Spiritual Transmutation Explained

9 of 9 – Spiritual Transmutation Explained

By Marlyse Carroll
(Author of ‘Am I Going Mad? The Unsettling Phenomena of Spiritual Evolution’ – www.amigoingmad.com.au)

In previous articles on the general theme of spiritual evolution, we introduced Carl Jung & archetypes, followed by initiations, Kundalini, enlightenment, spiritual emergency, psychiatry and spiritual regression. In the last article, we turned to complexity science for a contemporary perspective on the ups and downs of personal growth.

And in this article, you’ll find twelve practical tools to consciously change your personality for the better.

Most people who have profound spiritual experiences notice that, after a while, the ‘glow’ and the love they felt at some stage end up receding. Sometimes they disappear altogether. As ancient Taoists masters said: “Before enlightenment, chop wood carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood carry water.”

So, if everything goes back to normal after a peak experience, why are numinous encounters important?

See hear feel more

A peak experience is like an IMAX preview of our potential for on-going happiness. It gives us a sense of direction towards who we could become. Towards a life driven by a joyful, energetic, loving Force that shines from within.

In most cases, inspired images, feelings and messages are not permanently imprinted on our psyche, not yet anyhow. However, they are powerful enough to explain better than any lecture, any book, or any sermon, what is possible. They give us the blueprint of a genuinely fulfilling life. They act like a magnet that will keep drawing us towards self-actualisation.

It’s as if the future had dropped in for a short visit, leaving us with two precious gifts: vision and guidance. Some people throw the gifts away, some store them for future reference and others start using them! At this stage, the best way to use them is to upgrade our personality, step by step, one day and one action at a time.

Unlike a Butterfly

The symbol of a butterfly is appropriate because transmutation is what happens to a caterpillar when it becomes a winged butterfly. It changes from one state to another. But the caterpillar is better equipped than we are, because it creates a cocoon in which to hide while it becomes a pupae – the intermediary stage in between grub and butterfly.

Stage of life

For a while the little critter is nothing but a gooey mess. And it only emerges out of its protective layers when it’s ready to face the world in its new form.

As humans undergoing a similarly powerful transformation, we might also feel temporarily like a gooey mess! And even though it’s psychological rather than physical, we rarely have the luxury to do our transmutation work in peace and seclusion. Nowadays, not too many people spend 40 days in the desert or sit under a tree for a few years.

Most of us stay in our everyday life and continue to perform our regular tasks, which can be challenging.

“To be ‘normal’ is a splendid idea for the unsuccessful,
for all those who have not yet found an adaptation.”
Carl Jung

In that case, the safest way to shift from crisis to resolution is to do it slowly and steadily, just like traffic engineers upgrade a major highway whilst keeping it open. They do it one segment and one lane at a time. We can apply the same principles to upgrading our personality. We do it one thought, one feeling, one word and one action at a time

Human evolution

Here are twelve steps that are reasonably simple yet incredibly powerful. If you apply some of them every day, you’ll soon create a new reality for you and your loved ones – a life that’s beyond your wildest dreams.

 

Twelve Steps for Transmutation

  1. Meditate regularly
    Make a decision to meditate at least 5 days a week. For maximum benefit, meditate twice a day for twenty minutes or so. Meditation has a profound and lasting impact on spiritual evolution, leading to inner peace, enhanced health, relationships and overall wellbeing.The only exception to this recommendation is if you’re experiencing strong Kundalini energy in the upper chakras. If so, it might be better for you to stop meditating and do more physical work to balance your chakras. For more details, read Articles No 3, 4 and 5.
  2. Love your body and look after it
    Everything you put in your body has a huge impact on how you feel. So make sure that you give yourself the best possible care, in terms of food, water, oxygen, sunshine, sex and rest.

    • Drink 8 glasses of plain water a day.
    • Eat well: Enjoy a good variety of foods that include healthy proteins, good fats and complex carbs. Have a couple of fresh fruits and some vegetables every day. Limit fast-foods, grains and refined carbs (pastries, biscuits, chips, white bread, white rice, pasta, potatoes). Limit alcohol and cut out sodas & artificial sweeteners.
    • Breathe deeply as often as you remember to do it! Full, deep, abdominal breaths are essential for your health and peace of mind. If you smoke, do your best to quit.
    • Spend some time outdoors every day, preferably under the sun. Even just ten minutes a day will do wonders for your general wellbeing!
    • Loving your body also means to accept and honour your sexuality. A strong sex drive is great, provided you have a healthy outlet for it! If you haven’t, check Step No 8 below for suggestions. Neither a suppression of sexuality nor its uncontrolled expression is helpful to spiritual evolution.
    • And finally, give yourself enough sleep. Ideally, eight hours in silence and darkness. Sleep as far away from smart meters and other wireless equipment as possible.
    “God gives us the nuts, but he does
    not crack them.”German Proverb
  3. Take regular breaks from your routine
    Whenever you can, attend a residential spiritual retreat, which takes you right out of your everyday life. A retreat is the equivalent of the pupae’s cocoon. It gives you a chance to safely immerse yourself in your inner life for a few days, thereby speeding up the growth process.Or enrol in a reputable personal development course. If you’re ready for change, you’ll benefit from being challenged. Hopefully, you’ll also be well supported by your teacher, facilitator or coach.For some people, time alone in nature also has great benefits.
  4. Nurture higher values
    One of the hallmarks of spirituality is living by values higher than average – values such as the ethical, the aesthetic, the heroic, the humanitarian and the altruistic1. So, nurture your spiritual values by consciously living a life that honours kindness and beauty. It means continuously making choices that bring them to the fore in all areas of life.Helping others is one of the most powerful things you can do to speed up your personal growth.And make sure you extend the same kindness to yourself. So whatever you’ve done or not done in the past, forgive and love yourself anyway. Remember you’re a HIT (Human In Training) and you don’t have to be perfect to be loveable! Many people who arrive at this stage in their life also have strong urges to physically clean their house, get rid of clutter, create a beautiful garden and so on. Others want to move to the country, to a non-polluted, more natural environment. Make sure you follow your heart!
  5. Treat others as you like to be treated
    All religions have a code of behaviour that outlines the laws of enlightened living. So follow those rules: Amongst others, the Bible, the Buddhist Dharma, the Koran and the Torah all give precise instructions, called laws or commandments, on how to live impeccably. Impeccability means to be congruent in intentions, thoughts and actions, aiming at the highest good.As a rule of thumb, if you consistently treat others as you like to be treated, chances are you’re honouring your Higher Self and following spiritual laws!
  6. Keep good company
    Becoming more selective about the company you keep is essential. Internally it starts with your thoughts and everything you put into your body. Externally, it extends to the books your read, the movies you watch, the music you listen to, the TV programs you follow, your physical environment and most importantly the people you associate with. Is your workplace affirming or is it toxic? What about your family life? Do you feel good after going out with your friends, or do you feel drained or irritated? Is your physical environment uplifting or does it need a good clean?Good company starts with self-awareness. Notice who and what makes you feel good, and keep doing more of that!Love and friendshipAs you grow and evolve in your inner world, you can also expect changes in your relationships. Some old friends will grow with you, others will drift away and a few might try and hold you back.As you change, you’ll also meet amazing new people – welcome them in your world.For most individuals, transmutation is slow, on-going work. So give yourself time to gently let go of what doesn’t serve you any longer, one choice at a time. Toxic people, toxic foods, toxic job, toxic mental input. and you’ll soon notice that your thoughts and feelings become much better company too!
  7. Be willing to be misunderstood
    From the perspective of ego-consciousness, we have a high need for approval and/or attention, and we want to be right. Most conflicts and dramas arise when these needs are unmet.As we evolve, peace becomes more important than being right. Remember you will never please everybody, regardless of what you do, so practice detachment.Acknowledge that other people’s opinions and judgements are less important than what you think of yourself. So don’t take things personally. This can be quite challenging if you live in a family where blame, abuse and criticism are used to control others… Workplace relationships can also be testing. As you change, be prepared for some people to ridicule your new values.Do your best to see the funny side of all situations and accept comments serenely, without retaliating or defending yourself.Easier said than done, you might think! True. So here is a practical tool:Imagine you were playing a game of tennis. As a player you always have the choice to hit and return a ball sent to you, or to let it drop without running after it.Games of lifeYou can do the same in a relationship. If you don’t like the ‘balls’ sent into your court, just don’t hit them back. Watch them coming your way and let them drop without any reaction. It’s likely that after a while, if your partners want to keep playing with you, they’ll get the message and start to play a different game. Or they’ll look for someone else and move on. Maybe you will be the one to move on….One way or another, if you’re consistent, you have the power to change your environment.
  8. Wisely use the extra physical energy now at your disposal
    As you evolve, you will soon notice you have more physical energy than you had before your spiritual awakening. So make sure to use this energy wisely. Do something creative and uplifting to your spirit, something that is meaningful to you, something that will improve the quality of your life or someone else’s life.Here are a few ideas:

    • Clean up your home, repaint a few rooms, start a vegie patch
    • Go to gym, do some yoga, dance, walk or run every day, join a sporting group
    • Be creative – paint, sing, sew, write, whatever makes you feel good.
    • Take up a new hobby.
    • Learn and/or practice a new skill.
    • Do some voluntary work to support a project or person you want to help.
    • Run a home business in your spare time

    If this extra energy is not used, you’re likely to feel it as strong sexual urges, which can be a blessing or a curse depending on circumstances! Or it will make you so restless that you’ll be tempted to suppress it with drugs, booze or carbs – bad idea!

  9. If you feel stuck, engage in energy work
    Sometimes, when we immerse ourselves in inner work, we can become very self-absorbed and too introverted for our own good. Whether thoughts are on a merry-go round or we experience an emotional roller-coaster ride, more thinking isn’t helpful.Energy workIt’s time for action. Give yourself a solid physical workout two or three times a week. For instance, dance your heart out until you’re ready to drop, and then lie down, cover yourself with a blanket and meditate. Feel energy moving in and around your body. Notice what happens in your mind. Open your heart, let go of what bothers you and surrender – see point 10 below.If that’s not enough and you’re still dealing with on-going negative emotions or physical symptoms of discomfort, seek professional help. Experiential therapeutic processes such as breathwork/rebirthing, dance therapy, neo-Reichian work, Gestalt and other related techniques are very effective at shifting energy.If you choose any of the above processes, make sure you work with a qualified facilitator.
  10. Let go of resistance and surrender
    Or, as mystics say, “let go and let God.”The light of the Self, or Kundalini energy, burns many impurities after bringing them to the surface. So the willingness to let go of resistance and to surrender is very important at this stage.Acknowledge that there is a Force greater than you, and surrender your will to that Force. Through meditation or other processes (see Step 12 below), open yourself up to whatever Spirit has in store for you. Consciously agree to suspend judgement and resistance. Just trust that you’re safe and you will be guided.You know you’re in the flow when you feel good and have plenty of energy to do what you set out to achieve. If you’re struggling in any way, be honest with yourself. What are you fearful of? What are you resisting?
  11. Follow your inner Guidance, the voice of the Force
    Trust that you’re well supported on your journey and use the power of your unconscious mind to tap into Guidance. Pay attention and you’ll receive Spirit’s messages, whether they are delivered as whispers, visions, feelings or even external signs.Here are four ways to tune in:

    1. When you think about doing something, pause for a few seconds and take note of how you feel. If your body feels good, go ahead and do it! If it doesn’t – for instance you notice yourself becoming tense – this is your ‘Keep contemplating’ message. In this case, stop and reconsider all options!Mind you, sometimes we tense up when we consider doing something out of our comfort zone, even though it would be beneficial for us to do it. So the tension doesn’t mean ‘No’ – it just means ‘think again’.
    2. At night, put a glass full of water next to your bed. Before you go to sleep, formulate your question/problem as clearly as you can. Have an intention to get an answer/solution as you drink the water the following morning. When you wake up, think of your question again, ask for a helpful response and drink the water slowly. Trust that Guidance will talk to you then, or show you a way.
    3. Relax both body and mind through meditation or in any other way that works for you. Formulate your question so it can be answered by YES, NO, a percentage or numbers. When you’re really relaxed, close your eyes and visualise a dial with a needle. The word NO is written at the far left of the dial, YES on the right and there are numbers in between. Ask your question and watch the needle go straight to the answer.
    4. Ask to be shown an external sign that will give you an answer to your question or a new insight into your situation. Set a timeframe and remain alert, so you don’t miss it!

    In time, Guidance will communicate in more and more creative ways! Remain open and be prepared to be surprised!

  12. Be grateful
    An attitude of gratitude is an essential ingredient of lasting happiness. So notice all the beautiful, funny, enjoyable, yummy little things you encounter throughout the day. Once you start looking for them, you’ll find so many things to be grateful for!So just do it. be grateful for the birds that wake you up, for the roof over your head, for food in your fridge, for those who sewed your clothes, for the car/train/bus that takes you places, for having a job, for having friends, for having a family – even if they are less than perfect! And keep going.Keep focussing on what is good in your life right now, and the good will keep growing and growing and growing.
“There are two ways to live. You can live as if
nothing is a miracle. You can live as if
everything is a miracle.”
Albert Einstein

Is that it?

“Is that it?” You may ask. “If I do all of the above, will my life change?”

Yes.

Absolutely positively YES. It will change for the better with each passing day, and the changes will be permanent because your personality is collaborating with your soul. To start with, each little action requires a conscious intention, courage or will-power. In time, the transmutation journey becomes easy and pleasurable.

If you have experienced a few crises in your life so far, your next question might be “If I do all of the above, can anything else go wrong?” The answer is that maybe there’s never anything wrong, and that the journey is perfect in whichever way it unfolds, challenges and all.

The main thing is to find joy – or at least something valuable – in whatever comes your way. Spiritual evolution isn’t about reaching a destination, it’s about enjoying the journey.

So have a great time right here right now!

And as per the dedication of the book Am I Going Mad?


I wish you love in your heart,
starlight in your soul
and miracles in your life.

Marlyse Carroll

Reference:

  1. Assaglioli R., ‘Psychosynthesis’, 1971

 

Feel free to copy this article provided you reproduce it in full, acknowledging the author and source (www.amigoingmad.com.au).

 

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