Soul to Spirit: The New Spiritual Psychology

Orange

In this chapter we will continue with Group Six looking this time at how it fits with the 2nd Subplane of the Emotional Plane, which I have given the color of Orange. Please keep in mind that all my associations with the subplanes are my hypotheses based upon my understanding of Bailey. They are not something Bailey herself put forward. As we move to Orange and the 2nd subplane of the Emotional Plane we see many of the same associations from the previous level such as the Integrated Personality, the Knowledge/Sacrifice petal of the Egoic Lotus, and Aryan consciousness. We also see that the Technique of Integration phase of Integration continues to take place as well. Because I have already talked about these associations in the previous chapter, I will not comment on them here.

As I move into this next level, I am faced with a few challenges. For starters it is becoming more difficult to assert that one group might fit with one subplane. Also, Bailey’s Group Six can be associated with both the process of becoming an Integrated Personality and at the later stages, with becoming a spiritual aspirant. This means there is a lot more to say about Group Six than the other five groups we have looked at so far. For this reason, I have decided to allow Group Six to cover three subplanes of the Emotional Plane. Also, beginning with this chapter I am introducing a new concept by Alice Bailey, known as the Technique of Integration. The technique begins with steps showing us how to become what Bailey calls an Integrated Personality, and ends as we move more onto the spiritual path. In regards to the Egoic Lotus petal, I believe the Knowledge/Sacrifice is associated with Group Six the same as it was with Group Five, only in a different manner. Finally, I will introduce the idea of Aryan consciousness, which has to do with increased mental polarization.

ARYAN CONSCIOUSNESS

Having reviewed what Alice Bailey meant by Lemurian consciousness and Atlantean consciousness, we will now take a look at the next level of consciousness, Aryan consciousness. As I talk about this I need to clarify right way how Hitler in Nazi Germany decided to use this phrase. At the time that Hitler was around the terms “Lemurian,” “Atlantean,” and “Aryan” were far better known than they are now. The term Aryan actually existed long before Hitler adopted it for his own ends, and committed mass genocide of millions in his warped idea to bring about the “pure” Aryan race. To let you know then long before Hitler the Aryans were known to be a group of people who spoke the Indo-European language and were believed to have moved from the regions of Europe into northern India in the 2nd millennium BCE. The word Aryan actually comes from the Sanskrit word “ārya (Devanāgarī: आर्य), in origin and in Classical Sanskrit means honorable, respectable, or noble. In traditional Theosophy, the Aryans (like the Lemurians and Atlanteans) were also thought to be a race of people. Once again, I have no desire to get into that discussion, preferring instead to focus on the term “Aryan” in regards to a particular developmental state of consciousness.

To help us understand how Alice Bailey views Aryan consciousness I want to start with a direct quote from her. “In the more advanced people of the world today, we have the functioning of the mind-body; this is to be found in a large scale in our Western civilisation.  The energy of the ray of the mental body begins to pour in, and slowly to assert itself. As this happens, the desire nature is brought under control, and consequently the physical nature can become more definitely the instrument of mental impulses. The brain consciousness begins to organise and the focus of energies begins to shift gradually out of the lower centres into the higher. Mankind is developing the ‘Aryan consciousness’ and is reaching maturity.  In the more advanced people of the world, we have also the integration of the personality and the emergence into definite control of the personality ray, with its synthetic, coherent grip of the three bodies and their fusing into one working unit.  Later, the personality becomes the instrument of the indwelling soul.” Esoteric Psychology, Vol. II p. 26.

Looking at what Bailey says above, I feel it connects to Group Six since we do see the mental body beginning to assert itself and as we will see the integration of the personality is taking place. As for the desire nature being brought under control? In the sense that the emotions that run the desires are being more controlled by Group Six types, this applies to Group Six. And, if bringing the desire nature under control means  one is better able to direct the desire nature in such a way these desires have a greater likelihood of being fulfilled, that would also fit with Group Six. But, if we read what Bailey is saying as saying the desire nature is being subdued or eliminated, this does not fit with Group Six, but then it also does not fit with Bailey’s notion of the Integrated Personality either. For this reason, I don’t really think that this is what Bailey is implying in this quote. Rather, I see Aryan consciousness as becoming more truly mental, meaning the individual is better able to channel and work with the emotional energies to accomplish one’s goals for positive or negative ends depending on other aspects of how their consciousness is unfolding. Sadly what Hitler did in some ways reflected how on the negative side this Aryan consciousness can be applied in a cruel and heartless way. He served as an initial warning of how destructive Aryan consciousness could become on our planet if  we are not extremely careful to avoid its darker characteristics.

INTEGRATED PERSONALITIES

Before I share about of the specific characteristics regarding Group Six, I want to introduce another new concept, that of the Integrated Personality. What is an Integrated Personality? I would like to explain it first by quoting extensively from Bailey herself. “The characteristics of the individual who is beginning to function as a personality might be briefly enumerated as follows.  They are simple and clear and preeminently selfish. Let it not be forgotten that the primitive step on the way to selfhood of necessity is selfishness. Let it be equally well remembered that the prime hindrance to the advanced and highly evolved personality is selfhood, or the prolongation of the selfish attitude.  The characteristics therefore are in their sequential development as follows:

1. The ability to say I am, I wish, I desire, I will.
2. The consciousness of being in the centre of one’s tiny universe.  “Around me the Heavens move and the stars in their courses revolve” is the motto of this stage.
3. The sense of drama and the capacity to visualise oneself as the centre of one’s environment.
4. The sense of responsibility and the aptitude to regard the surrounding members of the human family as dependent upon one.
5. The sense of importance—the outgrowth of the above.  This demonstrates in power and influence where there is a real and steadily awakening entity behind the persona, and in braggadocio and bombast where a small selfish creature functions.
6. The power to use the entire equipment so that the mind and brain function synchronously and the emotional nature is thereby subordinated, inhibited or controlled.  This involves the steady growth of the power to use thought.
7. Capacity to live a coordinated life so that the entire man functions and is guided by purpose (expressing the energy of will), by desire (expressing the energy of the emotional or psychic nature), and by vitality which swings the physical vehicle into line with purpose and desire.
8. Power to influence, sway, guide and hold others within the range of individual purpose and desire.

When this stage has been reached the three energies which constitute a personality have been successfully fused and merged and the mechanism or instrument of the indwelling self is a usable and valuable asset.  The man is a potent personality and becomes the centre of a group; he finds himself to be a focal point for other lives, and is an influential magnetic individual, swaying others, coordinating human units into groups, and organisms.  He becomes the head of organizations and of parties, of religious and political bodies and of nations in some cases (Treatise on White Magic pp. 393 — 396).

In another book Bailey also mentions that the Integrated Personality expresses him or herself in the following ways: “1. The free use of the mind so that focused attention can be paid to all that concerns the personal self and its aims. This spells personality success and prosperity.

2. The power to control the emotions and yet have the full use of the sensory apparatus to sense conditions, to feel reactions, and to bring about contact with the emotional aspects of other personalities.
3. The capacity to touch the plane of ideas and to bring them through into consciousness.  Even if these are later subordinated to selfish purpose and interpretation, the man can, however, be in touch with that which can be spiritually cognised.  The free use of the mind presupposes its growing sensitivity to intuitional impression.
4. The demonstration of many talents, powers and the working out of genius, and the emphatic bending of the whole personality to the expression of some one of these powers.  There is often an extreme versatility and an ability to do many outstanding things noticeably well.
5. The physical man is frequently a wonderfully sensitive instrument of the inner, emotional and mental selves, and gifted with great magnetic power; there is often resilient, though never robust, bodily health, and great charm and personal outer gifts” (Esoteric Psychology, Vol. II, pp. 14 —15)

To overly simplify things, an integrated personality is someone who has integrated his or her  thoughts, feelings, vital and physical bodies to such a high degree they are able to achieve great heights in the physical world. Though in the later stages of integration, Integrated Personalities will reach a crisis and head towards a spiritual path, most people who are Integrated Personalities tend to be highly separative, selfish, and even power hungry. For these reasons Integrated Personalities can become extremely dangerous because if their selfish ambitions and magnetic personalities are directed in a misguided way, they have the potential to harm millions of people (as Hitler did). They even have the potential to damage the planet to such an extent most of it will be uninhabitable. Knowing how destructive an Integrated Personality might become, it might surprise you to know that the Bailey teachings view becoming an Integrated Personality as both a necessary and very positive step. Keeping this in mind, let’s read some more direct quotes from Bailey’s writings to continue to help us understand what becoming an Integrated Personality is about.

“Just what do we mean by Integration? We are apt to bandy words about with unthinking lightness and inexactitude, but, dealing as we are with a development which is becoming increasingly prevalent in the human field, it might profit us for a moment to define it and seek to understand one or two of its major implications.  It has to be regarded as an essential step, prior to passing (in full and waking consciousness) into the fifth, or spiritual kingdom. We regard the physical body as a functioning aggregate of physical organs, each with its own duties and purposes. These, when combined and acting in unison, we regard as constituting a living organism. The many parts form one whole, working under the direction of the intelligent, conscious Thinker, the soul, as far as man is concerned.  At the same time, this conscious form is slowly arriving at a point where integration into the larger whole becomes desirable and is finally achieved—again in the waking consciousness.  This process of conscious assimilation is carried forward progressively by the gradual integration of the part into the family unit, the nation, the social order, the current civilisation, the world of nations, and finally into humanity itself. This integration is, therefore, both physical in nature, and an attitude of mind. The consciousness of the  man is gradually aroused so that it recognises this relation of the part to the whole, with the implied inter-relation of all parts within the whole.

The man who has awakened to full consciousness in the various aspects of his nature—emotional, mental and egoic—realises himself first of all as a personality.  He integrates his various bodies with their different states of consciousness into one active reality. He is then definitely a personality and has passed a major milestone on the Path of Return. This is the first great step. Inevitably, the evolutionary process must bring to pass this phenomenal occurrence in the case of every human being, but it can be produced (and is increasingly so produced today) by a planned mental application to the task, and an intelligent consideration of the relation of the part to the whole.  It will be found that the purely selfish, material personality will eventually arrive at the condition, wherein the man will be conscious of integrated activity and power, because he

1. Has developed and integrated his own separative ‘parts’ into one whole.
2. Has studied and used his environment, or the whole of which his personality is but a part, in such a way that it contributes to his desire, his success, and his emergence into prominence. In doing this, he necessarily has had to make some living contribution to the whole, in order to evoke its integrating power. His motive, however, being purely selfish and material in objective, can only carry him a certain distance along the path of the higher integration” (Esoteric Psychology, Vol II p. 348 — 349).

Regarding the above quote, I would like to make a few clarifications since Bailey’s language can be difficult to connect with. First, Bailey views becoming an Integrated Personality as an essential step. Second, we have to become integrated “in full and waking consciousness” before we can pass into the “fifth or spiritual kingdom.” This phrase, spiritual kingdom, may be new to those reading this book, so let me quickly share how in the Bailey teachings five kingdoms are said to exist. These are: 1) Mineral. 2) Plant. 3) Animal. 4) Human. 5) Spiritual. Before we can become fully spiritual, according to Bailey, we must become fully human, with all the possibilities and difficulties associated with our humanity. Next we read about how the physical body with its aggregate of physical organs and so forth are part of a whole, and have to come under the direction of the “Thinker”, which at a higher turn of the spiral is the soul, as the “Thinker” integrates the many parts of the individual (which includes the mental, emotional, vital and physical aspects of the person) into a coordinated unit or whole.

As this is achieved the individual is simultaneously integrated into a greater whole (in his or her waking consciousness) that includes the “the family unit, the nation, the social order, the current civilisation, the world of nations, and finally into humanity itself.” In short, he or she, becomes an “Integrated Personality,” which we are told marks a “major milestone on the Path of Return.” (Note: the Path of Return has to do with returning to discover who you are as the Soul). Finally, we see that once the person has integrated all his or her separate parts into a coordinated unit and then integrated into the whole of humanity itself, he or she is now able to use his or her integrated personality to help him or her achieve all they desire. Usually, this means he or she becomes a highly successful human being and emerges “into prominence” within humanity as a whole. Bailey goes on to say, “In doing this, he necessarily has had to make some living contribution to the whole, in order to evoke its integrating power. His motive, however, being purely selfish and material in objective, can only carry him a certain distance along the path of the higher [ior more spiritual] integration.” Esoteric Psychology, Vol II p. 348 — 349.

Ironically, when we revisit Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, we see parallels with becoming an Integrated Personality, especially in regards to his last stage, Self-Actualization. For those with a spiritual inclination they may tend to view the “self” here as the “spiritual self.” But, that is not necessarily the case. Maslow associates Self-Actualization with the words creative, spontaneous, good at problem solving and seeing and accepting the “facts” that you have exposed yourself to. All of these can exist in a person who can act in a selfish way. As for Maslow’s “moral” keyword that he places here, as you will discover in this chapter many Integrated Personalities who put themselves in positions of power may view themselves as “moral.” That is because they are often the very one’s who determine what morality is (or the rules of behavior in regards to yourself and others as you decide to define them). Seeing how Maslow’s Self-Actualization need can apply to someone who is separative, individualistic, and highly selfish came as a surprise to me. I had always thought this step had spiritual connotations. It never occurred to me that even though you could see Maslow’s “self” as the spiritual Self, it could also refer to the highly individualistic, materialistic, and selfish “self” that Bailey calls an Integrated Personality. But, this is very important to consider as we continue to move through this book. Having gotten a better understanding of what an Integrated Personality is, I would now like to introduce Bailey’s Group Six.

EGOIC LOTUS  — Knowledge/Sacrifice Petal

In the Group Five chapter I introduced the Knowledge/Sacrifice petal (number 3 in the chart to the left). I believe this petal applies to Group Six at the Integrated Personality stage (prior becoming an Aspirant) as well. Quoting again from A Treatise on Cosmic Fire by Bailey we are told that, “[The unfoldment of this petal is] brought about through the driving force of circumstances, and not of free will. It is the offering up of the physical body upon the altar of desire—low desire to begin with, but aspiration towards the end, though still desire. As man in the early stages of his evolution is polarised on the physical, much of this is undergone unconsciously and without any realisation of what is being consummated, but the result in the causal body is seen in a twofold increase of heat or of activity.” (p. 540).

In light of some of what I have talked about, especially in regards to members of Group Six being able to exercise more free will, I almost did not assign the Knowledge/Sacrifice here. But, because this petal talks about the pursuit of desire, and that is even more intensified with Group Six, I decided to keep the connection with the Knowledge/Sacrifice petal here. Another reason I kept the link of Group Six to the Knowledge/Sacrifice petal is because though they are beginning to develop mind, they are still heavily focused on the physical plane, which is one reason the become so materialistic. And, a final reason I am linking Group Six to the Knowledge/Sacrifice petal is that when we shift to the next petal, the Love/Knowledge petal, we are told that we reach this petal when the individual has a “realisation of his essential duality” and moves out of the “Hall of Ignorance.” (Treatise on Cosmic Fire, p. 540). This “essential duality” refers to the growing awareness of oneself as both a soul and a personality. As for passing out of the “Hall of Ignorance” that refers to no longer being ignorant, or unaware, of who you really are as a spiritual being. For these reasons Group Six people don’t seem to fit the Love/Knowledge petal until they become Aspirants, meaning for now the association of Group Six at the Integrated Personality stage with the Knowledge/Sacrifice petal will remain. 

TECHNIQUE OF INTEGRATION — Integration

I would like now to discuss another term used in the Bailey books that has to do with various techniques given to help with both personal and then spiritual development. We will begin with Bailey’s “Technique of Integration” that begins by first learning to integrate the personality and then has three phases: Alignment, Crisis, and Light. Why are these techniques needed? To help avoid a number of problems that Integrated Personalities face. Bailey names some of these problems, which I have taken the liberty to mention using Bailey’s direct quotes since she explains these problems so very well. I have also taken the liberty to bold certain parts of what she says to make it easier to spot the problems quickly for this level, that as we explain the Technique of Integration in chapters to come, hopefully will be avoided. The problems include:

“A sense of power, which makes the man, temporarily at least, selfish, dominant, sure of himself and full of arrogance. He is aware of himself as facing a larger world, a wider horizon, and greater opportunities. This larger sense can bring, therefore, serious troubles and difficulties. This type of person, under the influence of this extension of consciousness, is often beautifully motivated and actuated by the highest intentions, but only succeeds in producing inharmony in his surroundings. These tendencies, when allowed to rule unchecked, can lead eventually to a serious state of egomania, for egomania is outstandingly a problem of integration.  All these difficulties can be obviated and offset if the man can be brought to realise himself as an integral part of a much greater whole.  His sense of values will then be adjusted and his sense of power rightly oriented.

A tendency to over-emphasis may also show itself, turning the man (as a result of integration and a sense of well-being or power and capacity) into a fanatic, at any rate for a time. Again with the best motives in the world, he seeks to drive everyone the way that he has come, failing to recognise the differences in background, ray type, point in evolution, and tradition and heredity.  He becomes a source of distress to himself and to his friends.  A little learning can be a dangerous thing, and the cure for many ills, particularly of a psychological nature, is the recognition of this.  Progress can then be made on the Path of Wisdom.

The over-development of the sense of direction or of vocation, if you like to call it so, though the two are not identical, for the sense of direction is less definite than the recognition of vocation… Certain aspects of the man are now consciously recognised, and the higher of these constantly attracts him. When, for instance, the gap between the astral or emotional body and the mind has been bridged, and the man discovers the vast field of mental activity which has opened up before him, he may for a long time become materialistically intellectual and will tune out as far as he can all emotional reactions and psychic sensitivity, glamouring himself with the belief that they are, for him, non-existent. He will then work intensively on mental levels.  This will prove only a passing matter from the point of vision of the soul (e’en if it last an entire incarnation or several incarnations); but it can cause definite psychological problems, and create in the man’s perception of life, ‘blind spots.’  However, much trouble is cured by leaving people alone, provided the abnormality is not too excessive” (Esoteric Psychology, Vol. II, pp. 437-439)

Though there are other problems the above reflect the main psychological problems that have to be worked through in order for Group Six members at the Integrated Personality stage to continue to evolve. Using the example of Ayn Rand in this chapter, it is easy to see how she, and many others like her, have these various psychological issues. Many of these issues will be confronted and resolved naturally in time as the person continues to wake up and starts to respond to the call of the soul. That path will be outlined in more detail in this book. But, in the meantime Group Six and Integrated Personality types can create a lot of difficulty and even suffering for themselves and a great many others. What can we do about this? In the Bailey teachings much is written about the positive and negative directions that someone may head in at this stage. By understanding what these are, those who are beyond the stage of the Integrated Personality and are beginning to recognize the soul, can help cultivate the positive aspects and the better manage and contain the negative aspects who are at this stage of development.

As a reminder some of the positive aspects are: 1). Awakening the mind more; 2) Being able to integrate the mind, emotions vital and physical bodies into a coordinated whole that allows one to become  more effective in larger and larger spheres of influence; 3) Becoming an individual and being able to exercise independent thought instead of being a “sheeple” or “medium” conditioned by others. 4) Having a sense of destiny with the will and ability to accomplish it. As for the more negative aspects and how to avoid them? Here are a few suggestions that I have taken and put into my own language from Alice Bailey’s Esoteric Psychology, Vol. II book taken primarily from pages 445—447.

1. Guide the person to appreciate a greater diversity of views.
2. Help the person to become more “human” especially in regards to cultivating empathy.
3. Examine with them the possibilities and even probabilities that they are suppressing or manipulating their emotions instead of learning to work with them in a healthy way.
4. Give the individual a better understanding of spiritual realities in a way that it appeals to their growing need for logic and reason.
5. Engage them in activities that can help them awaken the “mystic” in a higher sense, as opposed to them engaging in methods based primarily on glamour because the practices and visions are too tied in with emotional dysfunction, naivete and superstition.
6. Show them how various soul qualities such as compassion, kindness, discernment, right action, right livelihood, right detachment, etc. can serve vs debilitate them.
7. Help them to see the potential negative consequences of their separative nature as early on as possible.
8. Train them in meditation practices that help them become more receptive to the “light within” especially of ”such a nature that the subconscious part of the man can be ‘lighted at will by the ray of the mind’, and the mind itself can become a search light, penetrating into the super-consciousness and thus revealing the nature of the soul” (Esoteric Psychology, Vol. II, p. 447). In other words, the mind is focused in such a way it looks into the subconscious to deal with what is commonly known as the shadow (or areas of cleavage or gaps in development), while at the same time allowing the person through meditative processes to see more clearly into the super-conscious intuitive realms of the soul. Note: the growing predominance of meditation practices like mindfulness meditation assist in this.

In the chapters to come I will say much more about the Technique of Integration as outlined by Bailey.

SUMMARY

Moving into Pumpkin, or the 3rd subplane of the Emotional Plane, we reach the level that some might see as dangerous, but is essentially good and necessary, that of Group Six, Aryan consciousness and establishing oneself as an Integrated Personality. At the beginning of their development, Integrated Personalities tend to be secular, selfish, materialistic, and separative. That may seem like a bad thing, but in many ways it is a result of the mind developing to the point where independent thought begins. The mind is also starting to become logical and rational. Because Group Six members are still on the Emotional Plane this so-called “logic” is still heavily influenced by what Bailey calls glamour, which prevents the individual from truly seeing things as they really are on a deeper and more REAL level.

Integration of the personality implies an Integration in two directions. Inwardly, the individual integrates his/her mind, emotions, vital and physical bodies so that they are more coordinated and able to assist in helping the individual satisfy primarily the desire nature orientated towards money, pleasure, and power. In Maslow’s words, this helps the person “Self-Actualize” if by “self” at this stage we mean the lower self, or personality. Outwardly, integration also means the capacity to effectively integrate into the larger world. This helps the Integrated Personality become influential and effective in larger and larger circles of influence, that could potentially even become world wide at some point. When cleavages, or gaps, in becoming and Integrated Personality take place at later stages of more spiritual development, we will find the person who is truly selfless and in many ways spiritual, but ultimately ineffective in having much of an influence in the larger world. This is one reason why the stage of Integrated Personality is so important, if accomplished in a successful way, it allows the individual to be a real agent of change for the good throughout humanity as a whole at some point.

Also, in regards to Group Six and the Integrated Personality stage and what is known as Integral Orange, I emphasized that many difficulties exist when we try to line up the Bailey and Integral models at this level. Similarities between the two models include an emphasis on being more logical, rational, reasonable, and scientific. Differences come about when you factor in that much of the so-called reason, logic, and rationality that Integral Orange talks about are highly influenced by glamour, or distortions, that from higher spiritual perspectives may not make them very logical, rational, or reasonable at all. Another problem between the two models is that Integral’s stage of selfishness and over-blown narcissism occurs only much earlier in their model (Integral Red), where the Bailey model allows for different levels of this selfishness and narcissism to happen at various levels. In the Bailey model Group Three (which is similar to Integral Red) is selfish only to a limited degree. Because they are not yet Integrated Personalities, they lack the coordination and integration both inwardly and outwardly, preventing them from having a very wide level of influence in regards to their potentially destructive natures. With Bailey’s Group Six, this has changed. Because Group Six members are Integrated Personalities, their selfish and destructive natures if left un-checked, can potentially become destructive for the entire human race.

Finally, we need to remember the pros as well as the cons of becoming an Integrated Personality. Both these pros and cons have been mentioned in this chapter. Unlike the Integral model where we seem to be growing away from selfish and separative tendencies (their Integral Red), in the Bailey model we are in many ways only just beginning to grow into them. For most of humanity the stage of the Integrated Personality is an ideal and something to strive for. We are also told that this stage for human kind as a whole could last potentially for thousands of years. That is one reason it may be so important to consider the Bailey model approach, because it emphasizes the urgency in preparing for this stage to emerge in such a way on the whole those who are above the Group Six level, can work to mitigate its most destructive effects. Along these lines I refer you back to the suggestions laid down on pages 113—114 of this book summarizing the thoughts of Bailey concerning steps that can be taken to help those at the Integrated Personality Group Six level.