My manual for psychological and spiritual growth, the Three Stages of Awakening, has caused some confusion... or perhaps revealed some. The model states that we have to work through our personal material, open up to the heart of authenticity and compassion, and from this solid base enter spiritual life seriously, if we are inclined. This is a rough summary. I have left out many details (see my books, especially Your Essential Self and the forthcoming Human Awakening). Now some people are noticing that this model doesn't fit them and so questioning whether the model is valid.

This reminds us of the old Jewish tailor story where a man goes to a famous New York tailor to have a suit made for him. When he tries on the suit it doesn't fit at all. The tailor then adjusts the man's body and posture, insisting the suit is fine; it's simply how the man is standing, and if he stands in the contorted way the tailor suggests, the suit fits perfectly!

I am not trying to get you to fit my model. On the contrary I suggest that you don't try fitting any model but your own unique one. I myself don't fit my own model. When you write books on psycho-spiritual growth of necessity you have to generalize. This means that you tend toward addressing readers in their "every(wo)man" guise, because you are talking to the general world population. Many of us don't fit this profile. We are unconventional, unpredictable, and unusual.

Nonetheless, the Three Stages of Awakening may serve as a manual and provide a clarifying model. It may help you to understand if not yourself then others. It may help you to empathize, resonate, and be compassionate.

In particular, the issue of awakening or spiritual breakthrough is thought by some to challenge my model. If you have spiritual experiences and yet you have not fully processed the psychological baggage from your early childhood what should you do? Return from your awakening to psychological work or forsake the psychology and reside in your awakening?

My answer is this: Either is possible; either may work. There can be no hard and fast rule about this. However if you are not sure because your life is somewhat confused or unhappy; if there is still bewilderment, uncertainty, and neurosis, then in all likelihood I advise you to return to psychological work to clear the ground and provide a firm base for your awakening. If, however, you are able to let go and truly relinquish attachments to your early life, and processing is no longer necessary, pass on... pass on and over it all, be free and joyful, and live the fruits of your present awakening.

The first of these is the most likely course. People today are psychologically complex; much more complex than the ancient Indian mind was for example. Therefore we need new manuals—manuals like my books Your Essential Self and Human Awakening to instruct, clarify, and show how much we have to deal with in order to awaken. We must prepare the ground and work for a strong foundation. For those few who hear the call and whose destiny is spiritual even before the psychological work is completed, flicker happily between the two worlds and teach others out of your uniqueness. You are the totality of life itself, one with God, one with Consciousness. There is no seeking and no search, for you are already here.

BLOG entry #30