There are other social trends, such as apparent increases in political/social disturbances in some sectors, and the ever-present violent crime incidents that are flashed at us every day in the newspapers and on television. A key question at this time is which trend will prevail, especially as we begin an arbitrary chronological benchmark - the year 2000 - and it’s psychological implication of a “new millennium.” Will it be on an integral, or dis-integral, destructive trend? Are we experiencing a type of cyclic pattern with both trends playing back and forth for another millennium or so? Or will the integral trend continue to grow and lead to significant personal and social transformation?
The clue might be in how each one of us responds to the possibility of a “wholeness principle” and “integral trend.” How do we feel about being deeply connected with everyone and our environment? Do we really want this to be true?
The origins of this modern trend began in the 1960’s and 1970’s when many young people felt that something was wrong with living only, as they saw it, a purely mechanistic or self-centered view that dominated society. Conventional politics and religion did not satisfy their needs or concerns. Eastern philosophical and religious concepts seemed to provide a better perspective for them. Thus began what can now be considered as an “East meets West” integration of approaches put into practice. Other cross-cultural integration followed; Native American reverence with nature, for example. Concepts concerning our neglected inner reality and own interconnectedness were also publicized. Conventional science eventually found some of these practices to have objective merit, especially relaxation for achieving stress reduction and enhancing wellness.
The initial surge of interest in this consciousness exploration period, also termed by some as a human potential movement, occasionally overemphasized the use of external substances. Eventually, this tendency yielded to reliance on natural approaches to self-exploration through relaxation, meditation, intuitive development and other forms of inner exploration. A need for balance was also recognized. These approaches made available a variety of exceptional experiences that were not acknowledged in our industrialized Western culture.
Any new social or experiential trend can bring problems. New concepts or approaches usually evoke resistance or fear in others. At an individual level, exceptional experiences can be uplifting, inspirational, and strongly positive. Sometimes they are gentle and generate only a “cultural dissonance” that motivates personal odysseys, such as intense “soul searching” or vision quests.
Some exceptional experiences are very dramatic: Sensing unusual energies (such as a kundalini awakening), a mystical encounter, startling psychic events, intense bursts of creativity, or becoming aware of dreaming while “asleep” (lucid dreams). For some people, these experiences can be chaotic, disorienting, confusing, or fearful.
Modern medical techniques have contributed to the increase of exceptional experiences. Many people report unusual states of awareness when near physical death. These near-death experiences (NDE’s) have gained considerable media attention and have resulted in several best selling books. There is some overlap between inner exploration experiences and the NDE; both report psychic perceptions and a variety of lucid states.
Exceptional experiences may have been triggered by inner exploration, a pressing issue or crisis . . . or may have simply occurred “out-of-the-blue.” Reactions to them are varied, depending on background, cultural framework, or other factors. Many of them can be seen in a healing context; healing of self through new self-fulfillment activities or insights; healing of others through some from of healing or wellness practice. Exceptional experiences also have implications for evolution by showing us the power of our mind/body connection.
A variety of insights can be found in
psychology, physiology, and various inner exploration approaches regarding
exceptional experiences and the phenomena that people describe. Some
perspectives may be more relevant than others, depending on individual
styles and cultural environments. These events, either gentle or
traumatic, can affect us in many ways ? and there are many practical benefits.
As we learn more about exceptional experiences, we may be motivated to
be pro-active in exploring and tapping into our inner wisdom and hidden
potential. A growing number of people have found that inner exploration
is challenging, and it can also be fun! There are many ways to experience
your intuitive, psychic, transpersonal . . . and integral . . . self.
Anyone can be a participant in a positive cultural transformation trend
by exploring own inner potential.
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