eco.logic.soul

Posts Tagged ‘spirituality’

What is it about this thing called life
That somehow keeps us all going along
Moving along this trajectory we call time
Propelling us into the future
Building upon the deeds of the past?
Most don’t question at all
What this thing called life is about
Or so it seems.
 
People appear to be moving along an unseen path
Propelled by an unseen force
Without any thought to why or how or what
It appears as much anyway.
Or maybe not.
 
Maybe what appears to me
To be automaton-like sheeple
Is really all part of Gods plan
People are funny, you see
God must have a great sense of humor
And a lot of gall
For trapping us in this video game called life
Desperately, we try to win
To escape the fires of hell
To finally relax at the end of the tunnel
 
I wonder myself in all my knowing
Or what I think I know about life
What is the purpose of this thing called life?
In my rejection of religion
I find the answers in a different form
Yet somehow, it all seems to lead back to the same place
A place that fervently reminds me
We are all mysteriously and timelessly connected
Our experiences a reflection
Of everything and everyone
And each path taken whether blind or aware
Rocky or paved, short or long
Ultimately connects us together as one
And brings us home.

Science and spirituality are perceived by many people to be completely separate from each other and at times even at odds with each other. The perception is of science as using logic and reason to explore and define in a theoretical framework the workings of the universe, and spirituality as the journey of the heart and soul towards a greater understanding of the universe and our purpose in it.
Traditionally, life’s biggest questions such as: ‘who am I?’ and ‘why am I here?’ have been answered by religion in the context of God’s plan or the path to enlightenment. Also, explanation of the spiritual dimension of life has by tradition been confined to the structures of religious interpretations of sacred spiritual texts and the teachings of spiritual masters. However, during the past century a fascinating thing has been happening. Science, by means of quantum theory has made way for the discovery of truths about the universe and the nature of reality that have previously only been able to be described in a spiritual context.

Until quantum physics came about in the beginning of the twentieth century, the differences between science and spirituality appeared greater than they ever had before (McFarlane, 2002, p. 157). With the prevailing Newtonian view of matter and energy being separate elements in reality, there was essentially no room to explain the spiritual aspects of life, and thus was left to the domain of religion. In addition, the incompatible views of evolution and creationism created an even bigger division between science and religion. Even to this day the issue of evolution versus creationism – or what is frequently referred to as intelligent design – remains a divisive factor in efforts to bring the two ways of knowing into accordance with each other. Though divisiveness is still at work, the duality of science and spirituality is becoming increasingly illusory. Albert Einstein, who is regarded as the greatest scientist of the twentieth century and whose contributions to the field physics provided the groundwork for quantum theory understood the connection between science and spirituality. He wrote, “All religions, arts and sciences are branches of the same tree. All these aspirations are directed toward ennobling man’s life, lifting it from the sphere of merely physical existence and leading the individual toward freedom” (as cited in McFarlane, 2002, p. 157). It can be assumed that Einstein is metaphorically telling us that the tree is essentially the divine intelligence of the universe and the branches are each pathways to knowing the true nature of reality. Einstein’s insight into the connection between science and spirituality could very well be considered a manifestation of his work in the world of physics.

There are many parallels that exist between the scientific and spiritual realms. Influential people in both areas of study are known to have believed in very similar ideas about how science and spirit are in fact compatible. For instance, Sri Aurobindo – Yoga Master, spiritual teacher and political activist – was particularly interested in the integration of Spirit and Matter through the practice of Yoga. He is quoted as stating that “science at its limits, even physical science, is compelled to perceive in the end the infinite, the universal, the spirit, the divine intelligence and will in the material universe” as cited in McFarlane, 2002, p. 160). In parallel to Aurobindo’s statement, Hermann Weyl, a mathematician and contributor to the field of quantum mechanics is quoted as saying, “many people think that modern science is far removed from God. I find, on the contrary, that…in our knowledge of physical nature we have penetrated so far that we can obtain a vision of the flawless harmony which is in conformity with sublime reason” (as cited in McFarlane, 2002, p. 160).Though both these men came from what could be considered two completely separate backgrounds, they both saw the connection between science and spirituality as obvious and indisputable. It is interesting to note that both of these men were born and passed away within ten years of each other.

Probably one of the most profound examples of how science and spirituality are related is in the quantum theory of the universe as a hologram. This theory began when physicist Neils Bohr made the observation that an electron and positron as the antiparticle to the electron “will eventually annihilate each other and decay into two quanta of light or ‘photons’ traveling in opposite directions” (Talbot, 1992, p. 36). He also observed that as these two photons continue to move away from each other they will both still possess the exact same angles of polarization no matter how far apart they are. The fact that the seemingly two separate photon particles could possess the exact same features at vast distances from one another meant that they must be communicating with each other. This feat would be impossible according to Einstein’s theory of relativity regarding the speed of light. Niels Bohr suggested an alternative explanation to this paradox by speculating that the particles were not individual things but “part of an indivisible system” (Talbot, 1992, p.37).

Bohr’s method of describing the quantum world was widely accepted and even considered by some to be a complete theory. However, David Bohm, a protégé of Einstein’s and one of the worlds most respected quantum physicists, was not satisfied with this conclusion. Bohm strived to find a different approach to quantum physics which he called the quantum potential. The theme that he worked around was the importance of wholeness as implied by Bohr’s theory of an indivisible system. Through the idea of wholeness he was also able to derive the nonlocality aspect of the subquantum level, or otherwise, that at the subquantum level “all points in space become equal to all other points in space” (Talbot, 1992, p. 41). Another way of putting this is that all things in the universe are interconnected.

Bohm’s ambition of refining his theory of the quantum potential eventually led him to reflect upon the hologram. A hologram is created when a laser beam is split and the first beam from the split beam is projected upon an image of something to be photographed and reflected back and with mirrors and allowed to collide with the second beam. This results in an interference pattern that looks like numerous concentric rings overlapping each other which is then captured onto film. Finally, when another laser beam or a bright light is shone on the film, a three-dimensional image of the same object which was originally photographed is projected (Talbot, 1992, pp. 14-15). Another characteristic of a hologram that is important to note is that if the film containing the recorded holographic interference pattern is sliced in even the tiniest pieces, every piece of the film can still be used in conjunction with a laser beam to project the same three-dimensional image that was originally photographed. This amazing phenomenon is what shed light for Bohm on the potentiality of holographic properties being the nature of the quantum world.

After Bohm had reflected upon the hologram and its implications in the quantum world, he immediately found himself making connections to all the insights he had had relating to the quantum world and the universe as a whole. It made perfect sense how the two photons could seemingly stay in contact with one another regardless of the distance between them because their separateness was an illusion. He soon became convinced that the universe itself was a giant hologram. After all, if the entire universe was made up of the same particles that displayed holographic properties, then the by definition the universe must be a hologram as well (Talbot, 1992, p. 46).

Around the same time period that Bohm gained the insight of the model of the universe as a hologram, a neurophysiologist named Karl Pribram was making the same astounding connections with a hologram but with regards to the brain and how memories are stored. Pribram came across the concept of holography and immediately felt that he had found the missing piece to the puzzle that years of brain and memory research had been missing. Past research on the brain discovered memories are not stored in any specific location but instead dispersed throughout the brain. There had never been a mechanism to explain this phenomenon until Pribram made the connection to the hologram. This insight led Pribram to believe that the brain is itself a hologram (Talbot, 1992, pp. 11-15).
Pribram’s work was done independently from Bohm’s, yet they both arrived at similar conclusions. When put together, Pribram and Bohm’s theories about the holographic nature of the universe and the brain lead one to the conclusion that objective reality isn’t real. Think about it – if the brain and the universe are both holograms, then how does what we perceive to experience and understand about reality really exist if what is the external world out ‘there’ and our internal world (where our brains are what allow us to experience and process our perceptions of reality) is a projection. We are no longer what our egos relate to as ‘I’, ‘me’ or ‘my’. We are now an interconnected part of the whole of consciousness and the universe.

The conclusions about the nature of reality that emerge from the idea that the universe is a hologram are exactly what Eastern mystic traditions have been teaching about the nature of reality for centuries (McFarlane, 2002, p.115). For instance, in Hinduism it is taught that the material world or Maya is an illusion (wikipedia, para. 1). This belief fits hand in had with the concept of the holographic universe. Another interesting point is that in Sikhism, the belief in Maya as the world as we perceive it is no more real than dreaming (wikipedia, para. 2).

The idea that what we think of as real life and dreaming could be interchangeable or indistinguishable from each other opens us up to a whole new realm of potential connections into the spiritual and paranormal realms. For instance, many people that have had near death experiences have described their experiences as being very similar to lucid dreaming. Common descriptions of near death experiences include passing through a tunnel, approaching a bright light toward the gates of heaven, being counseled by angels, seeing family members that had previously passed away, and other spiritually meaningful descriptions of the afterlife. Others report experiences that describe their bodies composed of tubes of light, or not even having a body until they begin thinking, or that they were simply a cloud of colors, a mist, an energy pattern, or an energy field (Talbot, 1992, p. 247). This last description fits model of a hologram perfectly. It is as if the person who is experiencing consciousness in the afterlife can see reality for what it really is.
Another concept that quantum physics brings to light and connects with spirituality is that of wholeness. Bohm was fascinated with this perception of the quantum world and it led him to the holographic model of the universe which could be considered to be one of the most complete understandings of the nature of reality that we know of today. Similarly, the ego’s search for wholeness repeatedly leads people into the arms of religion or towards other methods of exploring their spiritual nature. The ego’s desire to be whole is also conflicted with its desire to be separate from others and from the external world. This description of the ego’s paradoxical existence is parallel to what we perceive reality to be and what it really is when quantum physics and the holographic model of the universe come into the picture.

Also in relation to the ego’s desire to become whole is the process of Spiritual Awakening which is actually the process of dissolving the ego. Meher Baba, a spiritual teacher who is also considered to be an Avatar by many of his followers, refers to this process as unwinding, which follows the winding phase of the soul’s journey towards oneness with the divine consciousness. The entire process includes the winding of the ego throughout multiple reincarnations where our ego collects sanskaras, or imprints of experiences in each lifetime. The unwinding phase is when the sanskaras are relived, processed, and dissolved throughout multiple reincarnations until the ego consciousness is no longer separate from the divine consciousness and becomes one with the divine (class notes, 2006).
It makes perfect sense how the ego’s paradoxical existence as seeming to always be in conflict with itself about its desires to be both whole and separate relates to the paradoxical existence of the perceived real world and the “real” real world. Our perception of the real world is only true to us because our ego makes it true, thus validating the ego’s desire to be separate from all else. Yet, the ego’s desire to move toward wholeness is never fully satisfied because it is difficult for the ego to comprehend and accept that it is not an ‘I’, an individual. Just like it is difficult for us to comprehend and accept that our perception of reality is an illusion. Much to our benefit, quantum physics – though still difficult to wrap your head around at times – is proving these very difficult puzzles of the universe, consciousness, and spirituality all at the same time.

Another example of where science and spirituality meet is with the transcendental meditation experiment that took place in Washington DC for 8 weeks in the summer of 1993. During this experiment, 4000 practitioners of transcendental mediation from 81 different countries were housed in hotels and college dormitories throughout DC and the University of Maryland. Before the experiment took place, it was projected that violent crime rates in DC would drop by over 20 percent over the course the meditation experiment. In fact, the violent crime rate did go down by 23 percent (Busch, 1999, para 1-4). Transcendental meditation allows the mind to transcend into a completely silent state where consciousness has order, balance, and harmony (Busch, 1999, para. 16-17). Scientists have learned that we can tap in to the already present electromagnetic fields that televisions, radio towers, and cellular towers use to transmit electronic waves. Just like this technological advancement that was unheard of 100 years ago, it is believed that the transcendental mediation practitioners themselves are able to tap into the field of consciousness and are able to transmit the peaceful state that they are in out to the surrounding area (Busch, 1999, para. 18-20). This experiment is science proving the existence of the underlying spiritual nature of reality.

Another fascinating example of spirit and science coming together is with Dr. Masaru Emoto’s water crystal experiments. Dr. Emoto took many photographs of the crystals formulated by freezing the water from various sources to see if there were any differences in the way the crystals looked. He found, for instance, that the crystals that formed in certain tap water were somewhat deformed looking versus the beautiful crystals formed with distilled bottled water (Emoto, 2005, p. 1-14). He also took pictures of water after being exposed to different Hado which is defined as the intrinsic vibrational pattern at the atomic level in all matter; the smallest unit of energy; its basis is the energy of human consciousness (hado.net, para. 3). Dr. Emoto used written or spoken word as well as music to produce a negative of positive Hado influence on the water. The negative words and music with loud screaming produced water crystals that were similarly disfigured. The positive words such as love, grace, and beauty as well as symphony music produced beautiful crystals (Emoto, 2005, p. 1-14). This experiment shows just how powerful our consciousness is to be able to create a change in water just by the words one writes or says, or the music one composes. It also shows how the power of prayer can work for those that use prayer for healing purposes or to be closer to God.

Another example that relates to the power of consciousness is with the famous double-slit experiment. The basis of this experiment and several variations of it is the observation that light waves that pass through the slits and hit a screen placed beyond the slits will produce an interference pattern, or lighter and darker stripes that appear where the light waves interfere with each other as the light pours in from both slits. The interference pattern in the double-slit experiment is similar to the concept of the holographic interference pattern. The best way to understand this concept is to think of the waves in water that two pebbles make that have been dropped into a body of water somewhat close to each other. The waves will interfere with each other creating peaks and valleys where the waves combine or cancel out each other. The same is observed with light waves because the light waves will bounce off each other as they travel through the slits hence creating the same peaks and valleys in the form of light and dark stripes. Also, when little pellets are shot at the screen through the slits, one observes pellets on the screen in the shape of the two slits. What is amazing about this experiment is when it is done using electron particles or matter – not energy like the light waves. You would think that by electrons being matter they would behave exactly like the pellets. Instead, the electrons behave like the waves do – no matter if the electrons are fired at the screen very fast or only one at a time. This is totally unexpected and even unnatural behavior for matter because for the particles to create interference patterns on the screen, the single particle would have to have passed through both slits at the same time in order to have interfered with its self to cause the interference. What’s more is that when one tries to observe the behavior of the particle by putting a camera right after it would have passed through the slits to see if it does somehow pass through both slits, the interference patterns on the screen do not appear and only two stripes are visible. The very act of observing the particle’s behavior causes the particle to commit to passing through only one of the slits (Greene, 2004, pp. 86-92).
What this amazing experiment implies is that even at the most infinitesimal level of the universe, consciousness seems to exist. It can also imply that being human and having an ego causes the particle to behave in only one of the possible ways that it could behave because that is how our egos create our reality. Both are amazing possibilities and both point to how we are indivisibly connected to everything else because of consciousness.

What is brought together in all of the preceding examples is threefold: consciousness creates reality, reality is an illusion, and consciousness is the true nature of reality.

Science and spirituality have come from two separate paths and have met each other in what seems to me, the most appropriate place. Science has shown us how the absolute smallest bits of matter and energy invisible to the naked eye behave in ways that lead us to understand things that have previously only been understood or explained in a spiritual context. What spirit has told us in our hearts to be true, and what we have believed in faith, science has now opened its eyes and seen the truth for its self. What spiritual leaders have known with their hearts for thousands of years, the masses will be convinced of through the filter of their minds. Consciousness will always lead us to the truth.

Quotes from What the Bleep Do We Know?!?!

“The idea that God is separate from us and that we are at his mercy is in alignment with the idea that we are separate from the world around us. ”
“The deepest truth uncovered by science and by philosophy is the fundamental truth of unity. At the deepest subnuclear level of reality you and I are literally one.”
“There is no god condemning people, every one is gods. God is a placeholder name for those parts of our experience of the world that are somehow transcending, somehow sublime.”

References

Busch, J. (1999). Meditation Experiment Arrests Crime. Retrieved March 7, 2006 from http://www.alltm.org/pages/crime-arrested.html
Emoto, M. (2005). The true power of water: healing and discovering ourselves. Hilsboro, Oregon: Beyond Words Publishing, Inc.
Emoto, M. (n.d.) Introduction to the world of Hado. Retrieved March 7, 2006 from http://www.hado.net/hado_introduction.html
Greene, B. (2004). The fabric of the cosmos: space, time, and the texture of reality. New York: Vintage Books.
McFarlane, T. (2002). Einstein and Buddha: the parallel sayings. Berkeley, Ca: Ulysses Press.
Talbot, M. (1992). The holographic universe. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Maya (Hinduism). Retrieved March 7, 2006 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_%28Hinduism%29

About five years ago during the summer of 2000, I was in Hawaii visiting a childhood friend named Parker who I hadn’t seen in at least three years. It was quite a random event, as I had just moved home from living in Provo, Utah for the previous year and happened to get a phone call from him only three days after I had been home. He had joined the Navy and was stationed at Pearl Harbor. It was nice to hear from him, and we had many conversations reflecting on our past, what we had been doing for the past three years, and what our plans for the future were. He would often mention that I should visit, but I was very low on cash. He eventually offered to pay for my trip and to stay at his apartment.

Never having had the opportunity to visit Hawaii, this was not an offer I was willing to refuse. I had still not found a job and so being able to find the time to go was not an issue. I planned to stay for two weeks. During this time I was able to experience much of the beauty of Oahu from the northern part of the island to secluded beaches to the typical tourist attractions of Waikiki Beach and Hanauma Bay.

Though the sites and experiences I had while visiting Hawaii were memorable, the most profound experience I had while there was when I was able to experience a non-ordinary state of consciousness by taking LSD. A friend of Parker’s named Eric, who I had spent some time with during my visit, was experienced with the drug. I felt unusually comfortable with taking LSD for the first time with someone I hardly knew, but there was a calm aura of peacefulness about him that made me feel safe and at ease.

It was towards the end of my trip that all three of us took the LSD, on a partly cloudy warm humid night a few days after Hurricane Daniel had luckily swept right by the islands and caused very little damage. In less than one hour’s time after I put the tiny tasteless pieces of paper on my tongue I was able to enter into a non-ordinary state of consciousness that would change my life forever.

My experience on the drug was filled with an immeasurable sense of a child-like carefree feeling and an intense connection to everyone and everything. I was a monkey climbing up the trunks and lounging in the branches of trees that were almost too big for me to climb. I played in a forest of Banyan trees whose roots grew into the ground and took me to the jungle where I was swinging from vines. I swam in a sea of mercury at sunrise and was amazed at the beautiful transformation of the ocean which appeared to be much more fluid and connected than I had ever perceived before.

The visuals wore off after about six hours and Eric and I talked for about twelve hours afterwards. The hours upon hours of conversation I had with Eric stimulated my mind more than I had ever known. He seemed to contain a boundless amount of insightful thoughts and revelations. My mind opened up in a way I never thought was possible. My view of the world began to shift away from the closed and narrow-minded view I had always known. As we talked about the deep philosophical questions about life and death, my mind exploded with new connections. I didn’t want this experience to end. I felt so enlightened and my mind was racing and I hadn’t slept in over 24 hours. My body was tired and my mind needed to rest but it was difficult for me to fall asleep.

I knew that my experience on LSD was mind-blowing, and I knew the drug had powerful capabilities to change your mind’s perception of reality. What I did not realize was what was really going on or what the possibilities were until I read about Stan Grof’s (1993) own experiences with LSD and the method of reaching the same type of non-ordinary states of consciousness through his personally developed technique of Holotropic Breathwork (pp. 15-24, 33-37). Since then I have had an overwhelming desire to enter into a non-ordinary state of consciousness again.

Though my own experience on LSD did not seem nearly as profound in comparison to Grof’s and those of his patients’, knowing this made me want to reach the level of intensity he described and dissipate the veil between my conscious and unconscious mind. Being aware of the dangers of using an illegal drug that is not regulated and unsure of what strength or type of LSD you are getting, has made me come to the conclusion that my safest bet is to try Grof’s method of Holotropic Breathwork. However, I do not think I am quite ready for this experience and so taking LSD has become a tempting recreational alternative.

My desire to enter into a non-ordinary state of consciousness again is driven primarily by the fact that I want to heal my soul. I have also become fascinated with archetypes and symbols which are of course the language of the unconscious mind. Holotropic Breathwork, LSD, and other techniques used by different cultures past and present, are vehicles that can take a person to a place where the conscious and unconscious become one and great healing can take place. The mere fact that we are capable of entering into this realm is amazing in itself.

There are many different techniques that have been used over the course of human history to enable one to enter into what Grof categorizes as Holotropic states of consciousness, or “moving in the direction of wholeness” (Grof, 2000, p. 2). Some of the different ways that Holotropic states of consciousness can be induced other than Holotropic Breathwork and LSD are: working with breath such as Buddhist “fire breath”, yogic bastrika, and Inuit Eskimo throat music; sound technologies such as drumming, music, chanting, and mantras, and didjeridoo; dancing or other forms of movement such as trance dance, hatha yoga, tai-chi and qigong; social isolation and sensory depravation such as retreating to the desert, caves, or mountain tops, and vision quests; sensory overload such as multiple sensory stimuli’s during aboriginal rituals and extreme pain; physiological means such as fasting, sleep deprivation, and painful physical procedures; meditation, prayer, and other spiritual practices such as yoga, Tantra, and Jesus prayer; psychedelic animal and plant materials such as hashish, peyote, ayahuasca, and skin secretions from the Bufo alvarius toad (Grof, 2000, p. 5).

All of the methods listed above are very ancient and are in many cases still used among the non-industrialized nations’ indigenous people. The cultures that use these methods to reach Holotropic states consider them to be “a principle vehicle in their ritual and spiritual life” as well as other reasons such as healing and knowledge seeking (Grof, 2000, p. 4). There are also many practical purposes for entering a Holotropic state. Some of these include cultivating intuition, artistic and musical inspiration, extra sensory perception and remote viewing (Grof, 2000, p. 4). It is interesting to note that western industrialized societies mostly view Holotropic states as pathological compared to ancient civilizations and pre-industrialized cultures who value them (Grof, 2000, p. 4, 13). The divergence in the perceptions of Holotropic states between industrialized vs. non-industrialized cultures may have been avoided altogether if Sigmund Freud had not shifted his therapeutic methods from hypnotherapy which dealt with the unconscious mind to instead using free association which is conducted in an ordinary state of consciousness (Grof, 2000, p. 13). After Freud discontinued using hypnotherapy, he began to focus on the talk approach to therapy which still remains today. Freud’s dismissal of the hypnotherapeutic approach to therapy and the association of pathology with Holotropic states both happened around the same time.

Although Freud seemed to be fearful of his initial discoveries and decided to take the path of least resistance, Carl Jung continued his work in the area of the unconscious and more specifically, the collective unconscious. Jung is considered to be one of the pioneers of transpersonal psychology, which deals directly with the unconscious and spiritual dimensions. Today, Grof carries the staff as a leader in the transpersonal psychology movement, though he was originally committed to the school of Freudian psychoanalytic psychotherapy. Grof was first intrigued by Freud’s work with the unconscious mind but quickly became disillusioned by the Freudian view of psychotherapy once he began working in the clinical world of psychoanalysis. Grof (1993) was radically changed both personally and professionally after he had the opportunity to have an extraordinary encounter with his unconscious mind by being one of the early experimental subjects of LSD in 1956 (p. 15). Afterwards, he began conducting his own experiments, research, and studies based on the therapeutic and heuristic effects of LSD. Grof’s earlier psychedelic therapy work with the now illegal drug is what fostered his development of Holotropic Breathwork.

Holotropic Breathwork is a method in which one is able to enter into a Holotropic state of consciousness by using accelerated breathing techniques, evocative music, and the support of another person called a sitter, in a special set and setting (Grof Transpersonal Training, n.d., para. 2). Group or individual sessions can be conducted. The breather’s eyes are closed and lies on a mat during the process. The process allows the breather to immerse themselves into areas of the unconscious that unlocks the potential for healing to occur. “Additional elements of the process include focused energy release work and mandala drawing.” (Grof Transpersonal Training, n.d., para. 3)

During Grof’s work with both Holotropic Breathwork and LSD, Grof has been able to make sense of what is actually being experienced during Holotropic states of consciousness. One of the discoveries Grof made was what he calls “systems of condensed experiences”, or COEX’s (p.24-28). What this discovery brings to light is that our memories of emotional and physical experiences that are stored in the psyche are not isolated bits of information but are actually interconnected and complex COEX’s (Grof, 1993, p. 24). He describes each COEX constellation as containing major memories of events that have certain emotions associated with them. An example of a COEX could be all memories associated with feelings of “rejection and emotional deprivation leading to our distrust of other people” (Grof, 1993, p. 25). Another example of a COEX that is instead associated with positive emotions would be memories containing feelings of peace, bliss, or ecstasy. Additionally, Grof (1993) discovered that the COEX’s extended beyond the individual unconscious and into the realms of perinatal experiences, “past-life experiences, archetypes of the ‘collective unconscious’, and identification with other life forms and universal processes” (p. 25). This means that COEX’s function as organizers of the entire human psyche. Grof (1993) also notes that “each COEX constellation appears to be superimposed over and anchored into a very particular aspect of the birth experience” (p. 25). Grof (1993) refers to the COEX’s as “the dynamic forces behind our emotional and psychosomatic symptoms, setting the stage for the difficulties we have relating to ourselves and other people” (p. 25). COEX’s are what shape peoples perceptions of themselves, others, and the world around us. All together, Grof’s work in this area provides evidence that COEX’s are very important aspects of the human psyche and hold the keys to better understanding both the conscious and unconscious mind.

Significant therapeutic work can be done surrounding the concept of COEX’s. In an example taken from The Holotropic Mind, Grof (1993) describes the process of facilitating psychedelic therapy to get to the root COEX’s that are underlying factors that must be understood in order to resolve a client’s pain and suffering. Peter was obsessed with finding a man dressed in black who could fulfill his desire to be tortured physically and mentally while confined in a dark cellar. This sadistic desire of Peter’s which he was able to fulfill on a number of occasions, caused him to be seriously hurt, robbed, and almost got him killed. Also, during World War II while living in a Nazi occupied territory, Peter was forced to work in conditions that were equivalent to slave labor. He was also forced at gunpoint to participate in sexual practices with two SS Officers. Clearly, this trauma was related to his current fetishes, but many repressed and unresolved memories were able to explain some of his more recent traumatic experiences with his sadistic partners. After undergoing 15 sessions of psychedelic therapy, deeper and deeper levels of a COEX emerged that lead to Peter’s eventual resolution to his pain and suffering. The COEX fully emerged from reliving some horrible experiences he had had during the war all the way through his childhood and his birth trauma. During his experiences of reliving parts of his childhood, some very key images emerged that helped to make sense of his dangerous and obsessive fetish. Images of being brutally punished by his violent father and his mother who he recalled as always wearing black dresses surfaced. He also had images of his mother punishing him by locking him in their dark cellar for hours without food. His birth trauma was also focused on feelings of being in a dark and confined place where he was exposed to physical and emotional torture. While he relived his birth trauma “he began to experience freedom from his obsessions” (pp. 27-29).

The experience of reliving birth trauma’s followed by significant healing taking place as in Peter’s experience is not uncommon while in a Holotropic state. Many of these types of experiences shared by Grof’s clients and experimental subjects of LSD are what provoked his discoveries surrounding COEX’s and birth traumas. While Grof (1993) was working with LSD, he began to discover that there was an interesting relationship that the LSD experiences people related to him had with pre-natal experiences and the birth process (pp. 28-30). He was able to develop a matrix for these experiences and correlated them to four distinct stages of the birthing process. He calls the four patterns Basic Perinatal Matrices (BPM) (Grof, 1993, pp. 28-30). Grof has named each BPM according their corresponding birth stage and meaning within the scope of the collective unconscious. The first matrix, or BPM I is referred to as the “Amniotic Universe.” The second matrix, or BPM II is related as “Cosmic Engulfment and No Exit.” The third matrix, or BPM III is called the “Death and Rebirth Struggle.” Lastly, the fourth matrix, or BPM IV is named “Death and Rebirth” (Grof, 1993, p. 30). As previously noted each of the matrices coincide with specific stages in the birthing process and are a part of the definition of each BPM. The experience of each birthing stage respective to each BPM in sequence are: being in the womb prior to the onset of delivery, experiencing contractions before the cervix opens, moving through the birth canal, and leaving the mothers body (Grof, 1993, p. 30).

Each of the BPM’s have an association with experiences from postnatal life as well as certain activities connected with Freud’s psychosexual stages of development. For example, during the delivery stage that corresponds with the first Basic Perinatal Matrix, the experiences are connected to libidinal satisfaction in all erogenous zones. Also, these perinatal experiences are associated with experiences later in life which are generally positive and happy moments such as having the experience of good mothering, harmonious dynamics between relationships with family members, playing with other children, falling in love, experiencing beauty in the world through travel and nature, exposure to aesthetically pleasing artistic creations, swimming in the ocean, etc (Basic Perinatal Matrices).

During the delivery stage associated with the second Basic Perinatal Matrix’s, the Freudian activities of oral frustration, anal retention, and other unpleasant sensations are connected to the perinatal experience of contractions before the cervix opens. The associated memories from postnatal life could be situations where survival or body integrity is endangered such as war, accidents, injuries, operations, diseases, drowning or suffocation, imprisonment, physical abuse, etc. Other associated memories include severe psychological traumas such as emotional deprivation, threatening situations, ridicule, and humiliation (Basic Perinatal Matrices).

During the delivery stage of moving through the birth canal, or the third Basic Perinatal Matrix, the perinatal experiences are associated with activities in Freudian erogenous zones such as chewing and swallowing food, oral aggression, orally destructing an object, defecation and urination, orgasm, anal, urethral, or phallic aggression, etc. Examples of the associations to experiences or memories from postnatal life could be fights, adventurous activities such as military service, driving hazardously, or boxing, extremely sensual memories such as amusement parks, night clubs, parties, or orgies, childhood observation of adult sexual activities, seduction, and rape (Basic Perinatal Matrices).

The last delivery stage of leaving the mothers body, or the fourth Basic Perinatal Matrix is interesting because it deals with both death and rebirth – death of life inside the womb, and birth into the world outside of it. The Freudian activities associated here include resolution of previous stages, and some activities repeated. For instance, satiation of thirst and hunger is resolved from the second stage in the birthing process. Also, the pleasure of sucking could be viewed as resolving the oral frustration of the second stage, or repeating the oral satisfaction felt in the first stage. Libidnal feelings are also resolved from the second and third stages in the birthing process and also repeated from the first stage. Similarly, the associated experiences and memories from postnatal life seem to foster resolution to the previous stages problems as well as reliving the first stage, yet with a sense of accomplishment attached. For instance, the postnatal experiences in this last stage include fortuitous escape from dangerous situations such as end of war, or surviving an accident or operation, struggles that result in success, and scenes of beauty in nature (Basic Perinatal Matrices class handout).

Using the four BPM’s and their associated activities in Freudian erogenous zones and postnatal experiences is a method in which we are able to connect the dots between conscious experiences which are often traumatic, to the unconscious perinatal experiences, or original birth traumas. As Grof discovered, using this method can help to quickly resolve problems that have since emerged and enable significant healing to take place. Using the different methods discussed previously in order to enter a Holotropic state of consciousness is how we are able to activate accessibility to the COEX’s that can help us to understand and resolve our birth traumas and allow us to heal. As Grof’s work has shown, using the process of Holotropic Breathwork or psychedelic therapy have both proven to be very beneficial in facilitating access to the unconscious mind where underlying COEX’s to birth trauma’s can be discovered and dealt with in a safe way. My own experience with LSD has helped me to have a greater understanding of the powerful changes and substantial healing that can occur while in a Holotropic state of consciousness.

References

Grof, S. (1993). The holotropic mind: The three levels of human consciousness and how they shape our lives. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.

Grof, S. (2000). Psychology of the future: Lessons from modern consciousness research. Albany, New York: State University of New York Press.

Grof Transpersonal Training, Inc. (n.d.). Retrieved August 31, 2005, from http://www.holotropic.com/about.shtml

Basic Perinatal Matrices. (n.d.). Class handout.