The dangers of spiritual experience

In order to understand this section it may be helpful to have read the sections on the Will and Decision making.

As we gradually reduce the number of inputs to the decision making process, we eventually reach a stage where spiritual input comes to the top of the priority list and the other inputs gradually become of lesser and lesser import.  So for example we may start off with a set of inputs like this

1. Objectives  - own
2. Objectives – those of others
3. Personality – for example aversion to risk, timidity or boldness
4. The results of the Reasoning process – possible courses
5. The original Perceptions [threat, opportunity, obligation]
6. Emotional input from perceptions
7. Input from Composer – inspiration, intuition, guidance, love etc

To the following situation

1. 1.      Input from composer – inspiration, intuition, guidance, love etc
2. 2.      Emotional input from perceptions
3. 3.      Personality – for example aversion to risk, timidity or boldness
4. 4.      Objectives – those of others
5. 5.      Objectives  - own
6. 6.      The original perceptions [threat, opportunity, obligation]
7. 7.      The results of the reasoning process – possible courses

Where the last four become gradually less and less important.

If the last four are totally eliminated so that you are left with only the top three [the priority hardly matters then]  you will get a full blown spiritual experience.

1. 1.      Input from composer – inspiration, intuition, guidance, love etc
2. 2.      Emotional input from perceptions
3. 3.      Personality

At its most extreme, therefore,  the person  becomes a plant with emotions,  personality and some cognitive skills such as recognition!  Now we can see the dangers of this.  Apart from the fact you will need watering [no sorry, I’m joking here], you are indeed very very vulnerable.

Reason and the objectives have gone, threats, obligations and opportunities  have gone as far as  you are concerned [even though they may exist], and we have become far more open to input from the Composer and far more emotionally sensitive.  But we are also far more open to any Perceptions that leak through.

Emotions are high and as is explained in the section on Mental models that we learn far more easily when emotion is attached to a perception.  And our Reasoning system is suppressed, meaning we have ceased to question or use any logic on what we are being told, all of it is accepted.  In effect this is the point where we can be brainwashed unless we are very very careful .

Or we think we are Jesus - or Mohammed or the saviour of the world.

For this reason, we should try to have spiritual experiences of the extreme kind  on our own or with a trusted helper – a friend we trust absolutely or  a person whose character is spotless.

At this stage of the experience we can be told anything and it will become fact.

Of course this can have its advantages.  If we want to stop smoking or lose our fear of heights or lose our chronic shyness, then the power of suggestion by a trained and trusted hypnotist, for example, may work wonders, but beyond this scenario my advice is that you should never ever try to do this with other people.

One of the biggest dangers of really extreme spiritual experience is that you lose your reasoning powers and become open to outside influence.

It is for this reason that any level of spiritual experience that goes to this extreme needs to be extremely carefully managed.

Observations

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• Dr Donald Hebb on dangers of sensory deprivation
• Dr William Sargant – On the dangers of spiritual experience
• Marryat, Florence - The Spirit World – A person only attracts such spirits as stand on the same plane as itself
• Raynor Johnson and the dangers of sensory deprivation
• Saint Thomas Aquinas - On the dangers of spiritual experience