Reclaiming The Whole Self:
An Academic's Spiritual Journey
Julie Guénette
Graduate Student (Sociology, University of Ottawa, Canada)
Healer (Reiki, Turaya, Esoteric Healing and Inner Alchemy)

Abstract: This paper discusses the main components of the modern occidental way of knowing and looks at what it undermines, such as our intuitive capacity, filtered through messages from the body. A more complete understanding of the human ways of knowing is presented, with each components described in their overall function and purpose. Challenges and aids to rediscovering the whole self as a complex knowing system are discussed at the end of the paper.

Introduction

The first section of the paper will rapidly (and grossly) present how Occidentals have historically gone about attaining "true knowledge", to then enumerate other, more "unscientific" ways of knowing that have been undermined by the emphasis on only one knowing process. This general portrait of the modern Occidental understanding of what a human is will be followed by a second section which draws a more complex and complete portrait of that same human, described in function of and dynamically linked to the many components that comprise him/her. A final section will discuss the challenge of reclaiming the "whole" self, that is the self linked to all its information intake capacities. Meditation techniques as well as a link to my experiential web-novel in which I relate my personal experience undergoing this complexification of the self are offered as tools and examples of this process. This is in no way an "normal" academic paper, no quotes or references are used, as I consider that most of what I discuss in the first part is general knowledge about our way of thinking. The second and third parts relate basic wisdom attained by many, through years of introspection into our spiritual nature. As wisdom comes from deep within all of us, it is no one's property, if not of us all. Therefore, my stance here is that all wisdom is plagiarism, to give references/property to specific people is quite contradictory to the very nature of that experienced knowledge we call wisdom.

I-Brief overview of the modern knowing system

Occidental societies have historically privileged the development of rational logical thought as the means to attain certainty and truth in the quest for knowledge. In the last 500 years, this development has gradually lost most of its contact with the concept of a higher truth, that is an intelligent overall pattern that would govern all of life's manifestations (Leonardo Da Vinci's work being one of the last great example of this quest, until its modern reappearance with Albert Einstein). And, more specifically, in the last 200 years, under the influence of Francis Bacon, the emphasis has been more and more on empiricism, which has become the most favoured means to acquire knowledge. The Occidental route has lead to three main thinking methods considered " acceptable " (i.e. truth- and trust- worthy), or simply put, scientific, in the construction of knowledge.

The first method is the rational/logical thinking process, involving the use of deduction and induction, the application of basic philosophical laws of reasoning and more generally an analytical stance through which arguments/objects/etc are deconstructed/dissected into their smallest components. The second method is the empirical process, by which the human's ability to construct knowledge by inference (quite typical of the rational process) is replaced by observation and experimentation. Its main characteristic is to attempt a complete detachment from what is being observed in order to construct a knowledge that is freed of human judgement and preconceptions. Only once enough data has been accumulated are attempts made to explain and understand the observed phenomena through the rational/logical thinking process.

Both of these methods imply a third one, objectivity, which attempts to completely subtract the subjective nature of human perception from knowledge construction, in order to attain universally applicable knowledge. This method has always been at the core of scientific thought, and was, historically, one of the main values associated to philosophical thought. Objectivity and abstraction - the ability to think apart from any particular object or real thing - stem from the same thinking process, and are at the core of rational and experimental thought.

Impact of this knowing system
This emphasis on only one of our information processing systems has translated itself into an undermining of other ways of knowing - such as intuition, imagination and the ability to feel - that are naturally and inherently ours.

The valorisation of the rational/logical thinking process has undermined our intuitive capacity, that is, our ability to simply know something and feel its truth without any external (or logical) proof. The way we have historically set up the role of rational thinking has put it at odds, and quite literally at war with intuition. We feel or know something and almost automatically invalidate it by saying "yes but…".

The empirical process has undermined our imaginative capacity, our ability to create things that have no correlation in (physical) reality. This is not to say that imagination is not present in our scientific knowledge, but its role in the creation of knowledge systems has been greatly reduced to "fitting" into the existing models, or at the least, it has been obliged to follow a set of pre-established rules, greatly diminishing its potential as a powerful tool for our understanding and construction of reality.

Finally, the emphasis on the objective stance, by which we abstract who/what we are/feel in order to perceive the true nature of a given phenomena has undermined one of our most potent means to information reception : our body and its senses, which feed the subjective process of perception. We have been taught to believe that our senses cannot be trusted, tie us to an emotional and illogical reality that cannot be the base of any communal knowledge. Whereas, to be objective, to shut down the internal messages we receive from our bodies and our emotional selves can lead us to certain knowledge, that is, knowledge that is universally applicable, true for all.

A glimpse at reality through this knowing system
Some of the extreme positions mentioned above have already been toned down quite a bit. Post-modern debates have greatly helped in the deconstruction and invalidation of the concept of universal knowledge and utter certainty in the scientific quest for truth. The possibility of pure empirical observation, with no interference whatsoever from the internal imaginative/emotive self is no longer ascertained to unconditionally. And more generally speaking, the concept of objectivity is more of a stance the researcher should attempt to be in than an actual obligation stemming from a possible human behaviour.

Quantum sciences (physics and mechanical) have greatly helped this process of relativity toward scientific truths. It has created breaches in the scientific perception of reality, in which the only thing that can be studied (and therefore known objectively) is matter; that is, in which our scope is limited to the physical/tangible aspect of reality. Actually, the greatest thing (up to now!) Quantum Sciences have done is to show that there is no duality of matter/energy, rather, there is no matter per say, only energy vibrating at different levels, creating different patterns of density. This is quite extraordinary from a spiritual point, as it correlates, scientifically, with the essence of most ancient esoteric teachings.

But, the Quantum understanding of reality is still very much inaccessible to our collective perception of what constitutes reality. Newtonian Physics are still more applicable than Einsteinium ones, and we as humans, in the Occident, still mainly perceive ourselves as rational beings living in and affected only by the physical world. The non-rational aspects of ourselves are seen as incomprehensible, and often judged quite negatively, or at the least as dangerous to our ability to organise, predict and therefore control the various objects and subjects that compose our world. Hence in modern society we very much tend to only believe in what we can logically reason, scientifically observe, or at least see with our own eyes.

II-Getting a clearer picture of reality, or who/what we really are

Reality is composed of much more than what we can logically reason, scientifically observe, or see with our own eyes. The mind, the place from which our thinking processes stem, is but one of the information processing systems at our disposal. It is impossible not to use the other knowing-systems within us, but it is certainly possible to actively ignore them or passively be unaware of them and of their role in our construction of reality and of ourselves. In a very general manner, I'd like to present the three main knowing-systems we're composed of (that my personal experience has made me aware of) - the mind, the body and the spirit - and briefly explain what they do individually and how they are linked together.

The mind we already know a great deal about, having historically, as a society, emphasised it as sure tool for knowing reality. For the purpose of this paper, let's say that the mind is the intellect. The mind represents human thought - the ability to think rationally (left brain-logically structured, analytical thought) or imaginatively (right brain-free flowing associations, holistic thought). It is our ultimate tool to survive in physical reality: it is by using our intellect that we build things, maintain complex systems, remember (and avoid) dangerous actions, memorise procedures that give us regularity and stability in our everyday lives, etc… It is our means of adaptation to the external world, and it is the main organ that leads us on our quest for knowledge, by constantly raising questions. It is, in basic terms, both the calculating ability by which we predict and control the physical world in which we live, and the imaginative ability by which we create new possibilities/realities regarding life in that physical world.

The body is another information processor within us. It is quite a complex system that stores all of our memories and actively sends us messages, every minute of the day. It is a physical relay system whose normal state is well-being, and whose main role is to inform us of all dis-equilibrium within our non-physical systems. It ensures constant communication between all parts of us - tangible (our various bodily systems: glandular, nervous, synaptic, etc…) and non tangible (our thought processes) - by means of physical and emotional feelings. With some practice, that is, by learning how to listen and interpret the information that physical or emotional feelings try to relay to our mind, the body can be used as the "ultimate truth discerner" it is meant to be, thereby greatly helping us become aware of what needs to be balanced in our lives.

The third knowing-system that sends us information is the spirit. I would tend to define it as what is within us that surpasses our physical and mental capacities to grasp reality through thoughts and sensorial data. From the spirit comes a deep awareness of the connection we share with all life forms and more generally, with the whole universe. The spirit is the source of knowledge whose truth can be felt deep within us in a manner that the intellect has much difficulty proving (or disproving!). Everything we know or feel that the intellect cannot explain comes from information/energy the spirit relays through the body and the rational/imaginative mind (for example, scientific intuition or theoretic revelation, extreme inspiration in a time of deep sorrow or darkness, having an unshakeable need to go somewhere or do something, knowing deep within that something is missing from our lives, feeling drained or extremely revitalised by someone, having gut feelings about people, situations or actual places, etc). This information is relayed through a non tangible life-force energy called the aura, emitted by and informing all life manifestations in the physical world (crystals, plants, insects, animals, humans…). All of us permanently feel this energy, and use it daily, although we might not be fully aware of it.

The spirit and its auric manifestation (that, thanks to technological advancements in the fields of Bioenergetics and Quantum Physics, can now be measured and therefore validated scientifically) is the place from which come the messages/information regarding the ails and sicknesses the human body and mind feel. These messages, as discussed above, are relayed from our bodies to our minds through physical, psychological and emotional feelings. What permits us to receive and understand these messages are intuitive insights - these flashes of information that sporadically invade us and help us attain a higher understanding of something the intellect cannot seize on its own. Receiving and understanding information from the spirit through intuition can be facilitated by techniques such as meditation, through which the intellect is silenced and a receptive listening state is attained through deep breathing and focusing on nothingness. The information received in such a state involves no thinking process whatsoever, brain activity is at its lowest possible wavelength. This information, although relayed through our bodies and/or our minds, comes from an external source to our physical and mental selves, a source of which our spirit is nevertheless an integral part.

Ancient Chinese medicine and other types of esoteric healing practices, methods that actively converge physical and non-physical realities in order to attain a more complete knowledge of the self, are other means we can use to speak to our spirit. They are both based on the wisdom that physical and psychological disease are the body's way of relaying information coming from the spirit, informing that a part of us is not at ease (dis-eased). Both of these types of holistic healing practices promise a much more permanent and global return to well-being (balance) than our typical Occidental healing practices that stay at a purely physical (chemical) level, and mostly involve suppressing the symptoms/messages through medication, or, sometimes even more drastically (and irreversibly!), through surgery.

Ancient Chinese medicine is reflected by the science of acupuncture, which lies on the premise that all ails stem from energetic blockages that affect the proper functioning of meridians. Meridians are energy currents within the body, linked to each of our main organs, considered the physical location and metaphysical seat of specific emotions. Energetic blockages are caused by negative (distorted) emotional states which affect the circulation of energy (CHI) within the meridians of specific organs (for example, anger affects the liver meridian, fear affects the kidney meridian, hatred and bitterness affect the heart meridian, etc…). Acupuncture and acupressure cure these energetic blockages by stimulating (or inhibiting) specific pressure points along the meridians, allowing the flow of CHI (life force energy) to regain its normal balanced state.

Esoteric healing refers to energy-based healing practices that re-establish the normal state of equilibrium within the body through a set of various techniques. Physical equilibrium is considered a pure reflection of mental and psychic equilibrium. The goal of these practices, like acupuncture, is to unblock whatever is constricting the free flow of information/energy within the body and the mind. However, all esoteric healing practices further focus on increasing and expanding a person's consciousness. The main premise governing these practices is that healing involves bringing up to the conscious level the spirit's messages that the body is trying to relay to - and through - the mind. It is further believed that the healing process truly begins only when the person takes full responsibility for their fundamental role in the creation, development and resolution of the dis-ease they are experiencing (often the hardest part!).

The way our minds, bodies and spirits are linked should now become apparent. Put simply, the spiritual self is the source and manifestation of our life energy, it is what fuels the mind and the body. The physical body and the non physical mind in its thinking processes (rational and imaginative) are both elaborate knowing-systems that process and relay information as to the healthy (conscious) or unhealthy (unconscious) state of the connection we have to our spiritual self. Basic spiritual wisdom states that all "not at ease" states we experience are due to a lack of awareness, to our disconnection from the spiritual self, the source of consciousness through which we can access higher truth, in turn allowing us to intuitively understand the cause(s) of our mental, emotional and physical states. All diseases can therefore be understood as the spirit's way of telling us something is off in our overall equilibrium. Equilibrium - defined as the harmonious use of our diverse and interrelated knowing-systems - requires being aware of and understanding how to use each of these knowing systems in their full capacity, and never beyond it. Let us now explore a basic technique to commence the process of re-connecting our knowing-systems.

III-Reclaiming the whole self

Meditation is a practice that has been perceived by some as a way to transcend the mental and physical selves. This is true, but I would like to stress that a proper use of this practice should, more specifically, permit to transcend the ego so that messages from the intellect and the body can be understood in their "objective" truth. I would like to present a simple meditation technique through which we can reconnect to our bodies, observe our minds and receive information from our spirit. As our Occidental socialisation has involved overfocusing on the intellect, you should expect some resistance when commencing the meditative "learning to listen" process, but rest assured that regular practice can only lead to success.

First make sure you're in a comfortable setting where you won't be disturbed or hindered in any way. Take a bath, wear some loose cotton clothes, relax and let go of your daily routine and worries. Practice your breathing - the most important part of meditation - by lying on your back with a book on your stomach. Fill air into the belly (the book should rise), then the lower and upper lungs, in a smooth long draw. Once you've got it down, continue the long deep breaths and start observing the content and motion of your mind. With each breath, gradually detach yourself from the intellect's "chattering", become more centered on a deep feeling of calm and stillness (this can take some time as the intellect tends to resist, being used to functioning all the time).

As the intellect slows down, start becoming aware of your body, its members (legs, arms, back, chest, head…), organs (lungs, heart, kidneys, liver…), glands (thyroid, tonsils, sexual glands…), and finally, its liquids (feel the flow of blood through the veins, energy through the nervous system, movement in the lymphatic system). Listen to your body and your mind as you do this, observe without judgement whatever pains you feel, be they physical or emotional, ask to understand them but don't seek/push for answers, just be completely passive/receptive to what might come. During this process, start becoming aware of your chakras: base (between your legs), sacral/sexual (between your pubic bone and your navel), solar plexus (diaphragm), heart (thorax), throat, third eye (between the eyebrows) and crown (top of the head). Feel them expand as they release what constricts them, and then connect them together (your spine is the connector). Finally, perceive yourself surrounded by a big golden bubble filled with well being. Appreciate the full awareness you have when in this state of deep relaxation that greatly favours receiving insights/information as to the nature/cause of the ails that hinder you. Do this daily, or as often as you can.

Once we start listening to our bodies and intuitions, awareness grows very quickly, allowing us to discover a higher state of consciousness through which overall serenity becomes a constancy. This doesn't mean there is no more chaos and moments of sadness or despair, rather, it means these moments are used as the tools they are meant to be: as information allowing us to go within and discover what is suffering from dis-equilibrium. During these "spiritual quests" for a higher understanding of our physical and mental states, deep and grand inspirational moments occur during which we not only receive, in an intuitive flash, the information we were seeking in order to "fix the problem", we also feel it enter us physically, changing our inner vibration, connecting us to the higher understanding of our human experience needed to be able to develop a deep feeling of compassion toward ourselves and eventually toward everyone else. It is in such a state of compassion that we start seeing everything for what it is, and not for what we need or fear it to be (we stop projecting). I've been experiencing this during the last couple of years, having embarked on a journey to reclaim my whole self. My story is online as a web-novel (www.julieguenette.com /SpiritualJourney/). I hope this story can inspire and serve those who wish to embark on their own journey of reconnection to their whole self.

My conclusion to this paper is minimal, and involves only one sentence:
Consciousness is the key to being healthy, and happy.

Julie Guénette
info@julieguenette.com