It Finds Us

The following is taken in part from No Boundary, Eastern and Western Approaches to Personal Growth by Ken Wilbur

“All at once I saw that the Universe is a living Presence; I became conscious in myself of eternal life. The most fascinating aspect of such awareness is that the individual comes to feel, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that he is fundamentally one with the entire universe. The experience of supreme identity is called The Perennial Philosophy and is central to every major religion.”

The theme of this book – this type of awareness, this unity consciousness or supreme identity – is the nature and condition of all sentient beings; but we progressively limit our world and turn from our true nature in order to embrace boundaries.

We draw mental boundaries and close ourselves off from our nature.  An identity crisis occurs.  Who am I?  Could also be said – Where did I draw boundaries?

At the location of a boundary there is a war – inside.

Different therapies/approaches work at different boundaries.  So it’s important to know at which psychological level you are functioning.

1. At the Persona Level there is a boundary, a split, between the persona (constructed self) and the shadow (un-owned parts of self).
2. At the Ego Level there is a split between the ego (mind) and the physical body.
3. At the Transpersonal Level there is a split between “me” and the rest of the world.
4. At the Unity Consciousness Level we know we are one with all.

We can “work” at all the levels except Unity Consciousness.  We prepare ourselves so we will be aware and awake when it finds us.

This book is rich with examples explaining each “level” of consciousness.  Waking up isn’t as linear as the above explanation would imply.  We work on all levels over a lifetime.  A great definition of spirituality is an experience of – or knowing – we are one.  With each other, with Mother Earth and all of nature and with the cosmos across all time.  We exist in a vast, incomprehensible Universe.  When we get out of the way – it finds us!

Namaste.