Tag Archives: archetypes

Zones of Concentration

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By George A. Boyd © 2021

Q: Can you explain the role of concentration in spiritual life?

A: Concentration means that you shrink the focus of your attention and hold it on an object. There are several levels at which you can apply concentration:

  1. Schema – this is a category in which you access stored knowledge about a particular topic. You use this in study and academic education. You might, for example, focus on the schema where you have learned rules for grammar. You would learn the new material about this subject and remember it in the frame of the schema, associating it to your current knowledge.
  2. Matrix of experience – You access this level when you ask your deeper mind questions and listen for the answers. You might ask for a particular incident (process meditation), a specific fact (mnemonic recall), how you feel about something (emotional inquiry), what something means (cognitive inquiry), what your options and choices are (personal inquiry), or ask for information about spiritual topics (metaphysical inquiry). You concentrate in this band when you are doing personal process, inner dialog, or psychotherapy.
  3. Reflection – You access this level when you think deeply about something and you want to solve a problem. This accesses your intellect, whereby you apply your intelligence to explore ideas and to solve problems. Those who are writers, scientists, and philosophers tap into this level of concentration.
  4. Archetypes and arrays – You access this level when you interface with elements in your Superconscious mind. You might encounter an archetype and reflect on the meaning of the form you see. You might explore the meaning of a myth or wisdom story. You might contemplate the meaning of a scripture. You might associate symbols in an array to do an intuitive reading. Theologians, metaphysical counselors, psychic readers, and transpersonal psychologists interface with this level.
  5. Nucleus of identity – You access this level when you focus your attention on one of the integration centers of your Superconscious mind. These centers include, for example, the Star Seed on the Psychic Realm, the Moon Soul in the First Planetary Initiation, Cosmic Consciousness in the First Cosmic Initiation, or the Supracosmic Seed Atom on a Supracosmic Path. Those following a religious or spiritual group focus at this level.
  6. Attentional principle – Focusing your attention at this level awakens your intentional consciousness. Once you can function at this level readily, you can perform inner work on your personality and in your Superconscious mind.
  7. Individual spirit – Focusing your attention at this level awakens the love and devotion of your spirit. Once you can readily focus your attention at this level, you can participate in opening the channels of the Nada through which your spirit returns to its origin.
  8. Ensouling entity – Focusing your attention at this level awakens the Soul. This brings about the experience of Samadhi and Gnosis. This conveys the Realization of the Inner Divinity within the Soul, and aligns you with the Soul’s Path of spiritual evolution.

Direct spiritual experience is contingent upon your ability to concentrate upon the spiritual essences at levels five through eight. We teach you how to tap levels 6, 7, and 8 in our intermediate meditation courses—the in-person Mudrashram® Master Course in Meditation and the by-mail and online Accelerated Meditation Program. We teach contemplation of nuclei of identity, level 5, in the Mudrashram® Advanced Course in Meditation.

Developing facility with levels one and two is important for successful learning and adult functioning. Those who are thinkers and who are able to access the creative and intuitive channels of their mind learn to tap into levels three and four.

We encourage you to become familiar with each of these levels of concentration, and learn how to use these attentional foci skillfully and efficiently to bring success in your life and to awaken to your full spiritual potentials.

Levels beyond Ideas

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By George A. Boyd ©2021

Q: What lies beyond ideas?

A: There are seven layers of the psyche that lie beyond ideas. These are:

  1. Patterns
  2. Archetypes
  3. Seed atoms and vehicles of consciousness
  4. Nucleus of identity and personal identification centers (ego and Self)
  5. Attentional principle
  6. Individual spirit
  7. Soul

These higher layers beyond ideas can be defined as follows:

  • Patterns are repeating sequences we observe in Nature, like the seasons and the cycles of the moon.
  • Archetypes and symbols are containers of meaning that are present in the unconscious and Superconscious mind.
  • Seed atoms are the activation nexus that allows you to utilize the knowledge, wisdom, virtues, and abilities that dwell within the forms through which the Soul incarnates and expresses.
  • Nuclei of identity and personal identification centers allow the mind to identity with a center that integrates the activity of the Conscious (ego), Metaconscious (Self), and bands of the Superconscious mind (nuclei of identity)
  • The attentional principle is the essence of consciousness and intention that enables you to do inner work.
  • The spirit is the essence of love and devotion that yearns to return to God.
  • The Soul, or ensouling entity, is the center that holds and operates through these other centers. This is your core identity.

Aspirants and disciples need to cognize and work with these higher levels of the mind beyond the realm of ideas. These higher essences are the object of spiritual work that enables you to grow in insight and wisdom, and to transform your spiritual essences to evolve spiritually.

Types of Ideas

Ideas are a spectrum, which dwell in your Manomayakosa. There are 12 major layers of ideas:

  1. Chaotic, nihilistic (motivated by a lack or meaning or purpose for living)
  2. Depression, self-harmful (motivated by loss of hope, lack of belief that dreams can be attained)
  3. Delusional, paranoid (motivated by a desire to preserve identity, liberty, and power)
  4. Fearful, anxious (motivated by survival and attachment)
  5. Destructive, demonic (motivated by anger and hatred)
  6. Sexual, sensual (motivated by lust)
  7. Money, accumulation of wealth (motivated by survival and greed)
  8. Power and fame (motivated by narcissism and egotism)
  9. Altruism (motivated by love and the wish to be of service)
  10. Creative, scientific (motivated by the quest for knowledge and discovery)
  11. Metaphysical, philosophical (motivated by the quest for wisdom and the discovery of truth)
  12. Seed thoughts (motivated by the direct inspiration of the Soul)

Fear, ignorance, and passion dominate the first eight layers of ideas. The four higher orders of ideas are avenues for your Soul’s expression.

Part of the inner transmutation process is to burn the clinging of desire off of ideas that embody the negative passions, and to only let ideas remain that actualize your Soul’s Purpose. This inner alchemy melts away imprisoning desires, and replaces them with the detached, compassionate wisdom of the Soul.

We note that today’s prevalent conspiracy theories tap level three of the spectrum of ideas.

What Are Dreams Made of, Virginia?

Your dreams are ideas clothed in your desires. You have an idea of a perfect spouse or partner. You have an idea of a perfect home. You have an idea of an ideal career. You have an idea of an idyllic retirement.

You take these ideas, which are neutral, and you make them meaningful. They become the motivating factors of your life, for your company, for your vision about how the country should be. You choose to embody this idea, and you powerfully desire it. You obsess about this idea until you have made it real.

We suggest you contemplate what are the ideas that you have clothed with desires. Notice which of these embody the negative passions, which you can live without, and those which are the foundations of your life that you choose to retain. Also note if any of these ideas embody your Soul’s altruism, creativity, and intuitive knowledge.

Through culling the desire-laden ideas from the mind, you empower your Soul to shine through the mists and to embody its purpose in your human life. You may find that many of the ideas that you have clothed with desires, others have transmitted to you—these ideas that do not belong to you and do not fit, you may simply jettison, so you may let your true essence come forth.