Integral Meditation – Chapter 9

The scientific river of life: Your Way to Truth, Revelation and Knowledge

The truth will set us free if we are ready to face it. This is the essence of what the scientific river is trying to teach us. We meditate in order to know ourselves and the energies of this river, the fifth, are an important part of the process. The truth can be uncomfortable and we often turn away from it,especially if we prefer to look at the world through rose-tinted spectacles. But when the Soul begins to awaken we soon realise that our lives are coloured by projections and wishful thinking. What we call love is perhaps just obsessive desire, our courage may be an expression of a powerful survival instinct, and our great visions turns out to be empty platitudes. People who are in in touch with this river prefer to call a spade a spade; they want to discover and expose facts. Analysis and logic facilitate this river. Influenced by the dynamic and intelligent rivers of life, it stimulates deep and focused thinking.

Whether we study the physical universe or our inner psychic world, the energy of this rivers means our approach will be methodical; we test out all possibilities before reaching conclusions. A passion for truth motivates us and, with unlimited patience, we study every detail of that which we are investigating. This attention to detail differentiates this river from the intelligent river, where the focus is on the big picture.

The scientific river brings us the light of truth. People influenced by this river are not interested in faith – this is the domain of the idealising river – but in facts and truths. The light of truth is our inner Sherlock Holmes or Buddha mind. In the West, the influence of this river can be seen in our scientific and academic disciplines. In the East, people have used the same approach to map out the nature of our inner worlds. The West and East are now coming together and creating a scientific spirituality, with the scientific study of meditation being a good example.

Reflective Meditation

I discussed this form of meditation in the chapter looking at the intelligent river,where it is used to develop our abstract intelligence.Here we want to develop our intelligence as a practical tool, rather than as a means to discover new abstract ideas. Our research may lead to new discoveries, but these will be something concrete that we can sense and feel.

When we are influenced by this river we want to understand how reality works. Our life becomes a field study as we research and document our findings. Accordingly, we can use Reflective Meditation as a research tool.We can explore anything we like with this meditation. Personally, I have used it as part of my transformative practice in order to uncover and discover previously hidden aspects of my psyche.

Before I start meditating I centre myself and disidentify from my body,emotions and thoughts. Next, I anchor myself as the observer while focusing on my forehead (see Appendix). This puts me in an objective, aware state and I use the diamond light to explore my inner worlds – the diamond light is the light created when the Soul uses the concrete mind as a penetrating, analytical beam.

In Reflective Meditation we often alter between observation and exploration.We start by observing, accepting and embracing whatever we meet on our inner journey. Then we move on to explore relevant subpersonalities and their corresponding thoughts, images and desires. We speak to the subpersonalities (second person) and fully identify with them (first person). This manner of investigative interview is very effective: astute questions can penetrate to the core of a problem and uncover the experiences, strategies, needs and requirements of the subpersonality that are connected to the problem. Asking the right questions at the right time is an art in itself, and it is a good idea to prepare the questions in advance.

When I or a client experience pain, the first question I ask is: “Who is suffering?” This question helps us to disidentify and establish the observer.Keeping a journal to record our impressions during meditation can help us to build up our understanding.

I use meditation in my work as a psychotherapist to explore how we can free ourselves from constraints and inhibitions. That I am able to help clients who face complicated, chaotic and painful life situations fills me with deep appreciation.Together we are explorers mapping out and conquering unknown territories. This process is associated with the scientific river, and I have witnessed how the truth can free people from limiting perspectives.

One client was surprised by the insights that came to her in therapy. Her husband had cheated on her and she was deeply identified with a victim subpersonality. For six months he had apologised and repented in every possible way, and had almost stopped socialising. She still loved him very much but her heart remained closed to him and she could not forgive him. We used chair work (a technique ideally suited to the energy of the scientific river), whereby the client pictures or places a subpersonality in an empty chair, then speaks with it. My investigative interview with her uncovered a subpersonality who wanted revenge; the client wanted her husband to suffer until she was convinced he would never betray her again. When she saw that side of herself,a wave of love flowed through her, and she regretted bitterly that she had tortured him for so long. In realising the reason why she was so reluctant to forgive him, the truth came in and set them both free. The client’s identification with a victim subpersonality meant she could only see the injustice done to her.

Some people are masters at uncovering the truth, using their crystal clear intellect to ask penetrating and precise questions. They are in deep contact with this river, and whether they are detectives, psychotherapists, chemical engineers or spiritual explorers they can throw light on something that has been hidden. My work with both clients and myself has given me insights into many psychological laws of cause and effect. In the spirit of the scientific river, I have translated the knowledge I have acquired into something specific, and I will now draw upon one of my own personal field studies to offer as an example.

For long periods I meditated on my desire for sex, and the pain I felt when my needs were not met. Soon after I started meditating, I met a group of subpersonalities, each with their own desires and passions. They showed me my longing and desire to surrender to the One. This made sense to me because my typology is dominated by the dedicated, idealising river. My desires were overly idealised and romantic, particularly with regards to beauty. So I understood that the energy was not purely sexual but also spiritual. My sexual desire was rooted in a longing for union: the merging of the feminine and masculine. I interviewed my subpersonalities and explored the relevant psychic centres, or chakras, that are located between the base of the spine and the top of the head. These centres contain different types of energies that can be connected to the psychological layers in the egg diagram.

These insights helped me to understand that I had acquired an unconscious connection between having sex with a beautiful woman and the spiritual experience of joy and happiness: This insight also explained the pain I suffered whenever such a union could not take place, such as when no partner was available or my partner was not in the mood. In order to free myself and mature sexually I had to find a way to break this pattern.

The quest for greater freedom and personal growth – and more enjoyable sex – motivated my meditations. During the first half hour I would visualise a positive and nurturing force field surrounding me. Then I directed the diamond light from my brow centre to the source of my pain. I looked deep into my desires and noticed a regressive force that wanted to return to the womb,as well as a progressive force that yearned to unite with the divine through beauty. The regressive force turned me into a dependent state, while the progressive force connected me to higher awareness, happiness, beauty and love. The former longed for a pre-rational surrender to the mother; the latter sought to transcend my ego self and connect to the One.

I have never practised tantra, and I don’t even have a book about it, but somehow I seemed to intuit the essence of its teaching. Tantra teaches that powerful sexual encounters can arise out of a deep devotion between two people who love each other. Discovering these forces changed my relationship to sex by explaining why sex sometimes turned me into regressive states and at other times took me to a place of higher awareness. During Reflective Meditation it is possible to reconnect with the energies that are activated in the sexual act by tuning in to the images you have in your memory. In this way you can create a parallel process between your meditation practice and your sex life, which will give you new insights into the sexual energies at play and your own energy psychology.

Reflective Meditation has provided me with invaluable perspectives and insights into the forces that are at play in my life. My yearning to surrender to the divine feminine would sometimes dissolve my boundaries when I met a beautiful woman; unconsciously I believed she was the divine feminine. This insight was liberating. I was feeling insecure because I had projected this archetype onto the beautiful women I met. Reflective Meditation helped me to see my relationship to beauty from a bigger perspective and this helped me to withdraw my projections.

Meditating on beauty has released many of my emotional blockages. I am more open to the world around me and my relationships are freer. I feel liberated and independent, which is important for a healthy sex life. A loving and conscious sexual relationship between two people that both seek spiritual development can be profoundly transformative.

My meditations also had a positive impact on my therapeutic work. I have worked with several men who are unconsciously caught up in similar projections. When they turn a woman into the Goddess, they become very frustrated. A woman can of course represent the divine feminine, but it is important to distinguish whether one is seeing a woman merely as a symbol or as a human being. Many men have powerful spiritual yearnings that they transfer onto their relationships with women. But a woman cannot accept a role as the divine feminine, nor the man as the divine masculine, unless we are conscious of the forces at play. However, when both partners are conscious of the divine, sex can become a powerful tool for personal and spiritual love, an alchemical meeting place where man and woman become one body and Soul.

Exploring the World of Sex

The scientific river motivates us to engage in research, and that is why I am sharing my research on sexuality and sex. But this river is not about sex, it’s about since reresearch into a specific field. I have simply chosen sex as my research topic and, to reiterate, I offer it as an illustration of what research might look like in the hope it might inspire you in your own chosen field of study.

In order to carry out effective research we will first need a basic knowledge of the topic we are studying. I have previously pointed out that Reflective Meditation opens us up to the inspiration of the Soul (please be mindful of this as you read the following passages, which might prompt you to contemplate your own sexuality). We also need high quality research tools. Here my research tool is meditation. Next, I investigate – which in my case means having sex – and then I reflect on the experience with my partner. Finally, I write down my findings in a journal.

I cannot provide you with wonderful techniques that will improve your sex life because I do not know any. The only practice I know is devotion; I devote myself in love and I am fully awake in the meeting with the energies that arise.This is not so different from meditation. The sense of presence is intense and the act of union can lift the energy levels higher and higher. Throughout the act, it is possible to meditate on your partner.

Aside from wanting to offer you an example of scientific research, I have also included the topic of sexuality in this book on meditation because our sexual instinct is so powerful. Like our spirituality, sex is an expression of unity, which is the driving force behind the sensitive river. Individually we can connect to the Soul through meditation, and as a couple we can do the same through sex,but only if we are motivated by spiritual values. The incoming energies of the Aquarian Age are activating our relationship to sexuality in the collective unconscious,and this is another reason why I am including the topic in this book.The consequences of the internet and new technologies, which in my view have cheapened the sex act, show us that we must develop new perspectives.

Few other human interactions can expand our consciousness in the same way that a deep sexual encounter can. In the sex act, with love and spiritual awareness we can activate the body, our emotions, mind, Soul and Spirit, but certain conditions have to be present for this to happen. The couple must agree that sex is important to their spiritual development and they must be self-aware and willing to evolve and challenge their comfort zones. Very few people are ready for this kind of sexuality – for most of us, sex is a way to connect, play and have our basic sexual needs met.

Love, trust and commitment are required for sex to become a conduit for the healing powers of love. Only then can we access and release our deepest wounds. If we think we will be abandoned, the egocentric parts in us react and withdraw. A balance between detachment and attachment will help the couple to open up and show their most vulnerable sides. Sex alone will not give us the experience of oneness. It is the sum of the spiritual development of all our developmental lines that are united in the sexual act. Before the ideal meeting can become a reality both parties must have a dedicated spiritual practice that develops all aspects of their nature.

In order to begin a spiritually informed sexual practice two key aspects need to be in place. The inclusiveness and acceptance of the heart centre must be sufficiently developed so we can meet any resistance with loving empathy. The couple must also be totally honest and transparent with each other. This will help them to understand and define the energies at work. Scientific research is not possible if we withhold information. At times unpleasant energies will be activated, and to deal with the challenges they present we can also draw on the qualities of the dynamic river.

The use of Reflective Meditation as a research method when we study the sexual act is perfectly valid. The idea of researching and documenting our sex life sounds foreign to most of us, but this approach can prove valuable. We uncover many barriers that block our ability to experience genuine oneness.When our sex life is illuminated by the diamond light we have the potential for a true meeting between two Souls where everything is loved, held and lifted to a higher level.

The Seven Chakras and Sexuality

Medical science is interested in the physical body and its diverse physiology. The science of meditation is interested in man’s energy body and spiritual anatomy. Next, I will connect sexuality with the study of the energy centres,or what are referred to as the chakras in the East. I described the eight basic lines of development in Chapter 4 and how they evolve through seven stages. In this section, I will use the seven chakras as a reference and suggest how sexuality, or should I call it the process of uniting, is effected by the seven levels of consciousness.

Knowledge of these chakras will help us to interpret the energies we experience in the sexual process. When we use this knowledge properly we will know which level we draw our energy from.

For millennia the East has viewed man in terms of energy. They consider the physical body to be the Soul’s most tangible body, the body it uses to sense and act in the world. Figure 18 shows how our physical bodies are surrounded by a number of energy fields, or bodies. Each energy body has a specific function.

The etheric body (a) is the vital body and consists of millions of energy channels (Nadis). The Nadis ensures the integrity and life energy of the body. In acupuncture we work with these energy lines. During Reflective Meditation we can learn to notice the quality of our energy levels. The emotional body (b) is the Soul’s sensitivity that enables us to feel and identify emotional atmospheres. The mental body (c) is the mind, or intelligence, of the Soul. We can observe this body as the content and nature of our thoughts. These three bodies have their anchors in the physical nervous system.

The Soul body (d) is the Soul’s own energy field and corresponds to the superconscious in the egg diagram. This body contains all the goodness, truth and beauty that the Soul has accumulated over lifetimes. In meditation we often experienced this body as boundless love and wisdom. The core of this body is the twelve petalled lotus (e), which contains the spiritual spark or jewel. The Spirit body (sat-chit-ananda) is the innermost essence which is Spirit-in-Action(f), and contains the dynamic life that drives the Soul forward life after life in order to develop greater awareness. This jewel is illustrated as the star on top of Assagioli’s egg diagram.

A number of psychic centres are located along the spine in the etheric body (Figure 19). These centres are the source for seven of the Soul energies and correspond to the seven ray qualities, although each centre can in fact express all of the energies at different stages of development. The level of consciousness of the Soul determines which energy type dominates the centre. Even if these centres are located in the back of the body, they open up as a flower in the front that expresses swirling energy. This swirling motion is why the energy centres are referred to as chakras, which means wheels, in Eastern literature, and also why they are described as lotuses with varying numbers of petals, which refer to the number of powers a lotus is expressing. Blueprints of these centres can also be found in the emotional and mental bodies.

The centres express seven different types of energy and receive corresponding energies from the environment. Hence there is a continuous exchange of energy deeply integrated in the nervous system.

Knowledge of the chakras provides us with a map of the different frequencies of our consciousness.

The level of development in each centre varies. Some centres are brilliant fountains of light and consciousness, while others are asleep, waiting for the Soul to awaken them.

The three lower centres are related to our primary energies and are therefore the most developed. They relate to the basic and middle unconscious,as depicted in Assagioli’s egg diagram. Culture and education focus on the development of the type of consciousness that corresponds to these centres and the throat centre. Any imbalances here could prevent awakening in the higher centres.

In the following section I will discuss the seven chakras in relation to sexual energies and identify the themes which are relevant for each chakra.

Each chakra has a feminine and a masculine pole, but each chakra also represents either masculine (will) or feminine (love) energy. The first chakra is dominated by the will, the next by love, as follows:

Knowledge of these centres helps us to navigate the sexual journey more intelligently. For example, it is important to understand how we can develop the different chakras. The starting point is always sexual awareness and open and honest communication. The goal is the union of body and Soul through the sexual act. Soul therapy, general psychotherapy, Reflective Meditation and Creative Meditation are all important tools we can use to release the barriers we encounter. The primary method is the field study, where the couple, through the sexual act, work through all the stages and test what works.

As I explore the themes relevant to each chakra, I will differentiate between the genders, however it can be noted that each theme will be relevant to both women and men because we all have been both genders in past lives. That said, we each tend to identify most strongly with our current gender, which will bring particular experiences to consciousness.

The same principles apply to those who are LGBT, who must also polarise during sexual union in what might be termed the masculine and feminine roles in order to create the necessary tension.

Root Centre

The root centre is the first chakra and the seat of the survival instincts and the life force. It is closely linked to the physical body and our need for nutrients and protection. This chakra represents body consciousness and through its energies we connect to physical life. At this level of consciousness we associate sex with survival and reproduction.

A negatively activated root centre becomes a dominant theme in the sexual act usually due to unresolved blockages around survival needs. For thousands of years, sex has been associated with survival: we procreate for the survival of the species and so that our children can take care of us in old age. Women often have sex to receive protection and security from a man. If that is the case they will find it difficult to say “no” to sex. Men on the other hand can be possessive and may relate to a woman as their private property.

The root chakra is connected to the body’s basic cellular consciousness and the attractions and repulsions that exist at this level. If we don’t feel connected to our bodies we may find it difficult to generate sufficient vitality and potency required for sexual intercourse. It is therefore important to keep our bodies healthy. We can become aware of and heal this centre through the sexual act. If both parties can empathise and understand the barriers they encounter, they can consciously raise the awareness of the relevant subpersonalities. This will create new patterns of behaviour in relation to the body’s needs.

When the root chakra in both partners harmonises, two vigorous and potent bodies can meet and the sexual act can generate the vitality required for energy to travel up the spine. An orgasm will then include the whole body and not just the genitals. From a spiritual point of view, we can transform even the survival instinct if we heed the heroic call of the Soul – this happens when the energies of the root chakra rise to the head centre, transforming body consciousness to unity consciousness. In such cases, we might find we are even able to put our lives at risk if it might further the spiritual cause – indeed,many spiritual explorers have found this to be true: one famous example is that of Jesus who entered Jerusalem even though he knew it would lead to his death.

Sacral Centre

The second chakra is called sacral centre,which is the seat of the sexual instincts.Related themes are concerned with reproduction, bonding, security and sensuality. This chakra is also connected to herd consciousness and our need to belong. As an emotional centre, this chakra controls basic emotions that are associated with the body and physical environment.

When the sacral centre is negatively activated you may feel concerned about security, intimate connection and sensuality. Traumatic experiences, such as the loss of intimacy and sexual abuse, have a negative impact on this chakra. Historically, through marriage and trade, women have been used as a commodity to ensure the family’s survival and power. This abuse has resulted in prejudices existing in the collective psyche that block the free and sensuous expression of sexual energy. We need to work through such prejudices and barriers for total intimate surrender to be possible. Of course, we can repress these issues and still have a well functioning sex life. But in a spiritually-orientated sex life, many of these repressed energies will be activated when the values of the heart centre collide with the more egocentric values connected with this centre.

Possessiveness is another theme for this centre. Our security and survival needs activate powerful energies that seek to attach us to our partner. To let go of these attachments is difficult, but that is precisely the purpose of a spiritually-orientated sex life: a sense of detachment is important. This detachment doesn’t mean a type of isolation created by our defenses, but rather a sense of freedom and healthy connection controlled by the heart.

Another theme related to this energy centre is shame, in particular feeling ashamed of our bodies. This will obviously be a great barrier towards sensuality and merging, both on a physical and emotional level. Our bodies are different, and sometimes we have to work to attune them, but when we have experienced two bodies that are in tune and in love we will know what intimate surrender means.

When the sacral centre is developed (usually with the help of the heart centre)we experience pleasure, erotic warmth and playful sensuality, and the union of two bodies becomes a joyful journey towards higher and higher states of consciousness. It is also possible for the herd instinct to come under the influence of heart’s values and be transformed into the group consciousness that connects us with the World Soul and all of humanity. When this happens,energies from the sacral centre move up to the throat centre where they can be verbalised so that we can become aware of them. This transformation from one centre to another occurs when we make the unconscious conscious.

Solar Plexus Centre

The third centre is the solar plexus chakra, which is the seat of our assertiveness. Here we develop self-awareness with the support of the throat centre. Themes associated with this chakra are self-confidence, ambition and personal power. The purpose of this energy centre is to support the development of independence, strength and personal boundaries that help us to master our lives. As a centre for emotions and desire, this chakra affects our personal preferences and biases, identity and unique role in a group. This centre is also where we act out erotic play, which provides the opportunity to offer mutual confirmation of the each partners’ attraction and value.

An imbalanced solar plexus chakra will lead to power struggles and problems with self-confidence. What should be healthy competition between the sexes turns into destructive power games. We see our partners as status symbols that will give us power and prestige in society. A man can use his power to dominate a woman and “keep her in her place”, or the woman can manipulate the man to get what she wants. Such behaviour is, of course, devastating for self-confidence. When neither party is willing to surrender for fear of losing power, a deep union is impossible.

These sorts of power struggles can lead to humiliation and loss of reputation.When hurt, the ego becomes even more defensive and will shun real intimacy.This chakra is where we hide or repress our weaknesses or any qualities the ego deems unattractive or detrimental to power and status. However, it is important to acknowledge the will to power. If we can lift this energy up to the heart centre it can become a supportive force that helps the couple to grow in confidence with themselves and with each other.

When this instinct is being expressed healthily, governed by the ethics of the heart, the man wants to conquer the woman, and the woman wants to be conquered. We can also use sex to explore and build each other’s sexual self-image and self-confidence. We can be playful and delightfully erotic when this centre is harmoniously developed. We feel good about ourselves and have the confidence needed to embrace our lives and the world. The man courageously conquers the woman, and explores new dimensions of her being. The same is of course applicable to the woman, and the couple can positively challenge and support each other. When the Soul dominates this centre the energies from the solar plexus rise up to the heart centre and self-assertiveness is transformed into spiritual dignity, self-worth and Soul-assertiveness.This enables us to manifest the good, the true and the beautiful.

Heart Centre

The fourth chakra is the heart centre. This is the seat of our higher emotions, the Soul’s group awareness, and the development of group consciousness. Here our awareness is lifted beyond the needs of the ego and we can identify with the needs of others. The herd instinct is concerned with my own need for security, whereas group consciousness is concerned with the needs of my community.

The themes are self-esteem, appreciation and connectedness. Through this centre’s exalted emotions and impersonal love we are able to accommodate and accept the energies from other centres.

When the energies are received from the other centres they can be activated through the heart centre to enable us to transmute our egocentric tendencies. We experience a heartfelt need to relate to our partner on equal terms,and to consciously connect with those we meet. We recognise intuitively the unity behind all separations.

The heart and brow centre are the most important centres for a spiritually-orientated sex life. These centres are instrumental to our sense of self-worth and self-esteem, as well as our ability to sense and appreciate another person’s unique qualities. When the heart centre is unbalanced, the opposite will be the case. We will be unable to appreciate ourselves and others because we are not in touch with love. No amount of solar plexus confirmation can give us the deep inner peace that can arise from the heart centre. Devotion is connected to the heart chakra, and we will lose ourselves in the relationship if we don’t have a sense of our self-worth – we will also lose the important tension created by the polarity between the two sexes.

A blocked heart centre blinds us to the other. We cannot see or appreciate the other’s unique value, which is only possible when we can look at them in the light of our own beauty. More egocentric centres can also hijack this centre and abuse its sweetness and sensitivity – our speech might come across as sensitive and heartfelt, but we are motivated by deeply egocentric needs. We have seen many dubious spiritual teachers misusing the gifts of this centre.

When the heart centre is open an almost ecstatic union is possible. Duality dissolves and the couple is able to surrender to pure love and bliss. Devotion becomes pure compassion and we can meet and honour our partner when they risk showing their vulnerabilities. We can love the vulnerable, and what was separate and unloved can become whole again. This idealised depiction of the meeting of two hearts does not normally occur when we have sex,but it can happen when the couple is deeply motivated from this rather unselfish place, and this is why we make the effort. When we succeed in establishing a safe intimate relationship, our sex life becomes an important source of connection and power. The heart centre motivates us to make a difference, and we can heal our hearts and emotions through sex as a physical and meditative practice.

Throat Centre

The fifth chakra is the throat centre, which is the seat of intelligence. As a centre for knowledge and communication it is here we develop self-awareness and identity. Themes are communication, clarity and truth.

Blockages in this centre make it difficult for us to talk about our sexuality, and we struggle to develop our sexual identity.In order to find out who we are we must be able to accurately communicate our feelings. Communication and thinking around sex and sexuality may be so unclear and confusing that we don’t know what we really feel. We may say what we think our partners want to hear so we can have our own needs satisfied. If we have felt punished after sharing our truth, it is understandable that we would become distrustful and withholding. Other blockages in our sexuality can make it difficult and painful to listen to when our partner is talking about sex.

The throat centre’s primary task is to serve the heart by using intelligence in the service of love. In relation to the scientific river, this centre is the primary channel for the light of truth. This energy centre can make forgiveness and redemption possible. When a couple can talk openly about the energies that are activated in the sexual act wonderful revelations are possible. We can allow our curiosity to unfold so that we can explore together, studying and sharing what we find. When communication is precise and flowing freely, a couple can explore and experiment with a playful curiosity. Even telepathic communication is possible if this centre is sufficiently developed. A developed throat centre is also telepathically susceptible to the Soul, aligning our self-awareness to the consciousness of the Soul.

Brow Centre

The sixth chakra is the brow centre. This is where the purpose and wisdom of the Soul is integrated with the energies of the personality. The themes for this energy centre are wisdom, integration and vision.This chakra can translate sexual energies into their highest possible expression, always with the purpose of developing the Soul’s creative talents for the benefit of the whole. The sexual union and the transformative process, when it is controlled from the brow centre, will be guided by a desire to have a greater impact as a Soul in the world.

When the brow centre is imbalanced the sexual relationship will lack in spiritual depth and purpose; the direction of the relationship will not reach beyond the couple’s own personal fulfilment and therefore higher universal energies will have difficulties entering the relational field. This lack of vision may also lead to illusions and deceptions: powerful desires and passions can be aroused that we might think are of a spiritual nature, but in the end enslave rather than liberate us. This is probably the greatest danger in this work, and therefore we must take care to be motivated by our highest values.

When the brow chakra is open, a couple can consciously represent the divine masculine and feminine and through the sexual act express the highest spiritual energies possible in human form. This requires that the couple stay at this level of consciousness throughout the sexual act. If the couple can access these states while meditating together, there’s less risk of activating and being dominated by egocentric energies during sex.

Head Centre

The seventh chakra is the head centre.Here the will of the Soul is united with the universal will. This energy centre is associated with the dissolution of all boundaries and with the arising of cosmic and non-dual consciousness. I have only had a few, brief glimpses of what it means to be in touch with this centre, and these glimpses are not sufficient for me to draw any conclusions. Instead of speculating I will urge the reader to do their own research.

In Table 5, I have summarised the key findings and themes from my research into sexuality and the chakras. I hope this will inspire the reader to develop ajoyous, meaningful and creative sexuality.

Conclusion

In this chapter I have taken a practical approach to Reflective Meditation and the scientific river. Meditation is in this case used to explore areas where we can experiment and develop a practice. In line with integral meditation the purpose is to translate insight into action. I chose sex as my field study, but I could have chosen medicine, engineering, management, education or abstract topics such as the nature of the Soul, wisdom or love. The same practical approach would apply. The purpose of this type of meditation is to develop new knowledge that can be implemented in practice.

Those who will most benefit from this type of meditation are analytical types whose Soul purpose is to research and discover new knowledge, with meditation being a valuable source of inspiration. I would also recommend that sensitive, creative and dedicated types practise this form of meditation;these types tend to be imprecise, overly emotional and unclear in their thinking, and this meditation will offer greater clarity. Reflective Meditation is an important part of any integral meditation practice it helps us to practice discrimination.

From these very practical and analytical explorations, we will now move onto the idealising river of life.