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Split-perception and Self-Actualization
by GoldBear

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The amount of familiarity and comfort a practitioner has with altered states of mind is in essence the strength of their psi "power." It is the ability to navigate with disrupted or absent senses in a realm of pure thought that allows for true energy understanding beyond the physical realm.

Familiarity and comfort come from experience, which require us to be in the desired setting as often, and under as many varying situations, as possible. We all have hectic "day-lives," where we are forced to work, take care of others, and perform the day to day routines that maintain our physical bodies, such as meals or breathing! We cannot rationally spend all day in a trance-state in order to better understand the workings of another level of existence. What we gain in one realm, we would lose in another. For example: spending all day in a trance would prevent you from eating, or hydrating yourself, eventually leading to an unpleasant state of affairs.

How then, can we maximize our exposure to higher levels of existence, while still maintaining our day to day lives, which in the end are the real priorities (for we use psi to improve our life and the lives of those around us). We must integrate the two, so that they are both present in our daily lives, and always available for our use. With this split-perception, we have the ability to achieve balance more easily, and see issues with never before experienced clarity.

The process to attaining this mind-set is a long one, as it requires constant monitoring in the beginning. The mind-set we are looking for is one we all have experienced from time to time. Maslow called them "oceanic feelings" in his description of self-actualized individuals. Oceanic feelings are a semi-euphoric state, in which one feels as if they are lightly drifting in the sea. It is experienced by individuals that are "self-actualized," those that have met all the needs of basic life, and have attained a sense of mastery in their lives. These feelings are not permanent however, as small things can upset the balance that is attained. Let us review Maslow's Hierarchy of needs, and one must remember that each stage must be satisfied before the next can be addressed:

1) Physiological Needs: The need for water, food, air, things that sustain our bodies on a daily basis.

2) Safety Needs: The need for shelter, and protection from harm.

3) Belongingness Needs: The need to feel loved, appreciated, and accepted among peers and loved ones.

4) Esteem Needs: Desire for mastery of desired skills, and the need to feel appreciated by others for one's work, and/or basic worth.

5) Cognitive Needs: Need to understand the world around you, curiosity.

6) Aesthetic Needs: Need for harmony and order in one's world.

7) Self-Actualization Needs: The need to achieve one's complete potential, to be "all that you can be."

When the highest level has been reached, one is called "self-actualized," and is beginning work on realizing their highest potential. When considering all the prerequisites, it is easy to see how one could fall out of this state rather quickly. We must strive to continually meet these needs so that we can live in this fully actualized state. It is akin to enlightenment, and having achieved it is nothing short of miraculous. Good luck on your endeavours.

note: Information on Maslow's "Hierarchy of Needs" quoted from:

Kosslyn, Stephen M. & Rosenburg, Robin S. (2003) Fundamentals of Psychology New York: Allyn and Bacon.

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