Monday, March 13, 2017

Psychic and self-development











Psychic and self-development
Dr. Jimmy Henderson

Introduction

I know that there are many people who are very cautious or are ‘sitting on the fence’ when it comes to topics like psychic development and metaphysics, and I think this is due to the fact that these fields have received bad press by using their own jargon such as ‘connecting’, ‘channeling’ and ‘5th dimensional portals’ which sound very mysterious and strange to those who are not part of such groups or circles. So what I really want to do is de-mystify some ideas on psychic development and metaphysics by linking them to the normal process of human self-development and the scientific and psychological research which underlies this development.

A simple definition of metaphysics would be the study and practice of principles relating to the mind and reality which extend beyond our everyday understanding. This means a more universal and expanded framework of thinking than is currently taught in learning institutions.

I have made the statement that psychic or ‘spiritual” growth could be seen as linked to a natural process of self-development, having a gradual learning curve and being part of a continuum of growth which involves mastering new skills relating to feelings, thinking and perception. If we accept that we all have a higher, more spiritual and moral side (sometimes called the higher or authentic self in psychology), this could be seen as similar to a process of self-actualisation, and both personal growth and metaphysics could be seen as having the aim of achieving this self-actualisation.   

Of course, metaphysics does present teachings which contain a number of ‘different’ views or ideas on life, death and what supposedly happens after death, some of which may seem radical, and you may argue that these ideas are simply another set of dogmatic beliefs. However, there is an important difference, in that metaphysics encourages free thought and provides an open-ended exploration of self and reality directed at the development of consciousness, in which each person is urged to find his or her own path. Truth is discovered in the heart by those who are sincere in their search, and each is allowed to decide this for him or herself.

To substantiate my earlier statement that psychic development can be linked to self-development, it will be seen that in most metaphysical teachings, similar to courses or coaching in personal development, each person is encouraged to deal with important emotional and psychological obstacles to growth, including repressed emotions, self-defeating thoughts and beliefs and closed paradigms of thinking. I personally do not believe that it is possible to achieve self-actualisation when one is caught in a web of fear-based thoughts and habits based on unpleasant experiences and memories from the past.  

Self-exploration (IQ) (Intelligence Quotient)

Metaphysical practices are aimed at self-introspection, emotional and psychological change and the learning of new skills designed to unleash the true creative power of the mind, build new levels of confidence and self-understanding and develop the latent abilities which we all have.

It is a well-known fact that meditation improves mindfulness and increases creativity. At the beginning of the development curve or continuum, metaphysics introduces practices such as meditation and visualisation for the purpose of self-exploration and self-empowerment, radically increasing mindfulness, producing a greater depth of understanding, deeper self-knowledge and the improvement of one’s self-image and self-esteem through self-acceptance. In this way these practices fulfill the same role as coaching or counselling.

Emotional development (EQ) (Emotional Quotient)

The next part of the curve would involve achieving a degree of emotional wellness, or emotional intelligence, which means developing empathy for others, identifying and managing our own emotions, and attaining a degree of emotional resilience to day-to-day challenges which may be stressful. A period of emotional healing is also necessary, during which we let go of lingering emotions from the past such as anger and resentment, and learn to forgive others as well as ourselves for past mistakes. This would apply to normal human development as well as training in metaphysics.

When it comes to emotional wellness, meditation is a recognised practice in some forms of therapy. It has also been shown to be useful as a means of de-stressing, as well as increasing the sense of control and self-mastery, which is certainly related to self-development.

Heightened levels of empathy that accompany an improved emotional intelligence (EQ) would correspond to an increased moral sense, which could also be related to metaphysical practices, which emphasise the brotherhood of man and the aspect of service to mankind.   

The development of the mind
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Metaphysical practices also demand a clear and open mind. This means having to deal with outdated ideas, self-limiting beliefs and unwanted emotional ‘debris’ from the past, and ‘shifting gears’ to more universal or holistic patterns of thinking. Both self-development and metaphysics encourage this clearing or healing process, as well as the adopting of a more flexible framework of ideas which allows us to process and assimilate new insights and experiences.  

The development of spiritual development or spiritual intelligence (SQ)
(Spiritual Quotient)

However, by its very nature, metaphysics extends beyond normal day-to-day self-development to include building a relationship with our subconscious minds, which will provide the underlying power for advanced new skills such as heightened sense perception, intuition, psychic sight and realisation of the higher self or soul. This meeting/ merging with the true human identity could be viewed as self-actualisation, and be seen as the apex of the developmental curve, or end of the self-development continuum.  

Conclusion

The process of psychic and spiritual development as introduced in metaphysics follows a path similar to normal human self-development, but extends this process to include the highest possible levels of self-realisation. In this way it could be seen to have a foundation in human psychology and developmental processes.   

Dr Jimmy Henderson is a cognitive scientist, philosopher and metaphysician. He has been involved in the study of the Mind and Spirit for over thirty years as a member of the Rosicrucian Order (AMORC), and has written a number of books and e-books on self-development and the power of the mind. His website is www.discoveringyourself.co.za



Sunday, March 5, 2017

A new view of spiritual development

A new view of spiritual development

Jimmy Henderson (Ph.D) F.R.C 


In my previous article I proposed a new theory of the human soul as the complete and perfect essence of each human formed (created) in a Universal Mind. In this case, the existence of a Universal Mind I derived from the idea of a collective unconscious described by Carl Jung, as well as the notion of a universal consciousness, which, according to some quantum physicists, is said to be at the basis of the entire universe. The perfection of the soul itself I linked to Plato’s idea of the world ofideal forms, which he believed provides the templates for everything in existence. As a result, I expect some questions as to what would be the point, purpose and process of spiritual development if human souls are already, in essence, perfect and complete.

The answer is pretty simple really. In my article I pointed out that the idea of the evolution of the soul itself is fraught with problems, but that the notion of the gradual evolution of the body does not pose these same problems at all. A human soul simply await the evolution of a body sufficiently complex so as to be able to express its consciousness (at least to a degree), and appropriately matched to its individual personality.    

I also mentioned that the soul brings with it, the principle of consciousness, which, in this case, is severely limited by biological and instinctual structures set by the DNA of the human body. In other words, spiritual evolution could be linked to an unfolding consciousness, and seen as the gradual mastery of the human soul over basic animal (even reptilian) drives, instincts and destructive urges derived from earlier evolutionary stages of the human body. In religious terms, this could be seen as the metaphorical “battle between good and evil”.

An analogy for this process would be that of an insect which has a larval stage during which it struggles for survival and later emerges from a chrysalis having evolved into an adult. It is interesting to note that in the larval stage the insect is very primitive and destructive. Only later, as it matures and the outer casing (chrysalis) falls away, does the inner being emerge, which is more perfect.

However, dealing with the primal urges is not the end of the process. Once we have learnt to manage the early irrational energies to some extent, (this would probably take us into adulthood), we are still left to undo the many years of conditioning linked to outdated modes of education and societal ‘programs’, and also challenge our own fears, misperceptions and the many misguided beliefs which have led to the creation of the false sense of self commonly known as the ‘ego’. This programming has so entangled the pathways of our adult minds as to block the emergence of the soul, the authentic human self.

To conclude, if viewed in this manner, spiritual development is actually quite a natural and practical process, being simply the attempts of the authentic self (soul) to ‘reform’ the lower state of being.

However, we also know that the lower human drives and instincts have been imbedded in our DNA for millennia, and the question now arises as to how the final emergence of the soul could ever be possible. Fortunately, there is new scientific evidence that DNA can actually be altered by powerful emotional experiences, and hopefully we can evolve to a fuller expression of the soul by consciously releasing destructive emotions such as hatred, selfishness and greed and replacing them with emotions such as compassion and love.

Dr Jimmy Henderson is a cognitive scientist, philosopher and metaphysician. He has been involved in the study of the Mind and Spirit for over thirty years as a member of the Rosicrucian Order (AMORC), and has written a number of books and e-books on self-development and the power of the mind. His website is www.discoveringyourself.co.za