Contrasting Higher Consciousness and Psychological Development
Here’s the excerpt from some research. Note that only 27% of the subjects who reported “stable higher consciousness” were also in advanced stages of psychological development.
“Contrasting Higher Consciousness and Psychological Development
The most advanced range of [recognized] Psychological development – post-conventional – unfolds fully the feelings and ego levels, which are the basis of sound ethical behavior*. Higher consciousness is related to unfolding Transcendental Consciousness [samadhi or turiya into Turiyatita or Self Realization and further].
These two developmental ranges to a large extent unfold independently of each other. This means that higher consciousness may be available before one has reached for instance the post-conventional range. A study of a group of people reporting stable higher consciousness found that only 27 per cent of them were measured to be in the post-conventional range of ego or self-development (Travis & Brown, 2009). Although this is about three times the current norm of 10 per cent, it nevertheless indicates that full psychological development may not be a prerequisite for higher consciousness. Other researchers have found that persons in a wide range of psychological developmental enjoy peak experiences (Maslow, 1968; Panzarella, 1980), and this is also evident from our own research on world-class performers and their controls [research related to whole-brain functioning].”
*this from Kohlbergs model for background:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_Kohlberg%27s_stages_of_moral_development
David Buckland
