The teacher of the future....
will be a master of integrating both of these pillars
that normally operate
independently of each other.
The poor ego gets a bad rap.
Historically, the psychotherapist has worked on helping
an individual
develop a healthy ego while the spiritual teacher assists in
transcending
the ego.
It is important to understand that ego is nothing
more than a
Latin word for "I" -- so the therapist is assisting
the individual in developing a healthy identity that is
absolutely necessary.
Think about it...how can you transcend something you don't even
have?
Your ego is way too small!
In reality the "ego" which defines us as separate and
individual
from the world around us is really way too small. You actually
need to
develop an identity that is congruent with the "Ego" or Higher
Self of Infinite power and potential versus the finite small
ego-self.
"You must go through madness to merge
with Truth."
The madness referenced here is the madness of defining
yourself by the
small ego versus the big Ego, which is your true identity. But
please
understand that you cannot transcend something you have not yet
fully
developed.
The traditional therapist has very little ability, and
sometimes even
an aversion, to assisting an individual in moving beyond the ego
or separate
identity; and this metaphysical search has normally been solely
within
the realm of the spiritual teacher or guru.
Now the guru is no panacea either....
Conversely the typical guru or spiritual teacher has
little to no ability
to assist you in developing the ego/identity that is so
necessary for
healthy development. Imagine building a skyscraper with no
foundation.
To fully understand this concept we must discuss all
facets of evolution
from the practical to the mystical.
"The descent into matter must be
complete
before the ascent to spirit can commence."
-- Dion Fortune
In most traditional systems, there exists a hierarchy of
development.
While those can be discussed as any number of levels or stages,
I prefer
to discuss them as The Seven Stages of Spiritual
Evolution
(reference The Creating Wealth Experience).
Coupled with these seven stages, which we will call
"vertical growth,"
there are also lines of development within each stage, which we
will call
"horizontal growth."
So for instance, let's assume that you are at stage "3"
in your seven-stage
potential. You have done the spiritual work to move you from
stage "2" upward (vertical growth).
However, within each stage you operate horizontally on four
different lines
or phases, spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical. Spiritual
work and experience
tends to move you vertically while traditional psychotherapeutic
work moves you horizontally.
In other words....
A major factor in moving you vertically is the ability
to move into altered
states of consciousness. You can have a full-on spiritual
experience at
any stage of development but your physical body and financial
state of
affairs may be a wreck. Likewise, you may have a full-on
spiritual experience
but your relationships really stink (technical term :o).
The weakest link
The phase within each stage that lags behind will hinder
your ultimate
growth. Therefore you must focus on height/depth and
breadth. The weakest link in the chain will either haunt you or
hinder
you.
If in the aforementioned situation you have this full-on
spiritual experience
while you are still sick and broke, you could ask the typical
spiritual
teacher/guru for advice and most likely s/he would tell you to
"observe
it" or just to "meditate."
While this may work in the East....
...if you sit around and meditate in the West they will
come and take your
furniture away, you'll still be sick -- broke -- and on top of
that,
your friends and family will leave you!
Obviously the guru's advice gives very little immediate
assistance
with the physical challenge you are facing.
The Journey of Power is an integrated approach.
The integrated teacher may tell you that you need to
change your diet,
exercise, help you get a financial action plan, send you to
relationship
counseling, and assist you in releasing limiting beliefs and
emotions
that hinder you in all these areas.
And, oh by the way....
...I still encourage you to keep up with your
meditative/magickal practice.
There are way too many individuals in the "New Age"
arena that
I lovingly call cosmic foo-foo's. These wanna-be
spiritual adepts are way too quick to rub their crystals, talk
with their groovy shaman, and move furniture around.... but tell
them
to get a job and go on a diet....and they want no part of that!
I remember reading of the spiritual teacher Adi Da
(formally Bubba Free
John) approaching his teacher for the first time in his early
years and
asking the way to enlightenment. His teacher quickly responded,
"Lose twenty pounds and get a job; then come talk to me."
What does a job have to do with spiritual advancement
anyway?
Well just about everything! Unless you are born
independently wealthy
you need a means of earning an income or you can never attain
the heights
of your potential.
Personal and spiritual growth is
expensive!
I cannot tell you how many times I have received
push-back from my students
who are so called "spiritual aspirants" when coaching them to
"get to work" in some area of their life that necessitates
discipline
and/or difficulty.
I recall one individual wanting to do more work in
altered states
of consciousness and I told her that what she really needed
was
a level of prowess in non-altered states first. This was
evidenced clearly
by the lack of tangible results in her life.
But I like the sexy stuff better.....
Her response to me was "but I like the fun stuff" --
exactly!
The question I have is.....
"What has to happen for the 'stuff' that moves you
forward in your life power and accomplishment to be considered
'fun?'"
The Journey of Power (true power, not some
watered-down
escapism) is a journey that few are willing to make. The teacher
of the
future will be a teacher who embodies a strength,
accomplishment, and
comprehension at all levels of existence recognizing that
"matter
matters" every bit as much as spirit. This integrated
teacher
will provide assistance in developing your ego as well as your
Ego. Using
psychotherapeutic tools as well as mystical practices you will
begin to
descend and transcend. You will develop dominion of all realms!
After all....
if you weren't meant to experience physicality in all of
its amazing
splendor why the hell did you incarnate into form anyway?
James Arthur Ray
Practical Mystic
James Arthur Ray of James Ray International is an expert in
teaching individuals how to achieve Harmonic Wealth? in
all areas of their life by focusing on what they want, opposed
to what they don't want. He has been speaking to individuals as
well as Fortune 500 companies for over 20 years and is the
author of four books and an inventor of numerous learning
systems. His studies of highly successful people prove that they
continually achieve results by taking control of their thoughts
and actions to create and shape their own reality.
The Power to Win seminar (http://www.ThePowerToWin.com)
will explain in detail how success is state of mind and how the
principles of quantum physics (as seen in the movie What the
Bleep) can be applied to proven success-building techniques.
James will also cover why people who are successful in one
area of their life tend to be successful in all areas. For more information,
visit http://www.ThePowerToWin.com.