Today I would like to take a short break from our unfolding discussion about Science and Religion, to pursue a slightly more tangible line of thought. A little less, Third Eye and a little more Heart, so to speak.
Along the winding roads to God there are many toils and snares. For those who are caught in a struggle or trapped in a self destructive mindset, we must always have compassion. Not one of us has a completely clean record. Not one of us is perfect. And even though in the larger picture our ‘imperfections’ make us perfect, we do not live, for the most part, in that lofty state of awareness. We all become angry and sometimes we express it skillfully; other times not so much. We might be hurting and in an attempt to put a substantial face on our non physical problems we end up projecting the source of our pain onto others. We all have issues. . .
I would like to take some time to talk about one of the most common developmental pitfalls facing our larger New-Age community in general. The pitfall I would like to talk about is Narcissism. . .
Narcissism is a dangerous and very common stopping point on the Spiritual Path. This is, unfortunately, especially true in the New-Age culture because unlike narrowly dedicated practitioners of the world’s religious traditions, New-Age seekers are vehemently independent. While a healthy expression of independence and free thought is absolutely critical on the spiritual quest, we crystal children and star seeds tend to miss out on the wisdom and insight that comes with a traditional spiritual lineage.
Monastics around the world can tell you that the guidance of a tradition and mentors who have seen the same kinds of troubles over and over again, are indispensable! With that in mind here is my attempt at helping the New-Age seeker avoid (or break out of) our most common and dangerous developmental trap.
In order to recognize our developmental snags we first have to accept that development happens at all. Over time our individual perspective develops to encompass more and more. When we are very young, we don’t yet know how to share our toys. We used to cry when we were three or four and our mother would tell us we were not allowed to hit other people or break their things. As adults we don’t have to be told that it’s not nice to hurt others, we have the capacity to hold the perspective of another human being. We have developed the ability to empathize and have concern for the feelings of others. We do not want to cause harm.
This is development, plain and simple, and it plays out in general recognizable stages across all cultures and ethnic boundaries.
In the New-Age community the specific stages of development we are most frequently dealing with are Rational-Pluralistic-Multiculturalism into the beginnings of Trans-Rational and Trans-Personal ways of being. By the time we arrive in ‘New-Age Alley’, most of us have moved into at least a world-centric mode of awareness as an average state of being. We automatically recognize cross-cultural similarities and universal human rights and we are probably starting to recognize the vast numbers of viable perspectives in the world. For example, we may be re-considering our culturally constructed view of Shamanism in juxtaposition to the worlds religious traditions, Western Meta-Physics, Science, Ecology, and the sociological impacts of the geo-political structures imposed on indigenous peoples. . .
We may not, at the time of our New-Age inception, be able to clearly define or articulate all those different aspects of our understanding, but almost all of us are contemplating those pieces of the puzzle by the time we start frequenting a store like Evolve.
We are beginning to really understand the endless sea of context that all ideas, feelings, and actions arise within. It is an incredibly advanced view of the world that can consider the importance of the heritage of people we have never seen or met in person. We are aware that there are cultures, out there somewhere, that are threatened by socio-economic extinction and we yearn for a way to protect them from the ravages of an unjust system. We become extremely sensitive to the inherent value of all cultures and all people because, after all, taken in proper context, everyone is right!
As this unfolding progresses we begin to recognize our own suppressed emotions and flights of fancy. We start to self-validate and release old resentments. We speak in affirmations to loosen the shackles of self-doubt and self criticism, and we begin to take our first baby steps into the realm of self-actualization and self-transcendence.
As our awareness of our own potential grows alongside the recognition of the value of all cultures and people, and all of their individual world views and perspectives, we step, unwittingly, onto the mine-field of narcissism. . .
In our sensitive and high minded attempts not to unfairly judge anyone or anything, we often confuse judgment with discernment and throw the baby out with the bath water. When our pluralistic perspective gets to that point we have effectively decided that no one has access to more valuable or deeper truths than anyone else. That’s almost half of the problem right there, we start to think ‘There is no ultimate truth and all ideas are equal’!
This is a dangerous misstep.
“All beings deserve compassion” is a more valuable idea, and a deeper truth than the impulsive and sensory motivated thought,“I want candy”.
The Dalai Lama, for example, has spent his whole life cultivating a deep understanding of the contours of consciousness. He has been a political and spiritual leader, and an outspoken activist for peace and compassion around the world. Mother Theresa spent her life teaching compassion and humility while tirelessly serving the poor and sick. Gandhi inspired generations of non-violent protests for social justice and human rights. These perspectives are more developed and grounded in much deeper truth than the perspective of Johnny, the KKK rally leader who spent his life working on cars until he suddenly realized the “natural order of segregation” when he got laid off and his company kept two black guys. . .
All ideas are NOT equal. Some ideas suck.
The other part of the problem is the over inflation of the ego hidden behind the mask of ‘empowerment’. Affirmations for example are basically a tool for healing and balancing bad psychological habits. For the most part affirmations are a very useful and incredibly safe way of engaging with our self-image. We can say for example, “I am a being worthy of Love and Respect” and that is true for every set of eyes that read this. However, when we start to affirm things like, “Divinity is actively working through me at all times. . .” It may be time to take a break, and recognize our unskilled and unguided use of affirmations to ‘self-medicate’.
Another example is the New-Age tendency for spiritual bypassing. Often our intellect “understands” the concept of unity consciousness or oneness with spirit, but unfortunately the ego is waiting to use our ideas. God is fully present in all things may be a way of expressing the divine indwelling, but it does not mean, “I am God” which is exactly what the ego would like to think!
This kind of over inflation of the ego often passes for ‘empowerment’, but it is actually the shielding of a deep weakness. It takes courage to accept the truth that our limited self is minuscule and insignificant in the vastness of the Unknowable. Trying to reassure our little ego’s that we are always in accord with the will of the divine, belies a deep insecurity and the inability to acknowledge our own faults.
The most insidious trap of narcissism is set when these two developments unfold simultaneously. In this worst case scenario our lesser desires and childish, or manipulative, urges claim they are equal to genuine trans-personal care and concern for others because, ‘there is no ultimate truth and all ideas are equal’. At the same time our own faults are hidden from us and actively denied by the addiction to false empowerment which claims that the little ego is perfect and powerful.
This is a sad state for any being to be in, and is extremely common in the new age community at large. Please have compassion for people struggling in this trap of narcissism. It can be a very scary and painful ordeal. When we are in this trap, there seems to be no truth or direction so we desperately try to proclaim our own small egos as the truth. But Real Truth is unavoidable. As the ineffectiveness of our endeavors and the shallowness of our proclamations accumulate in the small hollow space that we fear we might actually be, the mind recoils at the horror of it’s own machinations. . . You can help to liberate these unfortunate souls by gently pointing out the smallness of the ego and the simple truth that Nazi’s are not the same as Saints.
These simple ideas along with encouragement to engage in a genuine practice of personal development like meditation or prayer, will help to untangle the lines of growth and eventually set them free.
Wishing you all a Safe and Beautiful Journey on the Winding Roads to God. . .
Michael Sunspirit
