Spiritual Realizations vs Spiritual Actualizations | TCM #32 (part 1)

What is the difference between spiritual experiences and truly actualized and embodied self-knowledge? Bernhard and Laura discuss the difference between spiritual realizations and spiritual actualizations in this new episode of the Cosmic Matrix podcast. First, they discuss the difference between embodied knowledge and intellectual knowledge and the importance of combining psychological work with spiritual practices. They also speak about the dangers of sharing spiritual experiences “prematurely”, how “peak” experiences are not necessarily realizations, and how the ego often tries to hijack and take credit for spiritual experiences, often disrupting this experience turning into a realization. They also talk about psychic attacks in regards to sharing spiritual experiences and how this can pollute the “container” and how we can use spiritual practices to spiritually bypass, along with the importance of first, building a healthy ego—before we try to get rid of it. In the second hour, they go deeper and discuss the “spiritual ego”, misconceptions about occult knowledge, how not everyone is ready to engage with the Work, and how we must build knowledge in necessary developmental stages over time. They also discuss why it's important to sit with our triggers so we can discover the core wound behind the “stories” we tell ourselves, the archetypal forces of nature in Jungian psychology, the cultural epidemic of looking to blame things on “narcissists”, and how the ego can easily use a loose understanding of psychological concepts to fall into blaming others through attaching these labels to them and falling into blame traps. They close off by discussing how we can often feel called to create a new “spiritual identity” to replace the old identity and the difference between the True Self and False Personality. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1ATpUNOChQ Show Notes Part 1: * The difference between spiritual realization and spiritual actualization * Embodied knowledge vs. intellectual knowledge * The work of John Welwood: The Psychology of Awakening * The importance of combining psychological work with spiritual work/practices * Developmental Traumas in the “modern” world * The Integral four-fold approach * The limitation of psychological work alone * The benefits of new/modern somatic psychotherapeutic modalities * The Indian spiritual mindset and imbalances (Trap of Asceticism) * The transformation of matter and the physical body: Sri Aurobindo’s Integral Yoga * Laura’s experience of the monkey mind/though chatter stopping - a permanent shift than never reversed back * The issue of sharing spiritual realizations prematurely * Intellectual knowledge vs. embodied knowledge * Different levels of Realizations: The Ascent and Descent * Peak experiences are not necessarily spiritual realizations * The importance of containment, silence, shelter and honoring your process and experiences * The ego hijacking spiritual experiences * Sri Aurobindo on the danger of sharing spiritual experiences prematurely * The body needs to be clear enough to hold the Divine Force * Why is it so hard to keep a consistent meditation practice? * Psychic attacks form others (in the form of envy, jealousy, judgment, ill-will, i.e. shadow projections) when sharing (spiritual) experiences * Using spiritual practices for the ego’s agenda and desires * Effort vs. surrender * The necessity to have a healthy integrated ego before trying to get rid of it. * Getting “addicted” to spiritual practices * Getting to the root of things and not using spiritual practices as a band-aid * Self-inquiry and taking “inventory” of your life