Stage-6: Transpersonal Mode
Reminder of the strengthening process so far:
- Stage-1: Emotional sensitivity and personal grounding.
- Stage-2: Group affiliation and social grounding.
- Stage-3: Self-concept and a private sphere.
- Stage-4: Self-comfort and good company.
- Re-enter Mode-1: Emotional containment.
- Stage-5: Self-testing and authenticity.
New Meanings Emerge in Transpersonal Mode
Self-actualization is a powerful growth process. It requires greater self-reflection to ensure that potentials and limitations are properly appreciated and sensibly tested. Just as the inner sense of self has been opened up in Stage-5 via testing outside comfort zones, so its context, the socio-physical environment, now needs to be explored and understood.
The question therefore arises as to how a stronger self can operate most effectively within its widest possible context: the universe in its totality. Perhaps the more esoteric term «cosmos» is a better term because the reference is to all that is, has been and could be: both physically and metaphysically.
Suddenly the self, apparently so strong, is simultaneously so small and insignificant. Fortunately, the sense that our existence has meaning grows through awareness of being an intrinsic part of something far far greater. This sense can then guide and direct us in our life journey: if we remain on the path and go with the flow.
While such notions seemingly «transcend the self», this seeming selflessness is actually a property of everyday personal functioning, and enables a much stronger sense of self.
Two Forms of Self-Protection: In the Transpersonal-φ6 ethos, vulnerability is perfect protection and there is no room for arrogance. In the Individual ethos-φ3, self-protection may attempt to generate invulnerability through constructing a psychological cocoon or armour to avoid openness and direct relations. This does lead to arrogance.
Note on Selflessness: This is a multi-faceted psychosocial notion. It is postulated as the psychosocial pressure associated with Willingness-RHL7; and it may also be a symptom of a weak damaged self.
Values & Assumptions
Promoting Well-Being:
Essence: Humane Daily Living
Recognizing that we are each unique and yet part of a single whole requires that we treat ourselves and others humanely. At the very least, no one is to be abused or treated as an instrument or chattel. Social life also provides many opportunities (but not obligations) to contribute to the greater good.
The self becomes stronger if a compassionate awareness of oneself and others can infuse more and more aspects of daily living. In this Mode-μ6, we must reorganize our routines and evolve our habits to ensure we treat ourselves and others better.
The goal is not perfectionism or sainthood. Merely that authentic choices get shaped by ethical criteria. Judgements will not only depend on inner personal principles, but also on the mores we embrace and the particular social circumstance in which we find ourselves.
Desired Benefit: Serenity
Convictions developed within the self now allow it to serve as a buffer against the turbulence of life. Excitements, triumphs, disappointments and frustrations that are part of the human condition are treated equally. Compassion towards oneself is possible.
The strengthened self is therefore serene and radiates this state to others. Everyone gets soothed in the presence of calmness and self-composure.
Means: Activate Ultimate Values
The way to function in a humane way and become serene is rather simple. It occurs by activating supreme experiential values (PH6L7) like: love, peace, trust, responsibility, patience, purpose, justice, courage, power.
Such values are the basis for generating goodness. Goodness is a deliberate and mindful process that must be concretized rather than left utterly abstract. There is work to be done in choosing requisite values and allowing them to affect any particular situation. At the same time, by acknowledging and confronting negative impulses and feelings, you can de-activate their influence.
Handling the Social Milieu:
Autonomy: Be Altruistic
Altruism and egotism form a dynamic duality in bringing goodness to life. This puts the notion that altruism is merely a form of egotism into proper perspective. Getting egotistic gratification through an autonomous altruistic choice is a manifestation of strong and sophisticated self.
Altruism here is not an abstract philosophy, but a highly personal attitude and general approach to specific situations. What is actually said or done in any situation depends on the person and is necessarily limited by circumstances.
Participation: Infuse Strength
The self is now strong, balanced and ethical. It can serve others, strengthening them in a variety of ways e.g. through gentle restraint, careful advice, sensitive support, vigorous action and by its mere presence.
Any person, group or community is potentially at the mercy of its baser instincts. Only a strong person can resist a destructive group dynamic driven by fear, frustration and failure. So long as you act with humility and modesty, bringing your strengthened self to bear may well prevent emotion-driven choices with harmful consequences.
Self-Affirmation: Maintain Integrity
The function of integrity is to be true to your better self at critical moments. For example, you speak up when others are being deliberately exploited or harmed: even if what you do (or can do) may be extremely limited.
All choices should reflect a unity of purpose and value that is both distinctive (i.e. you) and unequivocally good and right because is based on helping others.
Because you create psychosocial reality by communicating, you must mean what you say and say what you mean. The life you lead and the choices you make must be congruent with the values and principles that you affirm.
Channeling Your Functioning:
Self-esteem Booster: Be Open
Openness is intrinsic to engagement with the cosmos. In practice, this means openness to people, situations, inner feelings and such like. Handling this engagement by acting in accord with the values of this Mode provides a continuous flow of self-esteem.
Openness itself is a leap of faith, much like the items above. After all, no ethical principle or ultimate value can be proven unequivocally. No altruistic choice can be guaranteed to have a good ultimate outcome. No act of integrity goes unpunished. And the cosmos itself is a contestable construct.
Limitations & Transition
The self is now very strong. Self-esteem and self-acceptance are far more stable, perhaps because compassion is as much self-directed as other-directed. Highly effective social contributions are possible. What more could be possibly wanted?
Paradoxically, this strength and confidence can lead to a degree of dissociation and even isolation. When this occurs, a person finds that the old ways of relating to specific others are no longer so satisfactory.
If that sense grows, then a new Mode is required. The new mode maintains the same high level of focus on inner mental states, but requires a much greater orientation to handling others i.e. there is a big move out along the X-axis.
The result is to enter the Relational Mode-μ7 in Stage-7.
Originally posted: 7-Jan-2016. Last amended: 23-Jun-2016.