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Ordinarily we are so distracted by what we perceive with our senses, that we cannot see spiritual qualities. Everyone is manifesting spiritual qualities, whether they know it or not. Spiritual discernment allows us to perceive spiritual qualities in everyone leading us to the development of the faculty of beholding, being able to see the good of God everywhere. The prayer of beholding is the most powerful prayer there is. A beneficial presence is a focal point for harmony and healing. We cultivate personal mind power throughout our lives and we are reluctant to give it up. The more successful we have been, with personal mind power, the less likely we are to wish to give it up, the more insane we become. Heidegger distinguishes between calculative thinking and inspired thought. The human condition is inevitable, but it not necessary. We have to outgrow the illusion of a personal mind, in order to become a transparency for divine mind. The path consists of seven steps: perceptivity, cognition, empathy, telepathy, intuition, spiritual discernment, and beholding. What is the value of knowing these markers? If you have a clear understanding the process of spiritual development, you will not fall victim to ideas that distract us from the process of spiritual development. Man is an image and likeness of God, so the meaning and purpose of his life is to become a transparency through which God can manifest himself in the world, through the qualities of love-intelligence, creativity, and PAGL. The unseen is the real and the seen is the unreal. Spiritual discernment vs. Beholding. Spiritual discernment is a way to become a beholder. It is a way to become aware of God’s infinite presence. The problem with hypnotism is that we are susceptible to it. How do hypnotists work? How do we see the spiritual dimension, in contrast to the phenomenal world. Before I took on the study of Zen, mountains were mountains and rivers and were rivers. After I was deeply involved in the study of Zen mountains were not mountains any more and rivers were not rivers anymore. But, after I became enlightened mountains were mountains again and rivers and were rivers. This story speaks about the development of the capacity to see. We start naïve: we judge by appearances. What you see is what you get. We become sophisticated: intellectual, speculative, labeling and interpreting. We don’t see what is in a sensory way, but in terms of ideas, but this way is no more real. When we become enlightened, we see with an innocent eye: we see with purity of consciousness, we see reality in the context of spiritual values. Real art portrays what the innocent eye sees.

What is good about seeing what is not visible? “Look not upon the things that are seen, but upon the things that are not seen (Paul)”. The qualities of God are not seen. “As thou seeist so thou beist”. By learning to see the unseen, we become transformed and are redeemed. Our senses give us information about form and formlessness. That which is tangible is form. That which is intangible is formless. Form is formlessness and formlessness is form. Both are parts of the material world and can be perceived with our senses. A table has form and the color green has no form. Seeing relates to the five senses, and beyond. Skin sees form and texture. Ears see sound and the direction of sound. Perception is the ability to see with our senses. Perception leads to judging by appearances. Why is it so difficult to become enlightened? It is difficult, because we have to learn to see beyond perception, to reality.

Cognition is seeing with our intellect. As we grow, we develop preconceived ideas about what should be and what shouldn’t be. These ideas take over our faculty of seeing, so we don’t see what is, but instead we see what we think is. Visualization gives us ideas of what should be. The more we practice visualization/imagination the less we see what really is. The same is true of imagination. Empathy, Empathy, Antipathy, Telepathy and Intuition are all way of seeing unreality and so are not helpful. “God is spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” Spirit is nonmaterial substance. Describing spirit, Jeasus said to Nicodemus: “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.” The seeing, with our perception, is just there to provide contrast to that which really is. What we see is the phenomenal world. “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” Spiritual discernment is a different way of seeing, we call it awareness. How can the true individual be seen?

Continuing with story of Yen Hui—illusion of being a thinker died in him—sees himself as transparency for divine love-intelligence; infinite wisdom— as we even approach clearer seeing our lives improve in all aspects—no techniques in Metapsychiatry, do have methods—”when you know what you know how”—when we know what the problem is then we know how to proceed—Two intelligent questions—Six futile questions—there are no problems but there seem to be many problems—that which is cannot be changed, healed or altered—reality is immutable, so problems only seem to be—experience of problems can be healed by seeing what really is.

Introduction to Metapsychiatric therapy — how it works and how it can be helpful to a clearer understanding of life — Eleven Principles — Operational vs Existential — existence: area of life that cannot be done — not psychotherapy; way of learning to see — seeing what really Is — phenomenal world vs what really is — appearances vs spiritual reality — “as thou seest so thou beest” — levels of perception — see thoughts about reality vs seeing reality —imagination vs reality — what is insanity? — need for openminded discernment of spiritual qualities and spiritual values — undefiled consciousness is known as “emptiness” in Zen — no such thing as creative imagination — can received creatively inspired ideas — in Metapsychiatry learning the openminded confrontation of reality—death of the thinking; death of ego; death of illusion of capacity to think — the thinker is in a state of normal insanity — everything we know in Metapsychiatry comes from Taoist philosophers; Zen masters; Hebrew prophets or Jesus Christ—expand seeing from seeing with thoughts to seeing with open mind with spiritual discernment; to see with the spirit—Meister Eckart “I see God with the same eyes as God sees me”— story of Yen Hui — the art of mind-fasting.

Quality of consciousness does the work — struggle towards enlightenment — self cannot do anything, consciousness can turn attention to higher power — some find healing some do not what is the difference? — receptivity — sincerity — continuous progress on spiritual path.

Two Zen stories and quote from Bible illustrating cognitive, behavioral and existential psychology — relevance of Jesus’ and Zen teachings to psychotherapy — awakening faculties of spiritual discernment — importance of values in therapy and spiritual discernment — values, qualities and spiritual values — appreciating meekness and humility — spiritual values lift us out of self-confirmatory ideation — awakening to spiritual awareness is like climbing out of a valley—going from narrower to wider understandings — science and spiritual studies — matter, particles and wave theory in physics — ascension from finite to infinite — seeking to behold reality in the context of cosmic mind — in science matter becomes energy — in existential metapsychiatry phenomena becomes spirit — everything becomes clear in spiritual reality — life becomes healthier, trouble free — five “gates of hell” areas of narrow-mindedness as sources of suffering (life in the valley) — source of love and intelligence — intelligence and love govern us in spiritual reality — from inwardness of things to the infinite context of existence — understanding of Peace, Assurance, Gratitude and Love — whatever we are involved with in the valley will disappear as we ascend — matter becomes spirit — spirit becomes matter — transubstantiation — brain as hologram; nature of universe as holographic — evolutionary hierarchy of values.

Desire to be liked makes us corruptible – as parents and therapists — case presentation — trap of desiring to feel good — ego gratification from work is “no-no” for therapists — results in “feeling good or bad” in the power of the patient — common experience of seeking ego gratification from work — from bible: “when this corruptible has put on incorruption then it will come as was written, death is swallowed up in victory” — why bother being a therapist? — reward of spiritual unfoldment – increasing appreciation of creative process — aware of God’s participation in our work — to be incorruptible means we must transcend our egos — when we are corruptible it is not good for us and we are actually tempting the patient — only valid motivation for parenthood and therapy – to learn and grow in the endeavor — problems are our teachers.

Meaning of the word “Responsibility” — importance of knowing difference between responsibility from culpability — issue of responsibility in therapeutic settings — responsibility means the ability to respond — increasing the capacity to respond in helpful way to what clients present — culpability presumes personal power to do right or wrong — power to respond is not a personal power — responsiveness is spiritual faculty — culpability is self-confirming – it is bragging — responsiveness has healing power — responsiveness is of God, blaming is self-confirming — blameworthiness, guilt and culpability is negative boasting — blame goes to ignorance — credit goes to God — negative and positive ignorance —maliciousness is ignorance — to prosper in life love approach is necessary — loving ones enemies — pain resulting from false sense of responsibility — transference – counter transference jam up — importance of therapists consciousness —desire to be liked makes us corruptible.

Inter-Galactic viewpoint analogous to trans-personal view — existential psychotherapy sees man in the context of existence corresponds to cosmic viewpoint on the universe — beyond existential view is apocalyptic view of man corresponding to catastrophic view of universe – life after this life — broader view leads to clarity on issues, narrower view clouds issues — Omega point — evolutionary process spearheaded by spiritual luminaries — growth and learning is unceasing — psychosomatic medicine becomes existential phenomenology — mechanical, cause/effect to context of meaning — wholistic approach as multi-dimensional approach — wholeness as harmony with fundamental order of existence — creative force underlying all that really is — Tao — Buddha — nature Allah — all great spiritual sages — understanding what is existentially valid and invalid — possible to know and live in harmony — real wholeness — oneness — fulfillment.

Impact of the ideas of Metapsychiatry on counseling work — meaningfulness is a great surprise to many — riddle of the Sphinx — message of Sphinx as symbolic structure — man’s existence on three levels — man as animal / physical machine — man as human — man as spiritual being with perspective on infinity — eternity: the context of infinity — somatic, somatic-psychic to psycho-somatic medicine to spiritual being living in the context of infinite love-intelligence — all phenomenon as manifestations of meaning — no dualism of mind/body only mind manifesting itself in multifarious ways as phenomena — seek to understand meaning of phenomena and through this comes greater harmony between the individual and the order of the universe — not religion nor science fiction – a more perfect way of understanding life and benefits man through clarifying the meaning of problems ¬— Man is not an animal, not a psyche, but he is a spirit. This is neither religion nor is it science fiction but it is just a more perfect way of understanding life and benefiting ourselves and our fellow man by clarifying the meaning of his problems and helping him to find the meaning of his existence. Life becomes not only harmonious and wholesome but also meaningful through this process.
—parallel between man and the evolution of knowledge of man in the universe — Geo-centric– helio-centric — Galactic view –intergalactic — cataclysmic view – Parallel to this is the evolution of understanding man.