fold in soft Beulah’s night,
And twofold Always. May God us keep
From Single vision & Newtons sleep.
William Blake, Letter to Thomas Butt, 22 November 1802
Blake and Bateson speak in what might as well be different languages, yet both point toward a similar truth. We live within patterns that shape us, and we shape them in return. When we widen attention, new meanings and possibilities become available.
What is Fourfold Vision?
Fourfold Vision is a way of seeing and responding that moves beyond narrow or reductionist viewpoints. It invites attention to shift between different modes of knowing. None stands alone, and each contributes something vital. The movement between them creates a fuller sense of life and a more grounded way of engaging with relationships, systems and the ecological world we inhabit.
At the heart of this approach is a second-order orientation. This means recognising that we are part of the situation we are observing and that our perceptions, actions and histories always influence the patterns we encounter.
The Four Modes of Vision
- Single Vision – The Scientist’s Lens
Attention rests on what can be seen, measured and analysed. This mode brings clarity and detail and guides careful observation. On its own it can flatten complexity and detach events from their relational and ecological context. - Twofold Vision – The Relational Lens
Perception widens to include systemic patterns and contextual meaning. Experiences are understood within networks of relationship, history and mutual influence. Instead of locating difficulties within individuals, Twofold Vision looks at the patterns that shape and sustain them. - Threefold Vision – The Empathic and Ethical Lens
This mode brings past experiences, imagination, empathy and ethical sensitivity into focus. It helps us sense the experiences of others and recognise the consequences of our actions. Creativity and intuition open possibilities that logic alone cannot reach. - Fourfold Vision – The Integrated and Sacred Lens
Here the previous modes interweave. Observation, context, imagination and ethical awareness become part of a single field. Sacred unity becomes perceptible as an immanent recognition of interconnectedness. Nothing stands alone. Life is experienced as a coherent and living network which includes the more-than-human world as well as our relationships with one another. Fourfold Vision is not superior to the other modes. It is the moment when they become mutually informing and alive.
How Fourfold Vision Helps
In Therapy
Therapy becomes a shared process rather than a technical intervention. Therapists move fluidly among the lenses, bringing observation, systemic thinking, empathic imagination and an awareness of shared humanity and ecology. New patterns emerge through mutual attention rather than through correction or control.
In Relationships
Relationships can be seen within their emotional and systemic contexts. Instead of focusing on blame or individual fault, attention turns to cycles of communication, vulnerability and history. This opens space for understanding and change.
In Society
Public life is often driven by binary thinking and a search for certainty. Fourfold Vision encourages the capacity to hold multiple perspectives and to act with compassion and responsibility. It offers a steadier path for those seeking systemic and ethical forms of change.
In Personal Life
Growth involves becoming aware of which lens we habitually use and learning to shift when needed. Rationality, imagination, relational wisdom and a sense of unity each bring something important. Working with all four cultivates resilience, presence and a more connected way of living.
A Fluid and Evolving Perspective
These modes are not steps or stages; instead, attention moves between them, sometimes rapidly, sometimes slowly. The value lies in the movement itself and the capacity to notice which lens is active. When we can hold several modes together, experience becomes richer, more dynamic and more able to meet the complexity of the world.
Much of modern culture elevates Single Vision and values control, precision and prediction. These are helpful but incomplete. Without imagination, relational awareness and a sense of unity, life becomes fragmented.
Fourfold Vision supports a way of living that honours connection and recognises that we live within one ecology of mind and matter. It helps us sense our participation in the patterns that give rise to joy, suffering and possibility. Practising this way of seeing nurtures a steadier and more ethical presence in the world.
This model points toward a sense of sacred unity that is neither mystical nor distant. It is the recognition that we live within one ecology of mind and matter, continually shaped by and shaping the systems around us. Practising Fourfold Vision nurtures a more connected way of living and a steadier relationship with the world’s difficulties.
Reflective Questions
- When do you find yourself leaning most heavily on Single Vision, and what shifts when another lens becomes available?
- How do relational patterns shape your sense of possibility?
- Where does imagination or ethical sensitivity guide your choices?
- Can you recall a moment when the world felt connected and alive? What did it open for you?
Reflecting on these questions can help cultivate a more expansive and connected way of seeing.
I am currently developing these ideas, but an earlier example of my writing on Fourfold Vision can be found here: Palmer, H. (2017). Fourfold Vision in Practice: Data, Theory, Intuition and the Art of Therapy. Human Systems: The Journal of Therapy, Consultation and Training. 28:1.
Hugh Palmer 