Animas Valley Institute — Guiding the Descent to Soul Since 1980
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In the Shadows [Collage]. Doug Van Houten
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Soul Encounter and Eco-Awakening: Two Essential Realms of Awakening Neglected in Contemporary Spirituality, Part XIV
by Bill Plotkin
Friday, June 24, 2022
This is the fourteenth part of a multi-part Musing (one per week).
Contrasts Between Inscendence and Other Realms of the Transpersonal and the Unconscious
To my knowledge, a mythopoetic and ecological conception of soul — or, more generally, soul as an underworld spiritual ultimate — is found nowhere else in transpersonal theory, depth psychology, or ecopsychology, nor in contemporary Western religion or spirituality. For example, in his review of transpersonal theories, Daniels [1] proposed “three distinct ‘vectors’” that comprise the transpersonal: “ascending, descending, and extending.” The ascending vector corresponds to what I refer to in this article as the transcendent (Spirit-oriented) or upperworld (or “higher”) transpersonal, while the extending vector refers to the relational-participatory perspective ("promoting a spiritual connection to others and the world,” p. 94) as lucidly articulated by Ferrer [2].
Daniels’ identifies the third, the descending transpersonal vector, as corresponding to “the depth psychological perspective,” which “essentially argues that transpersonal development involves the exploration and integration of unconscious material (of a spiritual kind)” [3]. As examples of this perspective and this sort of unconscious material, he includes personal psychosynthesis [4], Shadow work [5], “cocreative participation with body, emotions, unconscious” [6], “initiation into inner reality (archetypes)” [7], the “regressive return of the ego” [8], and “COEX systems; Basic Perinatal Matrices” [9]. However, Daniels [1] does not include the word soul in his survey nor any concept that corresponds to a thing’s ultimate place. This supports my impression that soul, as I define it, is a realm of psyche absent (or not explicitly identified) in transpersonal studies or depth psychology.
What soul has in common with the phenomena identified in the psychological models of Daniels’ descending vector is merely its inclusion (prior to its conscious encounter) in the realm of the unconscious or underworld, but there are at least two definitive differences: the specific realm of the underworld involved (soul as a spiritual ultimate vs. the more general elements of the unconscious) and the goal of the exploration (soul encounter and the initiation into true adulthood vs. the assimilation of elements of the unconscious for the purpose of psychotherapeutic healing or the cultivation of egoic wholeness). Soul encounter contrasts in several ways from the processes and goals of psychotherapy and healing [10]. Indeed, the journey of soul initiation is often counter-therapeutic (and appropriately so for those who are psychospiritually prepared for it), because it necessarily undermines the person’s adaptation to their current social and vocational life and their personal identity.
Daniels’ conceptualization of the descending vector is useful for a variety of purposes, but the theories or models he notes as representative of this vector differ in significant and definitive ways from what I am identifying as soul and the encounter with soul. With some models (e.g., Assagioli[4], Wilber[5], and Ferrer[6]), there is simply no evident overlap in the range of possibilities being discussed. With other models (e.g., Jung[7], Washburn[8], and Grof[9]), there is some overlap but the differences between these and soulcraft are considerable.
To differentiate my perspective from these six other models, it is useful to ask three questions of them: (1) What realms of the unconscious are conceptually and/or experientially accessed in these models? (2) What are their stated goals for accessing these realms? (In what ways do they see their work as facilitative of human development?) (3) If they include a concept of soul in their work, what is their definition and is that definition spiritual as well as more broadly transpersonal and yet distinct from Spirit?
In Roberto Assagioli’s model of the human psyche [4], which includes a lower, middle, and higher unconscious, Daniels’ descending vector corresponds to the first of these. Assagioli’s lower unconscious contains the “co-ordination of bodily functions,” “drives and primitive urges,” emotionally-charged “complexes,” “dreams and imaginations of an inferior kind,” “lower … parapsychological processes,” and “various pathological manifestations” [4, p. 17]. Assagioli’s goals for accessing the lower unconscious, a process he referred to as “personal psychosynthesis,” include “helping the patient to reach the normal state of the average man or woman by means of the elimination of repressions and inhibitions, of fears and childish dependence; to find his way out of his self-centeredness, his emotionally distorted outlook,” etc. [4, p. 55]. It is clear, then, that what I mean by soul and soul encounter do not fit in any way within the scope of Assagioli’s “lower unconscious.” Nor is it encompassed by his middle and higher unconscious (which are, essentially, what I refer to as the middleworld and upperworld).
Daniels [11, p. 12] suggested that “Assagioli was concerned to reintroduce the concept of the personal soul into psychology,” but Assagioli did not actually use the word “soul.” Rather, as Daniels [11, p. 14] pointed out, “Assagioli's equivalent to the personal soul appears at the apex of the higher unconscious … [which] … Assagioli variously refers to … as the Self, Higher Self, Spiritual Self, True Self, Real Self, Noumenal Self, or Transpersonal Self.” There is no resemblance, however, between Assagioli’s Transpersonal Self and what I mean by soul. His Transpersonal Self is upperworld spiritual (of the Ultimate Mystery), while my concept of soul is underworld spiritual (ultimate place).
Jorge Ferrer, with his relational-participatory perspective on spirituality and the transpersonal, is likewise focused on Spirit and the upperworld transpersonal. He writes, for example, “the participatory approach holds that human spirituality emerges from our cocreative participation in a dynamic and undetermined mystery or generative power of life, the cosmos, and/or spirit.” [12]. His “undetermined mystery” appears to correspond to what I mean by Spirit or the Ultimate Mystery. Although Ferrer posits that each person might have a “distinct spiritual realization,” he means we can each cultivate a personal relationship with the mystery or Spirit [13]; he is not signifying the range of possibilities I mean by soul.
Ferrer proposes that the goals for any spiritual path ought to be to “foster both an overcoming of self-centeredness and a fully embodied integration that make us not only more sensitive to the needs of others, nature, and the world, but also more effective cultural and planetary transformative agents in whatever contexts and measure life or spirit calls us to be” [14]. While I agree and celebrate this activism-oriented way of embracing spirituality, Ferrer approaches these goals through a cultivation of a relationship with Spirit, while inscendence furthers these goals (and others) by way of the descent to soul. Furthermore, soul encounter, by ushering us into a mythopoetic self-understanding of our ultimate place, enables us to reach a deeper, more potent appreciation of our unique way to serve as “transformative agents” and thereby the capacity to more effectively choose the “contexts and measure” (i.e., the delivery systems).
***
In the next Musing, we'll continue this exploration of the differences between soulcraft (including inscendence or soul encounter) and the transpersonal models of Ken Wilber and Carl Jung.
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References
[1] Daniels, M. (2009). Perspectives and vectors in transpersonal development. Transpersonal Psychology Review, 13(1), 87–99.
[2] Ferrer, J. N. (2002). Revisioning transpersonal theory: A participatory vision of human spirituality. Albany, NY: SUNY Press; Ferrer, J. N. (2011). Participatory spirituality and transpersonal theory: A 10-year retrospective. The Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, 43(1), 1–34.
[3] Daniels, M. (2009). Perspectives and vectors in transpersonal development. Transpersonal Psychology Review, 13(1), p. 94.
[4] Assagioli, R. (1971). Psychosynthesis: A Manual of Principles and Techniques. New York, NY: Viking.
[5] Wilber, K. (2006). Integral spirituality: A startling new role for religion in the modern and postmodern world. Boston, MA: Integral Books.
[6] Ferrer, J. N. (2002). Revisioning transpersonal theory: A participatory vision of human spirituality. Albany, NY: SUNY Press.
[7] Jung, C., ed. (1964). Man and His Symbols. New York, NY: Doubleday.
[8] Washburn, M. (1994). Transpersonal psychology in psychoanalytic perspective. Albany, NY: SUNY Press; Washburn, M. (1995). The Ego and the Dynamic Ground (Rev. edn.). Albany, NY: SUNY Press; Washburn, M. (2003). Embodied Spirituality in a Sacred World. Albany, NY: SUNY Press.
[9] Grof, S. (2000). Psychology of the Future: Lessons from Modern Consciousness Research. Albany, NY: SUNY Press.
[10] Plotkin, B. (2008). Nature and the Human Soul: Cultivating Wholeness and Community in a Fragmented World. Novato, CA: New World Library, pp. 290-293.
[11] Daniels, M. (2002). The Transpersonal Self: 2. Comparing Seven Psychological Theories. Transpersonal Psychology Review, Vol. 6, No. 2, 4-21.
[12] Ferrer, J. N. (2011b). Participatory spirituality and transpersonal theory: A 10-year retrospective. The Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, 43(1), p. 2.
[13] Plotkin, B. (2003). Soulcraft: Crossing into the Mysteries of Nature and Psyche. Novato, CA: New World Library, pp. 298-301.
[14] Ferrer, J. N. (2011b). Participatory spirituality and transpersonal theory: A 10-year retrospective. The Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, 43(1), p. 8.
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Recent Podcasts with Geneen Marie Haugen
• Intimacy with the World with Durita Holm (4/21): Listen on Apple and Spotify.
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Recent Podcasts with Bill Plotkin
• Conversations for the Future with Nate Bacon (1/10/21): Click here
• WE Earth Radio, conversations with Michael Stone (1/13/21): Click here
• Esalen Institute Conversation with Christine Chen (2/9/21): Click here
• Resistance Radio Conversation with Derrick Jensen (3/7/21): Audio: Click here
• Canadian Ecopsychology Network special event: Conversation with Dr. Hilary Leighton (3/18/21): Click here
• New Thinking Allowed with Jeffrey Mishlove (3/19/21): Click here
• Embodiment Matters Podcast, conversation with Carl Rabke and Erin Geesaman Rabke: Click here
• New Dimensions Radio, conversation with Justine Willis Toms: Click here
• Banyen Books, interview with Ross McKeachie, Video podcast: Click here, Audio: Click here (the audio podcast can also be found anywhere that podcasts are heard (Spotify, Apple Podcasts etc.) by searching "Banyen Books In Conversation Bill Plotkin".
• Thinking Ahead podcast — conversation with Carter Phipps (4/29/21): “The Mythopoetic Dreams of a Psychologist Gone Wild”: Click here
• The Mythic Masculine — interview with Ian MacKenzie (6/11/21): Click here
• Medicine Path podcast, conversation with Brian James (7/22/21): Click here
• The Dark Mountain Project, conversation with Steve Wheeler (8/4/21): Click here
• Mystery, Muse, and Mythos, conversation with Tracey Forest (4/22/22): Click here
To view more podcasts with Bill Plotkin: Click here
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Soulcraft Musings:
Exploring Soul and the Human Encounter with Soul
Soulcraft Musings are drawn from published and unpublished works by Bill Plotkin and other Animas guides and offer weekly trail markers (cairns) on the journey to soul. Each Musing builds on previous ones but also stands alone, and you can join at any time. You can read previous Musings here.
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