Three phases of the emotional self-mastery process

"Be a place on earth where nothing grows,
but where something can be bred - the seed of God."

Rumi - Sufi mystic

Emotional self-mastery, as described by James Mahu in concepts such as "Living from the Heart", is a process. It is not one event, one act, it is a process that must continue on and on in the life of the individual. In the article mentioned above, James states that this process has three phases:

1. Observation
2. Treatment
3. Transformation

So let's explore these three phases so that we can see what they bring to our daily practice of emotional self-mastery and how they differ from each other. We begin our exploration with a quote from James, who describes the process in Living from the Heart as follows:

"For those who establish emotional self-mastery as their path, they will need to track, treat and transform their behaviors as they progress on this journey because this is not about instant gratification. This journey is truly focused on connecting with one’s higher guidance (receptivity and listening) and expressing this wisdom into the field in which you live, move, and have your being (transmission and expression).

Let me be clear about the framework of track, treat, transform.

• Track means that the individual can self-report their progress on the six heart virtues over time and track their ups and downs, and see their self-mastery growing against the backdrop of time.

• Treat means that the individual while tracking their progress can see when they hit a snag or vexing problem that takes them off course and then treat this issue like a physician treats a wound or illness. The treat, in this case, is not a reward, but rather a solution or remedy to a problem or emotional misstep.

• Transform is the result of tracking and treating along this journey and seeing how you are transformed into a self-empowered, spiritually vibrant person.

Books and self-help programs abound in the world on what one should believe, do, think, and feel. They are translated from the minds and hearts of some of our greatest thinkers and spiritualized beings. We do not require more information on how to behave or believe. We simply require more discipline in our emotional lives and the tools and techniques to attain this. In other words, we need a practical framework."

James Mahu - Living from the Heart

Here James clearly communicates that what we need is not more information, but perseverance and patience in practice. In this persistent and long-term process of emotional self-mastery, we need to focus our attention on our emotional states, to understand the causes that activate them and the consequences that these emotional states bring. In other words, we need to "observe" ourselves in a focused way regarding emotions, feelings and sensations. However, this "focused observation" does not take the form of a long session in a meditation position, as many might expect from a spiritual practice, but is "scattered" into daily life and the events it brings.

This inner Self-Observation is therefore probably not recognized by anyone in the outer world, because it is not accompanied by any specific body position, spoken mantra or eye gaze in the mirror. It is an inner practice that is about seeking the state of a neutral observer while being aware of one's own emotions, feelings and sensations. This neutral observer is found at the very center of the whirlwind of emotions that the events of each day play out within us. This neutral observer is also the one, who is aware, who is always present, but one who is usually somehow forgotten or inaccessible in human life, because conscious attention is drawn into the experience of the whirlpool of emotions that makes the perspective of neutrality inaccessible.

Having explained in detail Phase 1 of the process of emotional self-mastery, i.e. Observation or Awareness, we move on to Phase 2, which is Treatment.

Just as Observation is a long-term process, Treatment is a long-term process as emotional states usually have an inertia effect and for this reason a one-time treatment is insufficient. A one-time change in an emotional state will not cause an undesirable emotional state to reoccur. An emotional state is usually a life pattern that tends to repeat itself. A one-time change in an emotional state will not cause the pattern itself to be reshaped. The root of the emotional pattern is usually so deep in the subconscious or unconscious mind that a one-time treatment can only correct the sprain or energetic sprout, while the root will remain intact and sooner or later produce new spurts that will need to be treated again with emotional remediation. So this emotional remediation must be done so long, repeatedly, over and over again for long periods of time, whenever the challenge arises, until the root of the emotional pattern is corrected.

Now let's take a closer look at the difference between Phase 1 Observation and Phase 2 Treatment. Whereas in Observation it is an act of simple awareness of "I am as I am" without the presence of critical judgment about the experienced state, in the second stage in Treatment there is already present the awareness that the observed emotional state is not the preferred state, that it is not in accordance with the Virtues of the Heart as the practitioner understands them. This realization results in the need to correct, amend, change or treat the emotional state to a different one - closer to the Virtues of the Heart. As we discussed above, this correction (e.g., condemnation --> forgiveness) needs to be made each time the practitioner realizes that he or she is condemning. This gradually reveals the root of the condemnation. If this root cause is removed, corrected, or "weeded out," it can be replaced by a permanent state of forgiveness.

Poetically, then, the practitioner can be said to "live in the landscape of forgiveness," to experience this blessed state permanently, no longer needing to attain it. However, this state can only be attained after many years of practice and only through the persistent and sincere efforts of the practitioner who sets "living from the heart" as the gravitational core of his or her life. Therefore, the statement by some practitioners, "I no longer need to practice forgiveness because I have already forgiven the person years ago and therefore I no longer need to deal with forgiveness in my life, the subject of forgiveness is settled," is nothing more than the rhetoric of the ego, which has no insight into the depths of the state of forgiveness and considers its brief glimpse of superficial understanding to be the final state with which it is satisfied and therefore has no need to deepen it.

For a full understanding of the Treatment process, let us also acknowledge the diversity of emotional states. While there are six Virtues of the Heart, these are the six noble essences from which the thousands upon thousands of derived emotional patterns and the almost infinite number of feelings and emotions that flow from them are usually blended to form the emotional landscape of an individual's life.

The conscious emotional state of an individual is therefore always a composition of many sub-states, some of which may be unconscious or subliminal, others of which may be in a state of Observation and Awareness (i.e., without the need for Treatment), and still others of which may be in the process of Treatment (the complex and long-term nature of which we have explained above).

Transformation is the third stage of the process, in which there is a realization that a permanent change has occurred in a particular emotional pattern and therefore attention can be released from that area and redirected to another pattern that is still in the process of Treatment. If the experience of transformation is repeated multiple times in different emotional patterns, there is a cumulative awareness that James calls: "the awareness of being transformed into a self-empowered, spiritually vibrant person".

A partial experience of transformation can be illustrated, for example, in Forgiveness. An individual may be Treating their emotional relationship with a particular person for a long time, and it may take them years to reach a state of permanent forgiveness towards the person. This attainment is equal to a partial Transformation experience of a particular emotional pattern, from which understanding, Self-Appreciation, and Self-Confidence can flow, giving him or her the strength and motivation - which nurture the much-needed perseverance - to continue practice in other "territories of the emotional landscape."

The transformation of an individual's emotional field can be expressed symbolically by transformational formulas:

non-appreciation    -->    appreciation

non-compassion    -->    compassion

non-forgiveness    -->    forgiveness

non-humility    -->    humility

non-understanding    -->    understanding

non-courage   -->    courage

Although the symbolic verbiage used above calls for it, do not look at words with the prefix  "non" as opposites of the Virtues or words denoting their absence. Instead of activating dualistic  thinking, use the imaginative faculty of the noble mind and think of non-appreciation as the seed of appreciation from which its full, conscious presence needs to develop. This unfolding process needs your attention and loving care, as well as your persistence and patience. Imagine that you are a gardener - a breeder who cultivates and treates these Virtuous, Pure Emotional States in the soil of your heart. The discovered and realized non-appreciation is then the symbolic, metaphorical finding of the seed of appreciation, which is, however, for the time being, only the potential or shadowy presence of appreciation itself. Nevertheless, this seed need not be destroyed or discarded, but it must be used for refinement.

Of course, the above "negative" emotional states spring from the darkness of ignorance, while the "positive" ones bring the light of awareness. However, the Virtues of the Heart also contain within them their "shadow" essences described by words prefixed with "non." However, if we experience transformation in the realm of emotional patterns, then we clearly perceive this as a shift from the darkness of ignorance to the light of awareness.

Diagram of Heart Virtues
from WingMakers.com website

If we look at the illustration above, we find in it the assignment of colors to the individual Virtues of the Heart, i.e. their color coding, while in the middle of the diagram we find the source of white or clear light, which is decomposed by the individual's heart prism into an emotional spectrum forming his vibratory field or "emotional landscape", which is the "matrix" for perceived reality.

When the Virtues of the Heart have a weak presence in the individual's vibratory field, areas of shadow or darkness are created which we can symbolically assign to the outer edge of the diagram.

The experience of transforming an emotional pattern can then be likened to a journey from the outer edge of the "shadow of ignorance" to the presence of the "light of awareness" at the center of the schema. The closer we approach the center of the vibrational field, the core of consciousness, the brighter the colors become until they eventually merge into white and clear. This is Love, which is the Light of Consciousness.

In this process of transformation we experience a change of identity, for emotions are what we identify with at a deeper level. When we experience a shift in our emotional state towards the Virtues of the Heart, we experience "I am the Virtues of the Heart" and in the next shift "I am the Source from which the Virtues of the Heart flow".

From the Universal perspective, however, it is the Core of Consciousness that expands in all directions to the peripheral regions of the individual's vibratory field, illuminating all colors and shades within it.

This is the pathway to the realm of the Wholeness Navigator, which is the core consciousness of the entity.

This is the breeding of the divine seed in the soil of the human heart.

This is the process of emotional self-mastery.

In love and free will
Ondra Pruzracny

Unconditional appreciation

Appreciation or gratitude, as one of the six Virtues of the Heart, may seem like a very familiar emotional state that is easily expressed with the word "thank you" when one receives a gift or an honor. But let us explore this seemingly simple intelligence to see what may lie in its depths.

Gratitude is also listed as one of the three Life Principles of Sovereign Integral Consciousness in the WingMakers materials. Just as the six Virtues of the Heart are an interwoven, united intelligence that emanates from a common center in which the tone vibration of the First Source is found, so the three Life Principles also spring from the Source vibration and provide for its expansion.

Diagram illustrating Life Principles from the WM Philosophy chamber 1

If we examine Gratitude as the Life principle of the SI consciousness (Sovereign Integral), we find that in the Philosophy of Chamber 1, Gratitude is defined as the intelligence that establishes the individual's Relationship with the Universe. This is suggested by the very name of this Life principle: "Universe Relationship through Gratitude".

In order for Gratitude to become an intelligence that has the ability to connect us to the Universe, it must be strong. And strong means Unconditional. In practice, this means feeling and expressing gratitude not only for the gifts that the Universe brings us that allow us to live easily and comfortably in our "comfort zone", but also for all other aspects of life and events that make life difficult, complicated and bring the experience of a psychological state outside of our "comfort zone".

Because it is these "derailments" of life that expand and deepen our zone of interaction with the outside world. When these life experiences are processed and nurtured through deepening and expanding our sense of Gratitude, our ability to establish, maintain and strengthen our relationship with the Universe improves.

And the Universe prepares events for us that are appropriate lessons on this upward path of Self-realization.

A deepened sense of gratitude will, in time, bring with it a transformation of life's values away from the material to the emotional and on to the spiritual.

This happens when Gratitude is established as a preferred emotional state that is independent of the surrounding environment, events, and rankings of other life values. The intelligence of Gratitude then flows out of the individual into the external environment, which it illuminates and transforms with its presence, guiding event strings and becoming the supporting thread of connection between the Individual and the Oneness.

Simon picked up a large branch that had fallen from the storm and stripped off three smaller branches, placing them like spokes of a wheel with his hand as the hub. "Do you see these lines?"

Joseph nodded silently.
"There´re three branches and six ends. Let´s say the center, where my hand is holding these, is love, and each of these ends represents one of the six heart virtues." Simon pointed to each end with his free hand, reciting the virtues as he went. "Appreciation, compassion, forgiveness, humility, understanding, and valor."
"Now, love lives here - the intersection - where each of these virtues converge at the hub, but love moves outward along each of these branches, and assumes the character of one of the heart virtues when it does. Love can move outward symmetrically or asymmetrically, but it is love that dons the virtues and expresses itself through the virtues."

Art with text by James Mahu, from The Dohrman Prophecy

*    *    *    *    *    *

When Gratitude emanates from inner levels, its depth and purity is very different from simply responding with a "thank you" for a birthday present. Such reactions are often merely part of the morals we have been raised or taught to follow. However, these learned and often socially required attitudes may not be consistent with the individual's feelings and emotional disposition. Often we may hear the word "thank you" spoken, but behind it is not the pure intelligence of gratitude, but the emotional charge of irony, ridicule, sarcasm, etc. Such a word "thank you" then does not "resonate", does not sound with the vibration of equality, because it is not in harmony with the emotional state of the individual. 

And thus the mind is often confused, the language is confused, because the words are not in harmony and coherence with the inner state of the individual, but their meaning is distorted to be in harmony with superficial, material values.

*    *    *    *    *    *

It should be noted that we can let these "confused" and "false-sounding" words out of our own mouths. So, part of the practice of the Virtues of the Heart is Self-reflection, Self-observation, Self-listening, and the subsequent treating or elimination of any self-discovered ironies, sarcasms, bitternesses, and other non-pure emotional states that distort the true meaning of the words. 

This can be likened to finding one's way out (navigation) of an extremely complex labyrinth of the mind, where the clarity of emotional intelligence is muted by layers upon layers upon layers of its suppression, distortion to the point that the mind remains unenlightened by the light of love flowing from the heart. This darkened, unconscious mind is then often set as the social standard that determines the meaning of the values we live.

Art by James Mahu from The Dohrman Prophecy

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Fresh snow fell tonight. 
It's freezing outside and the garden is covered in a white blanket. 
I wanted to go cut some firewood, 
but I couldn't even find it in the deep white drifts. 
So instead of wood
I found Gratitude for a change of plan,
that the Universe creates for me.
I sit down at my computer and type,
to warm all human hearts,
when the landscape of our country 
is blanketed in deep, cold snow.
Then I sing a song,
and as I do every day,
in gratitude I embrace all of life.

*   *   *   *   *   *

Maok - Gratitude, a song from the album Inner Peace

Self-reflection

 

Self-reflection is the inception point of the Sovereign Integral Process. Therefore, it is crucial to understand what Self-reflection is. Self-reflection is self-awareness accompanied by self-knowledge: I am what I am. Self-reflection opens a perspective of neutrality, a neutral attitude toward one's own emotions, thoughts, character traits, actions, etc. Therefore, it is always accompanied by Self-acceptance, Self-love, and its fruit is inner peace. But Self-reflection is very different from the state of Indifference, the basis of which is Ignorance.

Self-reflection activates the Inception Point of Consciousness. It opens the portal to the realm of the Sovereign Integral. It is the "keyhole" through which you can peer from the "You-complex" into the "I-complex" in your vibrational field. It brings the understanding of "the other is me - only in a separate body". Understanding that "the external world as it appears to my senses is only a projection of my own emotions, desires, expectations, and ideas".

In the process of emotional self-mastery, Self-reflection represents the stage of Observation and Awareness of one's emotional state, and one's emotional patterns. This is not necessarily immediately accompanied by the ability to change them, but rather requires self-appreciation: 'This is just the way I am. Gratitude that this is who I am. I am this way because the First Source created me this way."

This simple act of primordial Self-awareness is also often likened to stepping onto the first rung of the ladder of consciousness on which the adept of the path or process is about to ascend to higher states. This first rung or initial point is often shrouded in the dense, dark energies of the lower dimensions. In the subconscious or unconscious. Therefore, discovering it is not necessarily a pleasant experience because the awareness of what I really am may be very different from the ideas or expectations of what I should or would like to be.

Self-reflection is a set mirror to the self. But you must Facilitate that mirror to enter your world and exist within it. You need to avoid breaking it into Fragments just because you don't like the image it provides. Therefore, finding the mirror of Self-reflection in the fragmented world of shadows and echoes of primordial light and sound in which we live as human instruments is a challenge that also requires courage to accept.

Self-reflection opens up the inner-spiritual dimension of space, time, energy, and matter. It takes you to another world that is hidden behind this 3-dimensional, 5-sensory world. These new, opening dimensions of reality are hidden within each of us. They are made up of the higher frequencies of divine light and sound that are currently coming to our planet in increased measure, activating us to journey in a seventh direction - into our own inner self.

In love and free will 

Ondra

Art by James Mahu, The Dohrman Prophecy