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This information sheet discusses personal growth with reference to psychic and
mystical experiences. It does not discuss the healing of other persons
(see information sheet on healing).
Mishlove lists three types of psychic development (21).
Accidental: Occurs spontaneously after certain events, such as an accident,
surgery, near-death experience, guru contact, or "UFO encounter".
Non-intentional: Occurs as a by-product of training for another purpose,
as in yoga or meditation used to induce mystical experiences.
Intentional: Happens during training for the specific purpose of inducing
psychic experiences.
Mishlove also classifies development into two systems:
Pre-scientific: for example, yoga; Buddhism.
Modern popular: for example, Spiritualism; Silva method; Transcendental
Meditation; Milan Ryzl program; A Course in Miracles. (Mention of specific
courses does not imply endorsement by the AIPR.)
Hierarchy of wellbeing
Personal growth refers to individual psycho-spiritual development, that
is, achieving full potential and integrating the whole person.
The whole person includes three aspects: body, mind and spiritual (termed
'spirit' by Christians). Other names for these three aspects are: (i)
pre-personal or subconscious; (ii) personal, conscious or self-conscious;
and (iii) transpersonal or super-conscious (34).
This information sheet adopts the five-stage model of Vaughan (32,33)
- physical,
emotional, psychological, existential, transpersonal - but adds a psychic
stage. The stages form an approximate ladder or hierarchy, though the
steps on the ladder overlap. Each higher step includes all lower ones,
and thus more completely describes the health and personal growth of the
human individual.
Physical (material) health
Being aware of body sensations and avoiding physical pain. Includes awareness
of diet and exercise. Medical practice until recently, largely focussed
on physical health.
Non-acceptance of stages 2 or 3 to 6 can manifest as excessive or compulsive
behaviours related to material health, for example: obesity (excess food
intake); anorexia (excess dieting); compulsive shopping (5) and substance
abuse. The term "excessive appetites" (22) to describe such compulsions
is apt.
Emotional health
Being aware of positive and negative feelings, such as anger, sadness,
love and joy, and avoiding emotional pain. This is a focus of the humanistic
psychology of Rogers and Maslow (19, 25).
The emotions are controlled by the endocrine system, which is closely
connected with the nervous and immune systems. Emotional health thus cannot
be separated from both physical and psychological health. The motivation
of behaviour cannot be separated from emotions.
Psychological (mental) health
Being aware of conscious thoughts and avoiding psychological pain. Includes
life-skills such as cross-cultural communication (10, 19, 25, 31). Self-concept,
that is, the individual ego, is strengthened. Intuition is balanced with
critical thinking (9, 32).
Existential health
Accepting all the realities of human existence, including death, loneliness,
the meaning of life, and the limitations of the ego. Includes the ability
to accept body-mind unity within separate individual existence.
A person having a good job, family and social life can still feel unhappy:
life has no meaning. This is called existential pain/angst/neurosis (6A,18,36,37).
Access to spirituality is missing. The person has come close to a "religious
conversion" experience. This condition supports the reality of spiritual
experiences and their suppression in our technology society.
Transpersonal (spiritual) health
Transcendence of ego identity, that is, awareness of the mystical experience
- the "higher" state of consciousness characterised by a sense of unity
with the universe, ecstatic joy and intense love and insight (4,7,13,14,34).
See information sheet on mystical experiences.
Frequent minor mystical experiences (peak experiences) have a major impact
within society (12). Maslow says they lead to "self-actualisation".
All religions have a common mystical experience, but many paths are available,
being unique expressions of the diversity of human individuals. Some persons
have theistic mystical experiences (the presence of a personal God); others
have impersonal mystical experiences.
Psychic (parapsychological) health
Being aware of psychic experiences such as ESP, apparitions and out-of-body
experiences (20,21,26,30). These lie at the interface between normal consciousness
(stage 4), and spiritual states (stage 6). Methods of psychic development
are much the same as those for developing mystical experiences.
Fantasy addicts, or fantasy prone persons, are the 4% of people who report
regular psychic experiences such as ESP, out-of-body experiences, automatic
writing, visual and auditory hallucinations (apparitions), and the sensations
of being touched, of temperature changes, and of "past lives" (35).
Fantasisers live in a trance much of the day. They easily develop
psychosomatic symptoms, and allegedly make good healers. Rather than
negative connotations, the experiences have creative potential: the
novelist Charles Dickens had a rich fantasy life, including premonitions
and seeing apparitions of his characters (1).
The occult dimension
Occult beliefs and rituals are based on psychic and mystical experiences.
Some, such as astrology and numerology can yield personal growth, though
others such as Satanism attract many disturbed people.
Psychic or mystical experiences are commonly confused with associated
occult beliefs. A spontaneous experience of clairvoyance, for example,
can be described scientifically. Religious counsellors who describe such
an experience as "the occult" can needlessly frighten clients.
Methods of psychic development are the same as those for mystical
experiences.
The sacred and profane
Two aspects of psychic and mystical experiences can be distinguished.
Awareness of this distinction avoids the problem of persons doing psychic
research as a substitute for spiritual needs, thus compromising objectivity.
The profane aspect can be described scientifically. For example, the
study of self-reports identifies common parameters, and biological models
clarify interpretation.
The sacred (6) or numinous aspect (23) refers to the feelings of meaning
and joy produced. This aspect is the basis of spiritual growth, and can
only be fully described by personal experience.
Training strategies
Mishlove describes experiments to train ESP and
psychokinesis (PK) as being statistically suggestive, though not proof,
of a training effect (21). Methods alleged to enhance psychic ability
include hypnosis, yoga, meditation, relaxation and biofeedback.
Psychic training strategies either involve under-arousal or over-arousal
of the brain. Rogo's book (26) emphasises the former.
Under-arousal method
Relaxation and meditation. Mental and physical exercises, including slow
breathing. The aim is to focus attention (absorption) and blank the mind.
Yogis warn against developing siddhis (psychic powers) during meditation;
these inflate ego and distract from enlightenment (11).
Self-suggestion (auto-hypnosis). The correspondence course of Milan Ryzl
requires initial mental preparation. Biofeedback helps.
Visualisation exercises. To create and control
imagery that is termed hypnagogic (waking up), eidetic (vivid,
persistent) and auto-scopic (viewing
image of oneself).
Dreams. In particular, ESP dreams, lucid dreams (the dreamer knows he
or she is dreaming), and dreams during a mystical experience (14A). Dream
content can be recalled and controlled by command just before falling
sleep (or do activities that one wants to dream about that night).
Over-arousal training
Examples include hyperventilation (fast breathing) rapid dancing and
chanting, and taking psychedelic drugs. These methods are less safe as
they can induce experiences too suddenly, leading to psychosis. The holotropic
training of the Grofs, involves closely supervised fast breathing, evocative
music and focussed bodywork (7A).
Spiritual emergencies
Traumatic psychic or mystical experiences, termed a spiritual emergency
(3,8), can occur during development. The Grofs list several overlapping
descriptive types. If coped with, they can lead to profound growth.
Shamanic crisis. A sudden illness like the initiation of shamans. Involves
symbolic experiences such as trips to the underworld, attacks by demons,
death or dismemberment - then rebirth and ascent to the sky.
Kundalini awakening. A sudden mystical experience involving much energy,
heat, emotions, body spasms, lights, archetypal beings and rapture. Yogis
regard as cosmic energy travelling up the spine, opening up of psychic
centres (chakras).
Cosmic combat between opposites. Such as Good and Evil, or Light and
Darkness. Fantastic archetypal imagery involving ritual killing (24).
Psychic opening. Sudden, frequent and abundant influx of psychic experiences.
Past-life experiences. Emotional experiences of being another person
from the past, often from another country. Perhaps inspired beliefs in
reincarnation and karma.
"Spirit guides" and channelling. The presence of a being acting as teacher
and protector. Traumatic if messages received are contrary to one's current
world view.
Near-death experience ( see
Information Sheet 9).
UFO abduction. Archetypal imagery of being abducted by beings in their
spaceship.
Possession. The feeling that the body has been invaded and is now controlled
by a hostile outside entity.
[The basic technique of many psychics] is similar to the non-directive
humanistic therapy of Carol Rogers
Dangers in general
Spontaneous psychic and mystical experiences can have a strong emotional
impact, leading to the awareness trap (28). A person may uncritically
adopt the social context at the time, for example, Christian or New Age.
A person intoxicated by the beauty of the experience may retreat from
society and thus be unable to change it.
If an experience is induced too fast, it can become borderline or fully
psychotic. Warning signs include persistent thoughts about conspiracies,
such as aliens taking over the earth, or hearing voices that urge harm
to oneself or others.
Ouija boards spell out messages according to tiny
unconscious movements of fingers placed on the board. The messages
originate in the minds of the sitters. One sensitive person can dominate
the effects; or all sitters contribute (group mind effect). A suppressed
thought, suddenly spelled out, can be psychologically damaging.
In rare cases, so-called possession-like phenomena
are alleged to take place, but these might be explained as dissociation.
The person who has frequent psychic experiences, fearing ridicule,
cannot talk openly. This can be traumatic.
Consulting psychics
A long tradition exists of consulting psychics, channelers or mediums.
At least, the client informally talks over a problem with a stranger.
A non-professional therapist can help as much as a professional, especially
in the short term (2). Careful choice of psychics is a must: those met
at fairs or randomly are unlikely to be helpful.
The psychic feeds back to the client what the client has already spoken
about, or has deduced from observing clothes and manner (termed "cold
reading"). This is like the non-directive humanistic therapy of Carl Rogers
(16).
Some psychics firmly tell the client what to do, like the directive rational-emotive
therapy of Albert Ellis (16). The directions may come from the psychic's
"inner voice", regarded as a spirit guide.
Uncritical belief in the psychic's advice is a problem.
Reading List
(1) Ackroyd, P. (1991). Dickens. London: Minerva
(2) Berman, J & Norton, N. (1985). Does professional training make a therapist
more effective? Psychological Bulletin, 98, 401-407.
(3) Bragdon, E. (1990). The call of spiritual emergency. SF: Harper Collins.
(4) Deikman, A. (1982). The observing self. Boston: Beacon.
(5) Damon, J. (1988). Shopaholics. NY: Price Stern.
(5A) Drury, N. (1989). The elements of human potential. Shaftesbury: Element
Books.
(6) Eliade, M. (1959). The sacred and the profane. San Diego: Harvest.
(6A) Frank, V. (1982). Man's search for meaning. London: Hodder & Stoughton.
(6B) Goleman, D. (1988). The meditative mind. LA: Tarcher.
(7) Greeley, A. (1974) Ecstacy. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall.
(7A) Grof, S. (1988). The adventure of self-discovery. Albany, NY: SUNY.
(8) Grof, S & Grof, C., eds (1989). Spiritual emergency. LA: Tarcher.
(9) Harman, W. & Rheingold, H. (1984). Higher creativity. Los Angeles:
Tarcher.
(10) Hendricks, G. (1982). Leaming to love yourself. Englewood Cliffs:
Prentice Hall.
(11) Hewitt, J. (1983). The complete book of yoga. London: Rider.
(12) Laski, M. (1980). Everyday ecstasy. London: Thames Hudson.
(13) Johnston, W. (1981). The inner eye of love. London: Fount.
(14) Jampolsky, G. (1983). Teach only love. Toronto: Bantam.
(14A) LaBerge, S. (1985). Lucid dreaming. NY: Ballantine.
(15) Lasch, C. (1980). The culture of narcissism. London: Abacus.
(16) Lester, D. (1982). Astrologers and psychics as therapists. American
Journal of Psychotherapy, 36, 56-66.
(17) Lowen, A. (1985). Narcissism. NY Collier.
(18) Maddi, S. (1967). The existential neuroses. Journal of Abnormal Psychology,
72, 311-325.
(19) Maslow, A. (1976). The farther reaches of human nature. Harmondsworth:
Penguin.
(20) Mintze, E. (1983). The psychic thread. NY: Human Sciences Press.
(21) Mishlove, J. (1988). Psi development systems. NY: Ballantine
(22) Orford, J. (1985). Excessive appetites. Chichester: Wiley.
(23) Otto, R. (1958). The idea of the holy (2nd ed). London: Oxford University
Press.
(24) Perry, JW (1976). Roots of renewal in myth and madness. SF: Jossey-Bass.
(25) Rogers, C. (1961). On becoming a person. Boston: Sentry.
(26) Rogo, DS (1984). Our psychic potentials. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice
Hall.
(28) Schur, E. (1977). The awareness trap. NY: McGraw Hill.
(30) Tart, C. (1976). Learning to use ESP. Chicago: Univ. Chicago Press.
(31) Tart, C. (1986). Waking up. Boston: Shambhala.
(32) Vaughan, F. (1979). Awakening intuition. Garden City, NY: Anchor.
(33) Vaughan, F. (1986). The inner arc. Boston: Shambhala.
(34) Wilber, K. (1983). Eye to eye. Garden City, NY: Anchor.
(35) Wilson, S. & Barber, T. (1983). The fantasy-prone personality. In
A. Sheikh (Ed.), Imagery. NY: Wiley.
(36) Wilson, W. (1985). The grace to grow. NY: Bantam.
(37) Yalom, I. (1980). Existential psychotherapy. NY: Basic Books. Edition
4 (4/92) MJ Hough.
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