Shalom Place

Intrapersonal Development: General Principles

- by Philip St. Romain; all rights reserved

Dynamics

1. The spiritual soul is the source of life for all the levels of our being. These levels are physical, psychological (imagery, emotions, desires) and spiritual (intellect, will, awareness).
2. The lower levels must be developed to a certain threshold of complexity before the higher can begin to manifest through them.
   * - brain must be sufficiently developed for psychological life to manifest.
   * - mental and emotional levels must be developed to manifest higher spiritual life.
3. Damage to a lower level impedes manifestation of a higher level through the damaged level.
   * - mental life cannot manifest when the brain is damaged.
   * - spiritual life cannot manifest clearly when the emotional level is damaged.
4. Attachment to any level impedes realization and integration with the other levels. This is especially true of the identity states appropriate for each level.
5. To seek the higher level without developing and healing the lower levels could result in damage to the lower, or else lack of integration and holiness.  
6. To intensify activities in a given level diminishes intensity of energy in other levels.
   * - excessive mental activity will tire the body
   * - excessive physical activity will diminish mental sharpness.
7. The higher supernatural levels interact with and influence human development.Faith opens us to these levels.

Identity States

1. Body Ego - identity based on bodily experience.
   * - Develops early in life; constantly up-dated.
2. Mythico-Emotional Ego - identity conferred by group.
   * - Group "story" imparts identity and meaning.
   * - Self-concept based on how others treat one, on roles designated by group, on group identifications and labels.
   * - Religion and spirituality about belonging to community.
3. Mental Ego - adult identity
   * - Self-concept based on roles, self-judgments, and identifications that one has chosen out of mythico-emotional structure, and which one has added.
   * - Mental ego arbitrates between the outside and inside worlds.
    --persona, the face we show the world
    --shadow, the self we hide from the world
   * - Religion and spirituality about personal relationship with God. Ideas about God still influencing relationship.
4. Spiritual Ego (true self, soul self)- spiritual identity
   * - Self-identity as mysterious, here/now presence-in-freedom.
   * - Self-concept transcended.
   * - Authentic self-expression; no self to hide from the world.
   * - Contemplative spirituality predominates. God is known as here/now loving Presence, at one with the soul and all creation.