Healing altered states of consciousness

Instability in body and mind can lead to self-discovery and altered states of consciousness, especially when facing death. Healing is distinct from curing the body; it involves balancing body, mind, and consciousness to achieve wholeness. The ultimate goal is to experience oneness with all life, transcending sensory experience. A therapist's role is to guide this inquiry into reality without religious commitment. Consciousness continues after bodily death and is not merely reflective awareness. Altered states of consciousness can arise from trauma, meditation, drugs, or common experiences like sleep deprivation.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Byline: T. Srinivasan Instability in body-mind gives rise to self-discovery and an altered state of consciousness. This is the experience of most people. Especially, when the instability portends facing bodily death, one's inner search is intense, and one may go through depression, despair and denial. In such extreme cases, a model for the human existence is important. It has been said that healing is not simply curing the body. The latter is important when we need to come back to health for transactional purposes. However, at the end point, when returning to health is not possible, healing is vital. WHOLENESS AND HEALING Wholeness and health are related to all three elements that make up life - namely, body, mind and consciousness (or spirit, reality); all these should function in unison for health. The role of a therapist is not just to look at the body; not simply address the distress of the mind; but to bring into balance the triad so that a positive progression toward our goal is possible. And what is that goal? Spiritual leaders have spoken of that goal as to realize or experience oneness of all life, including even the inanimate world around us. It is not just a feeling and knowing we are all one in an intellectual way. It is one of the total and transcendental identification of all that we see and hear, touch, feel and taste. In fact, we need to go beyond the sensory experience to become one with the world. Senses and the mind limit and focus our attention and experience. When we can go beyond the instruments we use to experience the world, we come in contact with Reality. Thus, the role of the therapist is to lead the person to inquire into the nature of this reality, this consciousness without making a commitment to the type of reality that the person could be looking for. In other words, the role of the therapist is more complex and suggestive than that of a clergy (of any religion). Once the body-mind has been put in order, so to say, once the person realizes that body-mind is an instrument needed for a purpose, then the search for reality could be initiated. An informed start of this search alone will constitute a beginning toward total healing. The ultimate destiny of the body-mind is to decay and die. This is the final and relative reality. But beyond this relative reality is an ultimate reality, one that needs to be defined and if possible, experienced. Thus, healing and consciousness are intimately inter-related. We have not really defined consciousness; it is only mentioned that consciousness is something that continues after the death of the body. It is the self or soul in many traditions; it is the ultimate reality. Consciousness we are dealing with is not the one that we are interested while a patient is in coma; is he/she consciousness or not. It is not reflective awareness, self-awareness or any other psychological correlates that are discussed in literature. UNITARY CONSCIOUSNESS An altered state of consciousness is a change in one's normal mental state as a result of trauma or accident or induced through meditation, drugs, some foods, etc. [sup][1] The person is not unconscious. There are also many common experiences that create altered states of consciousness (ASC), such as sleeping or daydreaming, sleep deprivation, euphoria or panic. …