Self development is a term used by modern writers and speakers in a very superficial way, so in this article we will describe the three steps of development that one must go through in order to really develop one’s personality and self.
The term ‘self knowledge’ has an ancient origin in the Greek root ‘Γνῶθισεαυτόν’ used in Pythagoreic and Socratic traditions, being widely argued in later philosophy as a basis for knowledge itself. Though it had become an overused term in Plato’s time already, its frequent use in philosophy shows the importance it has in any fundamental discussion on psychology, theology or philosophy. To know one’s self is used here in order to refer to the deep and complex research of the most intimate processes of the psychic life and their interaction with the outside physical world and the inner realities and laws of consciousness. On this basis we state that self knowledge is a process of modifying the daily normal consciousness into a new extended observer’s consciousness state. Self knowledge is only possible once we can objectify our own impulses, emotions and thoughts in order to observe them as objects of scientific study, with scientific methods of research used both in psychology and natural sciences.
The term ‘self development’ is more common to modern psychology being part of the basic training in psychotherapy in most countries of the world today. It implies a certain change in one’s personality from a starting level to a new improved developmental state. We will use the term to define the processes involved in changing one’s personality, habits and behavior to a higher level of development of self control abilities and will power management. Self knowledge is a first step in any long lasting individual change.
Once one is aware of his own inner structure, strengths and weaknesses he can move on to self development, as a deep process of training the inner abilities for reaching a higher personal state of development. This is only possible by the transformation of one’s lower self (close to the shadow in Jung’s terms) to a better person as one’s highest potential, what we will call a higher self.
‘Spiritual development’ is the third step that builds stronger life principles, ideals and moral behavior guidelines and leads every man to helping his fellow mates as a personal free task.
A real process of personal and spiritual development takes much effort and courage to give up all false expectations, personal desires, illusions, habits and egoistic impulses. The process of metamorphosis of one’s lower self into his higher self was called initiation in older times in the mystery schools and occult brotherhoods. Initiation was similar to a burning process of what is not needed or essential for one’s real meaning in life, according to the mission he offers to the world.
In the ancient traditions the three steps had specific names, one might need to become familiar with for a deeper understanding. Occultatio is the basis for self knowledge as one must take time of introspection and deep meditation upon himself and upon life in order to know his own self. Occultatio was often described as a study period in a disciple’s training in the philosophy schools of the past. During these times of being ‘hidden’ from the daily sensorial experiences, the inner life develops and a new inner voice could appear. This new inner voice is the free voice of the self (I) that can later develop as an instance for the observation consciousness.
Descensus ad inferros is the second stage of development where one sinks into his own inner world with what he has discovered in times of introspection and seeks for the origin of fear, of anger, of animal impulses within himself seen as lower unconscious and subconscious psychic activity. These types of processes are perceived in layers and for some observers they appear as a sort of inner hell. During the quest in the lower unconscious self one experiences the death of parts of one’s lower self, because false ideals and principles, selfish expectations and desires, sensorial impulses can all be seen in the true light of morality and human dignity. This is a process of letting go of what needs to be left behind as painful experiences or expectations and heading for the future with a true, more objective self perception, prepared to look at one’s own psychic processes from the perspective of higher consciousness. What goes through a kind of death process? The parts of us that are illusions of ourselves must die at this state when understood at their real value. There are many deaths in self development and all of these deaths are needed for the birth of our higher self.
Epiphania is the third process or rising from the underworld of the lower self back to reality with new improved psychic forces.Epiphania is only possible if some parts of the lower self have died, otherwise nothing really will change in one’s personality – he remains the same untransformed self as before.
As an example, if one would decide to face his own fear of death in occultatio, during descensus he is called to experience this fear at its uppermost intensity. Only when fear is experienced at its highest level can one look at its roots and origin. Experiencing it deeply brings much pain and tears, but only by looking inside one’s own fear like this, sinking in it – so to speak, can one go through the mystical death mentioned before. If the inner observer can look into the pain caused by his strong fear of death he can see what it triggers in him and how this fear can be handled from a higher level of understanding life. Only then is epiphania possible, when one rises with new life wisdom and a new strength to stand up in front of his fear. Then he would not run away from it, but find stability and meaning in this experience that can most of the time be healed at this state. Coming out of this experience as shown, one can understand and work with the fear of death and sickness in others.
The three steps of development, self knowledge, self development and spiritual development were always considered a rule, a canon, a law of evolution for every true process of development from the antiquity to the present serious psychologists. These steps were known and described in ancient alchemical or occult manuscripts as the three steps of spiritual enlightenment, ocultatio, descensus and epihania.
Articol de Prof. Dr. Sebastian Stănculescu
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