THE MYSTIC NATURE OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

by
Robert Atkinson
University of Southern Maine

Human development as an academic field of study is barely a century old. Major theories of human development largely focus on separate fields of inquiry within a broader context, such as psychosexual development, cognitive development, psychosocial development, moral development, faith development, and a few others. More often than not, these separate and distinct inquiries look at particular stages one at a time (childhood, adolescence, middle age, etc.). Until very recently the subjects used to gather the data for a theory were a very homogenous group, usually white males studied by other white males. A first cousin to developmental psychology, human development has followed the same path of attempting to define clearly focused areas of study, sort of like seeing the trunk, the legs, the tail, and the body, without seeing the elephant. Thus, we would seem far from having a theory of human development that defines the whole person, much less the whole human species.

There is, therefore, no one unifying theory of human development, nor is there an active call for one, as in some other fields of study. The time is not yet right for a unified theory of human development. We have so much more to learn about the subject. We are a moving target. We are just beginning to give serious consideration to cultural influences on human development. Now that the human genome is fully deciphered this will also impact considerably the study of human development.

The theories that came along in the first half of the twentieth century no longer define human development as well as they once might have. Even the theories from the second half of the twentieth century are now beginning to miss the mark. Modern society, and the rapid advance of technology, along with broad globalization, has changed everything, including us. What is now possible in the farther realms of human development, especially at the level of the inner life, is also just beginning to be understood. The theories of human development have only gone as far as the discipline will take them in understanding the human being.

Psychologically based studies of human development are limited by definition. All of the theories and stages of human development, which we will review shortly, have already outlived much of their usefulness. One example is that while integrity vs. despair may have once been the core psychosocial conflict for older adults, the quality of integrity can no longer be seen as limited to the last stage of life, as in Erikson's theory. There are more and more individual exceptions to these theories and stages of life than ever; we are approaching the level of a collective exception to some theories.

While psychology can only go so far in describing human development, the world's religious traditions provide us with a much greater insight into the potentials of human development. And those teachings, of a spiritual nature, have always been there. Not only are our human development theories limited, but our cultural and religious perspectives are, as well. What would a Hindu, or a Buddhist, or a Muslim, say is possible developmentally? What might be latent within us as human beings with a spirit? Spiritual, and even more so, mystical development often begins where the major human development theories leave off. As long as we ignore the spiritual, the religious, the mystical, and the indigenous and multicultural views of human development, the longer it will be before we can approach the articulation of a unified theory of human development.

THE DOMINANT THEORIES OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

Theories offer cohesive views of complex matters, and usually organize assumptions around data generated from studies. A quick review of the dominant theories will provide a framework for better understanding spiritual and mystical development.

Psychosexual Development It is generally accepted that Sigmund Freud was the first to put forth a systematic theory of human development. Believing that the sexual urge was at the core of human development, and that this starts soon after birth, the oral, anal, phallic, latency, and genital stages of his psychosexual theory cover most of what he has to say about the development of the child and the adolescent.1 The adult was fully developed sexually. All he had to say about the stage was that the goal of a healthy life is to love and work. His views on the three components of the personality (the id, ego, and superego), have influenced the study of human development, as have his insights that different stages present different problems and needs, and that there are certain critically important periods of development. Most developmentalists place more emphasis on genetic traits, current life events, and sociocultural context than on the experiences of early childhood, as Freud does.

Cognitive Development Jean Piaget's contribution was mapping the mind's evolving capacity to know. His cognitive theory of development shifted attention to the active mental processes of the child, beginning with the sensorimotor stage and moving on to the preoperational, then the concrete operational, and finally the formal operational stage in adolescence. This is a process that begins with inborn reflexes, moves on to acquired skills, then symbolic, egocentric thinking, and finally logical, abstract, and hypothetical thinking.2 Again, what is cognitively possible is achieved by late adolescence. His theory has helped many, especially teachers, to better understand how children may best be able to learn certain things at certain ages, but it has also been found to be lacking in universal applicability.

Psychosocial Development Erik Erikson was the first to offer an in-depth theory of human development that treated all the stages of life equally, from birth to death. His focus was on psychosocial development, emphasizing primarily the role of social relationships. While the tasks, or core conflicts, of his childhood and adolescent stages seem to be rooted in psychological constructs (trust, autonomy, initiative, industry, and identity), his adult stages may appear to begin to build a bridge between psychology and religion (intimacy, generativity, integrity).3 However, his eight stages are tightly and cyclically interconnected, the first stage successfully met resulting in the basic strength of hope, and the final stage successfully met resulting in the basic strength of wisdom. All of his resulting basic strengths can actually be seen as spiritual qualities, too. Yet, when he considers the possibility of a psychology of "ultimate concern," Erikson does not let himself speculate on what that might be.4 He binds himself to the boundaries of psychology and will not cross that bridge he has helped to create.

Moral Development Lawrence Kohlberg built upon Piaget's stages of intellectual development to explore the stages of moral development, going a stage beyond cognitive development. He was primarily concerned with determining how children, adolescents, and only later adults, would think, or reason, about moral dilemmas involving justice; what he, along with Socrates, believed to be the end of all moral reasoning. His six stages move from preconventional to conventional to postconventional levels, or from an avoidance morality through moralities based on self-interest, mutuality, social conscience, individual rights, and universal ethical principles.5

Kohlberg has many supporters, but his theory is also quite limited. The stage at which one is determined to be is based on thinking about moral dilemmas, not on actual behavior. It was also originally based on a study of 75 boys, and therefore has found much criticism from anthropology to women's studies, as well as psychology, education and other disciplines. Kohlberg says that the highest, or postconventional, level is reached only by a minority of adults. This stage six, though based on universal ethical principles, is still describing a secular morality, a view of moral development from a psychological framework that overemphasizes rational thought and underestimates the importance of religious faith or spiritual development in moral reasoning and behavior. He does not consider the possibility that most adults might be capable of learning, through study and discipline, a morality based on universal ethical principles. Nor does he consider the possibility that a child may be taught universal ethical, religious, or spiritual principles and actually be able to apply them in real life situations.

Faith Development James Fowler also built upon Piaget's theory of cognitive development, focusing on the quest for meaning in faith development. He approaches faith from a religious, rather than psychological, orientation, pointing out that everyone, regardless of personal beliefs, has some purpose or value in life, and therefore some level of faith. His stages begin with an imaginative faith (intuitive-projective) that emerges as children begin life with a view of the world as magical. Next is the reality-based (mythic-literal) stage where older children look to the facts to determine what they put their faith in. This is followed by a dependent faith (poetic-conventional), where adolescents and many adults conform to the beliefs of those they trust. Fourth, is the independent faith (individual-reflective) of adults who become critically reflective, assuming responsibility for their beliefs. Next, the interdependent stage of faith (conjunctive), signals an openness to inter-faith dialogue and an acceptance of the many paradoxes and inconsistencies in life. Finally, stage six is a universalizing faith characterized by an active, all-inclusive compassion, fellowship, and unity.6

Fowler's stages of faith progress from a simple, self-centered perspective to an altruistic, selfless orientation. This process is linked to, and limited by, cognitive development. Referring to the last two stages, Fowler says conjunctive faith is unusual before mid-life, and a universalizing faith is exceedingly rare. This last stage has even been considered to be the realm of the mystics, indicating both that the mystic way begins where the stages of faith leave off, and that the mystic way is only open to a select few.

All the theories of human development fall far short of what human beings are capable of, and how we can deeply understand human nature and potential. They are indeed very helpful in understanding sexual, cognitive, social, moral, and faith development, but that is still not the whole elephant. They are all white male theorists drawing their data largely from white male subjects. Of recent importance is the work of Carol Gilligan and others who have added the feminine voice and experience to the study of human development.7 As a species, we have evolved, and will continue to do so, in areas that psychology doesn't even, and can't if it stays within its own boundaries, touch. When we leave the realm of psychology, we enter the realm of the spiritual and the mystical.

SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT

No theory of human development can be considered complete without addressing the spiritual nature of the human being. After all, psyche was used originally to refer to the soul. It is well known from the Greek tradition, as well as many others, that human beings are both matter and spirit. Each has its own properties and qualities. We have tended, however, to think of our identity, even our psychological identity, much more in terms of our physical being, and within the context of temporality, than we have in terms of our spiritual nature. If we were to think of our true identity, we might see this more in terms of our consciousness, or thought, or even our energy, which are manifestations of spirit, and which are therefore everlasting.8

The separation of the body and the spirit has, in fact, created the longstanding problem that we still find ourselves faced with today. Our dual nature, physical and spiritual, is what explains the lifelong tension that exists within us as we make our way through this world. We are often pulled in opposite directions at the same time; we have both legitimate physical needs as well as legitimate spiritual needs. Sometimes our need for physical satisfaction competes with our need for seeking meaning and purpose in life. Yet, many traditions have also noted that this separation between soul and body is created by man, not God.

Before looking at how and why the mystic way sees life as both a whole, and as an eternal journey, there are a number of approaches based in psychology that do address the spiritual nature, or highest levels of human potential.

Analytical Psychology For C.G. Jung, the aim of human development is a personality that expresses its wholeness. This is realized through the on-going process of individuation. Jung sees the life cycle as having a first half, or morning (childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood), when the foundation of the ego is brought into being, and a second half, or afternoon and evening (from midlife on), when "the best possible understanding of life as we find it in the human soul"9 is the goal. Jung not only refers to psyche in its original sense, as soul, but also views the second half of life as having a specific cultural and spiritual function, which is fulfilled only in contact with and in relation to the collective whole. Thus, wholeness is always relative, giving us something to work on as long as we live. The life of the spirit is as vital to us as is any other aspect. Jung said, "life is a touchstone for the truth of the spirit," and that spirit gives life "the possibility of its greatest development."10

Humanistic Psychology Abraham Maslow saw human development in terms of the process of moving from basic needs (food and shelter) to social needs (love and esteem) to the highest needs of "full humanness," a hierarchy which culminates in "self-actualization." Much of his work focused on this higher-order realm, addressing a psychology of being, peak-experiences, and the species-wide need for spiritual expression. He did not hesitate to expand the language and conceptual structure of psychology to include: human endeavors such as finding the sacred in the ordinary; human qualities, or Being-values, such as compassion, truth, goodness, transcendence, justice, oneness; and, the state of unitive consciousness. He noted, as did Jung, that these endeavors tend to be a lifelong effort. His work went the farthest in demonstrating the reality of spiritual values, that they are not the exclusive possession of organized churches, and that they are the general responsibility of all mankind.11 (Maslow also proposed a Theory Z which went beyond self-actualization to place transcendence at the center of one's life experience. Transcenders, he said, are much more aware of the realm of Being, more likely to have unitive consciousness more often, and therefore more insightful, more metamotivated, more responsive to beauty, more holistic about the world, more synergetic, and more innovative, among other things, than self-actualizers.)

 Transpersonal Psychology Ken Wilber, the leading transpersonal thinker of our time, has examined the great psychological, philosophical, and religious-spiritual traditions to illustrate how theories of human development, including those of Freud, Piaget, Erikson, Kohlberg, Maslow, and many others, connect particularly with what Hindu and Buddhist traditions tell us about the ascent of consciousness. His "full spectrum" model of human development includes both the stages of development typically addressed by conventional psychology as well as the stages of development drawn from the world's great contemplative traditions, and offers an integrated view of development consisting of nine phases of self-development, with three major fulcrums, the prepersonal, the personal, (both conventional) and the transpersonal (contemplative).12

An example of how these disparate approaches can be "brought together in a mutually enriching fashion," is in Wilber's placement of Piaget's highest stage of formal operational thinking, Erikson's highest stage of integrity vs. despair, Kohlberg's highest stage of universal ethical thinking, and Maslow's highest need of self-actualization at the highest level of the personal stages. Beyond this are the transpersonal stages, which include the subtle (the seat of archetypes, transcendent insight, and illumination), the causal (samadhi, nirvana, and a universal and formless self, or Atman), and finally, the ultimate (absolute Spirit, absolute Consciousness, Aurobindo's 'Supermind,' and Zen's 'One Mind'). The only conventional theorist to posit this level is Maslow with his need for transcendence.13 As Wilber notes, when the conventional psychological stages of human development are taken together with the contemplative approaches of the world's religious traditions, the integration seems to result in a universal, cross-cultural spectrum of human development that shares important similarities.

THE LIFE CYCLE AS A MYSTIC JOURNEY

The common limitation of all the theories of human development, including those in the realm of spiritual development, is that they all look at development within the context of conception (or birth) to death. We are conceived, develop prenatally, are born, and then develop over the next eight or so decades in the various bio-psycho-socio-spiritual realms, and then die. What would our view of human development look like if we approached human life from the perspective of eternity? This is an extremely important consideration because it could change not only how we see development, but how we carry out our own development.

The first thing that would make this approach distinctive is that most mystics, and most of the world's sacred traditions, accept some form of the notion that we come from God, and to God will we return.14 This idea is, in fact, the very raison d'etre of the mystic: to ensure and facilitate that return to God. It is the path to reunion, what is in between the coming from and returning to God, that most concerns the mystic. The mystic lives in this world with one eye focused here and the other on eternity. As Catherine of Siena, the 14th century Christian mystic and saint, put it, "All the way to heaven is heaven."15 It is the holistic perspective of both worlds as one that distinguishes the mystic from other seekers of personal or spiritual growth.

The true mystic is practical. The mystic carries not only a contemplative attitude into life, but an attitude focused on a commitment to discipline, a singleness of purpose, and an undying faith. It is these qualities that keep mystics from losing ground to the formidable forces of the physical world, a realm they are but passing through. They are here not only to bring about their own reunion, but to help reunite the disparate worlds for others. Their practicalness lies in the power of their commitment even when, and especially when, confronted with the overwhelming and continuing sufferings of the temporal world. In practice, the mystic's commitment grows stronger and more intense with every trial faced. This is what feeds their spirit, renews their vitality, and better prepares them to discern the real from the illusory in their arduous journey. Living the mystic life is a practical step that could lead every person to becoming a complete human being.

The mystic is also a realist. Believing, with St. Paul, that "whether we live or die, we are the Lord's," the mystic accepts the invitation to the soul to attain that fullness of life for which we were made. This is never a self-seeking quest, nor for personal reward, but one of a "devout lover" who obtains satisfaction because it is not even sought, and completeness of personality by giving it up.

The best, and simplest, definition of a mystic is one who seeks union with Reality, or with the Absolute.16 Reality, or the Absolute, may not be so much the issue as is union. Reality is the ultimate consciousness we can attain; it is an opening into a richer and more vital world, placing us face to face with the Other, and bringing about a perspective that harmonizes everything there is. Union with the Absolute, the unknowable essence that is God, has to be our highest possible goal. The Sufi who said that "Pilgrimage to the place of the wise, is to escape the flame of separation,"17 knew that wisdom concerning God is the fruit of communion. We know a thing only by uniting with it. The mystic's quest for union exists to bring about a transcendent point of view, to achieve a sense, and experience, of unity in a world made up of many dualities.

The mystic is aware of the tension that exists within us all. On one side, we are pulled by our own physical desires; on the other, we are pulled by the Will of God. The mystic acknowledges the cobwebs as well as the beauty of the universe, and understands life in relation to eternity, seeking to resolve that inherent tension by making the two one. The non-mystic, complacent with the seen world, feels no sense of something missing; and so "unites" with the known, with the temporal world. It is easier not to unite with Reality.

But the mystic, or anyone, who, through some great moment of truth, some deep experience of beauty, love, or pain, is lifted to another level of consciousness, becomes aware for a moment of a difference between the temporal and the eternal, and recognizes the interconnectedness of all things, and the sacredness of everything. We remain separated from this understanding until we experience the Reality of things as they are - whole and one. The practical mystic, knowing that we are restless only at our periphery while still at our center, takes on a discipline in order to remain in touch with the spiritual universe always surrounding us, to participate in it, and to unite with it. The mystic knows also the three levels of existence, the Natural, the Spiritual, and the Divine, and that as we progress along the mystic way they appear first as three and finally as one.

The Mystic Way With the basic framework of coming from and returning to God always in mind, there is a clearly defined path for the mystic to follow toward that reunion.18 This path is essentially a psychological process consisting of a series of oscillations between states of wonder and states of suffering, or purification leading to union, or crisis followed by victory. This is the mystic version of the sacred pattern that brings about transformation, a pattern expressed in myth as birth-death-rebirth, and in ritual as separation-transition-incorporation, with the simplest version being muddle followed by resolution.19

These full-spectrum experiences are the constants of the mystic-transcendental, life, yet each must undertake the quest, the adventure, by one's self; thus the first of five mystic states: the awakening of the transcendental consciousness. Signaling an extension of awareness, this may be the first direct experience of Divine Reality. Usually abrupt, but sometimes gradual, and accompanied by intense feelings of joy, this new consciousness often comes about through a vision of the Divine in the world, of the eternal, or of unconditional Love (or all three at once), which can be perceived as either external or internal, or both. What separates the mystic from others who have this type of experience is that the mystic consciously establishes a relationship between the self and the Absolute in order to maintain, nurture, and bring to completion this newly awakened yearning for union. This first mystic state also parallels the peak-experiences Maslow speaks of, and can signal reaching the boundary of the psychological realm and entering the spiritual-mystical realm of development.

Next, the purification of the self, is a recognition of elements of the self that are not in harmony with the newly perceived reality, and the willful purging of those imperfections, false desires, and false thoughts. The stark contrast that becomes evident here (I am an individual, but I aspire to union) creates the first of many struggles, or experiences of suffering and pain, and therefore effort, found along the mystic way. This and the rest of the quest becomes a series of purifications, each at different level or depth, and each necessary for a remaking of the character. The work done in this realm to purge, purify, and change the self is essential to mystics, sometimes taken on by spiritual seekers, and usually only seen as important by others who are guided to this understanding through therapy or other means.

The third state is the illumination of the self, or a lifting of consciousness from a self-centered to a God-centered world, another step closer to the desired union with the Absolute. Here, experience verifies the sense of Divine Presence, and brings with it an added vision of the significance and reality of all things, and an added level of energy, activity, and often creative expression. Though known now, the Absolute is still unachieved. Fourth, is the next level of pain, the dark night of the soul, which brings about a symbolic death leading to surrender. This is a swing back, a period of stagnation and psychic fatigue, a natural cyclical (and human) reaction to the heights of mystic lucidity, that is characterized by overwhelming confusion, helplessness, loss, intellectual impotence, and disharmony that constitutes the final purification of the individual will, before, through surrender, it merges with the larger will.

Finally, the consummation of the mystic way is union, or becoming one with the Absolute Life. Though the mystics who attain the Unitive Life have to live in the world, they are not of it. Mystics live as much in the eternal realm as in the temporal, as much in the spiritual as in the physical. This being able to live in both worlds at the same time is what constitutes their "union" with Reality. The two worlds (the eternal and the temporal) have become one (or unified) for them. Union is experienced on both the outer and inner levels, within the self and the self with the universe. This empowers them with a transcendent vitality that brings forth great deeds, and singles them out as ambassadors to the Infinite, centers of energy, and spiritual mentors to others. The Unitive Life represents the highest form of consciousness, the deepest, richest level of human development possible. In it, the three primary, and distinctly, human activities and qualities - intellect (knowledge), feeling (love), and will - are carried to their highest levels. This represents the final "honor for which man has been made."20

Perhaps the most important distinction to be made between this "union" with Reality, as the final goal, and other similar states - such as the Hindu's nirvana or Atman, and Zen's "One Mind," is that they tend to stress the experience of union, and usually the enlightenment or the ecstacy of it, as an end in itself, while the mature mystic possesses a deep conviction and commitment to on-going active work in the social sphere, or some form of service to humanity. The mystic's action in the world is the way in which the individual becomes united with the universal will. This union not only keeps one involved, but requires one's contribution to the whole. This union reaches its summit through a spiritual detachment from mortal concerns or selfish desires coupled with a selfless devotion to union with the Divine will. Because not all mystics who seek or experience union believe this way, this distinction is addressed further in the next section.

If anyone is interested in the complete chapter, you may contact me.