Psychological Barriers to Evolution

[VagusEques]

It seems that, pertaining to the metaphysical or spirituality, people tend to make a lot of assumptions about the importance or cause of their experiences. It is normal human behavior to group small subsets of information into a larger category for easier processing (say, the names of individuals in a family).

But when applied to the metaphysical which transcends our ordinary method of operating (at least as we have been taught to think of it), this actually works against us.

For example, assuming an energy force that appears living to be an "angel" or "demon" when in fact it could simply be a wave of psychic energy or something else we don't even have a name for.

The assumptions we make about our metaphysical/psychic/astral surroundings are innumerable. I believe we must question all such assumptions if we're really to ascend to the next stage of our spiritual evolution without clinging to our three-dimensional way of thinking.

Thoughts?

[Awakened_Mind]

I think there are some psychological barriers in our language. The current code we use may not possess enough capacity to convey certain types of information.

I'm a fan of Terence Mckenna's view of telepathy, a visual language. We know that certain types of octopus can change the colours in their skin pgmentation as a form of communication. We also know that to some degree humans already use a crude form of telepathy (if we view it as visual language). You may have noticed this where you and someone you are close to each look at each other and through minimal verbal cues a meaningful message is conveyed that you both understand.

Possibly through evolution a more evolved form of visible language may present itself. I know a lot of drug users namely MDMA, LSD and certain mushroooms recount telepathic experiences.

In the case of telepathy we probably have a medium with the highest capacity for meaing we know of, visible light.

-AM

[Stookie]

The assumptions we make about our metaphysical/psychic/astral surroundings are innumerable. I believe we must question all such assumptions if we're really to ascend to the next stage of our spiritual evolution without clinging to our three-dimensional way of thinking.

I agree with you and think most misconceptions start in the beginning of some people's non-physical experiences. When I started, not much happened. So when something would finally happen, I would consider it important, try to find a meaning and look at it from all sides, basically putting my own color to it based on what I expected out of meditation and what I've read. Looking back, I see most of it as subconscious muck rising to the surface - nothing spectacular. But when it's a new experience that can't be compared to anything you've experienced before, it's BIG!

I think it's important to take a step back every once in a while and try to look at things from an outside point of view, and not let yourself get carried away in explanations. Something Rudolph Steiner stressed to beginners was to not attempt to put a matter-of-fact meaning on any early experiences, and let your own knowledge and understanding of the astral (and higher) gradually unfold, and the meanings will eventually present themselves.

[Awakened_Mind]

Actually I think one of the main or if not the biggest psychological barrier is ignorance, plain and simple.

-AM