The following is intended as a rough sketch of the journey of spiritual opening. It is not exhaustive or intended to be exact but aims to give a picture of some of the process.
Pre-state: Egoic Identification. This is the normal state of identification with external events. Pleasure if things go well, pain if things go badly.It is not absent of virtue or insight into right action but is essentially disconnected or experientially ignorant of the natural state hence its well-being is essentially event-based and cognitively driven. This is also known as the Wheel of Samsara, the hedonic treadmill etc.
Stage 1: Awareness/Mindfulness. This can be described as the cultivation of awareness or the skill of mindfulness – seeing thoughts, feelings and sensations as simply phenomena. It includes watching these passing mental events with neutral, non-judgmental awareness (Clear Mind) and not resisting all emotional / physical movement but greeting it with internal openness (Open Heart).This internal equanimity to pain or pleasure is not to be confused with non-action if life events demand a skilful response.
Stage 2: Purification. This is typically a disturbing stage of releasing attachment. It can be characterised by a sense that one’s sense of identity normally found in the status of one’s quality of life conditions (Relationships, Work, Money, Health and Leisure) is becoming less solid, cohesive evenunhinged / not in control. With guidance or ongoing disciplined practice this intermittent but regular burning stage begins to create an increasing lightness of energy and availability/susceptibility to irregular spiritual openings/awakenings or satoris.
Stage 3: Satoris. Intermittent awakenings/mystical experiences or gaps in the normal sense of identity replaced with an expanded sense of non-self. Typically this closes quickly as the psyche is not ready to hold this state (state not trait). This can happen on and off during stage 2 but more often towards the latter part.
Stage 4: Change of Identity Reference. An increasing drawing to stillness, to life conditions conducive for the emergence of no-self experience and a parallel growing disinterest in one’s previous relationship with the world, one’s life as one knew it etc. Again disturbing for the psyche, this integration stage requires that jobs, relationships, responsibilities have to be re-negotiated and understood as previous arrangements set up for security or happiness are needed less for that purpose as well-being gradually shifts from external or event-based to internally-based.
Stage 5: Stabilisation. This is when the intermittent openings/awakenings to no-self become increasingly the place of operating or processing of phenomena. It is characterised by growing simplicity and an ease/flexibility with changing circumstances. The previous confusion associated with having no cohesive single pointed sense of self gradually reduces as coming now from more an internal reference point for well-being becomes more integrated with managing and engaging with external life conditions.
Stage 6: Awakening/Enlightenment. When the apple drops from the tree, when the last layer of resistance wears away and the default is the open, no-self state.Meditation is more “turning awareness onto awareness” (Ramana Maharshi) than directed towards a single pointed meditation object. Characterised by a sense of pure emptiness, light, abiding peace and the experience that at one level there is nothing to get anymore.
Here latent identifications not yet dissolved/purified can still intermittently be triggered or will spontaneously arise to be seen through as essentially empty. Their associated beliefs, emotions and behavioural expressions dissolve with the seeing and allowing through of the old, now redundant externally-based sense of self. These can still flavour the expression of the individual, however slowly over time they purify and the person becomes increasingly clear, their energy becomes purer and stronger and increasingly physically felt by others. In view of this purification practices are still relevant.
This stage is where most of the world’s spiritual teachers teach from, awake to the natural resting state as the default but with decreasing intermittent movement through that. Dangers in this state are identification with or misuse of the increasing considerable untouchable power that comes with this and a lack of humility to describe/admit to others ifpassing phenomena arises. During this the powers or siddhis continue to develop.
Stage 7: Supreme/Perfect Enlightenment. A state in which one possesses no erroneous views, speech, or behaviour, where there is nothing left to purify. The true nature is expressed unimpeded and is associated with full control over matter or the form and is typically associated with what is seen as miraculous (the full range of primary and secondary siddhis). Emptiness in form.
I hope this has been of some benefit and all are welcome to inquire further into the work offered at Enlightenment Psychology.
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Patrick Jones
