As we continue our journey deeper into spiritual activism, we pick up the sixth essay of this series with where we left off—replacing vices with virtues and the process of reorienting one’s being to the good, the true, and the beautiful. As I currently understand it, the good, true, and the beautiful are the common philosophical categories representing the highest expression of being within the three dimensions of the human psyche or soul—the will, the mind, and the emotions and thus in turn, in and through life lived, individually and collectively.
Individual ideals or virtues can be ordered within one of these three primary categories. Thus, as we work to reorient our being and lives in the direction of our ideals, choice by choice, day by day, it is essential to maintain honest awareness of where we are in the present (Note: Most of us need a spiritual director, friend, and/or community to help us as we can easily deceive ourselves here). All the progress made in the initial phases of our healing and maturing work provides a solid foundation of self-awareness which continues to reveal our character flaws, strengths, emotional wounds and vulnerabilities, gifts, and habitual patterns more clearly and allows us to compassionately examine how they influence and shape our lives and our happiness (Friendly reminder: This is a not a linear process but a life-long, iterative, ripening of being).
Our growing self-awareness sheds light on which of “the three beasts” (i.e., the symbols used in Dante’s DC to represent the gates of the cardinal vices highlighted in Essay 5) is the most predominant inner obstacle to our reorientation of beingness. As we start to “connect the dots” of our inner world, we can select spiritual practices most suited for facilitating ongoing deep change (i.e., reorientation).
For example, in the spiritual literature, fasting is often encouraged as an essential core practice for “lust of the flesh” (sexual lust, gluttony, and sloth); tithing and charitable giving to include money, possessions, and volunteer service for “lust of the eyes” (greed and worldly sorrow), and prayer and meditation or contemplation for “lust of life” (wrath, envy, and spiritual pride).
It is important to reemphasize that across the world religions prayer and meditation or contemplation are essential core practices for all of us seeking to heal, mature, and transform in service to a higher common good (see chart below). There are many excellent resources, spiritual and religious, available to help inform and guide one’s selection of spiritual practices to include Richard Foster’s classic Christian guidebook, “Celebration of Discipline” and those cited in my book, Ten Developmental Themes of Mindful Leaders, Table 5.1.
Wisdom Tradition
Examples of Transformative Practices Associated with Wisdom Traditions of the West
Christianity-Inner
Lectio Divina (sacred reading)
Centering Prayer (meditation)
Contemplation
Prayer
Service
Islam-Sufism
Chanting
Prayer
Breathing Exercises
Music & Dancing/Whirling
Meditation
Judaism-Kabbalah
Study of the Torah, Talmud, the Zohar and other sacred texts
Meditation
Prayer
Pilgrimages to Holy Places
Shabbat/Sabbath
Table Source: Frizzell, Denise (2018). Ten Developmental Themes of Mindful Leaders.
As stated previously, initially, and potentially for a significant period, reorienting to the good, the true, and the beautiful may feel like an inner battle. However, each time we reject a habituated destructive choice (a vice) for a desired good (a virtue or ideal), we are strengthened in our efforts by a budding inner aliveness, sense of freedom, and happiness, as well as improving interpersonal relationships, and growing life satisfaction. Over time, we experience a growing ease or disposition for the good, true, and beautiful coupled by a simultaneous increasing distaste for our old harmful habits.
Furthermore, as we reorient more into our new, higher selves, we may notice an increasing sense of unity with other people, nature, and overall LIFE as well as an expanding love for self (not as in the selfishness of our old, false self but as in a growing dignity and self-respect), for other people, nature, and God/Spirit/Divine Source, which readies us for entering into the transforming phase of our journey to spiritual activism –receiving and responding to the movements of inspiration for the well-being of others and the common good.
As we continue our journey to spiritual activism, we pick up the fifth essay of this series with where we left off–releasing the charge of an emotional trigger and replacing a habituated destructive reaction (or vice) with a fresh life-affirming response (or virtue). As repeatedly stated, this is much easier to talk about than actualize. Thus, please be compassionate and patient with yourself when you repeatedly fall short. The key point is to continue the full practice (i.e., all core elements of an integrative/holistic/integral life practice (see Essays 1-4 of this series) because over time, with right effort, diligence, and practice, you will feel interior shifts and experience changes in your life and relationships.
It is important to reiterate that while “right effort” is an obvious essential dimension of the inner journey, it is only a part of the sacred mystery of “deep change” along with the paradoxical surrendering of the will (e.g., Step 1 of the Twelve Steps). Coupled with right effort and surrender of self-will is the incomprehensible “Infinite Spirit of Love, Light, and Life” known as Grace in the Christian tradition, freely and generously bestowed upon us as we authentically turn away from destructive ways of being and toward life-affirming ways of being.
Now let us return to Dante’s Divine Comedy (DC) as you may recall that my study of this classical work with the help of guide, Mark Vernon, inspired my decision to embark on this essay series. You may also recall that Dante begins his journey by finding himself lost in the woods:
Midway in our life’s journey, I went astray
from the straight road and woke to find myself
alone in the dark wood.
Shortly after this realization, he lifts his eyes and sees the sun rising which fills him with joy and hope, so he starts toward the mountain he sees in the distance. However, he is suddenly stopped in his tracks by three beasts. While commentaries may differ here, these three beasts are often noted as symbols of the gates of the cardinal vices–lust of life (the lion of wrath, envy, and pride), lust of the eyes (the leopard of greed and worldly sorrow, and lust of the flesh (the wolf of sexual lust, gluttony, and sloth). The three beasts stop Dante in his tracks until his guide, Virgil (a symbol of reason) shows up to support and guide him through Hell then Purgatory as there is no direct ascent up the mountain (the Mount of Joy) and past the three beasts toward the desired destination, the mountain peak of joy (Paradiso).
Dante orients his journey and the first two parts of the DC around the Cardinal Vices and Virtues associated with ancient Greek Philosophy and Christianity. While world religions and philosophies differ in beliefs, doctrines, and practices, there are more similarities than differences amongst them in the realm of desirable character traits of followers or ways of relating and living in society (i.e., virtues).
Martin Seligman, American psychologist, author, educator and founder of positive psychology, and fellow researchers in the field studied major religions and philosophical traditions and identified six virtues (see image below) common to cultures across the ages.
Over time (yes, much time—no quick fix here), as we genuinely seek to replace vices with virtues, we slowly become reoriented to new, higher ways of being human. This reorientation then begins to infuse our activism, and overall life, with greater wisdom, justice, courage, humanity, transcendence, and moderation while opening us further to the transformative power of Divine Love, Light, and Life or the Good, the True, and the Beautiful, the three core domains of philosophy and religion.
As we pick up the next leg of our journey to spiritual activism, let us review where we are now. We have our meditation or centering prayer-contemplation practice (ideally, a consistent daily practice of at least 15 minutes/day at a regular time which one slowly, gently builds upon to at least 30 minutes a day not to exceed an hour a day unless one is working with a reputable, advanced spiritual teacher).
We selected and have begun studying our initial map of the territory –a trustworthy, comprehensive psycho-spiritual conceptual framework (see essays 1-3 of this series for some options). We have a spiritual friend and/or a support group with whom we can authentically discuss our efforts and experiences. We also may be journaling and working with a therapist, coach, or spiritual director.
As part of our ongoing healing phase of our journey, we are also practicing self-observation with the intention of “recognizing” when afflictive or negative emotions arise within us, and we are starting to cultivate the capacity to “refrain” from associated hurtful and destructive habituated reactions and patterns.
As we continue these practices (remember this is a life-long spirally journey!), we may notice that we are becoming less reactive, more self-aware, and more able to self-regulate. Thus, we can start to move further into the maturation phase of our three-phase model of the journey to spiritual activism–healing, maturation, and transformation coupled by the increasing arising of and responsiveness to heart-felt inspiration for action that decreases suffering and increases justice, harmony, ecological sustainability, etc. in the world.
Now we are ready to add releasing and replacing to our practice of recognizing and refraining. First, we can release some of the charge of an afflictive emotion or memory with the help of simple techniques such as “pausing” and taking a few deep breaths, or gently putting attention on one’s feet while feeling contact with the floor below. These can be coupled with a silent inner statement of an internal observation, such as “anger arising” which allows for recognition/acceptance of an emotion and restraint while constructively discharging potentially charged energy coupled with an emotion.
According to psychology and neuroscience, it only takes 90 seconds for charged emotional reactions to work their way through our bodies. Thus, if/when a trigger emotion lasts longer than that, we are feeding it with our thoughts and perpetuating the effects on self and others. While recorded over 15 years ago, Dr. Jill Taylor’s TedTalk (and related book, A Stroke of Insight) is as inspiring and relevant now as it was then on this topic.
With some of the energy surge of an afflictive emotion released, we can now replace a negative reactionary habit with a preferred mode of being or ideal. This next phase moves us into the domain of values and ethics which for many people is associated with their faith tradition or spiritual path. Thus, I encourage you to select the values and ethical ideals that most inspire and move your heart to a higher good (e.g., compassion, sustainability, stewardship, justice, etc.) and away from automatic self-centered, negative, hurtful, and destructive modes of being. This replacing phase marks a conscious choice to more mature, responsible, and compassionate speech and actions, and can include a supportive silent prayer, mantra, or saying in the moment such as “love is my decision,” “I have more than enough,” “time is my friend,” the Buddhist Loving Kindness mantra (or metta), or some other anchor word, scripture, mantra or the 12-Step slogans (e.g., “Keep it Simple”).
There are many options for support here to include scripture and literature from one’s chosen or inherited religious tradition or spiritual path. I have benefited from the study of many teachers across the world’s wisdom traditions. Thus, while I have been shaped and inspired by my study and practice of world religions and philosophy, I most resonant with the values taught and lived by Christ Jesus in the Christian Gospels, the Unitarian Universalist Seven Principles, and the Eightfold Path of Buddhism.
In addition, virtue ethics, with roots in Greek philosophy and Christian writings on virtues and vices is and has been highly informative, instructive, and inspirational to me. Most recently, this material includes Brant Pitre’s writings on the topic in his book, Introduction to the Spiritual Life, and Rebecca Konyndyk DeYoung’s book, Glittering Vices.
From DISC to Insight Discovery to Meyers Briggs, personality
typologies are frequently used as tools for leader development. However, after
years of exploring and utilizing such tools, personally and professionally,
I’ve come to realize that while they can be extremely helpful, when misused
(and sadly, they often are misused), they can stifle development and maturation.
Stunted development and maturation of potential leaders,
particularly those who have care and concern for life on earth, are NOT what
the world needs now! Therefore, to maximize the developmental utility of
personality theories, it is imperative to use them as springboards into the
developmental journey and not the destination. In other words, to know one’s
personality type or temperament is the beginning and not the destination or aim
of the leader development journey. Ideally, the aim of leader development is a
fully integrated, mature, and whole human being in service to a better world.
Thus, a more optimal use of temperament or personality models is to inform an integrative leader developmental plan and approach that incorporates and balances the head, heart, hands, and will or the four basic temperaments that form the foundation of many personality typologies (e.g., Insight Discovery—Cool Blue, Earth Green, Sunshine Yellow, and Fiery Red).
There are certainly developmental benefits from using personality typing tools to include the increase of self-awareness (including shadow), and greater self-management. Enhanced self-awareness and self-management are no small feat of course and it’s truly empowering and liberating to grow in these areas! The potential for ongoing growth here continues throughout one’s life. As we discover tendencies toward limiting expressions, we are more able to relax the habitual reactions and consider different perspectives and behavioral responses—truly transformational on the individual, interpersonal, and collective levels!
However, while greater self-awareness and self-management are highly desirable and deeply beneficial, if leaders stop there, they may solidify their identity around their personality type or temperament. This type of solidification of personality can be referred to as overidentification which occurs when we orient our entire identity around a descriptive quality or characteristic such as personality type. Overidentification leads to rigidity, defensiveness, hyper-sensitivity, and hyper-competitiveness as if one’s life were on the line because, in a state of overidentification, it is! Consequently, this internal state significantly limits growth, maturation, and wholeness, because it blocks, refuses, or destroys any impressions that contradict the solidified identity.
To overcome these potential pitfalls, leaders can use their
understanding of their personality type to inform an integrative or holistic
developmental plan that fosters growth in underdeveloped areas. For example, a will-oriented
personality (e.g., Fiery Red in the Insight Discovery typology) can engage in transformative
practices that cultivate the heart (e.g. lovingkindness meditation), the head (e.g.,
reading and studying), and/or the hands (e.g., service and activism).
While leaders can certainly work on one area at a time, approaching leader development from an integrative or holistic approach can greatly accelerate development and propel us toward self-actualization (see Ken Wilber’s or George Leonard’s & Michael Murphy’s work on this topic). Of course, the developmental journey does not end here as there are higher peaks available to those willing to engage in the lifelong dynamic dance of stillness and action while also surrendering to the ultimate mystery of personal transformation, Divine love and grace.
Integral Life Practice or ILP is a comprehensive and holistic
approach to leader self-transformation rooted in integral theory, developed by
U.S. philosopher and writer, Kenneth Wilber II (born 1949). Wilber born in
Oklahoma City, currently resides in Denver, CO, where he continues to study,
write, and present his work primarily through the Internet and Colorado-based outlets, albeit on
a limited basis due to a severe and chronic illness. He is the author of more
than 30 books and countless articles on consciousness, mysticism, psychology,
science, religion, and his integral theory, a comprehensive synthesis of
Eastern and Western knowledge.
Wilber
refers to his version of integral theory as AQAL, the abbreviated acronym for
all quadrants, all levels (all lines, all states, all types, etc.). The
elements of quadrants and levels refer to the key explanatory principles Wilber
uses to examine the development of individual mind, body, soul, and spirit in
self, culture, community, and nature. The four quadrants include the Upper Left
or individual interior, the Upper Right or individual exterior, the Lower Left or
collective interior, and the Lower Right or collective exterior (see Figure).
Wilber further simplifies the four quadrants with the “three basic domains” of
I, we, and it.
Figure:
Integral Theory and AQAL
ILP, informed by Wilber’s AQAL, is an approach to enhanced
personal wellness, development, self-actualization, and spiritual awakening.
ILP addresses the whole person and all of life through four basic modules of
practice and five auxiliary modules. The four foundational modules are body,
mind, spirit, and shadow. The five auxiliary models are ethics, work, emotions,
relationships, and soul (see Table).
An ILP approach to self-transformation does not include core
practices per se. Rather, the ILP framework invites adherents to select at
least one practice from each of the four core modules and to add practices from
the auxiliary modules, as highlighted in the Table above. The practices listed
in the matrix offer example practices for each module; however, options are not
limited to those listed. Developers of the ILP approach outline five principles
on which it builds:
· The Ultimate in Cross-Training, working synergistically in body, mind, and spirit in self, culture, and nature. · Modular, allowing you to mix and match practices in specific areas or modules. · Scalable, adjusting to however much—or little—time you have, down to 1-Minute Modules. · Customizable to your lifestyle: you design a program that works for you and adapt it on an as-needed basis. · Integral, based on AQAL technology, an All Quadrant, All Level framework for mapping the many capacities inherent in human beings (See Integral Life Practice by Wilber, Patten, Leonard, & Morelli, 2008).
Furthermore, all modules include Gold Star Practices,
recommended as “distillations of traditional practices minus the religious and
cultural baggage” (Wilber, Leonard, & Morelli, 2008). Also, quick versions
of the Gold Star Practices, 1-Minute Modules, are offered for times when
practitioners are pressed for time.
Integral Life Practice along with the Fourth Way, and Psychosynthesis
(see previous essays) represent three different contemporary and universal
systems of self-transformation. Mindfulness meditation, the transformative
practice I focused on in my 2015 research and highlighted in Chapters 3 and 4
(of my book, Ten Developmental Themes of
Mindful Leaders), is part of the Eightfold Path of Buddhism as well as an
element of a growing body of secular Western approaches to stress management
(e.g., Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction), and psychotherapy (e.g.,
Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy and Acceptance Commitment Therapy). While a
primary purpose of this essay and my book is to inspire and support readers in
embarking upon the inner journey of self-transformation, doing so is not
without risks. Thus, I offer words of caution in my book and will also do so in
a future blog essay.
Psychosynthesis is a holistic approach to psychology, developed
by Roberto Assagioli (1888-1974) that incorporates psychoanalysis, but
significant transcends it by emphasizing health, development, and spirituality.
Assagioli illustrated his view of the human psyche in his “egg-diagram” (see
Figure) with seven elements:
The lower unconscious, according to Assagioli, contains the basic
psychological activities that conduct the operative and intelligent
coordination of the body and bodily functions. This dimension of the psyche
also holds one’s foundational drives and animalistic urges, as well as
emotionally intense established thematic patterns (i.e., psychological
complexes), dark dreams and fantasies, and some pathological disturbances such
as paranoid delusions, uncontrollable urges, obsessions, and phobias.
2. The Middle
Unconscious
The middle unconscious, according to Assagioli, includes
psychological dimensions comparable to waking consciousness with ready access
to it. Life experiences are integrated, and standard cognitive and creative
intelligence activated in a type of psychological incubation before entering the
field of conscious awareness.
3. The Higher
Unconscious or Superconscious
The higher unconscious or superconscious is the region that holds
our highest inspirations, aspirations, and intuitions for ourselves, humanity,
and our world. This realm is also the source of our higher emotions such
unconditional love and higher intelligences. It also holds the deeper
experiences of insight, contemplation, and bliss, as well as potentials for
higher spiritual experiences and psychic abilities.
4. The Field of
Consciousness
For Assagioli, the field of consciousness, a term he thought
useful but not quite precise, referred to the part of our personality of which
we are conscious, including the thoughts, bodily sensations, emotions, desires,
and impulses we are able to see and evaluate.
5. The Conscious
Self or “I”
The conscious self or “I” is the term Assagioli used to refer to
the “the point of pure-awareness,” not to be confused with the field of
consciousness highlighted above, which refers to the content of experience. The
conscious self or “I” refers to the experiencer. He compared the “I” to a
projector light and field of consciousness to a screen onto which images are
projected.
6. The Higher Self
Unlike Freud’s psychoanalysis, which only includes a lower
unconscious, Assagioli’s psychosynthesis includes the Higher Self or soul
depicted above the conscious self in the egg diagram. According to Assagioli,
one can experience the Higher Self through the use of psycho-spiritual practices
such as meditation.
7. The Collective
Unconscious
Assagioli’s collective unconscious, similar to Jung’s
conceptualization of the term, refers to universal, nonpersonal common forms or
archetypes that surround and influence us on a collective level. Assagioli
distinguished between primitive, archaic forms and higher, progressive forces
of a more spiritual nature.
Although not depicted in Assagioli’s original egg diagram (though
some contemporary illustrations do include it), another key element of
psychosynthesis is the concept of subpersonalities. Subpersonalities, similar
to Jung’s persona, refers to parts or formed habit patterns in the human
psyche, conscious and unconscious, that we repeatedly express in our lives. For
the healthy person, subpersonalities are conscious and in the field of
self-awareness and self-regulation. In psychosynthesis, subpersonalities may
reside in the lower, middle, or higher unconscious, unlike Jung’s persona or
false self. Additional fundamental concepts of psychosynthesis, which highlight
stages of Self-realization, include self-knowledge, self-control,
disidentification, unifying center, and psychosynthesis, as the peak stage in
his model.
Disidentification refers to the necessity of separating oneself
(the conscious I) from overidentification with everything outside or beyond
oneself. Overidentification can happen any time we identify with an aspect of
our life experiences such as a subpersonality, our ethnicity, fear, anxiety, or
a role to such an extent that it dominates our lives. Thus, healing and growth
opportunities lie in seeing when and where one overidentifies and, with the
help of exercises and practices, severing the control of the overidentification
on oneself or “I.”
Over time, former objects of overidentification can be healthily
integrated into the middle unconscious and accessed more intentionally. The
unifying center refers to the discovery or creation of an ideal around which
one can reach or reorganize one’s life. Psychosynthesis, in addition to
referring to Assagioli’s entire approach to psychotherapy, refers to the peak
of the developmental process that establishes a new personality around a
primary unifying center: one that is “coherent, organized and unified” (2000,
p. 23).
Consequently, personal will (the Will) is a highly significant
concept in psychosynthesis such that Assagioli dedicated a book on the topic
entitled, The Act of Will. The will
is an element of Assagioli’s Star Diagram of Six Psychological Functions (see
Figure 5-2/Not included in this essay), which he developed later in his life to
complement the egg diagram of the psyche. Lamenting the state of psychology in
1958, Assagioli is quoted as stating, “After losing its soul, psychology lost
its will, and only then its mind and senses” (2007, Foreword).
Furthermore, Assagioli held the view of the existence of a
transpersonal will, which he viewed as a dormant potentiality for most people.
Assagioli’s transpersonal will aligns with what Maslow referred to as “higher
needs” and the growing field of transpersonal psychology refers to using a
variety of terms that include Christ consciousness, unitive consciousness, peak
experiences, mystical experiences, spirit, oneness, and other such similar
concepts.
As mentioned above, psychosynthesis proposes a dynamic five-stage
healing and realization process (see Table—Not included in this essay). Stage
zero highlights the predominate stage of humanity, characterized by what
Assagioli called, the “fundamental infirmity of man.” John Firman (?–2008)
referred to this human condition as “primal wounding”; wounding resulting from
not being seen and heard for who we truly are by significant others in our
lives. Stage 1 relates to the tuning in of one’s inner experience and the
cultivation of greater self-awareness. Self-awareness is the foundation of all
growth and development. Without self-awareness, we tend to react out of instinct
and habitual responses or what Firman referred to as, the survival personality. As self-awareness expands, we start to
see our tendencies, preferences, and shortcomings.
Eventually, we (often with the help of supportive practices or a
skilled guide) begin to free ourselves or disidentify
from our habitual thoughts, feelings, reactions, and roles, thereby cultivating
the witness or individual observer “I” (Stage 2). Over time, we may start
sensing a more expansive identity or connectedness to life and begin to feel
new vocational urges, creative impulses, or directive promptings (Stage 3).
From a psychosynthesis perspective, this involves surrendering and inviting a
more intimate, conscious relationship with the Highest Self or soul. The fourth
stage of psychosynthesis corresponds to a period in which we are formally
responding to the invitations of the Highest Self (in contrast to the personal
self or ego in its contemporary usage) and developing more spiritually.
Survival of wounding, exploration of the personality, the
emergence of I, contact with the Highest Self, and response to the Highest Self
represent the five stages of psychosynthesis. However, Assagioli and others
(e.g., Firman & Gila, 2002 and Brown, 2009) cautioned that these stages do
not represent a set developmental sequence, but potential responses to the
human condition that can occur at any age.
It is important to note that Assagioli presented psychosynthesis
in two subcategories: personal psychosynthesis and transpersonal
psychosynthesis. The emphases of personal psychosynthesis are self-awareness
and self-regulation. The foci of transpersonal psychosynthesis are on the
realization of one’s Highest Self/soul and the actual psychosynthesis, the
reformation of the personality around a new unifying center or ideal.
Numerous practices and exercises align with psychosynthesis
overall and in these two categories. Thus, to identify a narrow set of core
practices is inconsistent with this reality. However, it is fair to say that
visualization, drawing, self-observation, and meditation are common practices
among psychosynthesis-oriented counselors, therapists, and coaches. In
addition, as highlighted above, disidentification is a core concept of
psychosynthesis and activities aimed at freeing oneself from overidentifying
with a dimension of our being or life other than the center of pure awareness
or “I.”
Given today’s pressing global challenges and the subsequent
demands on human beings, psychosynthesis offers a holistic and hope-filled
paradigm for the journey toward healing, well-being, self-actualization, and Self-realization.
Metamorphosis 