The
following article is based on a presentation made during the Second International
Conference on Integral Psychology, held at Pondicherry (India), 4-7 January
2001. The text has been published in:
Cornelissen, Matthijs (Ed.) (2001) Consciousness and Its Transformation,
Pondicherry: SAICE
Integral psychology
Metaphors and processes of personal –integration
Bahman A.K. Shirazi
Introduction
What is integral psychology?
Integral psychology is
a psychological system concerned with exploring and understanding the totality
of the human phenomenon. It is a framework that not only addresses the behavioural,
affective and cognitive domains of the human experience within a singular
system, but is concerned with the relationship among the above-mentioned
domains in the context of human spiritual development. It is a system that,
at its breadth, covers the entire body-mind-psyche-spirit spectrum, while
at its depth dimension, encompasses the previously explored unconscious
and the conscious dimensions of the psyche, as well as the supra-conscious
dimension traditionally excluded from psychological inquiry.
As
Western psychology is historically rooted in Western philosophy, so is integral
psychology grounded in, and dependent upon, integral philosophy. At the
philosophical level, integral psychology is devoted to addressing the essential
issues of human spiritual, natural, social, and psychological alienation
through a profound method of reconciliation of the ontological and the existential
dimensions of being in the process of integral self-realization. It seeks
to inspire, encourage, and assist humanity in the profound task of healing
and evolution toward a future state of existence that is completely attuned
to our state of embodied consciousness.
Integral psychology is
inspired and informed by the great teachings of ancient wisdom traditions
of the world, as well as the panorama of Western schools of psychological
thought and practice. It takes into account the importance of self-knowledge,
multidimensional nature of consciousness and human personality, as well
as the multicultural world we live in.
One might expect that
with thousands of years of living knowledge traditions, including hundreds
of years of academic progress, such a psychological system would be well
developed and advanced by now. Yet it is not an exaggeration to state that
up until the present time no singular psychological system, Eastern, Western,
or otherwise has been privileged to benefit from a vision of humanity so
comprehensive as to be able to respond to the questions and challenges encountered
in such a psychology.
The philosophical outlook
required for such a complete vision of psychology is unlikely to be born
out of the musings or discoveries of a single human being, or even a single
thought system. As the human race proceeds on the path of evolution, new
horizons of consciousness, new realities and new challenges arise. An integral
approach to psychology, therefore, needs to have an inherent capability
to absorb and benefit from the historical contributions, respond to contemporary
issues, provide a vision for the foreseeable future and anticipate the upcoming
challenges of each epoch of human evolution.
Fortunately, the dawn
of the twenty-first century carries the promise of a new horizon of human
experience and knowledge that, more than ever before, is capable of bringing
together various strands of knowledge and other conditions necessary for
an appropriate epistemology needed for a comprehensive vision of psychology.
Some of the factors involved include the contributions of modern Western
psychology, psychological dimensions of several Eastern spiritual traditions,
and the rich cultural exchange between various parts of the world.
Foundations and sources
Psychology as an independent
discipline is only a century and a quarter old. In this relatively short
time numerous schools and systems have surfaced and developed. The second
half of the twentieth century has been a time of tremendous growth and development
for the field of psychology. Dominated by both scientific and psychodynamically
oriented schools, psychology had previously been shut out of the influences
of some of the most important schools of Western philosophy such as humanistic
philosophy, existentialism and phenomenology on the one hand. On the other
hand, Eastern spiritual traditions were yet to be further explored in depth
by Western scholars.
After the second world
war, an evolutionary explosion of philosophies and ideas seemed to influence
the creation of new systems of psychology such as existential-phenomenological
psychology, humanistic and transpersonal psychologies. In the 1960s and
1970s Eastern thought had either directly or indirectly through the works
of early transpersonal psychologists such as Jung and Assagioli made its
mark on psychological theory. There were suddenly dozens of schools of psychology
like dozens of narrow spotlights aimed at a person on a stage, highlighting
different parts of the person, yet failing to cover the entire person.
One of the ways in which
the history of the development of Western psychology has been described
is in terms of four “forces”. The first force is the empirically based experimental-behavioural
psychology which originally developed from the adaptation of the scientific
methodology of late 19th century natural sciences to philosophy of mind,
to form the then new discipline of psychology. This school of thought has
been very influential since the beginning of psychology. From Wundt, the
founder of the first scientific school of psychology in Germany to development
of behaviourism through Watson and Skinner in the U.S. and well into the
present time, scientific psychology has had a strong presence in academia
as well as in the social arena.
Despite many contributions,
unfortunately this orientation has only focused on the outward aspect of
human existence, i.e., that which is observable objectively—in short, behaviour
and speech. In this approach, human beings are at best objectified as bio-psycho-social
organisms and are studied much in the same way other natural phenomena such
as plants and animals are studied. In the second half of the twentieth century
cognitive psychology, a recent school of scientific psychology, included
in its subject matter cognitive processes inferred from behaviour and speech.
As Valle, King, & Halling (1989) have noted, “although there continues
to be a strong behaviouristic emphasis in some texts, more typically [since
the 1970s] there has been a shift toward a cognitive perspective” (p. 3).
Since the positivist methodology adopted by this approach to psychology
allows only what is observable, measurable (quantifiable), and testable,
the “inner human being” and the subjective and experiential dimensions have
been largely ignored or deemed unworthy of investigation due to methodological
constraints.
Psychoanalysis comprises
the second force in the history of psychology. From the discovery of the
unconscious mind and the innovative contributions of Freud, to all the depth
psychologists who in some way criticized and tried to improve Freud’s work
(Jung, Adler, Horney, Reich to name a few), this movement in psychology
has been greatly influential in the development of both theoretical and
clinical psychology. Part philosophical speculation and part clinical observation,
the psychoanalytic movement and its later descendants have done much to
reveal the dynamics of the human psyche in much of its complexity and to
alleviate human suffering and to reveal the nature of psychopathology. Yet,
this approach to psychology, being primarily concerned with the dynamics
of the conscious and the unconscious mind, has not overtly dealt with the
higher realms or super-conscious dimensions of the human psyche and the
spiritual domains of human life in its theoretical framework.
The middle of the twentieth
century witnessed radical and profound shifts in the direction of Western
psychology. With scientific psychology disregarding the inner dimension
of human life, and with psychodynamic models’ over-emphasis on the importance
of the unconscious forces, neither school in isolation nor in combination
seemed to provide a satisfactory framework for understanding the whole human
being. The third force, or humanistic psychology, grew in part in reaction
to the shortcomings of the hitherto mentioned systems, as well as, a beginning
response to the influence of Eastern psychospiritual traditions in the newly
evolving interface between East and West in the United States. In the 1950s
and 60s, Maslow and others began to shift the attention of psychology from
a pathologistic and reductionistic focus to that of an exploration of the
higher reaches of the human mind and the undiscovered human potentials and
their actualization.
In
the mid 1960s yet another force began to grow out of the Humanistic movement.
This fourth force, or the transpersonal movement, was a direct result of
the influence of Eastern spiritual traditions such as Buddhism, Taoism,
Sufism, and Hinduism on the humanistic psychology movement. Although transpersonal
psychology can be traced back to Carl Jung and Roberto Assagioli’s work
some three decades earlier, it was not until the late 1960s that this movement
became popular in parts of the U.S. and Europe and slowly began to spread
to certain other parts of the world. It should be noted that despite the
popularity of the third and fourth forces among certain circles of psychologists,
psychodynamic and experimental psychology still remain as dominant forces
in most areas of the academic world. Transpersonal psychology has undergone
substantial developments and changes since its earlier days, yet despite
attempts on the part of Ken Wilber to create a comprehensive system (“master
template”), it still remains as a body of diverse developments without a
unified underlying philosophical vision.
The cardinal contribution
of transpersonal psychology has been the inclusion of the spiritual dimension
of human life into the larger picture of psychological inquiry primarily
through importing and borrowing from mystical and spiritual traditions,
both Eastern and Western as well as indigenous traditions around the world.
Despite the emphasis on higher values and human potentials, and self-actualization
process by humanistic psychologists, issues of ego-transcendence and higher
states of consciousness did not occupy as prominent a place in humanistic
psychology as it has with transpersonal psychologists.
On the one hand, transpersonal
psychology is rooted in the humanistic tradition and inspired by existential
/ phenomenological psychology, and to some extent depth psychologies such
as analytical psychology and psychosynthesis. On the other hand, it derives
inspirations and insights from Eastern spiritual traditions. Most transpersonal
psychologists have adopted at least one Eastern tradition (mostly Buddhism)
and have incorporated or fused their teachings with those of Western psychological
disciplines in which they have been trained.
One important weakness
of transpersonal psychology is its relative disregard for cross-cultural
issues. Pedersen (1998) has suggested that cross-cultural psychology is
so significant a factor in the future developments of psychology that it
should have been called the fourth force. It must be noted here that transpersonal
psychology despite its openness to Eastern esoteric teachings and international
appeal still largely remains a Western phenomenon best suited to Westerners
or others with a Western mindset. It is most appealing to Westerners alienated
from other schools of psychology and interested in integrating psychology
with one or more Eastern psychospiritual disciplines.
Integral psychology
Integral psychology
is arguably the next, and if defined carefully, the final wave of development
in the current history of psychology. Although it may not be simply possible
to have a system of psychology that would be able to unveil all the mysteries
of the human phenomenon at once, it is only common sense that psychology
should cover all the known dimensions of the human phenomenon within a singular
framework. This psychological framework for understanding the total human
being is called integral psychology.
Herman (1983, p. 95) described
integral psychology as
.. an emergent East-West
study of the human psyche. It draws upon the findings of both Western depth
psychology, and ancient Eastern teachings and yogas, to express a whole,
unfragmented view of human functions to resolve human conflicts and open
the way toward activating high levels of potential.
According to Herman:
Integral psychology concerns
itself with all phases of human existence, in its multidimensional fullness,
which includes physical, emotional, instinctual, mental, moral, social,
and spiritual aspects. (op. cit., p. 97)
Integral psychology seeks
to be practical and applicable to the problems of daily life, yet at the
same time to lead forward those individuals who are ready, to transpersonal
dimensions of being where experiences of deep integration, meaningfulness,
and fulfilment are possible. (op. cit., p. 98)
In short, integral psychology
accepts the relative validity of other psychological systems, yet extends
the general psychological scope of human development to encompass the full
range of the psychospiritual continuum of human existence. Thus, integral
psychology is concerned with the study of the human psyche in its potential
fullness. Accordingly, integral psychology is inspired by and founded upon
four general postulates essential to an integral world view: non-duality, multidimensionality,
holism, and evolution. The principle of non-duality understands the human being as a continuum
of body-mind-spirit; thus it avoids the traditional mind-body –dilemma.
It is in the integral view that human beings can be best understood in terms
of a spectrum of qualities, rather than as a set of discrete constituents.
Although the three domains of body, mind and spirit are essentially unified,
they manifest as a multidimensional array of distinct qualities and characteristics.
In integral psychology
the human psyche is a multidimensional whole, with consciousness comprising
its essential structure. –However, it must be stressed that although there
is an essential wholeness to the psychic structure of body-mind-spirit,
this wholeness exists only as a potential. While integral psychology recognizes
the urge toward wholeness as the primary motive in the human being, its
goal is to actualize this potential wholeness through a process of harmonious
self-realization.
Finally, integral psychology
recognizes the importance of the evolutionary perspective of life on earth.
Sri Aurobindo’s insights into the process of life revealed that the human
individual is a –transitional being, not a final product of creation or
evolution. –Understood in this light, the goal of spiritual development
is not to arrive at a static final state; rather human spiritual growth
is a –dynamic process without any preconceived limits. Thus an integrally
self-realized being is thought of as an active key participant involved
in the ongoing process of collective transformation of –consciousness.
Different methodological
approaches to integral psychology
Different approaches
to integral psychology may be distinguished on the basis of philosophical
underpinnings and epistemological and methodological orientations. So far
three different main approaches to integral psychology have been attempted
by Indra Sen,1 Ken Wilber and Haridas Chaudhuri. Here I will
make a cursory reference to the work of Sen and Wilber since their main
writings are already published. I will devote more space, however, to the
integral psychology of Chaudhuri as his work in this area was never properly
published due to his passing away.
The first approach taken
by Indra Sen (1986) draws on the –integral philosophy of Sri Aurobindo and
extracts from it a psychological system that is implicit in his metaphysical
teachings. –Methodologically, this approach is similar to other attempts
made by Western scholars to create a psychological system out of what is
a much larger system of thought and practice not originally developed as
an academic field. Buddhism or Sufism for instance, may be studied from
the point of view of several academic disciplines such as philosophy, religious
studies, anthropology, cultural studies etc. Each discipline would sort
out through its disciplinary lenses and filters, those aspects that befit
its disciplinary scope and limit. In order to create strictly a Buddhist
or Sufi psychology, one would have to cull out those aspects of Buddhist
or Sufi teachings that are considered traditional subject matter of academic
psychology. Examples would thus include topics such as self, ego, personality
and states of consciousness.
Indra Sen’s integral psychology is completely based on Sri Aurobindo’s
system. Sen has extracted from the larger metaphysical outlook of Sri Aurobindo’s
philosophy, what is psychological subject matter. Paul Herman2
has used the term perennial psychology to denote “the psychospiritual component
of a great religious tradition which is an authentic path to enlightenment”.
In this sense integral psychology of Indra Sen is the perennial psychology
inherent in integral yoga. One might also say that Sen’s integral psychology
is a form of yoga psychology, i.e., an integral yoga psychology.
According to Sen (1986),
Sri Aurobindo has not propounded
a psychological system, as a separate body of knowledge in the Western sense,
but his writings on yoga and philosophy do contain one in an interconnected
and a unified treatment of the issues of life and existence, growth and
evolution, in the Indian way. It is, however, a complete view of mind and
personality.
Sen describes the standpoint
of Sri Aurobindo’s psychology as empirical, evolutional, and personal growth-oriented,
utilizing introspection (self-observation) as its primary method which allows
immediate knowledge of psychological data. Sen presents integral psychology
as an empirical approach based on direct experiential knowledge, but which
unlike Western empiricism, does not confine itself to sensation, perception,
and cognition.
Needless to say, the greatest
advantage of this approach is its groundedness in one of the most comprehensive
world views set forth hitherto. The main methodological disadvantage of
this approach is that it has no special creative aspect beyond what Sri
Aurobindo has contributed already. This version of integral psychology is
limited to the terminology of Sri Aurobindo’s integral yoga and would not
necessarily be inclusive of insights from other systems of psychology.
More recently Ken Wilber
(1997, 2000) has introduced another approach to integral psychology. In
short, Wilber’s approach may be summarized as an attempt to put together
almost all relevant psychological (and related) systems to create an all-inclusive
outline of psychology. Like Chaudhuri, Wilber does not limit his model to
any one worldview, but he tends to complexify as opposed to simplify—which
characterizes Chaudhuri’s approach.
This author’s main criticism
of Ken Wilber’s approach to integral psychology is that Wilber in essence
tries to (often modify and) juxtapose numerous psychological maps and models
into one grand map—his own. The claim behind such a standpoint is that there
is a place from which it is possible to see how various psychological theories
as partial attempts at uncovering the reality of the human phenomenon are
reconcilable into one grand scheme.
It is true that one might
conceive of a state of consciousness from which all realities are visible
as one interconnected reality. It is also conceivable that one might be
able to develop a map inspired by such state of consciousness, that would
translate that experience into a cognitive expression. However, this does
not mean that such a map is derivable through superimposition of various
psychological maps hitherto developed by various thinkers and practitioners.
In a nutshell, Wilber’s integral psychology is too complex to be useful
in praxis. It remains, at best, a form of philosophical psychology.
Another approach to integral
psychology is that of Haridas Chaudhuri which may be characterized as an
attempt to build a system of psychology from the ground up using an integrative
methodology that brings together some of the most powerful contributions
of several systems of psychology both Eastern and Western. Chaudhuri’s integral
psychology consists of a triadic principle as well as the principal tenets
of psychology, which will be discussed in further detail subsequently. Haridas
Chaudhuri’s system, like that of Wilber’s, does not confine itself to the
scope and terminology of Sri Aurobindo’s integral yoga.
As an independent thinker,
Chaudhuri was little interested in merely reiterating the insights and terminology
of Sri Aurobindo; rather he began to develop a system that employed an integrative
methodology using insights from various schools of Eastern and Western psychology.
Chaudhuri (1973a, p. 1) maintains that
...integral psychology
is based upon experiences and insights affirming the multidimensional richness
and indivisible wholeness of human personality. It is founded upon the concept
of man’s total self as integral unity of uniqueness, relatedness, and transcendence—as
the indivisible unity of the existential and the transcendental.
Chaudhuri’s attempt
at integral psychology may be summarized in terms of his proposed tenets
for an integral psychology as well as the triadic principle of uniqueness,
relatedness and transcendence. The following section will briefly introduce
and elaborate on this system.
Chaudhuri’s principal
tenets of integral psychology
Chaudhuri’s approach
to integral psychology is not concerned with extrapolation of psychological
insights from Sri Aurobindo’s overall teachings. Instead, it directly applies
an integrative methodology to the existing domain of psychological knowledge
in order to construct a system of psychology that is phenomenologically
oriented in its methodological outlook, and that holds psychospiritual development
as its central objective.
In his effort to explore
the basic concepts of integral psychology with a minimum of metaphysical
assumptions, Chaudhuri (1973a) proposed a number of “principal tenets” that
form the basis for his approach to integral psychology. Unfortunately, his
work in this area remained unfinished. The following is a brief list of
selected principal tenets:
The wholeness of personality
The human being is an
onto-psycho-somatic continuum, or a spirit-mind-body unity which in the
ultimate analysis, is an indivisible whole.
Different levels of consciousness
Consciousness is the
basic structure of the psyche according to integral psychology. Thus the
various states below the waking consciousness, as well as higher meditative
states are worthy of investigation as valid dimensions of human experience.
Importance of all phases
and areas of experience
Not only is it important
to make direct empirical observations of human experience, it is imperative
that all areas of human experience be included in the process of inquiry.
Not only wakeful, conscious experiences, but also dreams, non-dream sleep
stages, altered states of consciousness, and creative imagination are important
areas of research in integral psychology. Beside ordinary states of consciousness,
pathological, paranormal, and peak experiences must be considered.
Need for personal integration
A full experience of
wholeness presupposes the full integration of the diversified components
and aspects of human personality. To this end it is essential to appreciate
the role of understanding the self, because it is “only by following the
inner light of one’s own self that the human psyche can be comprehended
in its fullness” (op. cit., p. 24).
The concept of integral
self-realization
Integral psychology
holds that integral self-realization is the profoundest potential for the
human being. This achievement requires a thorough integration and harmonization
of the personal, the social and the transcendental; of the existential and
the ontological dimensions of existence.
The doctrine of transformation
In integral psychology
the doctrine of transformation replaces the kind of transcendence which
results from withdrawal from, or negation of, the world. The lower spheres
of consciousness (instincts, drives etc.) are not escaped from or suppressed,
but are transformed into desirable qualities. Psychological transformation
is achieved through a process of purification and psychoethical discipline.
The doctrine of ontomotivation
“In the course of self-development
ego drives are ultimately transcended and action becomes a spontaneous outpouring
of the creative joy of union with Being as the ultimate ground of one’s
own existence”. (op. cit., p. 3)
The methodology of integral
experientialism
Integral psychology
is comprehensive in its survey of human experience. Critical, experiential
investigation and evaluation is encouraged in studying a vast range of states
of consciousness and modes and phases of experience. External observations
as well as introspective approaches are equally valued in this methodology.
While the above foundational
principles are useful in understanding the overall parameters, scope and
vision of Chaudhuri’s integral psychology, his triadic principle of uniqueness,
relatedness, and transcendence provide another set of guidelines for understanding
the overall process of psychospiritual development and transformation. Uniqueness,
relatedness and transcendence
correspond to the three domains of personal, interpersonal and transpersonal
psychological inquiry. According to Chaudhuri (1977a, p. 74) “Broadly speaking,
there are three inseparable aspects of human personality: uniqueness, or
individuality, universality or relatedness, and transcendence. In different
schools of philosophy we find that there has been a tendency to over-emphasize
one aspect or another. It has not occurred to many people that all these
are very essential and interrelated aspects of our being”.
The
uniqueness principle may be best understood in terms of two ancient yogic
principles of Svabhava and Svadharma. Svabhava refers to the fact that each individual human being is the resultant
of a unique set of qualities and characteristics that are not replicable
in their exact configuration. Indeed no two object or events are exactly
the same in nature. Just as no two leaves of a tree or no two snowflakes
are the same despite similarities, no two human beings can ever be identical
in the exact configuration of genetic and physiological makeup, temperament,
personality traits, cultural and historical conditions, context of personal
experience and potential for spiritual development. In this author’s view,
the more one understands this profoundly meaningful fact, the harder it
becomes to use psychological categories and typologies-including pathological
categories.
Svadharma implies that
there is a unique path of development, growth and unfoldment for each individual
which must be understood in terms of that person’s unique svabhava. Unlike
some forms of perennial psychology, integral psychology, then, is extremely
sensitive to issues of individuality and the path of individual psychological
growth and psychospiritual evolution and embodiment. It is important to
note here that most traditional spiritual disciplines, especially those
of the East, have overlooked the individual and embodied dimensions of personal
growth. Individuality has often been associated with egocentrism or selfishness,
the antithesis of selflessness which is a basic tenet of spiritual practice.
Integral psychology recognizes
the fact that misunderstanding of the uniqueness principle results in various
forms of narcissistic personality disorders. Narcissistic individuals are
likely to believe in their own uniqueness (specialness), but would not grant
others such a privilege. Narcissism is indeed a strong impediment to any
kind of real psychological and spiritual growth. Integral psychology promotes
the idea of a balanced and healthy ego development and affirms the role
of strong ego-development in the initial stages of psychospiritual growth.
But the self must first be understood as the principle of embodiment. According to Sri Aurobindo the ego is only a temporary formation in the
outer nature, required during the early stages of individualisation. The
real center of the embodied being is the soul, or Psychic Being, which resides
deep behind the heart. This Psychic being is seen as a delegate of the Atman,
or eternal Self, who remains, immutably, beyond manifestation. This is quite
different from the common definitions of the terms ego and self as defined
technically within various schools of Western psychology.
As important as individuality
may be, it is not possible to understand the human being only in terms of
individuality alone. Relatedness, or the interpersonal dimension, is of
equal importance in the triadic equation. Obviously human beings are contextualized
within numerous holistically organized systems such as the families, societies,
nations and ultimately the earth and the entire cosmos. Integral psychology
holds the assumption that individuals are microcosmic expressions of the
greater macrocosm with infinite potential for spiritual realization. Just
as an individual needs to maintain harmonious intrapsychic dynamics, she
or he needs to also maintain balance and harmony with others and with nature.
Integral psychology maintains that unhealthy and lopsided growth in the
interpersonal realm is likely to lead to enmeshment, codependency and borderline
personality disorders.
In integral psychology
the human being is understood in terms of both the historical (temporal)
and the transcendental, formless/timeless (non-temporal) dimensions. Hitherto
Western psychology has been concerned with the historical dimension of the
human being which includes: a) the genetic/biological characteristics or
the physical and vital aspects; b) the emotional aspects, and c) the mental
aspects of human existence. In short psychology until the present has been
concerned with what may be referred to as the body-mind configuration, or
personality.
However, the transcendental
(non-temporal) dimension is of equal importance in integral psychology which
recognizes the importance of the urge toward transcendence and wholeness.
Historically the notion of transcendence has been the cornerstone of Eastern
psychologies and Western mysticism. Being so, the terminology often characteristic
of these systems has been categorically unacceptable to formal Western psychology.
On the other hand, traditional mysticism has had little or no concern with
the conventional psychological growth and development of the human being.
Integral psychology recognizes and emphasizes both of these areas without
neglecting either of them.
According to Chaudhuri
(1977a)
the essential significance
of transcendence is that man in his inmost being is a child of immortality,
an imperishable spark of the infinite. As a mode of manifestation of being,
his ultimate goal is union with that ground of existence, transcending all
other limitations.
The notion of transcendence,
however, could be misleading if taken in an ultimate or absolute sense.
In an article titled: Psychology: Humanistic and Transpersonal, Chaudhuri (1975) critiqued one of the early assumptions
of transpersonal psychology—the notion of ultimate states, and that transpersonal
psychology was concerned with recognition and realization of ultimate states.
Chaudhuri did not believe
in characterization of mystical experiences in terms of ultimate states.
Such characterization, he believed, creates the
dichotomy of the ultimate
and the preparatory, the transcendental and the phenomenal... the dichotomy
of the lower self and the higher self, the flesh and the spirit, relative
knowledge and absolute knowledge, conditioned existence and unconditioned
perfection”. (op. cit., p. 9)
This problem arises
when the principle of transcendence is treated in isolation from the principles
of uniqueness and relatedness.
Chaudhuri’s integral psychology
had anticipated the dilemma of spiritual by-passing, later introduced in
the literature of transpersonal psychology. This tendency, especially common
among individuals with schizoid personality traits, is characterized by
a wish to transcend the physical and affective dimensions through –sup–pression
or denial of the body and emotions in order to attain transcendental states
of consciousness. It is true that mystical experiences attained in this fashion may have their proper place
in the process of psychospiritual development. But when taken to an extreme,
asceticism and denial of the physical-vital energies problematically become
the goal of spiritual practice.
It is by now well established
that before attempting to reach higher transcendental states, one must first
properly deal with issues of psychological growth and development as well
as pathological tendencies and development of a relatively healthy ego and
personality. Transcendence, in integral psychology, is replaced by the notion
of psychospiritual transformation.
The process of personal
integration
The concept of integral
self-realization is a key concept in integral psychology which employs a
number of key understandings unique to integral psychology. In order to
explore the process of integral self-realization it is important to discuss
the notion of self in integral psychology. The present author (1994) has
previously developed a model for self which distinguishes three distinct
spheres of self-consciousness. These are egocentric,
psychocentric and cosmocentric
spheres.
The egocentric sphere
of consciousness has been the topic of traditional psychological study in
the West. Three domains of behavioural, affective and cognitive comprise
the basic dimensions of study in this sphere. Western psychology is particularly
adept in this area with a vast number of theories and applications many
of which are at odds with one another. Much of personality theory is concerned
with day-to-day waking consciousness as well as what is termed the unconscious
mind. Recent development such as transpersonal theories have also included
the study of the higher unconscious mind. Transpersonal psychology has extended
the boundaries of traditional Western systems by including that which is
beyond the immediate ego-based experiences of the self.
In this author’s opinion,
transpersonal psychologists have not adequately, or at all, dealt with what
lies beyond the ego by failing to adequately distinguish between the psychocentric
and cosmocentric spheres of consciousness. For example, the archetype of
self as proposed by Jung may be viewed as a psychocentric principle (the
soul), or a cosmocentric principle (cosmic Christ).
In integral psychology
psychocentric consciousness is represented through Sri Aurobindo’s “psychic
being”. It is quite important to understand the role of psychocentric consciousness
in the overall process of integral self realization. Many traditional forms
of spiritual practice have either overlooked or totally by-passed this area
in favour of direct union with the cosmocentric ground of existence—a non
spatio-temporal principle known as God or Brahman among numerous other terms.
Often viewing the body and affects as a hindrance to spiritual practice,
they have attempted various forms of self-denial in exchange for transcendental
or cosmic consciousness.
Integral yoga compensates
for this problem by involving the psychic being in the process of self-realization
which facilitates the development of a healthy ego (embodiment principle)
and balanced personality. Through the dynamic process of integral self-realization
a gradual shift from ego-based to psychocentric consciousness takes place.
Initially ego-based personality obscures the subliminal psychic being. This
condition is due primarily to the fragmented nature of ego-based personality,
which creates a dualistic division between the I and not-I, or subject and
object of experience. With experiences of self-opening that result from
integral yogic and meditative insights occasionally the locus of consciousness
shifts away from the ego and becomes centered in the psychic being. This transition is not possible without meditative and contemplative effort
and is not necessarily a developmental consequence of healthy ego-development.
From the psychocentric
sphere of consciousness the ego is not necessarily hidden or absent. In
fact, from this point of view a deeper observation of the ego-structure
becomes possible. Repeated insights into the ego-structure may bring about
transformation of the ego which results in the development of a unified
and healthy center of conscious activity.
Continued psychospiritual
development makes it possible for the ego to integrate further unconscious
contents of the mind. As the ego becomes fully conscious, the locus of consciousness
moves to the next sphere and becomes permanently centered in the psychic
being. This entire process requires the application of the will and continued
effort. It is highly contingent upon psychoethical development of the individual.
Further development toward
integral consciousness may require what Sri Aurobindo called “a descent
of the higher consciousness.” This means that the self becomes receptive
to the experience of Being, the cosmic ground of all existence. This is
also a gradual process. Once the locus of consciousness becomes focused
in the Self, occasional absorption in cosmic consciousness may occur. Eventually
this experience becomes possible at will. Unlike traditional linear conceptualizations, this is not
a final point in spiritual development. A human being may continue to exist and operate as a unique individual,
but without an ego/drive-based will. Rather, this individual is ontomotivated.
In short, three levels
of integration are involved in the process of integral self-realization:
integration of personality, integration of the psychic being into conscious
personality, and integration of the existential and cosmic (ontological)
dimensions of being. Sri Aurobindo termed the first transition psychic transformation,
and the second transition spiritual transformation. These two transformations
are not linearly or developmentally connected and happen differently in
different individuals. The third transformation is what Sri Aurobindo called
the supramental transformation in which every part of the being becomes
supramentalized in the Divine consciousness. This would result in a complete
transformation of mind, life, and body.
Metaphors of personal
integration
Finally I would like
to conclude this presentation by sharing some of my findings in working
with individuals in their process of personal integration. Over the past
several years I have conducted integrative seminars for counselling psychology
students as part of the conclusion of their education in the Integral Counselling
Psychology program at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San
Francisco. This seminar encourages students to reflect upon and understand
the processes of personal and academic integration by first identifying
their key learnings. Then, personal significance of these learnings are
explored in order to arrive at a creative integration of knowledge and experience.
Students are asked to focus on the deeper meaning of their uniqueness as
an individual and reflect on what integration means to them and what metaphors
best represent their process. After studying about a couple of hundred responses
I have been able to summarize the results in terms of the following themes
and metaphors of personal psychospiritual integration:
Reconciliation of opposites
In line with Chaudhuri’s
classic definition of integration as reconciliation of what is seemingly
dichotomous but truly complementary, many individuals have been able, through
this work, to identify main dichotomies within their psyche or personality
such as: spirit/body, rationality/intuition, unconsciousness/consciousness,
femininity/masculinity etc.. Each person would search for the unique way
in which such dichotomies manifest within him or her and find a way to facilitate
the reconciliation of the dichotomy into a more harmonious union. Many have
found classical psychospiritual disciplines such as yoga, meditation, T’ai
chi and more to be useful tools. Others find writing journals, self narratives,
and heuristic types of self-inquiry helpful, while still others find personal
and group psychotherapy instrumental in this work.
For instance, an individual
with tendency toward extremes might benefit from the practice of the middle-path,
or use Chaudhuri’s integral dialectics (Chaudhuri, 1977a) as a principal
guideline. Yet others inspired by the principle of unity-in-diversity might
use psychosynthesis as a way of bringing the various subpersonalities into
harmony with one another by the unifying self.
Fragmentation to wholeness
This metaphor is also
quite commonly used to describe the process of the integration of the psyche
or personality from disparate parts and experiences into a more unified
sense of self.
Unification of mind-body-spirit
This theme which is
one the principal tenets of integral psychology is by now a quintessential
theme used in various ways in transpersonal psychology as well as in new-age
psychology. It is often described as opening to the spiritual experiences
and using them to unify the mind-body which in most Western people’s experience
is initially seen as a duality.
Journey from unconsciousness
to self-consciousness to
superconsciousness
This theme is used often
in a developmental sense and is described in many different ways. Many use
Jungian terminology to describe their growth process of integration of shadow
into the ego to describe the first part of the journey. Many use meditative
disciplines and other forms of psychospiritual practice to open up to the
possibilities of the higher self and supraconsciousness.
Embodied spirituality
This is a favourite
theme for many, especially those aware of the importance of the role of
the body as well as feminine energies and qualities in the process of personal
integration. This theme is a unique contribution of the integral yoga of
Sri Aurobindo and The Mother and is consciously used by those practising
integral yoga. This theme or metaphor, in one form or another, surfaces
in many individuals’ process of psychospiritual integration.
Synthesis
Many use the term synthesis
to describe their process of integration. It simply means bringing together
various pieces and elements of the psyche or personality in a unique way
to discover and actualize one’s svadharma. Some use a more sophisticated
form that includes both processes of synthesis and analysis, or breaking
down into components, as well as putting pieces together, in a analytico-synthetic
spiral of development.
Assimilation/Accommodation
Many use various ways
to describe their growth and integration process in terms of gradual but
continuous cycles of letting go/deconditioning and reconditioning into more
adaptive ways.
Self
The self as a psychological
metaphor is also used often. Self-discovery, self-knowledge, creative self-fulfilment
and creative self-unfoldment and becoming oneself are major themes in this
metaphor by which the integration process is described.
Honouring all spiritual
traditions
Some individuals describe
their process using metaphors and terminology of selected world spiritual
traditions such as Buddhism, Sufism, Taoism and Shamanism to name a few.
The distinctive feature here, however, is that such individuals honour all
authentic spiritual traditions while being grounded in one or more specific
practices.
Inner alchemy
Alchemy is sometimes
used by those familiar with Jung’s work or alchemy in general. Though rarely
used, this orientation provides some of the richest metaphors I have encountered.
Eclectic collage
Eclecticism is often
used to describe the personal integration process. Often integration is
tacitly confused with some kind of eclectic configuration of pieces from
the vast array of psychospiritual practices available today.
These metaphors, as
well as others not mentioned here, are extremely helpful in shaping the
individual self-inquiry and articulation of the ultimately unique process
of personal integration. Integral psychology recognizes the divine nature
of the human being and the different ways in which this divine potential
is actualized in every single human being. It has been a most pleasurable
opportunity for this author to be a witness and facilitator in this process.
Appendix: Literature in
integral psychology
Herman (1983) noted
that the term integral psychology was first used in a seminar given by Indra
Sen at the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry, India in the 1950s. Without
prior knowledge of this usage, Herman broadly defined and introduced this
area in his classes at The California Institute of Asian (presently Integral)
Studies in 1970. Perhaps the earliest published reference to the term integral
psychology appeared in a brief chapter in The Integral Philosophy of Sri Aurobindo (Chaudhuri, H. & Spiegelberg, F., 1960, pp. 184-191)
“The Indian Approach to Psychology” by Indra Sen. In that chapter arguing
that psychological interest essentially determined the standpoint of philosophy
and religion in India, Sen concluded by stating that “... integration is
thus characteristic of all Indian psychology. However, at the hands of Sri
Aurobindo, it receives an elaborate treatment, which enables Indian psychology
to take the form of a well-developed integral psychology” (p. 191). Sen
who called his treatment no more than a broad characterization of the background
of the psychological system of Sri Aurobindo, later published a more complete
account of the psychological insights of Sri Aurobindo’s writing (Sen, Integral
Psychology , 1986).
Another Aurobindonian
scholar, Reddy (1973), while making several references to Sen’s 1960 essay
on Indian psychology, re-emphasized the need for a system of integral psychology.
In a brief but substantive critical evaluation of the psychoanalytic school
he asserted that “modern psychology is on trial; it has no vision of the
future. Its field of activity is confined only to man’s conscious and the
subconscious; it tries to explain the former in terms of the latter” (p. 157).
While arguing that the most fundamental urge of human nature cannot be sexual
drive, reflex action, will to power, or purposiveness as postulated by some
Western schools of thought, Reddy praises the work of C.G. Jung for emphasizing
the spiritual elements of human development. Reddy asserts that while instinctual
forces or will toward greater power are powerful forces in the human psyche,
the urge toward wholeness plays a far more important role in the overall
psychospiritual development of human beings. Accordingly, Reddy favours
a psychological system that pays attention not only to the unconscious,
subconscious, and the conscious mind, but keeps perspective of the future
potentialities of mental development, e.g. superconscious mental experiences
such as those explored by Sri Aurobindo.
During the same year Chaudhuri
(1973a), wrote an unpublished paper titled “Integral Psychology; Its Outlook,
Scope and Methodology”. An abridged version of this paper was later published
in Chaudhuri’s posthumous work, The Evolution of Integral Consciousness,
as a chapter titled “Psychology”.
Paul E. Herman’s article
(1983), as well as unpublished course outlines and reading materials, have
been essential to the present investigation. Herman (1983, p. 95) described
integral psychology as “... an emergent East-West study of the human psyche.
It draws upon the findings of both Western depth psychology, and ancient
Eastern teachings and yogas, to express a whole, unfragmented view of human
functions to resolve human conflicts and open the way toward activating
high levels of potential”.
According to Herman: “integral
psychology concerns itself with all phases of human existence, in its multidimensional
fullness, which includes physical, emotional, instinctual, mental, moral,
social, and spiritual aspects” (p. 97). “Integral psychology seeks to be
practical and applicable to the problems of daily life, yet at the same
time to lead forward those individuals who are ready, to transpersonal dimensions
of being where experiences of deep integration, meaningfulness, and fulfillment
are possible” (p. 98). Herman emphasizes the importance of the fact that
as human beings “we are always in relationship to the whole of reality”
and that “ the spirit of the whole is dynamically present at the center
of our being”. By harmonizing the diverse elements of our nature within
ourselves, with others, and ultimately with the greater whole we can experience
our embeddedness in the greater whole of cosmic reality. The dawn of cosmic
or integral consciousness transforms the egocentricity and identification
with one’s body or mind, social roles and established patterns of psychosocial
conditioning that result from the ego experience of separateness. Herman
brings to attention the importance of self-knowledge as a key element in
this transformative process. “By gaining self-knowledge human beings can
come to direct experience of all levels of their consciousness, or being.
Such self-knowledge can be accumulated along many lines: through self-observation,
meditation, practice of spiritual disciplines, participation in facilitative
relationships such as counseling and psychotherapy” (p. 101).
In 1994 the present author
published the first doctoral dissertation in the field of integral psychology
titled: Self In Integral Psychology.
The primary goal of this investigation was to explore the concepts of self
and ego, and their relationship in the context of integral psychology. Inspired
by Haridas Chaudhuri’s triadic principles of uniqueness, relatedness, and
transcendence in integral psychology, an extensive review of literature
of the concept of self in Western psychology and several Eastern psychospiritual
traditions was undertaken to establish universal, cross-cultural support
for the experience of self in three distinct spheres of consciousness: egocentric,
psychocentric and cosmocentric.
After establishing support
for a tri-spheric understanding of self, the investigator proceeded to construct
a parsimonious model for self in integral psychology. According to this model, the process of integral
self-realization consists of a harmonious experience of self in all three
spheres of consciousness, necessitating a balanced personality. This model
stresses the uniqueness of individual constitution and an individualized
approach to the process of integral self-realization, a dynamic and evolutionary interpretation of spiritual
development and self-realization which advocates healthy ego development
and reconciliation of the ego-Self dichotomy.
More recently Ken Wilber
has shown active interest in the field of integral psychology. In The Eye of Spirit (Wilber, 1997) he included a chapter titled: The
Spectrum of Consciousness: Integral Psychology and the Perennial Philosophy.
Here Wilber begins with a reference to the “human consciousness project”
involving a “series of multidisciplinary, multicultural, multimodal approaches
that together promise an exhaustive mapping of the entire range of consciousness...”
(p. 37). Wilber believes that it is becoming increasingly possible to create
a “master template of the various stages, structures, and states of consciousness...”
(p. 38). Wilber describes the goal of the integral approach as a “judicious
blend of ancient wisdom and modern knowledge...” and thus grounds his integral
psychology in a perennial philosophy emphasizing the universal, cross-cultural
and ageless wisdom at the heart of the world’s great spiritual traditions.
Wilber, however, offers
very little new information here. After setting perennial philosophy’s Great
Chain of Being as the stage on which he constructs his integral psychology,
he basically draws on the Vedantic notion of the five koshas (which has
already been expounded in much further detail by Sri Aurobindo) and various
states of consciousness (waking, dream, dreamless sleep and absolute consciousness—Turiya)
as the foundation for his spectrum of consciousness. Wilber ends this chapter
by referring to his earlier works: The Atman Project and Up From Eden and
his theory of human development which he later modified in his later work:
Integral Psychology (Wilber, 2000).
Wilber (2000) defines
psychology as “the study of human consciousness and its manifestations in
behavior” (p. 1) and proceeds to include functions (perception, will, desire,
action, etc.), structures (body, mind, soul, spirit), states (normal: waking,
dream, etc. / altered: non-ordinary, meditative, hypnosis etc.), and modes
(aesthetic, moral etc.) of consciousness as part of the larger scope of
his spectrum of development of consciousness from pre-personal to personal
to transpersonal or from subconscious to self-conscious to super-conscious,
contextualized in his famous four quadrant model. In this philosophical
work Wilber covers various topics such as the self, modernism/post-modernism,
spirit, developmental streams and lots of charts comprising his “master
template”. Wilber’s latest work has brought a new level of attention to
integral psychology and has invoked new controversies about his approach
in general and specifically to psychology.
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