APPENDIX B. Glossary of Key Terms

This appendix defines the key terms used throughout the book. I have grouped them into thematic sections for ease of navigation. Where relevant, authors and source references appear in parentheses, along with the section in which the term is first introduced.

The Theory of Functional Systems and the Systemquant

The theory of functional systems (TFS) — a theory developed by Academician P. K. Anokhin (1935–1975) and later elaborated by K. V. Sudakov, which describes living systems as unions of elements of different natures organized around a shared useful result. Its key principle is that the elements of a functional system cooperate rather than merely interact. The theory supersedes the classical organ-based principle of physiology: one and the same organ may take part in different functional systems depending on the task at hand. It is the foundational theoretical framework of Functional Systems Facilitation (Part II).

Systemquant (modeled on K. V. Sudakov’s system quantum of behavior, 1992) — the minimal closed cycle of goal-directed activity in a living system. It runs through the following sequence: the emergence of a dominant need → the formation of motivation → goal formation → decision-making → the creation of the acceptor of the result of action → action → reverse afferentation, that is, feedback comparing the result with the expectation → correction. The systemquant is complete only once feedback about the result has been received. In FSF, it is realized as the daily practice cycle (Part II, Section 5; Part III, Section 12).

Acceptor of the result of action (P. K. Anokhin) — an anticipatory model of the expected result that the organism forms before action begins. Through reverse afferentation it is compared with the actual result, and any discrepancy triggers correction. In the language of predictive coding, the acceptor can be compared with the brain’s internal “world model” and “prior predictions” — a striking convergence, though the two were formulated independently and are not formally identical (Part II, Section 7; Part III, Section 8).

A contemporary revision of TFS (Saltykov A. B., Grachev Yu. N.) — a refinement of Anokhin’s theory: on this reading, the system-forming factor is better located not in the result itself but in its anticipatory representation — the acceptor of the result. On this reading, TFS resembles the modern Bayesian picture of the brain as a prediction machine — a parallel the author draws, compatible with but not identical to Friston’s formalism (Part II, Section 7).

The “holographic” principle of functional systems (K. V. Sudakov) — Sudakov used a “holographic” metaphor to describe how functional systems lower in a hierarchy echo, in their elements, the organization of the higher-level systems that unite them, so that each level in some sense reflects the others. The author draws on this image to describe the self-similar (fractal) dynamics of the Intensive (Part II, Section 4; Part III, Section 16).

Dominant (A. A. Ukhtomsky, 1924) — a focus of excitation in the central nervous system that determines the direction of behavior and suppresses competing processes. It is closely related to the acceptor of the result and to the modern concept of set (Uznadze) (Part II).

The Three Channels and the Principles of the Method

Inner channel — contact with oneself: with bodily sensations, emotions, and genuine needs. It operates through interoception, the Practice of Silence, and individual reflection (Part II, Section 6).

Horizontal channel — contact with other people, with the group’s shared space, and with the living community. It operates through open communication, stress-sharing, and group reflection (Part II, Section 6; Part III, Section 10).

Vertical channel — contact with purpose, with meaning, with something larger than the individual self. It operates through goal-setting, connection with values, and experiences of transpersonal awareness (Part II, Section 6; Part III, Section 11).

Three principles of the method — purpose, honesty, nonviolence. In the method, these three are treated as the core conditions that, in the author’s experience, allow a living system to regain its capacity for self-organization. All the other rules of the method follow from them (Part II, Section 5).

The Assemblage Point (author’s term) — the pivotal moment in the process at which a person “reassembles” themselves around a clear purpose and a renewed vision. It is also the name of the method’s main long-term program — the place where people gather for this work (Part VI, Section 29).

Functional Systems Facilitation (author’s term) — not to be confused with the Finnish Open Dialogue method (Seikkula) for treating psychotic conditions. The method I developed beginning in 2010 has its own theoretical architecture, grounded in TFS, predictive coding, and the biology of collective intelligence. The Finnish approach shares only the Russian translation of the name.

Neurobiology and Nervous Regulation

Polyvagal theory (Porges, 2011) — a framework proposing that the autonomic nervous system has three primary states: ventral vagal (safety, social engagement), sympathetic (mobilization), and dorsal vagal (freeze). Each state shapes the accessibility of higher-order functions (Part III, Section 8).

Neuroception (Porges) — the nervous system’s unconscious assessment of safety or danger in the environment and in social interactions. It occurs before conscious appraisal and shapes our readiness for openness (Part III, Sections 8, 16).

Vagal brake — parasympathetic (vagus nerve) regulation of heart rate and related functions, which enables the shift from an activated state to one of recovery. It is engaged by prolonged exhalation and by mindfulness practices (Part III, Section 8).

Interoception — the capacity to perceive internal bodily signals (heartbeat, breathing, hunger, tension). A foundational meta-skill of emotional intelligence (Joseph & Newman, 2010) (Part III, Section 8).

Default Mode Network (DMN) — a neural network active in the absence of goal-directed activity, associated with self-referential thinking, mental time-travel, and rumination. Experienced meditators have been shown to exhibit reduced DMN activity (Brewer et al., 2011) (Part III, Sections 8, 16).

Predictive coding (predictive processing) — a contemporary neuroscientific paradigm proposing that the brain does not passively perceive the world but actively predicts it on the basis of internal models. Any perception is the product of an interaction between top-down predictions and bottom-up error signals (Part I, Section 3).

Free energy principle (Friston, 2010) — a mathematical principle describing the operation of living systems as the minimization of the discrepancy between their model of the world and reality. It allows for two modes of minimization: active inference (change the world) and perceptual inference (update the model) (Part IV, Section 19).

Active inference vs. perceptual inference — two operating modes of the predictive brain. Active inference is an attempt to bring reality into line with the model; perceptual inference is the updating of the model to match reality. The author interprets self-criticism as resembling a maladaptive form of active inference, and acceptance as resembling perceptual inference (Part IV, Section 19).

Deep Rest Model (Crosswell et al., 2024) — an integrative model of how contemplative practices counteract stress. The organism distributes energy across a hierarchy of needs: threat responses at the bottom, restorative and optimizing processes at the top. Parasympathetic dominance allows the system to ascend toward the higher levels (Part III, Section 8).

The Biology of Collective Intelligence

TAME framework (Levin, 2022) — “Technological Approach to Mind Everywhere,” a biological model that describes any living system as a collective intelligence capable of pursuing target morphologies. It applies across scales, from the cellular to the social (Part II, Section 4).

Gap junctions — direct electrical and chemical connections between cells through which signals, including stress signals, are transmitted. They are the biological substrate of collective intelligence in tissues (Part III, Section 10).

Stress-sharing (Shreesha & Levin, 2024) — the mechanism by which cells share stress signals with their neighbors through gap junctions, increasing the plasticity of the whole tissue and accelerating the discovery of a workable configuration. It is offered here as a biological analogy for what may be happening in the FSF group (Part III, Section 10).

Target morphology — the anticipatory “pattern” toward which a living system works during regeneration and recovery. Its psychological analogue is the genuine goal formed from a renewed state (Part II, Section 7; Part III, Section 11).

Cognitive light cone (Levin) — the domain that a living system perceives as “its own” and as relevant to its goals. The broader the cone, the larger the scale on which life is organized. The author argues that FSF may widen the participant’s cognitive light cone (Part I, Section 2).

Xenobots and anthrobots — self-organizing biological “machines” created by Levin’s team from frog and human cells, respectively. They show that cells can spontaneously form new goal-directed organisms without genetic modification. Their philosophical significance: life operates as a collective intelligence.

Group Psychology and Social Science

Group collective intelligence, c-factor (Woolley et al., 2010) — a stable characteristic of a group that determines its capacity for problem-solving. It does not depend on individual IQ; it rests on social sensitivity, equality of participation, and the quality of communication (Part III, Section 10).

Therapeutic alliance (Flückiger et al., 2018) — the quality of the working relationship between a client and a therapist (or between a client and a group). It is one of the strongest predictors of psychotherapy outcomes; r = 0.278, d = 0.579 across 295 studies (Part V, Section 23).

Rogers’s paradox (Carl Rogers, 1961) — “When I accept myself as I am, I can change.” The author reads this through the lens of predictive processing: acceptance functions like perceptual inference, which updates the model, whereas self-criticism triggers defense rather than change (Part IV, Section 19).

Grawe’s principle: resource activation before problem-focused work (Grawe, 2004) — a neuropsychotherapeutic principle holding that work on a problem is effective only after resources have been activated. Without resources, the prefrontal cortex lacks the energy needed for regulation (Part III, Section 17; Part IV, Section 18).

Psychological flexibility, the ACT hexaflex (Hayes et al., 2012) — the six processes of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: acceptance, cognitive defusion, contact with the present moment, self-as-context, values, and committed action. A transdiagnostic super-skill.

Experiential avoidance — the tendency to escape from unpleasant emotions, thoughts, and sensations. A common transdiagnostic factor across depression, anxiety, OCD, and PTSD (Akbari et al., 2022; N = 135,347) (Part V, Section 23).

Active generation vs. passive reception of information (Kaveladze et al., 2026) — the key distinction between effective and ineffective one-time interventions. Actively generating one’s own formulations tends to outperform the passive receipt of ready-made information (Part III, Section 9).

Five levels of self-regulation (Blair & Raver, 2022) — a reciprocally linked hierarchy: genetic/epigenetic → physiological → behavioral → emotional → executive functions. Improvement at one level cascades to the others (Part IV, Section 18).

Clinical Scales and Assessment Instruments

WHOQOL-100 — the full version of the World Health Organization quality-of-life questionnaire. 100 items, 6 domains: physical, psychological, level of independence, social relationships, environment, and spirituality. Used in my 2014 study (Part V, Section 21).

WHOQOL-BREF — the abbreviated version (26 items, 4 domains). Used in current research, including the planned RCT (Part V, Sections 21, 24).

GAD-7 (Generalised Anxiety Disorder 7-item Scale) — a seven-item scale for assessing generalized anxiety. Used in the planned RCT and in the 2024 platform data (Part V, Sections 21, 24).

PHQ-9 (Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item) — a nine-item scale for assessing the severity of depressive symptoms. Used in the planned RCT, where a score ≥ 15 serves as an exclusion criterion (Part V, Sections 21, 24).

PSS (Perceived Stress Scale) — a scale measuring perceived stress. Used in the planned RCT as a secondary outcome.

SWLS (Satisfaction with Life Scale) — a scale measuring life satisfaction.

MLQ (Meaning in Life Questionnaire) — a measure of meaning in life (Steger et al., 2006).

Communitas Scale / Watts Connectedness Scale — scales measuring social connectedness and the sense of communitas.

The Philosophy of the Method and General Concepts

Living system — a system that possesses its own goal-directedness, the capacity for self-restoration, and the active maintenance of its own configuration. In the Functional Systems Facilitation method it is the central unit of analysis, set against the “human-as-machine” model (Part IV, Section 19).

Biologically grounded approach — in the context of the method, this means working in keeping with how living systems actually function rather than how machines do: creating the conditions for self-organization rather than managing components (Part IV, Section 19).

Practice of Silence — a multi-component meditative practice of 8 sequential phases, developed by me. Not “a single meditation,” but a progressive deconstruction of predictive models followed by their reassembly (Part III, Section 8).

Functional Systems Facilitation Intensive — the central group format of the program: 5 days of 2.5-hour sessions plus an integration meeting. “The jewel of the method” (Part III, Section 16).

The recurring, self-similar structure of the Intensive — the principle by which the same sequence of phases unfolds twice — within a single session and across the span of the whole week — with growing amplitude (Part III, Section 16).

Four phases of the Intensive: shock → deepening → integration → completion. The classic profile of a transformational process, recognizable across a wide range of life-changing experiences (Part III, Section 16).