by James Strohl | Feb 23, 2018 | Papers
Intentionally taking time to “pause” is an effective method for interrupting our unconscious attachment to the constant flow of automatic thoughts and allowing greater access to the inner stillness and silence in which, to which, and from which everything appears.
Pausing and turning inward quiets our mental activity exposing an inner calmness and quietness that is ever-present although often unrecognized. This inner state of being often goes unnoticed because of our obsessive participation in mental activities. When we directly access this inner state of being we are said to be fully present or accessing “presence”.
When in presence we recognize that we are the observer or witness of the thoughts, feelings, and perceptions appearing in our perceptual field. We realize that we are not the objects in our awareness but, in reality, we are the awareness itself in which all objects arise. Slowing down, pausing, resting in awareness, and experiencing pure awareness reveals that we are always present, i.e., our sense of existence is timeless and unchanging.
Being “fully present” includes experiencing qualities such as relaxation, openness, receptivity, peacefulness, stillness, quietness, neutrality, stability, completeness, fulfillment and contentment. These characteristics of presence mimic those associated with that which is called a state of “being”. The qualities of this inner state of being are a stark contrast to our typically active “thinking and doing” state that is so familiar to most of us.
Periodically reminding ourselves to take a moment to stop, pause, and turn inward can serve as a helpful, initial step toward experiencing a state of being and the positive characteristics of presence.
by James Strohl | Feb 23, 2018 | Papers
Ego transcendence is often misunderstood by Western spiritual seekers. In this paper, I hope to clear up some common misperceptions about the state of consciousness known as ego transcendence.
First, let’s briefly define ego. That which we call “ego” is actually a collection of thoughts and concepts which form an identity about what and who we are. This ego identity arises from a larger Self called our greater Self, Inner Being, or multidimensional Self. Therefore, each of us, as we know ourselves to be, are one, small portion of this greater Self projected into a time-space reality called the physical universe.
Our greater Self has the ability to take on characteristics that allow it to perform in many dimensions including this three-dimensional physical world. Therefore, each one of us is a stream of consciousness flowing from a greater, non-physical Self and expressing itself through a perceived physical form. As human beings, we experience this stream of consciousness as an individualized, unique, personality structure or ego. Our ego personality is only one of many aspects, facets, or expressions of our greater Self.
It is important to note that our greater Self and its earth-based ego expression exist at the same time. Our ego personality always remains grounded in a more fundamental state of consciousness called the greater Self. Our greater Self is always aware of our earth-based existence and is constantly offering support and guidance to us. However, our ego-based personality is totally free to create its own reality, including one that does not recognize the greater Self as its fundamental source of support and guidance.
Ego transcendence does not mean getting rid of our ego personality structure; it means transcending the illusion or limited view (deceptive appearance) that the ego is actually who we are. It suggests acknowledging the ego for what it is – an expression of our greater self — and recognizing that the ego is simply an instrument or mental construction through which the greater Self temporarily expresses itself.
The ego does not completely dissolve upon transcendence. As human beings, we will always experience a sense of having a body and personality. The operational functioning of the ego remains intact, although it becomes less dominant in our everyday living. What dissolves is our sense that we are separate, independent, self-sufficient entities. When transcending the ego in this manner we are able to recognize, access, and receive the infinite resources of our greater Self on an ongoing basis.
In brief, transcendence suggests freeing ourselves from being lost in the ego — lost in the illusion that our sense of being a separate, personalized self “is” our deepest, truest existence. It means transcending the illusion that the ego is the fundamental core of our existence.
Transcendence occurs when we recognize the ongoing presence of our unchanging, greater Self that experiences “all” that is happening, including recognizing the concepts and beliefs associated with the formation of the ego itself. Eventually, we realize that the ego is not a thing (not a noun), it is a process. The ego is actually a dynamic, interactive process, function, or stream of consciousness that permits our greater Self to manifest and know itself as a conscious being expressed in physical reality.
Accepting and opening ourselves to all that appears in our awareness allows the boundaries between our greater Self and ego personality to dissolve, thus freeing us from the illusion of separateness. To be a fully functioning, transcendent being requires resolution of the apparent paradox that we are both spiritual beings and human beings at the same time.
by James Strohl | Feb 23, 2018 | Papers
There is much evidence that the application of “radical acceptance” effectively transforms acute and chronic patterns of negativity, pain, and suffering into more positive experiences.
The natural tendency of energy and consciousness is to flow freely and creatively. Natural flowing energy is perceived as satisfying, pleasurable, and positive. Negative emotions and sensations occur when we resist and block the natural, spontaneous flow of energy and consciousness.
Radical acceptance is an effective antidote to negativity because the infusion of loving, nonresistant streams of energy evoke the release of energy blocks and resistances. Transforming blocked energy back to its natural flowing state results in positive perceptional experiencing.
Introducing an attitude of radical acceptance (also called unconditional love) provides an ample supply of dynamic, positive flow to encourage even the strongest elements of resistance (fear) to release and realign with nature’s natural flow of positive energy and stream of consciousness. Knowing this is especially helpful when we have difficulty redirecting our attention away from strong, stubborn, negative thought and feeling patterns toward more positive ones. During these times, responding to negative thoughts and perceptions with an attitude of acceptance (receptivity, forgiveness, and love) diminishes the negativity by introducing a natural, positive, nonresistant flow of energy. Negative, fearful attitudes, thoughts, and beliefs always resist and block the natural flow of consciousness while acceptance and love are non-resistance, free-flowing forms of energy that produce pleasurable, expansive, creative experiencing.
In conclusion, the attitude of radical acceptance can be viewed as an energetic introduction or inclusion of positively charged elements of love and freedom into energy patterns that are non-accepting and resisting the natural flow of the universe. This introduction of positive, flowing energy relaxes and dissolves resistances and blocks that have been causing negativity, pain, and suffering by inhibiting the natural inclination of energy and consciousness to move and change. Radical acceptance will positively transform even the strongest, most rigid, and resistant energy patterns by freeing them to return to their natural state of movement, flow, and creative expression.
by James Strohl | Feb 23, 2018 | Papers
To be an effective therapist and healer it is supremely important that we genuinely care about those we wish to assist and also believe in their ability to realign, heal, and prosper. The maximum therapeutic benefit is realized when clients recognize these qualities in their therapists and healers and, more importantly, find them to be present and active in the therapeutic relationship.
The unquestionable value of caring and faith in facilitating healing is well documented. However, the clinical application of these elements can be complex. We want to care about others in a manner that empowers them to change while not taking responsibility for changing them. It is unproductive to attempt to facilitate healing in those who are not personally committed to changing their attitudes, beliefs, and circumstances. Armed with this awareness, along with a bit of clinical experience, therapists can readily learn to recognize when a person is ready and willing to take responsibility for changing.
Ideally, when a client demonstrates a lack of readiness or willingness to change, our relentless caring, unconditional positive regard, and confidence in their future outlook will remain intact. True caring and faith are unconditional and continuous. Indeed, resisting change can be a valid behavioral response for a particular person at a particular moment in time.
To maximize the healing process, it is of utmost importance that both the clinician and client believe in the client’s ability to be happy. Faith in positive, future outcomes is more easily established if we are already in a positive feeling state. A positive mindset can be accomplished by intentionally focusing attention on thoughts, memories, and perceptions that feel good. There are many simple, practical ways to create this mindset. For example, we can intentionally recall a time we were cheerful, light-hearted, and passionate about something while emotionally engaging the positive feelings associated with that memory as if it were happening now. Or, we can take a walk outside with an intention to notice and appreciate the warm sun, fresh air, gentle breeze, clouds, trees, birds, etc. These type of activities are likely to increase positive feelings at the moment.
In conjunction with this type of activity is it helpful to teach clients the value of intentionally directing their attention. We want clients to know that where they place their attention, along with how they feel in relation to that focused attention, determines the reality they will experience. In other words, where they place their attention, energy, and focus determine the reality they create. Everything that they have experienced, are experiencing, and will experience is a result of the attitudes, beliefs, expectations, and feelings inside of them.
Knowing what one wants and expecting to get it, maximizes the chances of manifesting that particular want. Contrary to popular belief, success is not based solely on the amount of psychological energy and behavioral effort we direct toward changing and eliminating problems. When change appears to take a long time, it is often because we simply needed a long time to get to the point where all elements of our being became aligned with the changes we desired.
When attempting to help another reach their goals it is important to know where they are placing their focus, attention, and energy so that we are not fighting an uphill battle. If there is little or no hope and expectation that positive change can and will occur, there will be little or no positive change. Clients create positive changes when they direct their focus away from what they don’t want, redirect their attention toward what they do want and desire, and then expect their desires will be fulfilled.
In brief, positive change occurs when a person reduces conflict and resistance by directing their attention toward their desired goal and aligning their attitudes, beliefs, expectations, and behaviors with what they want.
All people will benefit from relaxing, being easy about change, and simply letting it flow easily and naturally. Changes can happen in a timely, smooth, graceful manner. This is a valuable message to provide those we are attempting to assist. Change doesn’t have to be hard, extensively time-consuming, laborious, or painful. Yet, change will have these qualities of effort and burden if we believe them to be necessary and expect these qualities to manifest.
Most of us have developed a belief that change is effortful, hard work because we have been trying to change ourselves and others without considering the importance of recognizing where we have placed our attention. The reality we create is determined by where we place our attention. Positive change is difficult when our attention is continually directed toward avoiding, challenging, and reconfiguring negativity and pain. Focusing on negativity and pain keeps us attached to these unwanted experiences while preventing us from bringing positive, pleasurable experiences into our perceptual field. Change can be quick and easy when we maintain focus on the positive goals we desire.
Motivation is a complex concept that is consequential for the client’s transformation. The clinical and empirical data often emphasize the powerful, positive impact motivation has on positive change. While motivation can positively influence change it can also have a detrimental impact. Depending on the circumstances, assisting a person to become strongly motivated can be a highly ineffective method for achieving positive change. Mustering a large amount of energy and asserting a great deal of effort to push against and through problems is not particularly practical or useful. In many cases, energy and effort are wasted with this approach, which often results in disappointment and disillusionment.
Clearly, developing strong motivation can summon a large amount of energy. However, if this motivational energy is pushing against resistant forces consisting of attitude, beliefs, and expectations that conflict with our desired goals, the result will be a disappointment, pain, and suffering. Bringing our thoughts and feelings into alignment with what we want is required for a smooth transition to a positive outcome. Motivation is helpful when we are aligned, in every way and on every level, with our desires.
Many people believe that developing motivation for change simply means mustering up a great deal of energy in an effort to change. There is more to consider because the form and direction of the energy has a crucial impact on the results that will occur. Science teaches that positive energy flows naturally and spontaneously while negative energy resists movement. We experience positive emotional and physical feelings when energy is flowing naturally and freely. Negative feelings are experienced when the flow of energy is being resisted and blocked. Therefore, a large amount of energy is beneficial when it is flowing into an aligned, positive, dynamic, expanding, and creative manner. A large amount of energy is detrimental when it is flowing in a manner that pushes against resistant objects or forces, such as contradictory and negative beliefs, expectations, and behaviors.
The principles of alignment and deliberate creating, as promoted by Positive Psychology and Solution-oriented theorists, tell us that our problems won’t get resolved easily and quickly if we attempt to assert a strong force against the problem. As stated earlier, for something to be considered a “problem” it must be resisting flow and movement. Therefore, exerting force against a problem will only fuel the resistance which will cause the problem to increase and grow.
Even when we think we succeeded through hard work and effort, what really happened is that positive change occurred because, at some point, we achieved greater alignment by incorporating positive attitudes such as acceptance, trust, hope, positive expectations, non-judgment, and gratitude into our change process. Introducing these positive forces released and reduced resistance so that creative, dynamic energy flowed spontaneously and freely. Freely flowing energy feels pleasurable and moves people toward more positive life experiences.
In conclusion, when positive cognitive, emotional, and behavior elements are affirmed and aligned, resistance is released and spontaneous, dynamic, creative, energy flows more freely. As stated earlier, naturally flowing energy feels good and when we are in alignment with this flow we perceive people, objects, situations, and ourselves more positively. In its unencumbered form, the flowing vitality of life is experienced as joyful and fulfilling. Our chances of experiencing life in this way are vastly improved when we intentionally engage positive, productive, and pleasurable thoughts and perceptions. As therapists and healers, our ability to effectively care for others are greatly enhanced as we become more proficient at accessing and aligning with the positive potential residing inside ourselves. Increasing our personal proficiency with these skills significantly increases the chances of successfully passing these skills on to others.
by James Strohl | Feb 23, 2018 | Papers
Happiness is the deepest value and strongest desire for human beings. In fact, the search for happiness is the driving force behind all desires.
Life is meant to be lived with vigor and gusto, and it is supposed to be fun. According to the Dalai Lama, “the purpose of our lives is to be happy.” Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the founder of Transcendental Meditation, stated that “the purpose of creation is the expansion of happiness. Life is not meant to be lived in dullness, idleness, and suffering: these do not belong to the essential nature of life. If one is not happy, one has lost the very purpose of life.” We are on earth to experience the rich variety and abundant beauty of physical existence. This world offers infinite possibilities for achieving happiness and each one of us is blessed with distinct traits and skills that provide a unique opportunity to live a creative, meaningful, and fulfilling life.
Here is a values clarification exercise that can demonstrate how important happiness is in your life. Next time you notice a wish or desire for wealth, love, friendship, employment, a new car, etc., ask yourself the following question. “What will that object of your desire get me?” When you receive an answer, repeat this same question again and continue to repeat it after every answer you receive to that question. That is, keep asking “What will that get me?” after each answer. Eventually, you will notice that you can no longer find another answer to the question. In other words, you will have finally reached your deepest value. Inevitably, the final value reached will either be “happiness” or a synonym for happiness like peace, joy, or harmony, thereby identifying and validating your deepest value and strongest desire.
Unfortunately, we become so preoccupied with the objects of our desires as well as the means of satisfying our desires that the happiness lying well within our grasp often goes unrealized. We lose sight of our ultimate goal when we overly attach to objects associated with that goal and to the processes and means of accessing that goal. The objects of our desires and the actions for accessing them are seductive and readily become the primary focus of our attention while happiness is postponed and oftentimes forgotten and completely sacrificed. For example, money, power, love, and sex often preoccupy our minds and behaviors while, in reality, they are simply means for making us “happy”.
Our devotion to daily routines can also distract us from remembering that our ultimate goal in life is happiness. How much time do we devote to boring, hum-drum tasks that are not all that important in the larger scheme of things? We can clutter our lives with working overtime, mowing lawns, vacuuming floors, and washing clothes leaving little or no time for activities of spontaneous play and pure enjoyment. When we incessantly immerse ourselves in the practical pursuits of daily life our formula for successful living can become distorted. It is helpful to regularly take a step back and remind ourselves that happiness is our ultimate objective. This will keep us focused on the ultimate prize without becoming unconsciously distracted and diverted.
We have evolved into task-oriented beings while forgetting our fundamental reason for living.
Living in a fast-paced, competitive, technologically-oriented society encourages a preoccupation with accomplishing tasks. Our obsession with completing tasks distracts us from the reason we initiated the tasks in the first place. Consequently, disconnecting from our deepest values results in alienation from ourselves and from others.
Life becomes satisfying and fulfilling when we remember that our intention to complete tasks and accomplish things is grounded in a fundamental desire for pleasure. The true payoff is happiness, not task completion! We benefit from reminding ourselves that the ultimate goal for all human beings is pleasure and happiness; not attainment of status, fame, and fortune, and certainly not the completion of any specific tasks.
Our misplaced values are clearly demonstrated in the reward and punishment behaviors commonly exhibited in our society. Life is full of examples of people overvaluing the completion of a task while devaluing the personal enjoyment involved in participating in the activity. Such activities as “putting our nose to the grindstone” in order to receive a raise, obsessively adhering to a “to do” list, and the unyielding devotion to “winning” a sporting event clearly fall into this category. It is surprising how much praise for others and positive reinforcement of others is typically reserved for those winning the contest and achieving a first place award, not for those who most enjoyed the activity. For example, do we judge the success of our elementary school students and Little League ballplayers on how much they enjoyed their activities or do we base our evaluations on how well they accomplish specific goals that, for the most part, we have set for them?
How often do we reward ourselves for simply enjoying ourselves? Most of us consider ourselves unproductive if we participate in pleasurable activities for an entire day. Why does disregarding our deepest values and needs, while chronically participating in unsatisfying “work”, seem so respectable? Why not consider investing in memorable moments of value, pleasure, and enjoyment by spending a day at the park with your children, taking your dog for a long walk, visiting a relative, or reading a book by the fireplace all afternoon.
We lose the whole point of life and we validate unhealthy behaviors by complimenting ourselves and others for being responsible, dedicated, hard-workers at the expense of pleasure. If it is natural and healthy to behave this way, why do we refer to it as “work?” We don’t call it work when we spontaneously engage in fun-filled, pleasurable activities. Furthermore, isn’t it interesting that we do not use the word “spontaneous” in relation to work-related activities as we do when describing joyful, happy experiences and playful activities? Work, as we typically experience it, is not a natural, spontaneous, productive form of human expression and is actually incredibly unproductive when it detracts from happiness and joyful living.
We thrive when we follow our passions and when we receive payment for participating in enjoyable, personally fulfilling activities. If our culture were based on these values, people would ask each other “which activities do you get paid for” versus “where do you work?” We know we are personally prospering when someone asks us where we work and we answer, “I don’t work. I get paid to do a variety of enjoyable, stimulating, fulfilling activities.”
Striving for task completion without a commitment to pleasure creates ongoing searching, endless striving, and delayed gratification. When is enough, good enough? We will never have enough since new desires will always emerge when a task is completed. Our task of finishing life is never over — there is no end point or completion point.
Life is a process; and we are best served by engaging and appreciating the ongoing, moment-to-moment process of life. We spend far too much time lost in thoughts of the past and future. The present moment always contains enough! Viewing ourselves as not being good enough stimulates many of us to keep striving to do more in order to prove ourselves. We can’t be pleased with ourselves and with our efforts if we do not experience confidence, acceptance, and pleasure while pursuing those efforts. Furthermore, we can’t experience happiness and fulfillment when we continually postpone our pleasure due to a belief that completing tasks will bring us happiness sometime in the future. It is not surprising that our daily activities are often called chores.
Wayne Dyer stated that “we are human beings, not human doers; and that we should not equate our self-worth with how well we do things.” He understood that we thrive when we attend to and honor our “being” versus focusing on the results of our actions. We prosper when we are “being well” while doing things, not when we are simply doing things well. Ideally, we want to love what we do and do what we love. Passionately immersing ourselves in moment-to-moment experiencing reveals the joy of ongoing well-being and results in an abundant, meaningful life.
In order to find true happiness, it is imperative that we reclaim our personal power. This is accomplished by basing our lives on the fundamental principle and innate truth that we knew and trusted early in life and then gradually forgot as we grew older. This fundamental truth is that, in the deepest ways, we can trust our Selves and we can trust our basic instincts. It is important to retrain ourselves to listen to our inner sense of what is true and real and then act from this inner knowing. The regular implementation of meditation, mindfulness, reflective contemplation, prayer, positive affirmations, and forgiveness of ourselves and others can help us know our true Selves more intimately, establish a more positive internal dialogue, and trust our Selves in deeper ways. The simple act of reminding ourselves, several times a day, that we are “lovable and capable” can be very empowering. Making a daily list of those things we appreciate about ourselves and then sitting quietly to acknowledge, contemplate, and validate the characteristics we have identified can help us become more vital, alive, powerful, confident, and happy. These activities can eventually bring a realization that, personally, we are always enough and we don’t need to accomplish something to prove our worth.
For many people, life has become a chore, when it is meant to be a dynamic adventure of ongoing opportunities, possibilities, and choices. We don’t have to do something special to be something special. We already have all we need. We have always been and will always be special and perfect just as we are.
Clearly negative habits can be changed. Positive change begins when we recognize that the deepest truth of human existence is that each of us creates our own personal reality by making choices every moment based on infinite possibilities available to us. This is a fundamental principle of human existence that is always operating whether we consciously recognize it or not, and whether or not we take responsibility for it.
Far too often our actions are based on external demands versus living from within. We’ve developed habits of doing what we think we “should’ do versus what we honestly want to do and choose to do. “Shoulds” distort reality and disguise the truth by imposing a preconceived, external reality onto that which is honestly true for us in the moment. We can initiate positive changes by recognizing when we are using the words should, have to, must, suppose to, and ought to, and then asking ourselves “What do I really want, and what do I choose to do?” Of course, to fully realize the benefits of this process it is imperative that we follow through on our choices.
We have become so disconnected from our personal desires and expectations for enjoyment and happiness that oftentimes we even don’t know what it is that we want. We commonly find ourselves and others verbalizing what is not wanted and what does not feel good instead of acknowledging what is wanted and positive in our lives. We tend to be fairly good at knowing what we don’t want to eat, do, hear, see, smell, think, and feel. Yet, if we ask ourselves what we do wish to experience we often cannot answer the question, or the answer will be stated in negative terms. This can be confirmed rather easily. Next time someone is complaining about something ask them, “what do you want?” For example, if they are complaining about their personal unhappiness or about having a critical spouse, ask them what it is they want. Here are typical responses you are likely to receive: “I don’t want to be so depressed nor sleep so poorly” and “I don’t want my spouse to be so critical.” It is obviously very difficult to manifest positive experiences when we primarily think about and talk about those things that we don’t want.
Notice the answer you receive next time you ask someone how they are doing. Rarely will you receive a response that is affirmative and positive. Focusing on negative versus positive elements of life is a cultural-wide phenomenon. The breadth of this problem can be easily recognized when observing how frequently negative news is reported in our society. We are inundated with reports about what is not going well in the world and rarely presented with news stories about what is positive, productive, and beneficial. This pattern of focusing on negative elements of experience has become a well-established pattern on personal, interpersonal, and societal levels.
For happiness and joy to thrive in our lives a conscious commitment to change this ingrained pattern is necessary. Here is something simple that we can do to help reverse this bad habit. Throughout each day we can periodically stop what we are doing and ask ourselves, “what is it that we honestly want and desire at this moment?” Then evaluate the response to that question to ensure that it is specific, clear, and affirmatively stated. Taking time to regularly practice identifying and acting on what we want in life will go a long toward attaining a more enjoyable, fulfilling life.
Our culture stresses the importance of taking personal responsibility, yet we tend to be irresponsible in the most relevant area of our lives — our commitment to love and respect our Selves. We tend to be insensitive to our own needs and desires. We must learn to perpetually honor, nurture, and cherish our Selves. Indeed, we must take greater responsibility for addressing the most important challenge of our lives, that of taking good care of ourselves and being happy.
We can best care for our Selves by being ourselves moment to moment, which is accomplished by trusting and honoring exactly who we are at all times. We can also hold an intention to notice and appreciate the unique gifts life bestows upon us each moment. We can remember to ask ourselves “Is my heart in this activity or am I simply putting up with it? Where is my passion? Am I genuinely and passionately engaged in this activity?
This way of living can be called “authentic choosing.” When making choices based on our personal truth versus on old habits and imposed demands, the authenticity of those moments substantiates the legitimacy of our existence in profound ways. Every authentic choice proclaims our unique reality in relation to the entire universe in that moment. When authentically choosing that which is personally ‘true” and “real,” the validity of our being and the entire world is affirmed and expanded. This experience reveals that everything simply is what it is, and everything is always in the right place at the right time. In these moments, the direct knowing that well-being abounds becomes an obvious fact of life, and our desire for happiness is fulfilled in the deepest ways.
by James Strohl | Feb 22, 2018 | Papers
The aim of psychotherapy is to help others recognize the wholeness and peace residing inside themselves. Transpersonal psychotherapists accomplish this by restoring a client’s relationship with their True Self. Thereby, revealing the ever-present, unchanging reality of oneness, peace, and compassion at the core of their being. When experiencing life from this fundamental level of being, the unity and love underlying all of existence is readily realized.
Human suffering is a result of making the innocent mistake of forgetting and ignoring the ever-present, unchanging nature of the True Self. Conflict, pain, and suffering occur when a person dissociates from their True Self by creating the idea of a separate self, believing in a separate self, and then identifying with that self. Believing that we can be separated from the Source of our being or True Self is a fundamental error that requires correction in order for lasting peace and happiness to be known.
The separated self is merely a constructed idea or belief of who we are. Thoughts and ideas constantly change, and freely come and go. Consequently, the separate self is ever-changing and unreliable. This creates a tenuous, unstable, and vulnerable state of existence for those basing their self-identity on the viability and substantiality of a separated self. Fear, pain, and suffering spontaneously occur when this fragile, unreliable self is conceived to be the truth of who we are and unwisely relied upon to provide a secure, stable, consistent sense of self.
Transpersonal psychotherapy helps clients change their beliefs about reality, including changing their views about who they think they are. In order for clients to experience the deepest, most enduring, positive change a dramatic shift in self-perception is essential. They must realize that who they think they are is an illusion or distorted perception of the truth. The typical client is deceived by the appearance of the separate, ever-changing self-masquerading as if it were the True Self. It is important for clients to recognize that the separated self is simply a construct created in the mind and that believing it to be one’s true identity inevitably results in an undependable, distorted, vulnerable sense of existence.
Irrational, erroneous beliefs distort and block the truth of what is real about ourselves. Many different interventions are used by transpersonal psychotherapists to deconstruct and dissolve faulty beliefs about our self-identity which then allows the True Self to reveal itself. Sometimes transpersonal therapists also focus attention directly on the True Self in an effort to help clients recognize it, access it more effectively, and become more firmly established in the direct knowledge of its ongoing presence.
In summary, the primary goal of transpersonal interventions is to restore a client’s relationship with their True Self. When people no longer believe they are separated from the Source of their being and the reality of their True Self is rediscovered, then insecurity, fear, and vulnerability subside and the truth of eternal love and peace emerges. Functioning from this level of existence restores one’s ability to directly experience peace, joy, and compassion and to behave in inspired ways that serve the best interest of everyone and everything.
