Personal experience has shown how inadequate, inappropriate and ineffectual the language of conventional psychology can sometimes feel to someone who is looking to this area for answers about consciousness. Having clearly observed that there are glaring disparities between the assumptions made in diagnosing and treating what are commonly referred to as “mental health” conditions and the broader range of causes and effects that contribute to what might also be termed “spiritual state,” what seems clearer than anything is that the body, mind and self are not so easy to treat as separate entities that each require an individualised or specialised approach. What seems an obvious potential that arises from this misrepresentation is the possibility that some people are not even ready to begin being honest enough with themselves about what really bothers them and what really matters to for them to be happy. It seems that if we could start being more open and honest with ourselves and each other, we would find that there really is no such thing as “normal” and we all share similar aspects of self-love, self-doubt, self-loathing and potential to overcome associated barriers.
From the small amount of Freud to which one has been exposed, it seems largely focussed on “neurosis” and “psychosis” in comparison to a perceived standard of consistency, whilst simultaneously accepting that the two former states are intrinsic to the psyche.[1] Freud was not willing to “risk [his] authority”[2] in reference to Jung’s suggestions about “archetypes” and the collective consciousness. Jung’s models seem relatable to concepts similar to those mentioned in what many in “western society” might term “Eastern mysticism,” in that they acknowledge a collective awareness that extends beyond the physically palpable or the neurologically detectable.
Almost a year was spent between Bali and Thailand following the discovery and assimilation of “The Untethered Soul” by Michael Alan Singer.[3] This sequence of events, linked as they invariably would be to the various other occurrences that surrounded them, provided some time and space to reflect on the first 35 years or so of life, how things had changed during that time and what alterations would be necessary to keep progressing in a fashion that could be considered wholesome and positive.
The turbulence that arose from a disparate upbringing, with opposing opinions on either side of a fractured parental relationship relating to a Father who could fairly be termed a “workaholic” and a Mother who was sectioned largely as a result of her response to the cataclysm she felt had beset her, meant that confusion reigned for the formative years of life. These experiences also provided some stark contrasts between ways of interpreting and interacting with the world. Existential and spiritual perspectives rarely settled in one place for any significant length of time. The combination of uncertainty and experiential breadth was acknowledged for its benefits and its disadvantages. One thing that stood out above all others was that the truth would always be necessary for all beings to make informed decisions. Given the lack of transparency that often exists in society, this was not an easy perspective to reconcile with the way things are.
Acknowledging that living in opposition to the following possibility might fairly be interpreted as a fear of sorts, refusing to be forced into one of society’s convenient boxes could have resulted in the development of a very bitter, resentful and confused perspective. There were times when it seemed that these characteristics might prevail over the more loving aspects of patience, compassion and simplicity espoused in the Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu,[4] which is a piece of writing that complements The Untethered Soul as a demonstration that the truths held in Singer’s book have been communicated in various forms for thousands of years. Through practicing what is interpreted from the teachings in these two books, a process of ego dissolution has been initiated. Other significant contributors to the progress of this adventure include, but are not limited to, Alan Watts, Eckhart Tolle, Robert Sapolsky and Stanislav Grof, among others.
Having dedicated life so far to establishing as close as is possible to an objective truth, the determination to continue on that journey is continuously reinvigorated by encounters with those who suffer themselves and feel that there is a way out of the bind. Some know that this is their situation, whilst some require time, space and guidance even to get to the point where they realise that they can be more aware of their awareness. Consciousness is a matter that most don’t consider beyond a rudimentary comprehension of neurology, which has in itself been something of a (pun intended) grey area until present.
As regards the interaction and permutations between studying and the rest of life, the completion as a mature, independent student of an English literature undergraduate degree with a 2:1 grade demonstrates the ability to maintain a balance that yields positive results. That degree was embarked upon in 2009 and completed in 2013 because it became necessary in 2010 to defer the second year for one year. With that experience and all that was learned from it, there is no doubt that this individual with zero family commitments would be able to maintain the discipline and work ethic required to produce even better outcomes from the master’s course. The intention is to proceed to PhD level afterwards.
The chance to investigate further the nature of consciousness and how it relates to the field of psychology is literally the reason that the prospect of returning to higher education has become irresistible. There would be no more committed learner on the course. A book about effective communication is already in the process of being written and the subtle aspects of that area are closely related to consciousness.
[1] Touchstone (1997) General Psychological Theory: Papers on Metapsychology : New York : Simon & Schuster p185 sourced from https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=pxdK2h3OG6cC&pg=PA185&lpg=PA185&dq=sigmund+freud+genera;+psychological+theory+%E2%80%9CNeurosis+is+the+result+of+a+conflict+between+the+ego+and+its+id,+whereas+psychosis+is+the+analogous+outcome+of+a+similar+disturbance+in+the+relation+between+the+ego+and+its+environment&source=bl&ots=SLSlqWjiIC&sig=ACfU3U3mPT72brmTH9SKr34Yo5mYRZc2mw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjAysvUkNPxAhWONcAKHaC4Bw8Q6AEwDHoECBIQAw#v=onepage&q&f=false 2021-06-30 10.01
[2] https://archive.org/details/FreudJungLetters/page/n3/mode/2up?q=authority p581 2021-06-30 10.01
[3] Michael Alan Singer (2007) The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself : London : Harbinger
[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2UYch2JnO4 2021-06-30 10.04
Above: Psychology Master’s Essay and references
Below: content related to the essay tendered in support of the application to be enrolled onto a transpersonal psychology master’s degree course
Above: content related to the essay tendered in support of the application to be enrolled onto a transpersonal psychology master’s degree course
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