Towards an integral Transpersonal

Towards an integral Transpersonal

Does the « me » exist or is there a state in which true action arises spontaneously accordingly. This question is fundamental as it is the guideline on how we live our lives. The understanding of our personality, our ‘me’, the ego is necessary, for our life unfolds accordingly: we are what we think!

Our ego is the outcome of our thought—that is, we are what we think. If we are afraid, individually or collectively, we create a society based on security, the pursuit of comfort, social success, money, and possessions becomes all consuming. As a result, the future takes on an overwhelming importance and our present becomes a cage in which we are trapped. If we are not afraid, adventure, in whatever form is natural, and awakens our potential, regardless of external pressures from society, family, or friends, we live life as we see fit. Life thus becomes intense and multifaceted. In some way, universal wisdom allows us to choose our experiences so that we may learn directly from life. Our lives are, in fact, the mirror of our thoughts, reflecting the image we have of ourselves and the outside world. This simple fact is so obvious however most of us fail to see it!

To the degree of our understanding and maturity, our ‘me’ either builds itself through self-development, denies itself, or is reborn spiritually through self-awakening.

Universal wisdom follows us: pursues us even if we do not seek it! What we thought was happiness becomes over time a nightmare. The wealth we once enjoyed loses its meaning, while those who have not yet acquired remain under its spell. Therefore, the ego is moulded by the objects that it desires. The will to obtain, to succeed, craving and greed—reinforce the sense of ‘I’. Furthermore, those who fail to achieve success feel diminished or deprived. Either way, whether our ego is accomplished or diminished, inflated or deflated, we still live under the illusion of separation.

Are these necessary missteps in which the ego stumbles or are they pointless? Our sense of a separate self, our ‘me’, eventually leads us to suffering and psychological alienation. Is the ego an illusion or an evolutionary necessity, a preparation that gradually deepens consciousness until the advent of spiritual awakening?

This question is fundamental, for when we discover spirituality—either through the hard shocks of life or by reading the texts of various wisdoms or spiritual traditions—it takes on a new stance toward itself, a fresh outlook arises which generates a new destiny. Let us not forget: destiny is merely an expression of our thought, which like a mirror always reflects what we think. Depending on the dynamism of becoming, the “I” takes on different positions that coincide with the nature of our thoughts and maturity. Over millennia, the soul moves through different experiences and evolutionary phases inherent to our deeper nature—phases unknown to our surface consciousness, which is in constant flux. Falsehood is part of the path: even though it seemingly leads us nowhere, it eventually leads us to truth! To see the false as false opens the path to truth.

Eternal wisdom teaches us that to discern the false from the true, or to recognize a truth that hides within itself an even deeper truth—we must develop the faculty of discernment (Viveka), the awakening of intelligence that stops at no final or ultimate conclusion. For instance, on one hand, it is true that the ego is an illusion, but this does not imply, as certain spiritual traditions claim, that the individual is entirely an illusion. If we discern the false from the true within the individual, the notion of individuality takes on a different value: the separating ego, is replaced by the true individual—who, etymologically, is indivisible from the whole. It is the false within the individual that must be dissolved, not individuality itself, which is inherently connected to all that exists. Nevertheless, this abstract vision that perceives the individual as non-existant is still a necessary passage, as it allows our consciousness to be free from the egoic grip deeply rooted in the atavistic and visceral layers of nature.

It is the same with thought. The goal is not to stop thinking and attain the nirvanic void, but rather to learn to think aligned to the Real. The void (Śūnya), instead of being an end in itself, is merely a preparatory passage leading to the psychological death of the ego, granting us access to the fullness of being. The void of the psychological self (the deconstruction of the ego, and the emptying of its contents) foreshadows the completeness of being (spiritual birth). Thought enters a temporary void only to be reborn into eternal fullness. Still present, it has in fact undergone a transmutation. The primary, self-orientated thought of the ego becomes the luminous thought of the spirit and the soul. In other words, the individual is illuminated by the light of the Real: thought, individuality, and consciousness are aligned and resonate in pure harmony.

Before attaining spiritual awakening, the ego must necessarily undergo both construction and deconstruction in the evolutionary process and maturing of consciousness. Indeed, consciousness began its journey in the unconsciousness of matter, within the atom. Science teaches us that the atom is nothing but darkened, condensed, imprisoned light. Without delving into the details of the Earth’s and consciousness’s evolution, the ego, emerging from this chiaroscuro of matter, feels infinitely small, diminished, inferior in the face of the terrifying cosmic forces that constantly threaten to absorb it into the Void. The construction and development of the ‘me’ are, in part—especially in the beginning—a psychological reaction to fear and the feeling of impermanence. But fear is not the only driving force behind individual development. Alongside it, within the subconscious, also dwells the instinct of the true greatness of our divine origin, which predestines us for the second ‘spiritual’ birth. It is this instinct of our divine origin that unconsciously compels us to face life’s trials and to discover our inner being. Thus, the ego is bipolar, oriented both towards self-assertion and yet seeks the spiritual ’self’. This theme of polar duality, has been magnificently tackled in the works of Hermann Hesse.

Our ego can evolve from smallness to the greatness, but in that journey from the lesser to the more we remain essentially unchanged, for we are still tied up to ego-ness. No matter the scope and breath, we remain “an ego.” The awareness gained through the multitude of experiences of the many lives eventually leads to freedom from our ‘me’ and from all the objects that previously occupied or amused us. The ego does not exist per se: it exists because of its convoited objects. Without attachment to objects, there is no ego! We can see how easy it is to conclude, as some schools of thought assert, that the individual is non-existent or an illusion!

This nihilistic vision of the ego is confirmed by the Buddhist doctrine of impermanence, which explains the inescapable suffering caused by attachment to the world and its fleeting objects. From this perspective, even pleasure is merely a mask of pain. However, discernment (Viveka) delves deeper into the nature of things and does not fully accept this thesis, based on the fact of the precariousness of existence. It perceives, in contrast to impermanence, the truth of Permanence (that which does not change within change) and assigns to the former a value beyond mere negation. It recognizes in these two modes a necessary interplay of complements that sustain the dynamism of the Real. Thus, impermanence does not necessarily imply that reality is an illusion; on the contrary, it takes on a positive value when understood within the context of its transformative function in the evolution of things. For example, the changes occurring within atoms that construct forms, as well as within our mind, which observes these changes, contribute to an evolutionary dynamism in luminous transformation toward a divine fulfilment.

As our our mind becomes increasingly subtle our consciousness expands and deepens. Attachment hampers the creative flow. Without attachment, things return to what they have always been in their deeper nature, that is, into a unified relational movement within the dynamic Reality governed by cosmic laws. Thus, individuals, things, and creation partake in the unity of One energetic field, expression of the Supreme Being. Consequently, change which caused suffering to the ego—due to its ignorance of the deeper truths—proves to be a necessary organic process within the creative movement of development, where precariousness serves to renew and regenerate the entire creation, rescuing it from stagnation.

Napoleon Hill, one of the pioneers of the positive thinking movement in the last century, made significant contributions to the personal development of individuals. According to him, the diminished ego can regain a dignity of being and associate the nobility of existence with social success. It can be positively constructed. Becoming an entrepreneur, for instance, can be a legitimate pursuit for a time. However, this noble ideal cannot endure without an awakening to true spirituality, for the unregenerated ego cannot sustain such an ideal without degrading it into the corruption of self-interest.

Each decade brings its own fruits and the necessary lessons for the edifice of the Eternal Being, manifesting as evolving individuals in search of themselves. This process of personal development will inevitably be challenged by the opposing school of thought—one that sees the individual as nothing more than an illusion. One approach tends toward the construction of the individual, while the other seeks its dissolution! This is the law of opposites, the universal polarity through which our world operates. Like a pendulum, the individual oscillates between these two poles. In reality, these two seemingly contradictory truths—the flourishing of the individual or its annihilation—should be understood as part of a growing process, symbolized by the phrase “Die to be reborn.” That is, one must die to oneself, psychologically, to one’s past, in order to broadens one’s horizon and consciousness.

The 3rd Millennium is widening towards an integral transpersonal spirituality. The term Integral is crucial—as it implies the inclusion of all that it surpasses and transcends. This inclusion is more than a synthesis of the various elements or aspects of existence; it is an integration of all the principles that connect them into a subtle harmony, without any rejection. White light carries within itself the primary colours while remaining itself colourless. The diagram below illustrates the composition of the Manifested Being in its subjective modes, from the lowest to the highest:

Personality → Individuality → Pure Consciousness → Ultimate Reality

Personality (Asmita) is contextual—it results from gender, era, nationality, family, social class, etc. It is inherently superficial and entirely conditioned. The Personality is primarily nourished and driven by external influences, a slave to objects and emotions. Individuality (Jivatman), on the other hand, is eternal. It arises from all the lessons learned through various personalities across lifetimes. Individuality is thus the essence of all consciously assimilated experiences, which transform into universal intelligence and love.

Pure Consciousness (Chit) serves as the meeting point and intermediary between the Ultimate Reality (Paramatman)—forever unmanifested—and the manifest world, where it mysteriously takes form. Like white light, it remains untouched by its creations. Pure Consciousness is the Sun of the One (Atman), and the Individualities (Jivatmans) are its rays, whose function is to express the infinite richness of creative diversity in the eternal becoming of the One. The Personality (Jîva – Adhar, the temporary psychosomatic vehicle) exists at the farthest extremity of these rays, in the twilight shadow. It is in this darkness that egos are generated.

The Personal Self
／＼
 Contextual Personality (Jiva) ⇨ True Individuality (Jivatman)
⇩
The Universal Self (Atman)
⇩
The Transcendent Self (Paramatman), the Source of all that is

The transient Personality, subjected to external influences, must free itself from all identification in order to discover the true Individuality hidden within. In discovering Individuality, we simultaneously discover Pure Consciousness, which our individuality is a unique expression. Pure Consciousness is the spiritual sun, and Individuality is one of its rays, carrying the divine light. Individuality expresses itself through a temporary personality, which is the unique manifestation of the meeting between the eternal and the temporal. In infinite temporality, the Personality—upon discovering one’s true Individuality, connected to Pure Consciousness and Ultimate Reality—radiates joy and love, participating in the creativity of the Whole in the present moment of the Eternal. Thus, the superficial personality that once fed the ego transforms into an authentic personality, the expression of the true eternal Individuality.

Love is not merely the impersonal joy of contact with life; it is also the rich and varied joy present in all that is incarnated—a flower, a joyful child, the smile of an elderly person—celebrated in art, music, and poetry, which express its many nuances.

The only element that must be illuminated (rather than eliminated) is the Personality of the ego which, self-driven, distorts the cosmic play (Lila)—or at the very least, limits it. Once reunited with the ray of Individuality, whose source is the Sun of Pure Consciousness (Chit), the Personality is no longer in darkness, psychological suffering or isolation. The key is to align these three principles so that Reality, the Supreme Reality, may pour its divine wisdom into a consciousness emptied of egoic content.

To create a true individual, a holistic vision of existence is necessary. The broader, more integral, and multifaceted our vision, the richer our Individuality becomes. Awakening into a spiritual life does not mean rejecting or neglecting the psychosomatic (body-mind), but rather transforming it in the light of higher truths.

In our exploration of the dynamics of construction, deconstruction, and the subsequent reconstruction of the self in a new spiritual birth, we must recognize that all these variations are, in fact, interconnected within the successive Involutive planes hidden in the depths of our being and nature. These involuted planes within our nature constitute our infinite Potential—unknown to the personality, which evolves only on the surface of things. According to the diagram presented earlier, the Personality exists outside the ray of Individuality. In the early stages of human evolution, man, entirely ignorant of the laws of manifestation and the order of our cosmos, lives in the duality of a world that appears external and develops through the primal instincts given to him by nature. Through countless experiences and interactions with external life, the self takes shape.

At a certain point, this entirely external personality becomes saturated with experiences and no longer desires the objects previously coveted. He has then reached full maturity. This marks the beginning of Interiorization, the moment when he senses that behind—or rather, in the depths of his being—there exists a deeper consciousness. A revolution occurs within consciousness, and a spontaneous deconstruction liberates him from all attachments that bound him to external life. The realization of egoic emptiness frees the true Individuality, which had been dormant or involuted within the subconscious layers of his nature.

One of the laws of manifestation is that what has been involuted must eventually evolve at the right moment. However, this spiritual birth of our true Individuality is only the beginning of a long evolution—one now undertaken in Knowledge, through an infinite exploration where each truth reveals yet deeper truths. As the true Individuality travels along the ray that gradually draws one closer to the Centre of the Sun, one’s consciousness becomes ever more luminous, until the individual finally reaches his or her ultimate destination—consumed in the identity of the Supreme Being.

The Integral Transpersonal vision of the 3rd Millennium does not reject the various spiritual paths but harmonizes them within an expanded vision that allows each principle to shine forth. What once opposed, for example, the Personal and the Impersonal is now integrated into the Transpersonal, which simultaneously affirms their unique value and their respective role in our manifested world. In the supreme transcendental Wisdom, all principles mysteriously coexist within the matrix of Being and Nature. It is only the Mind that divides, for such is its nature…

To construct the personality, free oneself from it, then transform it in the spiritual crucible and render it luminous—this is the infinite adventure of our being within Being…