TRANSPERSONAL EXPERIENCES – A NEED FOR RE-EVALUATION?

by Kate Thomas

published in Network No. 81 (April 2003), pp. 15-18.

A serious enquirer and highly regarded professional fellow-member of the Scientific

and Medical Network recently asked me if certain of the non-ordinary states of

consciousness recorded in my autobiography, The Destiny Challenge (1992), are

comparable to those described by Christopher Bache in his influential work Dark

Night, Early Dawn: Steps to a Deep Ecology of Mind (2000). I must in all honesty state

that they are not, despite certain marked similarities. Ignoring for the moment the

actual nature of these experiences, Bache’s experiential insights were self-sought and

self-induced by a variety of means – primarily by the use of LSD therapy (as advocated

by former clinical psychiatrist and current transpersonal theorist, Dr. Stanislav Grof)

and by sessions of Holotropic Breathwork™ (a controversial "non-pharmacological"

means of inducing altered states of consciousness – one that ironically causes

biochemical changes in the brain – originated and currently commercially promoted by

Dr. Grof).

These breathwork sessions each required a preliminary phase of two hours of rapid

breathing (hyperventilation), and the resultant experiences, many of which were

horrific to say the least, covered a further span of several hours in each instance,

frequently leaving the experiencer in a condition of extreme exhaustion and shock.

This same appalling syndrome applied also to Bache’s earlier, psychedelic, sessions –

intensity of suffering being the keynote. He observes that at one point he was obliged

to interrupt his investigative endeavours for a very lengthy period (seven years, in fact)

"because the extreme nature of the states I was entering became too stressful for my

family to endure" (Dark Night, Early Dawn, note 10, p. 311).

As a result of this type of "research," Bache has recorded, in meticulous detail, his

artificially-induced transpersonal perceptions of the meaningfulness of life as a whole;

the structure of the personal self or ego; also the "species" ego which he presents as

the collective ego of us all; the point and purpose of the Eastern concepts

of karma and reincarnation; various "hell" states and their implications; the

precognised imminent collapse of civilisation as we know it, and his observational

experience of the galactic universe, etc. All of these experiences appear to have arisen

haphazardly and non-sequentially.

Conversely, my own transpersonal experiences were entirely spontaneous and

unsought (a factor not so far noted as significant by researchers), commencing in

early childhood, being at first of a psychic, and then a mystical or transcendental

nature, and without any harmful residual effect upon body or mind. More importantly,

these experiences were sequential, in that my conscious ability to comprehend the

complexities of interior dimensions and developmental processes accelerated by

degrees, preparing my system step-by-step to sustain yet higher intensifications of

subtle energies prior to the major other-dimensional experience which climaxed all that

went before. This occurred in 1977, when I was nearly forty-nine years old, and

significantly altered my consciousness for a full fourteen days and nights. In the early

stages of this experience I was acutely aware of the activation of hitherto dormant

brain cells and of the stimulation of specific regions of the brain, thus facilitating

retention of the intrinsic knowledge of a dimension other than the physical (see K.

Thomas, The Destiny Challenge: A Record of Spiritual Experience and Observation, pp.

499–700). This profound, and frequently cosmical, experience included an overview of

time – past, present, and future – which was clearly remembered and recorded

immediately afterwards. [I commenced to write the account the day following the rapid

normalisation of my consciousness.]

The registration of future events from this level was entirely impersonal, and utilised a

mode of consciousness unknown to me previously. The entire experience took the

form of what is increasingly referred to in the West as a kundalini energy experience

(KEE) – in reality a little known phenomenon wide open to distortion and confusion,

particularly in the sense that episodes frequently described as of this category are

simply initial stirrings of subtle energy and are not even remotely akin to the other-

dimensional event aforementioned. Nor are they (initial stirrings) hallmarked by the

extensive preparation essential for the sanity and well-being of the experiencer, as

many find to their cost. (For this latter reason I wrote The Kundalini Phenomenon, a

critical and cautionary work which covers the dangers inherent in illicit activation of

this volatile evolutionary energy by the use of inappropriate disciplines and

techniques, and likewise at the hands of pseudo-gurus and New Age teachers – the

results of which all too often culminate in hospitalisation and psychiatric treatment.)

The cultural trends perceived within the flow of time during my personal experience, in

many instances have since manifested with exactitude, and include, for example, the

devastating escalation of the drug culture (which has seemingly not yet reached its

apogee); the breakdown of marriage and the rise of excessive promiscuity; the wide-

scale spread of AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases; an upsurge of paedophilia in

its most extreme manifestations; pornography for the masses fed by television and the

(then unknown) Internet; an overwhelming increase in the abortion of unborn infants

at various stages of pregnancy – amounting, in many cases, to a medically approved

infanticide; the unconcealed and proliferating use of occult and magical practices; the

acceleration of terrorism and the havoc of war – to note a sample of the more negative

trends observed as moving towards externalisation. These trends, as I saw, were

neither random nor imposed upon us by a punitive agency. They are the result of

massive and needless errors made by Man. [It should be noted that in 1977 I had no

prior knowledge (or the most minimal knowledge) of AIDS, the drug culture,

pornography or paedophilia, etc. My life had been very sheltered and almost entirely of

a domestic nature.]

Bache’s book covers in considerable depth descriptions of the content of his personal

experiences, and the conclusions drawn both by him and from the experiential (and

experimental) work of Stanislav Grof, who provides a glowing foreword. Nevertheless,

Bache asserts repeatedly his puzzlement concerning certain non-ordinary "states"

and their meaning, and appears completely unaware (as does Stanislav Grof and other

highly influential psychedelic and transpersonal researchers) that to comprehend the

substance and content of other dimensional (subtle or otherwise) experiences and,

indeed, the overall meaningfulness of the dimension in which we live our mundane

lives, requires the operation of a non-physical faculty that must first be developed.

Without this faculty, comprehension is impossible.

The use of techniques such as Holotropic Breathwork and the ingestion of

psychedelics produce many anomalies and ultra-vivid experiences of the nature of

those outlined by Bache. However, these types of activation, whether of the brain or

the subtle senses, do not of themselves induce growth of the previously mentioned

faculty. As Dr. Jenny Wade clearly recognised in her book Changes of Mind: A

Holonomic Theory of the Evolution of Consciousness, there are limitations imposed

upon artificially induced non-ordinary states of consciousness by the presence of the

mundane ego.

Something similar is occurring in science [and I am not here making a criticism, for I

believe that science is one of the few ways forward that is open to us without blind

acceptance of unproven statements made in past centuries]. Neuroscientists, for

example, have discovered how to stimulate specific areas of the brain and to artificially

induce altered states of consciousness similar to those described in the past by saints

and mystics (results which the more materialistic scientist considers conclusive

evidence of the biological origin of virtually everything once accepted as spiritual).

This indisputable fact has created disturbance in the lives of many thinking people,

and several persons who are familiar with my writings have mentioned to me the

devastating effects that ongoing brain research has had upon their former beliefs in

the existence of a spiritual dimension.

Mercifully, not all the neuroscientists subscribe to the hypothesis that our concepts

and experiences of Divinity are confined entirely to a "God spot" in the brain. For

example, Dr. Andrew Newberg states in his co-authored book with Dr. Eugene d’Aquili:

"After years of scientific study, and careful consideration of our results, Gene and I

further believe that we saw evidence of a neurological process that has evolved to

allow us humans to transcend material existence and acknowledge and connect with a

deeper, more spiritual part of ourselves perceived of as an absolute universal reality

that connects us to all that is" (Why God Won’t Go Away, p. 9).

[Realistically, it has to be said that not all "saints" and "mystics," Eastern or Western,

attained to the levels of transcendental consciousness attributed to them, as a close

study of the history of religions would verify (see for instance, K. Shepherd, Minds and

Sociocultures Vol One: An Analysis of Religious and Dissenting Movements, 1995).

This factor, too, has to be taken into account when "mystical experience" is put

forward as proving a point beyond dispute. One should likewise note that certain

severe austerities, disciplines, and practises will systematically cause biochemical

changes, thus affecting the brain (and the psychology) in much the same manner as

hallucinogens and hyperventilation. Non-ordinary experiences arising as a

consequence cannot therefore of themselves be claimed as proof of spiritual

enlightenment. Other factors of paramount (and long-term) significance would first

require to have been developed.]

In my view, these disparate areas of experience (the authentic and the delusory) are

poles apart, and both science and other methods of serious enquiry are making the

greatest mistake possible in assuming that they are equally of value. The former (i.e.,

the authentic) could, in due time, achieve a demonstrable experiential recognition if the

requirements for such proof were adhered to; the latter can only create a major

impediment to that recognition if it continues to be confused with the former. This is a

harsh and unpopular truth, but one repeatedly borne out as having validity when the

facts are examined.

It is my contention, based on a lifetime of non-ordinary experiences, that the brain is a

highly proficient instrument already prepared through a very long process of evolution

ultimately to register certain levels of experience (including extra-dimensional) and

render them intelligible or comprehensible, to the individual who is adequately

prepared for their receipt. This would indicate that the evolutionary process is as yet

by no means complete. Should this prove to be the case, the implication is that prior

preparation is essential for this achievement and cannot be bypassed. To attempt to

do so results in delusory experience and the psychotic conditions so often confused

with mysticism – in turn creating false concepts and yielding misleading information.

An unusual factor in Bache’s account is his description of the increasingly potent

aftermath of contact with his students. [Bache was Professor of Religious Studies at

Youngstown State University in Ohio at the time of writing his book.] In several places

he also refers to the synchronistic events and non-ordinary states of awareness

evoked by his presence, and clearly considers this bizarre circumstance to be a

positive outcome of the Holotropic Breathwork and LSD induced experiences

undergone. That these "spin-offs" are wholly uncontrolled and outside his

understanding could, conversely, indicate that he has prematurely activated a non-

physical process within himself through the methods utilised; one that should not

occur without the instrumentation and safe monitoring of an authentic instructor.

Bache relates various episodes in relation to the above, among them "the experience

of spiritual resonance in the classroom – a particularly intense form of energetic

resonance between teacher and student that emerges spontaneously and can

generate powerful symptoms of kundalini arousal" (Dark Night, Early Dawn, p. 187, my

italics). He therefore knows of the factor of kundalini, although he does not enlarge

upon this, save than to say: "Students may collectively feel their energy begin to shift

to higher centres of awareness, though they may not understand what is happening.

Symptoms of chakra-opening and kundalini-type arousal may begin to manifest" (ibid.,

p. 191). One woman in her mid-thirties recorded that several times she thought she

was losing her mind (ibid.), and other students had commensurate problems of

alarming severity that Bache merely hints at. His method of dealing with these

"disruptive effects" was to include his students (unknown to them) in his daily spiritual

practice, and ultimately include all new students "as soon as registration occurs." He

continues: "I shudder sometimes at what my colleagues would think if they could see

me performing the Chod ritual over a student roster for a course that has not yet

begun, but to my mind this is simply an extension of my responsibilities as a teacher"

(ibid., p. 203).

To activate in others subtle states of such strength and intensity, and without any

knowledge of what one is initiating, nor any control of the consequences, is both

alarming and highly unprofessional. Most tragic of all is the fact that these students did

not knowingly submit themselves to this activation – although Bache most obviously

knew in advance, even before he met them in the classroom, that this would occur.

Bache’s book provides a thought-provoking view of evolution. It is a view that is

seemingly readily attainable by any enquiring individual, either fully or partially, using

the psychedelic and Holotropic methods promoted by Stanislav Grof – regardless of

their lifestyle, level of aspiration, egoic development, or integrity. Regardless also of

their ability to comprehend what they experience, or to modulate the consequences,

both to themselves and to others.

Such a view is also echoed in the work of John Heron, whose Sacred Science: Person

Centred Inquiry into the Spiritual and Subtle has, I am told, evoked considerable

interest within the Network, certain members of which hope to initiate the

recommended groupwork. My response must be that any person presenting a

blueprint for such a proposed developmental initiative should possess far greater

knowledge and understanding than that demonstrated by John Heron, who is happy

to incorporate, alongside less controversial and intrusive methods, the use of

psychedelic substances – including LSD, mescaline, ketamine, amphetamines, etc.,

plus magical ritual, Holotropic Breathwork, and sensory deprivation (among other

questionable practices) as incentives to his inquiry – an ad hoc approach which is

surely neither scientific nor spiritual.

There is no mention of the very great dangers attendant on these processes, all of

which are experimental, and seemingly no awareness of the potential danger to all

further possibilities of spiritual growth. This is because the researchers sponsoring

these practices have virtually no knowledge of the fundamentals of the science in

which they profess proficiency, despite the fact that they are happy to accept the

status bestowed upon them by persons impressed by the presumed mystical insights

so readily obtainable. I have addressed these issues at length in The Kundalini

Phenomenon.

Bache’s mentor, Stanislav Grof, is a prime mover in the introduction of Holotropic

Breathwork and its extremely serious consequences into increasingly widening areas

of therapeutic treatment, including transpersonal psychology, psychiatry, and the

crises arising from so-called "spiritual emergencies." In his book Psychology of the

Future: Lessons from Modern Consciousness Research (2000), Grof gives detailed

information on his work over four decades, two of which were spent "conducting

therapy with psychedelic substances" (p. lx). From the content one can only conclude

that major lessons are yet to be confronted, for the confusion that existed between

experiences supposedly of a spiritual nature and those that arise from other causes

has still to be approached. The horrifying states described as Second Perinatal Matrix

(BPMII and III) are nothing whatever to do with inner development, but rather do they

indicate that the persons undergoing these terrifying experiences were in no sense

ready to deal with the content of their psyches, or their reincarnational past (as Grof

assumes), and should certainly not have been submitted to the type of sessions that

evoked them.

Grof makes clear in Psychology of the Futurethat he is fully aware that LSD and

breathwork sessions similarly activate the energy ofkundalini to disastrous effect, but

has nevertheless no intention of advising discontinuance of these sessions which,

without exception, provide a contrived induction into altered states that would not

otherwise be experienced – a "forced entry," in actuality, into uncharted areas, with

results that are unpredictable for the individual, and without any safeguards at all. Grof

states: "The activated Kundalini, called shakti, rises through the nadis, channels or

conduits in the subtle body. As it ascends, it clears old traumatic imprints and opens

the centers of psychic energy, called chakras. This process, although highly valued

and considered beneficial in the yogic tradition, is not without dangers and requires

expert guidance by a guru whose Kundalini is fully awakened and stabilised" (p. 156).

But a "guru" whose kundalini was "fully awakened and stabilised" would not

countenance what Dr. Grof is doing. Grof is considered to be an advocate of the

perennial philosophy, but his methodology surely demonstrates a pronounced

perennial folly. Like his pupil, Christopher Bache, he is completely unable to control

what he has initiated – nor has he any true comprehension of the states encountered

(all of which he regards as investigative and experimental) despite his dealings, along

with his wife Christina, with "spiritual emergencies." Possession by evil entities,

trance, sexual deviance, alien abduction, witchcraft, sado-masochism, and

unwholesome scatological interests (to name but a few of the abnormalities

extensively covered in chapter three ofPsychology of the Future) have no place in

spiritual practice, and the lengthy sessions that engender these aberrant irregularities

should be eschewed. What is happening here is that the psyche is being opened to a

stratum of existence that it would not otherwise have contacted, and which is anything

but benevolent. Could it be that the deviant "archetypes" experienced are not part of

the individual’s unconscious but rather a dangerous layer of existence best

permanently avoided?

My primary concern in the foregoing is the damage done to the evolutionary

(developmental) potential of literally thousands of trusting people, likewise to the

physical health of far too many casualties in the form of serious after-effects following

the use of certain techniques and practices and ranging from nervous breakdown to

insanity. I am not using conjecture here; I have personally spoken with numerous

damaged and disoriented individuals, a large number immediately following the

Holotropic Breathwork sessions held at the Findhorn Foundation in Morayshire,

Scotland in the early 1990s, some of which were initially presided over by Stanislav

Grof himself. (These extreme hyperventilation sessions required the inclusion of

buckets, bowls and plastic bags for the violent vomiting and loss of bladder and bowel

control by the participants – and the screaming was such that the area surrounding

the venue in which the sessions were held was placed out of bounds to community

members and visitors alike.)

I have also spoken with local doctors at the Health Centre in nearby Forres, who were

aware of the aftermath consequences, and whose concern was such that they placed

a notice in the local press dissociating themselves from what was occurring. I spoke,

too, with senior officials from the Scottish Charities Office (SCO), who had previously

been informed of these matters by a deeply concerned retired GP and World Health

Organisation consultant at that time living in Forres – incidentally, one of the early

members of the SMN who had worked for five years with George Blaker. The SCO

promptly sent an interviewer to investigate further, and as a consequence

commissioned a report from a top [medical] forensics Professor at the University of

Edinburgh, which (due to the legalities involved) led to the suspension of all

Breathwork activities sponsored by the Findhorn Foundation (see S.

Castro, Hypocrisy and Dissent within the Findhorn Foundation, 1996, chapter six).

Dr. Grof’s transpersonal theory has had the unfortunate effect of validating drug

experience as spiritual in some quarters (see Appendix). I personally believe there is a

need for caution and a re-evaluation of artificially induced transpersonal experiences –

the incongruities cannot be ignored indefinitely.

Appendix

For an excellent review of two recently published opposing arguments on the subject

of chemically induced altered states, see David Fontana, "Chemical Mysticism and the

Mind-Brain Dilemma" (Network, No 79 August 2002, pp. 47–48). Prof. Fontana rightly

notes, "… we should not be carried away by the possibilities offered by entheogens,"

and quotes from two authors of a chapter in one of the books reviewed: "[Although

Indigenous cultures] … [have long used] … psychoactive plants … in religious rituals

that have served to facilitate their connection to the transpersonal … it is a myth that

the use of these substances will automatically lead to a higher degree of spiritual or

religious development." It is also worth mentioning here that a contemporary mystic,

Meher Baba (d. 1969), who produced a significant book charting the evolutionary and

metaphysical nature of consciousness (described by the Tibetologist Dr. W. Y. Evens-

Wentz in terms of: "No other teacher in our own time or in any past time has so

minutely analysed consciousness as Meher Baba …"), has stated:

"No drug, whatever its great promise, can help one to attain the spiritual goal. There is

no short-cut to the goal … and drugs, LSD more than others, give only a semblance of

‘spiritual experience,’ a glimpse of a false reality."