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Namah Consciousness: An Expanding Experiential Construct

identify ourselves with states of being that are
not our own. Human language is a poor help
in such a search, but at least we may find in it
some symbols and figures, return with some
just expressible hints which will help the light
of the soul and throw upon the mind some
reflection of the ineffable design (12).”

Relevance to Psychology
There are unique characteristics in his vision
Can the consciousness paradigm be used to which makes consciousness the Alpha and
construct a foundation for psychology that Omega of a futuristic psychology (13).
would provide a framework for constructing
the structure of the being and which would The first significant characteristic is that
help us to understand the appearance of Consciousness as Reality is simultaneously
psychopathology at different planes of present in three poises: the Transcendent,
consciousness, leading to concomitant the Universal and the Individual. In many
therapeutic interventions at different traditions, the Transcendence is considered
levels? to be God while the rest are subsidiaries.
In the Indian tradition, the Individual soul
If we consider consciousness only from was recognised but was ultimately believed
the mystical perspective in its purity to dissolve, disappear or merge into the
or Chit aspect that surpasses all cognitive Absolute. The individual was thus an
phenomena, we reach the Transcendence. That ephemeral being destined to be absorbed
would be the domain of spirituality where the into the great Void. Only Sri Aurobindo gives
individual would not matter, personality the Individual a poise that is similar in stature
would be replaced by impersonality and to the Transcendental and Universal and
psychology would no longer be relevant as therefore imparts a legacy of permanence. This
the individuality, sustained by the ego would imparts a spiritual validity to psychology. It
have to be transcended. also permits the consideration of different
denouements of immortality.
If we consider only the scientific paradigm of
consciousness that arises from the Matter-Energy The second important characteristic is that
interface, then we would lack a metaphysical Consciousness is not only pluri-dimensional
support for psychology and thus miss the but simultaneously integral. If this element
meaning of life. In fact today, meaninglessness of integrality was not there, we would have
per se has become a significant index for discrete planes of consciousness, whose
existential crisis. shifting strands would not have facilitated
the emergence of a being. The concept of
Sri Aurobindo’s vision of consciousness integrality is complex and has to be understood
incorporates simultaneously the mystical at different perspectives. Each new plane of
and scientific paradigms and surpasses both. consciousness that manifests integrates the

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