THE RAINBOW BRIDGE OR ANTAHKARANA

Antahkarana is a Sanskrit word referring to the link between the personality and the soul. It is similar to the Psyche of western psychology, referring to the whole person, including the inner Self. As it is the connection between the lower and Higher minds, it has been referred to in the west as the rainbow bridge.

One could say that the knowledge required to build this bridge is the true purpose of education.
The building of the antahkarana and its use can be seen as the Path a person follows when he or she reorients him or herself to the spiritual life. The antahkarana is therefore symbolically the Path or the Way.

The ultimate purpose of education is is to learn how to build the antahkarana. This education includes spiritual practices such as meditation and yoga, as well as learning about the soul and its creative work.

The objective of this education will be to:

1. Understand the inner constitution of a person, his etheric body and the centres.
2. Create an integrated personality through mastering the physical body, the emotional body and the concrete mind.
3. Assist in soul infusion of the personality.

Consequently, in building the antahkarana we are particularly concerned with the mind and mental attitudes. As a person's soul awareness increases, this needs to be expressed through the personality on the physical plane. An increasing rapport is attained between the lower concrete mind and the higher abstract mind, the soul, and the spirit.

Building the Antahkarana

Prior to building the antahkarana, a person is focusing on trying to eliminate major faults and developing virtues. Thus the major emphasis of religions has been to encourage people to develop good character, often with promise of an eternal life in heaven as the goal. The building of the antahkarana begins when a conscious reorientation has been made to seek the spiritual life, when the 'desire' to pursue a spiritual path has become more than simply doing what is considered right or wrong.

In the first stage of building the antahkarana a link needs to be created between the threefold personality (physical, emotional and mental bodies) and the soul. In the early stages the link between them is only rarely recognised consciously, but this increases as the contact between the two is strengthened and eventually becomes the line of least resistance. When this part of the bridge is complete the energies animating the physical body, the emotional body and the mental body are blended with, and transmuted into, the energies of the soul. These include the spiritual mind with its illumination, the intuitive nature with its spiritual perception, and divine livingness.

It is also necessary for the individual to be increasingly focused upon mental levels and to be using the mind intelligently and consciously. In particular this increasing focus will involve an understanding of the difference between the thinker, the mind as the apparatus of thought, and thought itself, including an awareness of thoughtforms and ideas. Much thought will be given to spiritual concepts and ideas and this may include an increasing desire to meditate and look within. He will see the benefits of visualisation exercises, mantras, affirmations, etc.

It is important to remember all the time that there is a two-way focus. There is a conscious projection of his thought into the soul world but at the same time there is an increasing ability for the soul to project itself into the three worlds in a thread or beam of energy. Meditation becomes increasingly important, focusing particularly on increasing the intuition. Once a degree of intuition is attained, a better understanding of the Plan is gained, subservience and obedience to which increases the benefits of meditation and an increase in intuition.

The mind needs to be focused through discipline, and an ability is needed to distinguish between intuition and psychic phenomena. Intuition, when received, also needs to be 'clothed' in appropriate thoughtforms to be utilised in the physical realm. The results of one's efforts in meditation, and the will-to-live as a spiritual being over time, are important determinators in the progress made towards building the antahkarana. A person may not be consciously aware of success in building the antahkarana until later on along the Path.

The antahkarana is therefore a unified effort of soul and personality to produce a bridge between them which at the same time evokes a magnetic response from higher spiritual levels projecting a triple stream of spiritual energy towards the soul and the personality.

A person can only, through his own efforts, reach a certain point of evolution. There comes the time when he needs help from the Master. He may not necessarily be consciously aware of the Master, or he may, as has been so apparent in India, receive this help through a guru or Master in physical form through whom the higher divine energy flows.

The antahkarana is built through conscious effort within consciousness itself and not simply by being 'good' and doing and saying what one considers the right thing to do. It is the activity of an integrated, dedicated personality. It is important to attempt to perfect the personality and consciously focus one's thought intentionally on the mental plane through such processes as meditation. There is little to be gained by simply waiting for something to happen.

The Method of Construction

Much of the energy in our thoughtforms is emotional energy. Emotional energy is spiritual energy plus desire. In other words it is latent kundalini energy associated with the energy of the emotional body, attached to the still forming mental body energy, which creates the thoughtforms. Once the energy is released from desire it is available for future use for new thoughtforms associated more and more with the higher mind. The purpose is to return to our source as co-creators and as integrated personalities, suitable vehicles for our souls and eventually spirit to function as divine incarnations. It is therefore necessary to use our mental and emotional vehicles to attune with our souls.

The first stage of building the antahkarana requires you to focus energy upon the mental plane at the highest point of which you are capable and in a state of absolute tension. This method is used in meditation when the mind is focused as steadily as possible. It can be projected outwards to a point such as a candle flame or held steady within the ajna or head centres. In the initial stages the desired result may simply be the ability to keep one's point of mental focus at one spot but ultimately the need is to focus on the highest possible point which one can to divinity as one can perceive it, e.g., the light, the form of one's guru within the mind or the crown centre.

During the process it is important to use the mind to be responsive to intuition or buddhic impressions, and through an act of creative imagination gathering and focusing energy while, at the same time, preserving the tension without causing too much strain on the brain cells. At this point of accomplishment there is a focal point of mental energy enabling the personality to be aligned and receptive. This also allows the soul to be oriented towards the personality in a state of constant, directed perception. In meditation, this has been referred to by Dr Goel as 'the jet experience' wherein the aspirant notices a shift in consciousness to the point of light from where his awareness becomes that of the observer or witness. Initially this can be done by self-analysis and meditation but later as we get deeper in meditation and become 'witness' to our minds after the jet experience, the soul is more able to take over.

Once the right point of tension has been reached and the reservoir of needed energy has been restrained, the aspirant has the opportunity to use his imagination. Imagination is the lowest aspect of intuition. Astral sensitivity is the opposite pole to buddhic sensitivity. A current of force needs to be set up between these pairs of opposites. When the imaginative faculties have been refined so that they are responsive to the buddhic principle or intuitive perception, the building of the antahkarana can proceed more accurately.

Creative imagination is used to affect the energy substance gathered through meditation. It is an active energy able to produce an effect on the mental substance when brought into relationship with the point of tension. "Visualisation is the process whereby the creative imagination is rendered active and becomes responsive to and attracted by the point of tension upon the mental plane" (Bailey, 1982b, p.489). As it is the creative imagination of the emotinal body which is applied it can be seen why 'devotion to the ideal' is an important aspect of the process and an emphasis on Bhakti Yoga in the Indian spiritual tradition.

It is often found that people who undergo a kundalini awakening have undergone spiritual practices beforehand and it is probable that they have reached a successful achievement of visualisation at the point of arousal. It is the will that is required for projection to take place. Although some degree of personal will helps, it is the Will of the Spirit that is required for a person to go further. In eastern philosophy it is acknowledged that one can only reach a certain point on the spiritual path. For a person to proceed any further, a guru, the higher self, or divinity must take over. Sai Baba has said 'take one step toward me and I will take ten steps towards you.' Thus, the effort we take is more than matched by the soul/Spirit reaching down to help us up.

Psychotherapy

Western Psychology focuses on the personality and those qualities which allow for successful adaptation to the outer world that we perceive with our senses. It is relatively new having only really come into its own in the last 100 years. As time has progressed different theoretical constructs have been developed to explain why people behave and think as they do, and along with this the techniques which can be employed to assist in change. There are now several theories, with their practitioners, who believe that their particular paradigm is the most accurate and suitable for therapy. These include psychoanalysis and psychodynamic therapies, behavioural and cognitive therapies, humanistic and existential therapies. However, most of these approaches do not claim to incorporate an understanding of the soul and, as in the case of the behavioural approach for example, are dependent on scientific research and the resultant methods to be employed in behavioural change. Obviously any counselling approach that has little understanding of the soul will be questionable in its ability to help a client to achieve better soul and personality integration and even less value for kundalini arousal or spiritual emergency.

Fortunately, the majority of clients seeking counselling do so for more down to earth problems and can be adequately assisted by modern therapy.
Psychologists who have included spiritual experience and well-being, are Carl Jung, Abraham Maslow and Roberto Assagioli. Their ideas have been particularly influential in the humanistic and existential therapies, termed by Abraham Maslow (1968) as the third force in psychology (psychoanalysis was the first force and behaviourism the second). Emerging from these therapies more recently, and incorporating many of their ideas, has been the concept of transpersonal psychology. This includes a fundamental awareness of the soul or transpersonal self, and is a truly holistic approach. It is often referred to as the fourth force in psychology. Researchers such as Stanislav and Christina Grof have done much to make transpersonal psychology an acceptable approach within the field of psychology. Roberto Assagioli's Psychosynthesis is an example of transpersonal psychology. There is, however, much overlap between the different therapies, while each has evolved from previous approaches.

Reference to the kundalini does not start to appear until one delves into the transpersonal sphere of psychology. Experiences which can be related to kundalini arousal, such as 'peak experiences' and 'bliss states' begin to appear in the humanistic-existential concept. Psychosynthesis includes many techniques for spiritual psychosynthesis. Eastern psychology tends to be more spiritual in nature than its western counterpart. It includes an understanding of the kundalini and looks at the development of qualities necessary for the transcendence of the material and psychological worlds.

Holistic techniques for integrating the lower (psychological) mind with the higher (spiritual) mind have been referred to as psychospiritual techniques.
An important requirement for soul and personality integration is the use of the will. Will and desire are the higher and lower aspects of the same attribute. Spiritual emanates from the higher mind, guru or God.

The real value in psychospiritual counselling lies in facilitating the individual to consciously enter into the process of self-actualisation. Self-actualisation refers to the synthesis and greater functioning of all aspects of one's being. It can be facilitated, enhancing greater soul and personality integration.

To outline how psychospiritual counselling and therapy work within eastern and western psychological understanding, I will briefly look at the Psychodynamic approach, the Existential/Humanistic approach, Psychosynthesis, and the theories of Dr B. S. Goel. One of Dr Goel's major achievements was to set forth the combined benefits of self-psychoanalysis and meditation. These approaches may appear quite different, but he showed that they are both useful for increasing awareness of soul.

The Psychodynamic approach takes as its basis the ideas postulated by Freud whose theory and orientation is known as psychoanalytic theory. Freud's construction of the mind was the first attempt in western psychology to understand the mind in a deeper way and to look beyond what it looks to be on the surface.

Freud divided the mind into the ego, the sub-conscious and the unconscious. The ego represents the conscious portion of the mind that has drives and goals. The goals are those which the individual is trying to attain in a civilised society so that it can be 'somebody.' The Unconscious, on the other hand, is like a storehouse of past needs, desires and hungers, fears and doubts, etc. Most of these are beyond the recognition of the ego and yet they control the individual's behaviour to a great extent. Within the Unconscious there are two types of energy, the natural desires and hungers with which the individual is born, the id (emotional energy), and the super-ego, which is like a moral, punishing force that was formed in the early years of childhood. This super-ego was once the outside social reality of parents, siblings, etc. which tried to block the fulfilment of the id desires and needs, and has now become an introjected, subjective reality in the mind. The sub-conscious lies between the ego and the Unconscious. This portion of the mind acts as a kind of gateway between the Unconscious and the ego allowing the Unconscious material to gain access to the ego through dreams or fantasies.

Conflicts between the id, ego and superego result in anxiety and tension. In particular, this arises from conflicts between the id and superego. Ego defence mechanisms attempt to balance these competing demands and to protect and strengthen the ego. Multicultural and family issues will further help to shape defence mechanisms and there may be several defence mechanisms operating at any one time. Defence mechanisms include repression, denial, projection, displacement, sublimation, fixation, rationalisation, regression, conversion, identification, reaction-formation and provocative behaviour. Freud's whole idea of human happiness in psychoanalysis revolves around the fact that the more the Unconscious is exposed before the ego, the better the ego will be able to control the mind and reduce those actions that produce unhappiness.

Within the Psyche, Jung differentiated between the personal unconscious and the collective unconscious. Jung believed it was important to try to integrate the psyche and gave the name 'individuation' to this process. It works through acknowledging the energies emerging from the subconscious, and the complex aspects of an individual personality that need to be balanced through identifying and working with archetypes.

Dr B.S. Goel goes one step further and divides the Psyche into first, second and third stage selves. The first stage self is the soul, the second stage self is the unconscious as seen by Freud and the third stage self is the ego as seen by Freud. Goel says that once the desires of the second stage self are exposed these can then be dissolved by totally accepting their validity. As more and more of these desires are dissolved, soul becomes revealed.

Within the existential-humanistic frame of reference there are a group of theories -- existential, person-centred, logotherapy, Gestalt, psychosynthesis, etc. Its particular approaches can be seen as more of an attitude toward the human condition. These approaches focus particularly on the nature and meaning of relationship within the world and can be quite philosophical. They focus on men and women who are empowered to act on their world and determine their own destiny.

From the existential viewpoint, anxiety may result from alienation or it may result from failure to make decisions and to act in the world. It is necessary for individuals to look at what the world and their relationship to that world are like. They have freedom to act within the world, known as intentionality, and although they can be forward moving they must remain aware that the world acts on them as well.

The most fundamental concept of the existential-humanistic approach is that of 'Being in the World.' This can be subdivided into the following areas of influence on the individual, Eigenwelt, which represents the person and the body, Mitwelt, which represents other people in the world and Umwelt, which represents the biological and physical world. Vontress stressed the importance of the spiritual dimension as well (Überwelt).

From a humanistic perspective, Rogers believed that people are positive, forward moving, basically good, and ultimately self-actualising (experiencing one's fullest humanity). His theories changed over time from a non-directive approach to a person centred approach. He emphasised the importance of empathy and positive regard. Vontress focused on the therapeutic relationship as an expression of intimacy, openness and real human exchange. He believed that only in a situation of caring and authenticity can true healing and growth occur.

Psychosynthesis begins with the self, or inner identity of the individual and accepts that the individual is growing and successively actualising many latent personalities. Importance is given to the meaning that the individual gives to life and that of values in particular, including ethical, aesthetic, noetic and religious values. This approach also looks at the motivations, choices and decisions an individual needs to make and the consequent responsibilities they entail. It acknowledges the depth and seriousness of human life and the resultant anxiety and suffering that has to be faced. There is an emphasis on the future and its dynamic role in the present. Psychosynthesis aims at reconstruction of the personality, initially perhaps with the most involvement from the therapist but ultimately the client's own Self with whom he can increasingly identify.

Both the Psychodynamic and Existential-humanistic approaches, therefore, can be seen to aim at helping the individual gain a better understanding of himself and his place in the world. Both can help the client acknowledge who he really is and gain self-actualisation. In the psychodynamic approach it is more a case of uncovering the influences of the past, the biological needs, the key people one has related with, object relations, as well as cultural determinants to see how they affect the present. Developmental history and unconscious drives are constantly being acted out in one's daily life. By uncovering the past and the complex unconscious processes, the individual is able to reconstruct the personality. In the Existential-humanistic approaches the value of uncovering the past is accepted but there is more focus on techniques and methods to help the client activate himself within the here-and-now of reality.

Goel (1993) believed that psychoanalysis, and even self-psychoanalysis, can be used to uncover the past and transcend it, thereby revealing the first stage self. In the Existential-humanistic approaches of Frankl, Vontress and Assagioli there is a more cognitive acceptance and aspiration toward a spiritual state of Being. Assagioli placed great emphasis on the use of the will.

Psychodynamic therapy views the person as the pawn of the unconscious forces and environmental factors, whereas existential-humanistic therapy stresses that the individual can take "charge" of life, make decisions and act on the world. In childhood one learns from the family and the multicultural unconscious, as borne by the family unit, as the culture bearer. One can assume therefore that the client is in some way acting out the family and multicultural unconsciousness.

The Existential-humanistic approaches by putting more emphasis on who we are and what we want to be using visualisation, decision making, choices, etc. These help us to accept who we are and build the personality, and then reconstruct the antahkarana, enabling us to make ourselves more suitable vehicles for the expression of our inner spirituality. The goal is the same as the Psychodynamic approach but the technique is different.

Therapeutic Technique

The first thing that needs to be done is to gain a thorough understanding of both the conscious and unconscious aspects of the individual's personality. This will take a while, but is necessary before attempting to synthesise the different aspects of his personality. Unlike psychoanalysis, though, the first task is to look at the conscious aspects. By first gaining an understanding of the more accessible features of the individual's personality, he will have a more secure base from which to explore and assimilate the unconscious aspects. Rather than seeing the conscious and unconscious aspects of the individual as being totally separate, it is important to realise that they have a close relationship and even a kind of ongoing osmosis between them. The individual is asked to take on the stance of an observer of his personality.

It is important to begin with the self, or inner identity of the individual and accept that the individual is growing and actualising successively many latent aspects of the personality. Importance is given to the meaning that the individual gives to life and the importance values have. One also looks at the motivations, choices and decisions an individual has to make and the consequent responsibility that they entail. It acknowledges the depth and seriousness of human life and the resultant anxiety and suffering that has to be faced. There is also an emphasis on the future and its dynamic role in the present.
An importance is also placed on the will, and its various phases, as an essential function of the self and as the originator of all choices, decisions and engagements. A strong emphasis is placed on the search for self-identity including the possibility of a pure self-awareness independent of the field of consciousness or life situation of the individual. There is a duality within our natures, a personal self and a Higher Self or soul. The personal self is generally unaware of the soul. The soul is really the only self there is, the personal self is a reflection of this soul but appears to be self-existent. Consequently, we are very much divided within ourselves and suffer from doubt, discouragement and despair. The aim is to synthesise the apparently divided person and to achieve a kind of wholeness or spiritual integration.

There are many active techniques used for the purpose of the transformation; sublimation and direction of psychological energies, the strengthening and maturing of weak or undeveloped functions, and the activation of superconscious energies and the arousing of latent potentialities. An important purpose of these various techniques is a planned reconstruction of the personality, initially perhaps with the most involvement from the therapist but ultimately the individual's own soul with whom he identifies more and more.

In analysing the conscious components of the individual's personality, many questions need to be asked to try and find out as much as possible about the origin of the individual's various personality traits and existing complexes. It would be worth analysing the similarity in characteristics between the individual and his parents, siblings and ancestors, and the effect these may have on the individual's current family situation, accepting the fact that there will be many traits that are of cultural origin and many that are particular to the individual.

When analysing the individual's particular complexes one can concentrate on those personality aspects that show a strong emotional charge. Simply looking at and recognising the existence of complexes is the first step towards dis-identification from them. It would also be necessary to study as many other aspects of the individual's conscious personality as possible including sub-personalities that would highlight the apparent contradictions in the individual's behaviour.

Fractional analysis, moving slowly from the individual's conscious personality to a gradual analysis of unconscious material, is one way of avoiding negative reactions. Consolidation of the conscious personality would take place through the client-centred approach. This way, care can be taken not to proceed too far too fast, and to avoid the dangers of too quick an exploration of the individual's unconscious.

After analysing the conscious aspects of the individual's personality, a thorough exploration of the various elements of the individual's unconscious is required. These can be very powerful due to the fact that we are unconscious of them. By trying to become aware of these elements and understanding them we are more able to redirect them into constructive channels. The individual also needs an increased acceptance of his or her natural desires and to relieve the fear and guilt imposed by the superego.

Using a psychodynamic approach the basic technique for uncovering the past is free association. In this the client is encouraged to say anything that comes to mind. It could be in the form of saying and giving associations to words, ideas or problems thus revealing suppressed fears, doubts, incidents, etc. Alternatively, it could be as free talking to the analyst. The individual could also try to do this from the angle of sinking back into his or her childhood. By understanding the association of words, prolonged time of reaction, and emotional responses, it is possible to ascertain the main complexes the individual has. The important thing is to discover connections or patterns between the present and the past. Clients should be encouraged to make their own interpretation with the therapist guiding them to look at different levels of interpretation, e.g., individual, family, gender, ethnic and racial background. It is also valuable if associations are made from an emotional state rather than from a state of clear cognitive awareness. Free writing is similar except the thoughts and ideas are written down whereas free drawing allows the unconscious to express itself through the drawing. Here the individual is asked to just let it happen and allow anything to be produced on paper. Another technique is for the individual to observe his or her own thoughts, feelings and patterns of behaviour and this can be aided by the individual keeping a diary of his or her own self-analysis.

This approach is also useful in dreamwork where free association can be used to understand the symbolism in dreams. Dreams are an important and useful avenue to spiritual issues. Goel particularly thought that sexual dreams were often due to the inner desire for merger with God. Many dreams can be interpreted from a spiritual or cultural perspective. We don't just incorporate individual interpretations of the world; we also make family, spiritual, and cultural experience part of our being.

In day to day life by noting the remarks of others rather than reacting to them, as well as observing reactions to movies, fiction stories and so on, can give clues to the psychic formations and behaviour patterns the individual has. The individual needs to be constantly aware of "What I do, what I feel and what I think."

Other approaches used in psychosynthesis are the Thematic Apperception Test and the Initiated Symbol Projection. In the Thematic Apperception Test pictures are used which may evoke a response in the individual giving clues to drawing out the standard, well-known complexes. The individual would be asked "What does this picture evoke in you?" or "…suggest to you?" The essence here is to ask for a definite story rather than necessarily a personal reaction. In the Initiated Symbol Projection the individual sits in a comfortable chair, or on a couch. After he is completely relaxed, possibly using relaxation techniques, he is asked to visualise a standard series of twelve symbolic situations including a meadow, climbing a mountain, visiting a house, a lion, etc. The symbols experienced are simpler and clearer than dreams but they are very useful to gain some insight into unconscious workings.

Regression can be used to help clients return to old negative experiences, particularly trauma and encourage them to relive the event in the safety of the therapeutic setting. This is particularly powerful at the sensorimotor level. However, clients should not be pushed further than they are willing to go.
The therapist can also expect the client to repeat their developmental history with him/her. So it is important for the counsellor to treat clients differently than they were treated in the past, or they will continue to repeat old habits and patterns. The client must be offered a solid relationship and be treated with patience, firmness, a clear sense of boundaries and evidence of caring. This is similar to the Rogerian approach of empathy and positive regard.
Resistances, which include everything in the words and behaviours of the client that prevents access to unconscious material, can be revealing too. Even the 'Freudian Slip' can provide clues to resistances. The counsellor helps the clients to label or interpret the resistance, after which free association can be used.
Once an analysis has been made of the conscious and unconscious aspects of the individual's personality, with perhaps some preparatory exercises like training of the will and visualisation, then one needs to consider a plan for the level of synthesis to be achieved to suit the client. It helps to have a clear goal in mind and for the individual to be able to envision the ideal model of himself that he is aiming for. One needs to consider the best possible programme for the individual, including content and time, and then to present a plan of integration.

In the existential-humanistic approaches here and now experiences are important. There are therapeutic techniques that can help in the process of spiritual emergence. These include such techniques as playing evocative music and expressing the emotions and experiences through sound and movement; actively working with dreams (as with the psychodynamic approach but with more emphasis on here and now experiences rather than the emergence of repressed desires, etc. from childhood); using artistic expression; practising focused meditation; and developing simple personal rituals.

Various techniques from the experiential therapies for emotional release can be used including those used in psychosynthesis, bodywork, bioenergetics and rolfing. Holotropic Breathwork, developed by Grof and Grof, is a method that induces a non-ordinary state of consciousness allowing unconscious material to express itself and utilises the healing forces that become available in this state. The individual is seen as the source of healing, and needs to be willing to confront the powerful experiences.

The next phase is to help the individual take possession of the elements of his personality and gain control over them. A disintegration of harmful images or complexes is undertaken followed by control and utilisation of the energies set free. This can be done using methods like catharsis, critical analysis, self-identification, dis-identification, development of the will, training and use of the imagination, visual, auditory and other sense evocation.

Self- and dis-identification are based on the principle. "We are dominated by everything with which our self becomes identified. We can dominate and control everything from which we dis-identify ourselves" (Assagioli, 1965, p22). There is a considerable difference between saying "I am angry about that" and saying "The emotion of anger is trying to overcome me." The self needs to disassociate itself from the weakness, fear, emotion or drive. A strong identification with one part of the personality reduces one's ability to identify with other parts of the personality. Affirmations are of help here, such as "I have emotions, but I am not my emotions. I have a body but I am not my body."

Development of the will is also important, particularly when considering that it is the function closest to the soul and its expression in the world. Once the individual is more clear over what he wants, who he wants to be in the world, and what his values are, training in the use of his will to pursue those objectives will be of great benefit. In order to 'see' the future he wants to create for himself, techniques such as training and use of the imagination, as well as visual, auditory and other sense evocation, will help him towards this goal. It helps to create an ideal towards which the individual can work. This ideal may be a role model, a philosophy, an artistic pursuit or a cause. It is essentially a projection outward of one's own centre that has the effect of assisting in an inner self-realisation. It acts as a kind of link with the soul.

This is followed by the building of a different personality around the new centre. Firstly, the available energies released by the analysis and disintegration of the unconscious complexes, or latent tendencies are utilised. Secondly, inadequate or deficient aspects of the personality need to be developed to suit the ideal wanted and thirdly, the various energies and functions need to be co-ordinated and subordinated as required.

Maslow proposed a five-level motivational hierarchy of needs, which he saw as culminating in self-actualisation. He saw people as intrinsically good, which is a biological feature and believed that the inner nature or self possesses a dynamic for growth and actualisation but which is weak and easily frustrated and prone to sickness and neurosis. Similar to the Psychodynamic approach he believed that the individual, due to his fears, rejects his basic self in order to fit into society. This creates a state of being he called the psychopathology of the average. Self-actualisation included increased acceptance of the self, others and nature, increased spontaneity and creativity, increased identification with the human species, a change in values and an ability for mystical/spiritual experiences.

Many active techniques are used for the purpose of transformation, sublimation and direction of psychological energies, strengthening and maturing of weak or undeveloped functions, activation of superconscious energies and the arousing of latent potentialities.

I believe that both the Psychodynamic and the Existential-Humanistic approaches are valid in understanding and integrating the mind. Through the Psychodynamic approach it is possible to perform a 'backward' journey in the mind through the animal desires to the soul, whereas, in the Existential-Humanistic approach various techniques that constitute more of a 'forwards' journey are employed to reconstruct the personality and increase one's spiritual awareness. Perhaps the terms 'backwards' and 'forwards' are illusory and in essence the individual needs to move 'deeper' into the different levels of his or her being. As such, the different paths are seen as leading to the same goal and thus an holistic approach is very appropriate.
The counsellor/therapist can only help the client so far as, ultimately, the client will need to be receptive to the impulses of his or her own higher Self and be guided accordingly. Counsellors working in this field would be wise to not only study the fast accumulating data in western psychology, but also to familiarise themselves with the spiritual concepts as given in the literature of the East and in particular on the workings of kundalini energy.

Self-psychoanalysis and Meditation

I have given an outline of the usefulness of counselling and therapy in assisting an individual to gain better self and soul integration. In the east, however, such a process was more likely to occur between guru and disciple rather than therapist and client. Ideally the guru was someone who had already trodden the path of soul integration and had attained the third initiation. Coming from the perspective of soul awareness the guru would be far more able to assist the disciple on his own path. The guru would give help and advice where necessary and as a soul realised person, the guru could actually represent a personification of the disciple's own soul. The guru would encourage the disciple to meditate and look within to realise his own soul. In effect the disciple had two avenues along which to search for his soul, the inner path and the outer path given by the guru.

Meditation can be likened to a self-psychoanalysis as correctly applied meditation techniques help to unravel the soul within. Dr Goel recommended that an individual undertake self analysis during the day and take unsolved problems into meditation during which answers may arise. The day can also be spent analysing the results of meditation, self-analysis and meditation thereby going hand in hand. After years of meditation on the ajna centre an experience occurs which Goel referred to as the 'jet experience.' A pin prick of light is seen and one's consciousness shifts to that point and one becomes a 'witness' to events and aspects of oneself experienced in meditation. With regular meditation this point of consciousness enlarges and at the same time exposes the past formations in the mind before the consciousness and freedom is obtained from them. Meditation is thus actually performing a similar process as psychoanalysis and Goel believes that all our past object relations must be transcended before our worldly consciousness can merge with soul consciousness.

Many different accounts of the experiences to be had in the higher stages of meditation point to a gradual destruction of the ego and the reality it has built up around itself. This is often experienced as a kind of death which, in reality, is necessary before a person becomes a soul infused personality, when personality or ego consciousness is replaced by soul consciousness.

When we approach the soul from the more existential perspective, a moving forwards and alignment with the soul, we are moving in a similar direction to that offered by meditation, however, our past complexes will still need to be overcome or dissolved in some way and this is often achieved through the crises experienced during the stages of soul and personality integration. The more we prepare ourselves for these crises the less painful they will be. It is on this basis that I believe there is value in applying techniques from both the psychodynamic and existential frameworks. That is not to say that there is no benefit to be gained from the behavioural and cognitive perspectives. Any approach to achieving self-integration is valuable, but I believe the psychodynamic and existential-humanistic approaches are more direct paths while the other approaches equip one more for day to day life.

Eastern philosophy refers to four aspects of our worldly existence that constitute the illusion of this plane of existence. These four problems need to be overcome consecutively and can be assisted through appropriate counselling and therapy. The counselling and therapy of the future will have as its ultimate goal the integration of soul and personality and the dispelling of the illusion of our so called reality. These are:

· The world of physical forces -- Maya
· Our desires and emotions -- Glamour
· Our mental life and the ideas we live by -- Illusion
· The integrated personality opposing the will of the soul -- The Dweller on
the Threshold

Breathwork

The Indian practice of Pranayama (controlled breathing) is the 'Science of Breathing' in which the vital life force is used for mental peace, psychic evolution and spiritual attainment as well as physical well-being. In the more advanced forms it can unearth deeply buried psychic material, bringing it before one's consciousness and consequent dissolution. In essence it is a form of psychoanalysis. Pranayama has been around, tried and tested, for thousands of years. Stan Grof has 're-discovered' the value of breathwork only recently, adapted it to bring certain positive results, and now trains facilitators in his method.
The Science of Breathing is also the science of Laya-yoga or the science of the centres (chakras). To what extent is Breathwork safe and at what point do we need to start considering the other effects it may have on our system, which at present we don't understand, e.g., the effect it has on the centres and the extent to which pranic energy is stimulated and directed? What affect does it have on the etheric body, which amongst other things acts as a safety net between our day to day awareness and astral energies and which some now believe gets damaged through Marijuana use.

Kundalini Tantra

From an eastern perspective any method or practice that helps one to achieve union with the soul is a yoga. There are many types of yoga including hatha yoga, raja yoga, jnana yoga, bhakti yoga and kundalini yoga. In a discourse given in April, 1996, Sai Baba referred to the fact that anything that helps one to achieve union with the divine is a yoga. He also included astrology in this category as well (heard personally by the author).

Kundalini yoga is part of the tantric tradition. This accepts that the mind can have experiences related to the objective world requiring the use of the senses and that even the mind is a result of the objective will. However, tantra also acknowledges that the mind can be expanded and that experiences do not necessarily depend on an object. In other words the range of experience can be broadened and go beyond the framework of the senses, beyond the framework of time and space. The dynamic potential force within the body that has the capability of bringing the individual to an experience of transcendence of the material world and the senses is the kundalini.

Kundalini yoga is the practice of a way of life that acknowledges the purpose of the kundalini and prepares the individual for an eventual awakening of it. Kundalini yoga prepares the mind and body for the arousal of kundalini but it should not be hurried in any way. Kundalini yoga is intended to create and develop one's awareness of the kundalini, not necessarily to awaken it. The kundalini should be allowed to rise at the time one's divine will ordains, any attempts to raise it before can be extremely dangerous. However, there is benefit in preparing the body and mind for it so that at the right time, and not necessarily in this life, the process will be easier and less traumatic. This is the purpose of kundalini yoga.

Although connected to the physical, mental and emotional bodies it is beyond all of these. The kundalini has its abode in the causal body, the home of the soul. It is an electrophysiological energy. The kundalini arises from the base centre, the seat of the unconsciousness and thus it has a connection with western psychology. When it is aroused its goal is the crown centre, corresponding to the pineal gland, the seat of supreme consciousness, the home of Shiva. This is the home of the superconscious or transcendental. In between these is the ajna centre, corresponding to the pituitary gland, the seat of intuitive knowledge. The ajna chakra connects the crown centre with the base centre via the sushumna.

The practice of pranayama generates energy which is forced down by a positive pressure activating the base centre. Then it is pushed upwards by a negative pressure to the ajna centre.

The sushumna is a channel from the base centre rising up the etheric counterpart of the spine to the ajna centre. It is a nadi (channel for the flow of consciousness) which has to be awakened before the kundalini can rise. The seven centres are vortices of psychic energy. Three more channels are found within the sushumna nadi, the vajrini, chitrini and brahma. Sushumna corresponds to tamas, vajrini to rajas and chitrini to sattva of Ayurveda. The brahma nadi corresponds to consciousness. As mentioned, the kundalini needs to rise up the sushumna, the higher consciousness created by kundalini rising up the brahma nadi. The whole science of kundalini yoga concerns the awakening of the sushumna.

Energy flows through the ida and pingala nadis all the time but its light is low. When energy flows through ida, pingala and sushumna you reach enlightenment. Ida is the nadi through which consciousness flows (manas shakti) while pingala is the nadi through which life flows (prana shakti). In the human brain only one tenth has both the energies of ida and pingala, the remaining nine tenths containing only the energy of pingala. In order to awaken the frontal brain the practice of pranayama is necessary to charge it with sufficient vital energy and consciousness by awakening the sushumna nadi.

The process for awakening the kundalini is firstly to purify the ida and pingala and to create harmony in their functioning. Next it is necessary to awaken the centres and subsequently the sushumna. Finally it is possible to awaken the kundalini. If the process of awakening follows this order the awakening of the kundalini will be positive in its results. If not there will be negative results.

Once Shiva and Shakti have united in the crown centre then one attains samadhi. One receives illumination in which there is a loss of consciousness as Shiva and Shakti merge into one. During this time a bindu evolves. A bindu is a point or drop and is the substratum of the whole cosmos. Again the bindu splits into two and Shiva and Shakti together descend as a duality, with full knowledge of duality. This is the concept of an Avatar, or Divine incarnation. In this state life is a game, the Leela or play of divinity.

Extract from 'Spiritual Emergence and the Kundalini, Understanding from a Psychospiritual Perspective'

Copyright © Charles Attfield, 1999 - 2002

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