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The Intelligent River of Life: Your Way to Higher Perspectives, Inspiration and Creativity
In the early 90s, I attended a satsang with Isaac Shapiro. Shapiro was a student of Sri Poonja, whose own teacher was the renowned Ramana Maharshi. I sat in the first row, directly in front of Isaac. I had no expectation about coming to the satsang, which I had not attended before. But I was intrigued and when the opportunity came I joined the dialogue. Isaac looked at me with his piercing gaze and focused on one central question:Who are you? Whenever I replied,he asked what was behind my answer. Eventually my answers ran out; I felt empty, having exhausted all definitions. At that moment my consciousness expanded into a wide open space, boundless,undefined. Something in me said, “I am nobody,” and a blissful sense of freedom swept through me, unlike anything I had experienced before.Being free of identifications allowed me to be anything. There was only NOW, without qualification, pure,naked, beyond words. Isaac smiled and everyone in the group knew that I had had an opening because I was beaming like a jewel.
I sat like this for half an hour before I began to examine my state. It felt somehow familiar, as if it came from another time, another life. I was indifferent to everything and there was nothing to do. My commitment to everyday life was dissolving. It was linked to my old identity, but did I really want that? After an hour I became aware that I was regressing to a past life. It was in India, by the Ganges, where I lived a life of transcendent awareness. It was freedom,but not liberation. It was bliss, but uninvolved in life. It was enlightenment without commitment. My Soul called, and I answered. This was not my way in this lifetime.
Dialogue is an expression of the intelligent river of life. Integral meditation is about changing our perspective, and that is exactly what dialogue is about.Meditation helps us to see our life from many perspectives; through this we realise we are a part of a greater whole. We can infuse our work and life with the ideas and inspirations gained through meditation. Ourselves, others and the wider world form an integrated whole. Conversely, what we experience in life informs our meditation. This is the essence and quality of the intelligent river of life.
If Spirit-in-Action is one great living reality connecting all of existence, we must be able to understand and articulate this. There must be a kind of“theory of everything”. Imagine what such a meta-perspective would give us, perceiving the world as an all-seeing eye, observing life’s complexity with a ’bird’s eye view.
We can achieve such clarity by letting go of our familiar perspectives, our handy definitions, and stepping back from our experience in order to observe our situation objectively. In this way we can recognise the difference between reality and our interpretations of it. In order to know we must be able to see phenomena as they are without our personal preferences. We have to see reality as it is, not as we wish it to be.
The universe is intelligent. All life pulsates and is governed by an extraordinary precision and order, from the smallest particles to dazzling supernovas.The unfolding universe is a great living being, evolving from imperfection to perfection.
Let’s look at this. An important expression of the intelligent river of life is our understanding of the symbolic meaning of “the heights”. The ancient gods lived on mountain tops, and we can access these peaks through ideas and the higher, integrative powers of consciousness. When we grasp an archetypal idea we can use it to create new products, knowledge and insights.
According to esoteric philosophy the primary emanations from the One are the dynamic, sensitive and intelligent rivers of life. The creation of the universe was an act of will. The will of the One initiated the Big Bang and dynamic life poured out from a divine ocean, setting primary matter in motion.Through the magnetism of the sensitive river of life and the creativity of the intelligent river of life the universe came into being. Because of this all existence is life, consciousness and intelligence.
Life is dynamic. Life manifests through the will, actualised by Spirit-in-Action.Everything is alive, everything evolves, even minerals, as the ancient alchemists thought.
Consciousness is the magnetism and the sensitive awareness that fosters conscious relations. Through varying degrees of awareness, minerals, plants,animals and humankind share a common sensitivity to the environment.Everything is conscious to some extent, but only human beings, and beyond,are self-aware.
Life’s intelligence is the inherent ability in all matter (on all levels) to be moulded and created in order to manifest the purpose of Spirit. We see this through nature’s complex ecosystem and humankind’s creative activity.
We can say that life creates evolution, coherence and diversity through the will, emotions and thoughts of human beings. Will, love-wisdom and creative intelligence are the three fundamental forces in the universe and man. From a cosmic perspective, the creative, scientific, idealising and manifesting rivers of life are combinations of the three primary rivers of life. They help the intelligent river of life to release the creativity that Spirit-in-Action – evolution –seeks to manifest. (The same principle was discussed when we described the psychological functions in Chapter 3. Will, feeling and thought are the primary functions, and the four secondary functions of imagination, logic, passion and action are combinations of these three primary functions.)
The intelligent river of life seeks wise relationships and good connections.Intelligence runs through all levels of existence – our bodies, emotions and imagination are expressions of intelligence – yet intelligence is primarily manifested through thought and the mind. This is so because everything starts with an idea, a blueprint that will eventually lead to its realisation. All forms of creativity can be traced back to a vitalising archetypal idea.
Where do ideas come from? Some might say from God, others from a universal mind. The intelligent river of life is linked to an omniscient level;this suggests that somewhere a kind of cosmic hard drive contains all the answers to life’s mysteries. Those who access this cosmic cloud may share in the omniscience of Spirit-in-Action. A master plan drives evolution and humanity, part of which entails the possibility that each of us can become aware of our role in this great cosmic drama. Through this awareness we can begin to co-operate with Spirit-in-Action, which we do every time we manifest new ideas. These ideas emanate from the superconscious, and inspire humankind’s discoveries and visions, from ideas to further human rights to the invention of the internet.
Meditating on the intelligent river of life focuses and develops the mind.We have seen how the dynamic and sensitive rivers of life develop different qualities in consciousness. God’s all-seeing eye is the archetypal symbol of this process, which in man correspondences to the mind or thought. The mind is like an inner eye through which we can focus on abstract ideas and intuitions.We can look at practical matters or explore the unconscious. Thought is symbolised by Mercury, the messenger of the gods. We are the god that is enlightened,and who in turn enlighten the world.
Our Perspectives are Windows to Our Reality
The intelligent river of life is largely associated with the development of abstract thought and our ability to adopt higher perspectives.
Our perspectives, ideas and theories form our understanding of ourselves and the world we live in. These maps of reality help define our experience of life and allow us to shape our destiny. Is the glass half-full or half-empty? Our perspectives determine how we interpret reality. When we believe in our ideas strongly, they become convictions. These arouse strong feelings, motivate our actions, and condition our path in life.
Our perspectives inform the narratives we use to explain our lives and the world around us.Abstract thought may not seem to resemble meditation, but contemplating life’s great questions is a meditation in itself. By doing so we approach the unknown and may even experience a kind of pain, similar to birth pangs, as our mind expands. But we also experience the sense of satisfaction when something we thought was beyond us becomes comprehensible.
Abstract thought allows us to access the universal mind. The knowledge we acquire through study and thought becomes available to those aspects of the superconscious that are preparing new ideas. When Einstein formulated the theory of relativity he had already accumulated the knowledge necessary for his insight.
Meditating on the intelligent river of life differs from contemplating the dynamic and sensitive rivers of life. The primary aspects of Spirit-in-Action – will,love-wisdom and intelligence – create three different perspectives, which can be understood as being first, second and third person perspectives. From a first person perspective everything that exists is ultimately me, there is no duality, everything is an expression of the One, the source, the Cosmic Self,Brahman. But we can also experience reality as dual. This is the second person perspective when we are in relation to God and our fellow human beings, and through love we can unite with them. We can also experience reality from a third person perspective when we observe it impersonally, from a distance.
Meditating on the dynamic river of life develops our unique identity; it informs our will-to-be self. It shares in the authority of the One Self, through whom we become empowered. Meditating on the empathic, sensitive river of life fosters intimacy, unity and harmony with the object of meditation,developing our capacity to give and receive love. Meditating on the intelligent river of life gives us a wider perspective, allowing us to step back and observe life from a distance. Through this we can achieve a greater clarity.
Circle Meditation in Groups
How can meditating on the intelligent river of life provide us with this greater perspective? For several years I led a number of full moon meditations. We met to meditate on themes related to the astrological sign of the month,asking questions like: What is a spiritual path, What is group spirituality, or What is the love of the Soul?
During the first hour, we sat and quietly contemplated the energies and themes corresponding to the astrological sign. We then entered a Circle Meditation. Here participants are led through three stages of meditative group dialogue where their ability to sense the field and communicate what they hear sharpens.
The process involves three concentric circles or stages: the outer individualist circle, the middle group circle (the group relation stage), and the inner unifying circle. Each stage provides a different perspective, a window through which we can examine the field.
This work shows that to a great extent, our perspectives determine what we experience. But it also makes clear that each perspective leads to the next,rather like a natural progression of consciousness running from the individual to the group and on to the unifying stage. This resembles the developmental stages in psychology and seems to correspond respectively to the personality,the Soul and consciousness of Spirit.
A skilled guide can lead a group through these stages, depending on the group’s ability to access the field and adopt the right perspectives.
The group forms a circle, placing candles, flowers and a talking stick at its centre. Following an initial meditation, someone takes the talking stick and begins to speak, replacing it when finished. If someone wants a short break for contemplation, they tap a singing bowl or ring a bell, asking for silence.Then the group dialogue starts, the objective being to penetrate deeper into the topic of meditation. In the individualistic stage, people share their own impressions from the meditation. Impressions vary, each participant having their own thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations in connection to the subject.Each individual’s perspective colours the way they express themselves.
Moving into the next stage, the participants consider the material arising from the dialogue. Inspired by what is said, the group focuses on the impressions being shared in the group, and the field begins to change. As different ideas and perceptions cross-fertilise, the perspective changes from an individual to a group consciousness. The group begins to think and sense together. Here the leader’s job is to maintain the focus on group consciousness, and prevent participants from reverting back to their individual perspectives.
During stage two the group as a whole discovers new perspectives and connections,an experience that is very joyful. We realise it is possible to gain new knowledge and insights together, rather like weaving a tapestry of insight,with each participant making a unique contribution.
Sometimes in rare cases the field leads to an almost ecstatic communion,creating an electric atmosphere where each individual consciousness fades into the background. In such cases, stage three begins, what can be called an experience of the higher We. This is difficult to define, other than to say that something wants to come through. We can think of a higher Self, a more comprehensive, loving intelligence that wishes to manifest. When the group succeeds in accessing this field of higher inspiration, it will for a time unite in a higher consciousness. This is often associated with feelings of universal love and power, and insights into the destiny and development of humanity.
My group had a few peak experiences where, as a shared ecstatic eye, we looked into the deeper mysteries. A prerequisite for stage three is the courage to reach from the known into the unknown. We must surrender to the vague thoughts and intuitions that appear. When this happens, we must listen, remaining alert, allowing whatever arises in the space to manifest, again making sure that we do not revert to an earlier stage.
Intuitions arising from the intelligent river of life help us to understand the great connectedness of all things. The meditation I’ve just described is not the only expression of the intelligent river of life. All the rivers of life we have looked at are closely interwoven. But the ability to disidentify from our limited perspectives,as individuals or in a group, characterises the intelligent river of life.
Circle Meditation is a reflective group meditation. In formulating abstract thoughts or intuitive impressions we activate our mental body. Language gives these subtle insights structure and form. The intelligent river of life helps us to gain greater perspectives so we can develop our understanding of connectedness. The internet is an example of how technology can be developed through the use of the intelligent river of life. Another clear expression of this river is language. Language disseminates awareness (second river) so that it can manifest in culture and develop our lives (first river).
Meditation is most often pursued silently, but the kind of spiritual dialogue involved in Circle Meditation can be a powerful aid in the quest for higher consciousness. Language gives form to our inner worlds, allowing us to share them with others. Circle Meditation highlights the delicate balance between open listening and the practice of finding just the right words to express our intuitions. When we manage to do this we can say that we have achieved an expansion and enlightenment of the mind to a degree.
With our minds we can organise our lives intelligently and also access archetypal ideas. When we behave unintelligently and act against universal laws and natural relationships, we suffer the consequences of our actions. This can mean physical illness or psychological problems. One aim of meditating on the intelligent river of life is to develop our thinking based on the principle that energy follows thought.
Discovering the World of Thought
I clearly remember the day I became aware of the content of my thought life. It happened in the late 1990s. An inattentive driver almost ran into me as I was cycling home. It was a shock, nothing more, and I cycled on.But soon afterwards I realised that my pulse was pounding and my body tense. This led to an insight into my thoughts. I was imagining a physical fight with the driver. My anger had exploded in my imagination. I observed this from an unusual calm, impersonal place, as if I was watching a film. I realised that my thoughts were thinking me rather than I them. Until then I was unaware of this separate reality existing in my mind. At that moment a great peace came over me. I could reach into my imagination and calm my inner voices. The fantasy dissolved, my body relaxed and my pulse returned to normal.
This experience changed my meditation practice. I shifted my focus from the sun in the heart, to my head. Through Reflective Meditation I saw that I could control my thoughts. A vision became clear to me,no longer should my thoughts think me; I would consciously choose them. At that moment I first truly understood the meaning of dis-identification and detachment.
Once we grasp that everything is energy and that energy follows thought, we can use the mind to take charge of our lives. We can be the captain of our ship and master of our house. This experience led me to experiment with the idea that energy follows thought. I would focus on something positive and then observe how this affected my thinking, my emotions and my behaviour positively.I observed the same law with negative thoughts, and saw that there, too,energy follows thought.
It became clear to me that when old emotional states, thoughts and beliefs were re-activated, I could observe them, but rarely control them. By becoming the observer I could disidentify from old programming. I could consciously accept the condition and my powerlessness, creating a distance that lessened the power of the negative state. When I started studying Psychosynthesis,I saw how central this practice is. These methods strengthen the centre of awareness and will in our personality around which we can integrate our many parts.
The abstract mind is the mother of creativity from the personality’s perspective.All creativity begins with an idea, the initial impulse behind an action. The idea may be unconscious and first act upon the body, or it might stir the imagination.Creative activity can always be traced back to an archetypal idea, that is, to the mind. But if the thinking mind is so crucial to our development, we might wonder why it is so often discredited, especially in spiritual environments. There is often an impression that thinking is non-spiritual, despite the fact that great discoveries, ideals and humanitarian values are based on ideas. This reticence is probably a reaction to the hyper-rational, overly reductive thinking that has dominated in the West for centuries and has led to a devaluing of the more intuitive qualities, such as empathy, trust and imagination. Yet the fact that thought can be misused, or over-used, does not mean that thinking in itself is evil. There are equally many examples of how emotionality has fed fanaticism, stifled thought and promoted superstition. Thinking is not the villain, but rather the thinker who abuses it.
Reflective Meditation
Reflective Meditation works directly with the intelligent river of life. In essence it is a way of meditating on a subject until you have exhausted the intellect and are available for inspiration, which comes from the superconscious. Reflective thinking can open a door to the superconscious just as emotional aspiration and devotion can. The mind is an inner eye able to recognise the different phenomena inhabiting our inner worlds.
Reflective Meditation also helps in communication by leading us to choose our words wisely. Words are powerful and affect those who read or hear them. If we understand their power, we can influence how people react to our message. People with strong minds are often good communicators.
Reflective Meditation is helpful in many ways. The mind can illuminate our inner world, bringing unconscious and superconscious material to light. Reflective Meditation can also bring forth new knowledge and new thought forms which add to the data banks of our internal hard drive. And it is through the mind’s ability to integrate its contents that our perspectives and outlook can develop.
Through years of practising and teaching Reflective Meditation, two key topics have always intrigued me: astrological symbols and psychological qualities. Through studying symbolism the mind enters a world of form, light and inspiration. Symbols are doors to the superconscious; here the intellect must abandon literal explanations in order to grasp the deeper meaning. The world of symbols is immensely rich, encompassing practically everything. For example, borrowing from nature we can see the mountain, the elephant and the oak as symbols of the strength that is necessary to realise the One Universal Force.
Through studying symbols, their relationships and combinations, the value of the meditation increases. Let’s take a closer look at astrological symbols– the circle, dot, cross, the wavy line, the arrow, the half arch – as well as mythological figures and imagery of all kinds. Symbols can be interpreted in three ways, corresponding to the first, second and third person perspectives mentioned earlier. A good rule is to start from the outside in, a process we can refer to as 3-2-1.
From the third person perspective we examine the symbol’s outer form as a way to create more knowledge. This will reveal the outer layer of understanding and knowledge, such as the traditional understanding that the circle and the cross represent the planet Venus. Why is this so? The circle symbolises wholeness, connectedness and love – its soft inclusive curve encloses everything it contains. The cross is associated with manifestation.The vertical line represents the force connecting heaven and earth. The horizontal line connects man with his environment. The intersection of vertical and horizontal lines represents humanity, crucified in the material world yet connected to the divine source. Therefore, we can see that the symbol for Venus of a combined circle and cross reveals that love (the circle)seeks to manifest in matter (the cross). This is what Venus (seen as a universal force) both in mythology and in our inner world seeks – she is the goddess of love and beauty who leads us to a higher world of harmony and balance.
Symbolism provides knowledge out of which we can develop a language to articulate our vague intuitions. This is necessary when we reach the symbol’s second qualitative level, which refers to the symbol’s emotional impact.
To gain knowledge from emotion we must have a language subtle enough to capture its fleeting impressions. At the first stage of Reflective Meditation (the third person perspective) we look at what we know about the symbol, ie the role Venus plays in mythology and esoteric philosophy. Preparing questions in advance may help. So, in the case of Venus we may ask: What is beauty? Of what beauty am I aware? What role does beauty play in the world? How does beauty affect me spiritually and personally?
You can ask similar questions about love. This kind of meditation can show us the superficiality of our ordinary everyday thinking, showing us that our intellect is undeveloped. Unless we are awake and vigilant, our thinking becomes dull. We prefer the warm sensations of feeling or the playfulness of imagination to the hard work of thought. This regression into the fantasy world of the unconscious lets us play around in a self-centred atmosphere. There is nothing wrong in exploring the unconscious – I give this full attention further on. But if we want to enlarge our perspectives and become aware of wider,more abstract connections, we must go in another direction.
When we successfully focus on the object of meditation (Venus) we create a magnetic sphere tuned into a particular frequency of consciousness. We only allow what is relevant to the object to access the field of consciousness.By bringing everything together the knowledge we already know about the object and new knowledge then creates a cross fertilisation that can nurture new understanding and connections. At some point the mind will have exhausted all its possibilities at that level of consciousness, while still in the third person perspective phase.
The technique we use is to force the mind to become quiet and vigilant, so a kind of vacuum will be formed which will attract new ideas from the superconscious. When this happens, our Reflective Meditation becomes receptive,with the still mind awaiting the birth of a new idea. From here we can go onto the second person perspective.
To return to our example of the symbol for Venus, if we choose to meditate on this from a second person perspective we can surrender to Venus and beauty as living realities with which we can communicate. Our focus will be on the qualities arising in the meeting between ourselves and the goddess. It doesn’t matter if you conceive Venus as an impersonal energy, a state of consciousness or a divine being. The important thing is to empathically engage with the energy that arises while maintaining an impersonal distance. This allows the intellect to adopt the perspectives that arise in the meeting. We primarily look at the energy as if we were face to face with it. Regarding the second person perspective, asking questions and listening for the answer inwardly, as if in telepathic communication, can be of help. This kind of dialogue can spark many insights. When we have exhausted these possibilities, we can move to the receptive stage or turn to the first person perspective.
In the first person perspective we become the energy, fully and wholly identified with it. We become Venus. We see through her eyes, we think like her. How does the world appear when we are identified with perfect beauty and love? We reflect on the new energies we meet while meditating from this perspective. We ask our questions once again, or perhaps we have new questions.
Meditating on the intelligent river of life will always bring clarity and new perspectives,providing insights into and overviews of our subject. For an illustration,I used an astrological symbol, but we can meditate on anything we like.Politics, business, religion, economics, ethics, philosophy, aesthetics, science:all suit this kind of meditation. Similarly, meditating on virtues such as wisdom,confidence or courage will give us insight into their nature. This form of meditation can also help when we want insight into our personal lives.
Once we understand how something works – whether physical, psychological or spiritual – we have gained a knowledge that can help us to take action in the world. Knowledge is power because he who enjoys an overview can see how the details fit together to form a pattern. Strategic solutions to human problems are one important outcome of this form of meditation. We must remember that the purpose of the intelligent river of life is to manifest whatever the dynamic and sensitive rivers of life have prepared. We do this through creativity, through new thoughts and ideas.
Practical intelligence – or know-how – is neutral and can be used for anything.Reflective Meditation enables us to change the world. We take what we learn from the world of ideas and transform it into intelligent solutions.
Reflective and Receptive Meditation
Reflective and Receptive Meditation (see Appendix) form two stages of the same process – one active, the other passive – representing two different ways of using the mind. I have described the active reflective function above. During Receptive Meditation the still mind receives abstract ideas and intuitions.Receptive Meditation requires a quiet and alert waiting. The senses await impressions from the higher sources of inspiration, such as the Soul or some extrasensory reality. During Receptive Meditation we become like a radio telescope looking for signs of life in outer space, or like a pilgrim who has climbed a holy mountain and now sits in silence and prayer. There is nothing to do, our awareness has transcended everyday trivialities. During this silent meditation we listen and observe the subtle currents of inspiration.
This meditation is difficult. The mind craves activity and constantly seeks new experiences,images, thoughts, emotions and sensations.Quieting the mind is difficult, but if we do not we will only receive impressions from our usual frequencies (Figure 15). Receptive Meditation changes the frequency of our awareness, moving us to a higher level that enlarges our perspectives. This transition is silent as we keep a dynamic but relaxed focus guiding us into the higher reality.
An element of contradiction seems at work here. On the one hand, the will is active, informing the intention behind the meditation, which is to become receptive (passive) to a deeper presence of light, love and power. Our focus is strong and specific, zeroing in on a spiritual quality, a symbol, a divine being, or one of the seven rivers of life. On the other hand Receptive Meditation is effortless. The mind remains quiet, relaxed and open to impressions coming from above. Sometimes the mind expands into the infinite, uniting with the collective mind. In this way we reach a group meditation, collectively surrendering to a greater life, to Spirit-in-Action.
We can illustrate what happens during Receptive Meditation in three ways.The first diagram shows the thoughts and sensations that are related to our everyday consciousness – these are the typical needs that drive us and their energies. Here we do not control our minds, we simply receive impressions from our usual level of consciousness. We occupy familiar rooms in our inner house: the furniture can be moved around, but there will be no significant changes in the quality of consciousness (for our perspectives to change we need to reach a higher level of consciousness). However, in this frame of mind we can become more efficient by understanding things in a new way. Receptive Meditation here shows us how to better express our current needs. We can make slight improvements, but no major changes. Problems created on one level of consciousness need a higher one for their solution.
Figure 16 shows how dynamic silence can enable us to draw inspiration from the superconscious. This spiritually-motivated silence creates a kind of vacuum as the thoughts and emotions that normally consume our energy are relegated to the subconscious, leaving a space for the energies we are meditating on to flow in.
Acting through the superconscious, the Soul sends ideas and energies related to the subject of meditation. We may experience this as an inspiration which changes our understanding of ourselves and our lives. This can be artistic, ethical, political or religious.In any case, it infuses a certain pursuit with fresh creativity.
More than once during meditation I have received archetypal symbols that have provided fresh insight relating to my potential development. In one I saw myself as a yogi with a special name. Because of its power, this image quickly gave me insight into who I truly am. When hit with a negative mood – often because I demand too much of myself – recalling this image is of great help. Through it I receive a wisdom I know to be true, but which Ican forget when caught up in negative thoughts.
Inspiration uses the seven psychological functions as channels, but inspiration also makes use of the consciousness bridge between the self and the Soul.Although our psychological functions are simultaneously active, one function usually dominates and influences the inspiration. For example, the will function dominates with our heroic impulses; the feeling function can skew any new inspiration towards experiences of love and union with something greater;a dominant thinking function tends to create new ideas and perspectives;imagination reveals mystical visions, and so on.
The different impressions of the superconscious often demand interpretation.We must interpret our thoughts, feelings and ideas, just as we do our dreams.Some distortion can occur when higher energies express themselves through the psychological functions. Discrimination is needed in assessing the value of these impressions. We might wonder whether these impressions are authentic or just wishful thinking. Such discrimination is difficult but, as a rule of thumb, impressions from the Soul generally inspire something positive.
When the impulse comes directly through the consciousness bridge the situation is different: then the inspiration comes to us something like a revelation, as if a flash of lightning suddenly illuminates the darkness. An indisputable sense of certainty accompanies such a revelation: it is direct knowledge about the meaning and purpose of the Soul.
Figure 17 shows how the silence of Receptive Meditation allows the personal centre of consciousness to ascend and expand from individual to holistic consciousness; we can ascend to the level of the superconscious. Our sense of “I” change. We usually live within the boundaries of our personality, and feel a sharp difference between ourselves and others, but when we ascend to the superconscious the boundaries between self and other are dissolved and we become part of a universal being. We step into anew dimension, one that is truer than our usually fragmented reality. Here we awaken to a new level of being, infused with Soul, “I”. connected to a dimension where all energies are available. The silence expands into an eternal Now containing everything. This is also what happens during Awareness Meditation when we meditate on pure consciousness without content, but in this case, we are connected to the consciousness bridge that exists between self and the Soul. Both experiences are induced by silence, and during the entire process we retain our cognitive functions and can reflect on the process if we wish to. Usually it is more interesting to pay attention to what is going on beyond our ordinary level of reality. During the interpretative stage, when we try to articulate our experiences, our intellect must be awake and well-functioning. Co-operation between the abstract and concrete mind helps us to translate inspirations into theories and understandings that can be expressed creatively in life. Without the intellect, we only have an unexplainable mystical experience. Without the ability to communicate our experiences our opportunity to make a difference in life is limited. It can also be useful to see Reflective and Receptive Meditation as representing the masculine (Reflective)and feminine (Receptive) applications of the mind, working together to enlighten the self through our intelligence.
Summing up, we can say that the intelligent river of life develops our perspective so we can understand life’s complexity and find our place in it. We can become a creative force bringing new ideas to life, creating new realities. Reflective and Receptive Meditation naturally attract mental personality types,but it is important that all personality types learn to sharpen their minds.Sensitive, creative and dedicated types often want to stay in their feelings. By doing so they will have little impact on the world because they are not able to communicate their feelings clearly. Reflective Meditation can help us to disidentify from our emotional life and provide the clarity, insight and overview needed to help communicate our life purpose. Conversely, types that easily get stuck in their heads must be careful not to overdo this form of meditation as it may increase an already existing imbalance. The mind is a good servant but, if allowed to run riot, it can be a cruel master. The best advice is to study the positive and negative aspects of this river of life, and assess the opportunities and dangers for yourself.
For integral meditation, learning from this river of life is invaluable because it develops our ability to think and provides a multidimensional perspective on our experience.
Now let’s visit the last four rivers of life which, in their own way, complement and anchor the inner work done by their fellows.
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