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The Dimensions (Directions) of Development (4)

The 4 additional diagonal polarities are capable of several interpretations that highlight their respective importance.

(In fact I already have dealt with their use in clarifying the nature of the physical forces, such as light, together with their complementary spiritual manifestations).

I use these polarities to translate the - literal - complex nature of the structures involved at Level 3 (Band 3) where real and imaginary parts are equal. This is then used to explain the dynamic nature of experience at this level, whereby phenomena of form become so refined that they become fully consistent with the permanent realisation of emptiness (as nondual spiritual awareness).

However we can look at the complex nature of these polarities from a slightly different perspective, that highlights well the extreme contrast that is experienced as between "higher" spiritual desire and "lower" physical instincts at this time.

The real and imaginary parts (with respect to the polarities) can be viewed as the representing the need to maintain appropriate balance as between the cognitive and affective aspects of personality.

Now the preparation for such eventual harmony as between both aspects, was initially experienced (in my case) as an acute conflict in personality. This conflict represented the clash as between the "higher" cognitive aspect that was being used in an ever more refined fashion to mediate an - ultimately ineffable - transcendent spiritual knowledge and a "lower" affective aspect, that was increasingly associated with the most intimate projections of the physical self.

Thus any remaining over-identification with the transcendent aspect of spirit (as beyond all form) was immediately compensated for in experience by the involuntary promptings of the physical self (as prior to identifiable form).

In other words, this extreme clash of the spiritual and physical was necessary so that by the gradual surrender of all attachment to the "higher" aspect of self, the involuntary nature of "lower" physical projections could be slowly eroded.

However in truth, this task of fully balancing the transcendent and immanent aspects of spirit (as equivalent to the equal balancing of the cognitive and affective functions) was to continue for some considerable time.

Thus like the climber that eventually scrambles on to the peak of Mount Everest (with the successful descent of the mountain still to be negotiated) the culmination of Level 3 (Band 3) represents but the transcendent peak of the spiritual journey with, the successful journey to the counterbalancing immanence of the plains below still to be negotiated.


However I cannot stress strongly enough the truly complementary nature of  pure spiritual desire and the most intimate forms of physical fantasy respectively.

Just as the approach to the highest peak (i.e. Mount Everest) places the greatest stress on the physical body, likewise the approach to the most transcendent spiritual peak likewise places the greatest stress on the body (from a psychological perspective) whereby it craves that its needs be instantly met through the most intimate forms of erotic desire.

Just as continual spiritual attainment requires the full integration of cognitive and affective functions, the very nature of bodily instinct is that these two functions are confused directly with each other.

And therefore because of such confusion their promptings are thereby involuntary (whereby the will can exercise little freedom).

Now we can never fully eliminate involuntary instinctive behaviour. However the nature of such behaviour can indeed be considerably refined.

And the refinement of physical instincts is inseparable from the task of purifying spiritual desire so that they always remain complementary with each other, with remaining confusion of the complex polarities at the instinctive level always counterbalancing their greater integration in spiritual terms.

Once again the complex polarities are k(1 + i), k(1 – i), k (– 1 + i) and k( – 1  i) respectively, where k = 1/√2.

Thus if 1 is used here to represent the cognitive, i - relatively - then represents the imaginary aspect (and vice versa).

Thus at the "higher" spiritual level where these are largely integrated, they still necessarily will remain confused to a degree at the corresponding "lower" physical level (representing involuntary instinctive behaviour). For the continual refinement with respect to integration of the former depends on the corresponding refinement with respect to the remaining confusion with respect to the latter and vice versa.

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