We can never forget that the human modes of experiencing the Spirit are the Soul and the Body. Yes, it seems as if we can transcend these modes of experience, but we must always return. As we saw in the language of Salvation, the descent process is one of saturating the Soul, Soma, and body with the Spirit. For this reason we need to understand the field in which we play.
It is in the realm of the personal unconscious which includes the personae, the Ego, the personal complexes, and the cultural complexes, where we find our individuality. In entering the collective unconscious, the instincts, and the archetypes we enter the areas of the soul which are common to all. There are no individual archetypes. There are no individual instincts. Just as the average human as two legs, two arms, a torso, and a head, so does the average human have the same basic instincts, archetypes, and collective unconscious. True individuality, what we call here individuation, and elsewhere, Gnosis, is the product of the process of bringing the light of consciousness to the far reaches of the soul. It is within the process of individuation where we actively engage with what is common to us all.
We need to understand that the human being is not “born in sin,” but neither is he born as an enlightened being, he is simply born unconscious. However, the human being inherits a number of systems that do not have to be learned in life. Just like the breeding and migratory impulses which we see in other animals, the human being is born with a general pattern that forms the foundation of his nature. This is a general pattern which manifests in all mythology. The particulars of this pattern correspond to the reality of the human experience from far before recorded history. Being born, growing up, interacting with parents and others, surviving, breeding, and death, are all elements which are common to the human experience. Our ancestors have experienced these things for as long as there has been life. We have inherited methods for dealing with these issues which are grounded in our body and soul.
As societies have developed and religions have taken root (from the most primitive animism to the loftiest liturgy) we have accepted and rejected parts of our own soul. The cause for this is simply that we have had a limited understanding of ourselves, and social cooperation demands a great degree of self-control. Without a full understanding of the drives, impulses, and inspirations of the human soul, this self-control required various levels of repression. We, as human beings, all have the potential to become the greatest saint or the worst monster. Each is representative of the human condition. Now that we have a greater grasp on what it means to be human, we have greater potential for self-control without repression, and greater potential for healing the wounds of the soul.
Today we are going to talk about the extremes of the human soul, from boundaries of pure body to pure spirit, from the instincts to the archetypes. We have categorized the human condition as spirit, soul, and body. In order to make the most out of each of these gifts, we need to embrace each of them in their fullness, and balance their functions. It is the work of the soul to bring balance to the extremes of the spirit and the body.
Pure instinct is a manifestation of the body. The body has its own capacity for memory, emotion, and drive. The most commonly used example for this is a developed skill such as riding a bike. If this skill is learned, years can pass and the skill will remain. This is not dependant on the function of the soul. This is a purely physical memory-function.
As we have evolved, and the soul has taken precedence over the body, the impact of the instincts has been softened. With the development of consciousness, we have evolved the ability to consider our instinctual drives, and choose our actions.
At the other extreme, the soul has softened the raw drives of the spirit, and allowed an interrelationship between the spirit and the body. It is the soul that is the mediating principle between the spirit and the body. From a Neo-Sethian perspective, it is the soul that allows the spirit to saturate and manifest in the material, thus embodying the spirit, and redeeming the material. In so doing, the soul is shaped by and shapes the raw power of the spirit. It is these shapes that are called archetypes.
Neither extreme should be repressed or demonized. Rather they should be explored, experienced, and shaped. At this point, it needs to be understood that consciousness is the function of freedom from the drives of both extremes of body and spirit. Which if not moderated contend with each other for control. It is the soul that offers the potential for peace and wholeness. It is the consciousness that is the tool for the directed harmony of these extremes.
In the language of salvation we mentioned the superior and inferior veils. In the language of the soul, these veils correspond to the Pneumatic Psychoid (which is the boundary of the soul and spirit), and the Somatic Psychoid (which is the boundary of the soul and body). These boundaries act as initial buffers for the raw energies of the body and spirit. Crossing the Pneumatic Psychoid is the Nous (the “mind,” or superior intellect, what Paul refers to as the “mind of Christ”). Ultimately it is our goal to unify the ego-consciousness with the Nous.
An immature ego is motivated primarily by the instincts, and secondarily by the archetypal images. As the ego matures, it begins to identify with the archetypal images causing inflation. Even though this is the process of ego growth, as mentioned before, if this process is not balanced it can lead to extremes such as megalomania, or psychosis caused by archetypal possession.
As the ego reaches the peak of the initial ascent process it is motivated primarily by the archetypes, and secondarily by the instincts. This establishes the superiority of the Nous over the ego-function within the consciousness. This allows the ego to become an active tool for the Pneuma (the spirit) through the Nous, while maintaining the integrity of the soul.
We have come to the point where we need to discuss the principle of Enclothement.
The whole of the soul is the interpreter for the ego-consciousness. On the top end, as the raw energy of the spirit passes through the Pneumatic Psychoid it is modified to lessen its intensity. As it leaves the Pneumatic Psychoid and enters the collective unconscious it is clothed with the image of an archetype that resonates with its essential nature. Most of the time, this archetype will unify with an instinctual desire within the collective unconscious. This image, however, will still maintain a numinous quality. If it is not further enclothed within the complexes of the personal unconscious, this archetype/instinct will enter the consciousness as intuitions, visions, dreams, emotions, images, ideas, and even insight into instinctual desires. This process can be triggered on the reverse end by a raw instinct passing through the Somatic Psychoid and into the collective unconscious. The resulting manifestation within the consciousness is the same.
There is a stage beyond this, however. This is where the Nous and the ego unify at the Pneumatic Psychoid. This is a point beyond the mediating archetypes, such as the anuma / anumus, and reaching into the archetype of the Self. The archetype of the Self will manifest in various forms, however, this place is the true encounter and unification with the Self. This is the point of enlightenment where the Self (as the personification of the Spirit) obtains conscious control over the whole of the individual being. This is not possession, since the Self will not dominate the will of the ego, it will not supplant the ego-consciousness. The Self will influence as “the still small voice.” As the mature relationship between the ego and the Self develops, the ego will willingly maintain the superiority of the Self.
But what is the Self?
On one hand, the Self is the whole of the psychic being. On the other, the Self is an archetypal image that represents the highest form of the individual being. The Self is the indwelling Christ, the Adamas, and God as One all at the same time. In the beginning, the Self is the transcendent Father that seems beyond reach. After unification, the Self is the incarnate Christ manifesting itself within the material world. The Self is the Logos as the ultimate pattern of the whole of the individual being, and the Logos as the ultimate organizing principle through which the whole of the soul is made. It is the Self as the whole of being that is the image of the transcendent God, and it is the archetypal Self that is the anthropomorphic image of God.
The ego unified with the Self is centered in the both the transcendent and the immanent aspects of life. On one hand, it sees the broad view, and is not affected by the small events of everyday life. But on the other hand, it is intimately involved in the events of everyday living, and is the ultimate director of the individual’s responses to everyday events.
We must keep in mind that the ego is the core of individuality, and thus the experience of the Self (even after unification) maintains a sense of distance. This is a healthy distance that serves to maintain the integrity of the ego and continue with the growth of consciousness. At this point, the sense being is twofold with the experience of (B)eing as the whole of all existence, and the experience of individual being. If the shift of perspective has actually occurred, this sense of both modes of being will be continuously maintained without effort, in spite of everyday occurrences.
This does not mean that your personality will dramatically change. There will still be much healing needing to be performed. You will still be comprised of the same soul patterns as before. Your perspective is what has shifted.
Our image of the enlightened being as non-reactive and somehow floating in a sea of serenity is the wrong image for the path of individualist spirituality. That picture of the enlightened being is an aspect of a strong and refined persona which is fully supported within a communal environment. In fact, the enlightened being that has attainted enlightenment through an individualist path is more likely to appear as the grumpy old mage. This is because he has accepted and assimilated every aspect of his personality, including those which will never be socially acceptable.
To summarize;
Instincts are the automatic inherited survival programming present in the physical mechanism. Archetypes are the images the soul uses to encode the raw energy of the spirit. These archetypes are continually present in potential in every human being. And these archetypes are common to the whole of humanity, regardless of culture, family, or personal experience. In conscious manifestation, the instincts and the archetypes are almost always unified and must be dealt with together. The Self is both the whole of one’s being, and an archetypal manifestation of the highest of one’s being. The Self makes itself known in the consciousness through a series of related images, usually in the form of god-like images or other divine-oriented symbols. The Collective Unconscious represents the deepest reaches of the soul. It is the playground of the archetypes, and the soul pattern that is common to every human being.
The difficulty with any spiritual discipline is the dynamic of the inter-relationships of the parts of the soul. Individualist spiritual paths usually emphasize some form of radical acceptance as a major aspect of their praxis. Doing Gnosis is this type of path. Radical acceptance balanced with radical, personal integrity is the core attitude of this discipline. In order to make the most out of this type of path, Doing Gnosis embraces a complex, but complete model of the soul.
We will end here, today. Next time we will discuss the middle ground of the collective unconscious, the realm of the mediator (anima / animus).
No comments:
Post a Comment