Mental Transformation

In a sense the mental being is the easiest to transform. It is the part of us that is most conscious and over which we have the most control. The impression of thoughts, feelings, ideas, intuitions and so on are all part of the mental being. Because we can control at least some of these - e.g. we have the ability to direct our thoughts - it is easiest to work of the mental being. Techniques include meditation, creative visualisation, positive thinking, and so on. Of course, to really get a result requires great discipline and perseverance, which is more difficult.

As well as individual mental transformation, there is group, socio-cultural, and global transformation. If an idea or ideas are powerful enough, then they can bring about a collective change or evolution in society. This is what the Rising Culture/Postmaterialism is all about.

The mental being differs radically according to the evolutionary stage it is at. Of course, there is not just a single linear spectrum, that is ridiculous and simplistic. So the following series should not be taken in too literal a manner. Also, the various stages each evolve independently to perfection, as well as branching, diverging and converging

The following then represents an over-simplistic mapping of moral and spiritual transformation stage (selfish to selfless) on a single continuum.

Delusional. Mind that has lost its objectivity and grounding, psychosis, Paranoia, extreme conspiracy theory. Worldviews and ideologies justififying destructive cults, genocidal regimes, or institionalised exploitation of animals, women, or minorities. Inspiration from adverse realms.

Egocentric/Selfish. Physical Mind tending to dualistic Ego-shadow consciousness; Worldviews and ideologies justififying unregulated capitalism (see critiques by Michael Moore and David Korten), imperialism, jingoism, totalitarianism, authoritarianism (may be religious or secular), chauvanism, speciesism, etc; Increasingly adverse influences and inspirations

"Ethnocentric"/Dualistic. Traditional/Religious, Rational/Modern and similar forms of Physical Mind (Ahrimanic thinking - Steiner); magical, mythic, relifgious, and rational/modern worldviews,.

Reformist/ Pluralistic/(R)Evolutionary. Rational, or Spiritual religion, or Pluralistic/Cultural Creatives Thinking Mind. Worldcentric, "Aquarian", revolutionary worldviews, ideational plane, pure ideas.

Holistic/Systems/New Paradigm/Integral Ideational plane, pure ideas, some subtle/astral/spiritual experiences. Intuitive/Creative /Spiritual Cultural Creatives Higher/Inner Thinking Mind. Worldviews of Rising Culture/Postmaterialism; Upper Tier" (SD/Translucent", pop Gurus, etc.

Mesoteric/pre-gnosis Included here are various authentic New Age groups, insights, and worldviews, Esoteric knowledge, but not yet gnosis, Inner subtle/astral/ideational inspiration.

Esoteric/Gnostic. Gnosis/Jnana, cosmic insights

Relative Absolute / Partial Realisation. Transcendence, limitless consciousness, perception of Reality, Nonduality, but ego and other impurities result in delusion and mistakenly believing one has arrived at the Goal.

Realisation and above. Nonduality, Egoless insight. Beyond this stage of Reality, further transformation has to be Integral.

In practice however this is not a straight line, but rather many parallel converging and diverging, branching and merging, fields of development.

Here is a later, more accurate version, in which I have two axes, an evolutionary progression from traditional religious to Holistic/New paradigm, and a spiritual/esoteric/yogic ascent from Exoteric to Realisation (obviously, still more parameters can be added, also holistic is a rather vague concept that appears twice)

R e a l i s a t i o n	Complete Realisation	Direct (Nondual) perception of Reality
	Partial Realisation
	Esoteric/Gnostic	Spiritual/metaphysical Insight, Gnosis, Jnana, cosmic insights
	Mesoteric/Pre-Gnosis	Traditional Esoteric religion: Kabbalah, Sufism, Vedanta. etc, Perennialist approach, looks to the past	Holistic/Systems/New Paradigm/Integral, Authentic New Age groups, insights, and worldviews, Esoteric knowledge, but not yet gnosis, Inner subtle/astral/ideational inspiration.
	Exoteric/Non-Gnosis	Traditional religion and spiritruality, but from a broader, non-literalist perspective
		Traditionalism, Religionism	Secular Empirical, modernity	Plurailism, Postmodernism	Systemic, Integral / Holistic / New Paradigm
		E v o l u t i o n o f S u r f a c e C o n s c i o u s n e s s ------->