Transpersonal Psychology (III)

The Original Arica Training, pt. 3

Social relationships.

Because of the action of the individual ego, no person is really capable of determining for himself his own ego-fixation. In the Arica system, one is told his ego-fixation by a teacher who has been studying these types for some time. Even teachers often consult Ichazo because of the difficulty of always clearly recognizing each type. Also there are complex rules determining the relationships of one enneagram to another enneagram.

347:

Thus, one who has the fixation of ego-indolent does not necessarily have the same point on the Social, Conservation and Syntony enneagrams. It would be a mistake to try to determine and correct one’s personality structure from the treatment of the enneagrams given here.

The actions of a man in ego are determined in general by his deviations and fixations. More specifically , in the area of social relationships, his own conservation and his sexual relationship to another, his actions follow definite patterns depending on his fixation. These distortions in social relationships are shown in this enneagram.

Thus (with some exceptions), one with an ego indolent fixation will base his social relations on the need to be in the group

#9. Participation- the need to be in the group

#1. Inadaptability- the difficulty of going along with social customs and behavior

#2. Ambition- Social and business climbing

#3 Prestige- the need for a good public image

#4 Shame- stress of not living up to ideals

#5 totems- having heroes to live up to

#6 duty- the need to obey the laws of the group for existence

#7 social limitations- predetermining his social activities

#8 Social relations – attempting to keep everyone happy

In the “Enneagram of Conservation” the different ego traps for providing for the necessities and luxuries of life are indicated.

348:

Again, for the ego-indolent fixation, conservation is mainly a question of satisfying the bodily, emotional and intellectual appetites

#9. Appetites- satisfying one’s hungers

#1. Anxiety- worrying about not being perfect

#2. Me-first – the drive to be ahead of everyone

#3. Security – the need for security, money, position

#4. Defensive action- protecting one’s dream of the future

#5. Refuge, a safe place from which to watch the world

#6. Affection- being afraid of everyone; affection is the only assurance

#7. Defenders- the need to band with others who have similar interests

#8. Satisfactory survival- the drive for the type of life one deserves

In the area of sex, Arica admits it does not have all the answers for a satisfactory relationship between individuals. However, there is the enneagram indicating general attitudes of the different fixation points. It is called “Syntony”.

Union, for the ego-indolent, gives him an identity. If someone loves him, he must be somebody.

#9. Union – need for the love of another for one’s own identity.

#1. Jealousy - union with another is always threatened by someone more perfect

349:

#2. Aggression - love is overcoming resistance

#3. Virility/Femininity - stressing the sex characteristics of the male or female

#4. Competition- if a person is popular, he must be worth striving for

#5. Confidence - Needs someone he feels safe with—a refuge

#6. Strength - Since he is afraid, he must play the macho to be desired

#7. Suggestibility – living in a world of possibilities, he can be manipulated by a smart partner

#8. Possessiveness- he has a right to his mate

Since these “ego games” – social, conservation and syntony—are instinctual and stem from the Kath, part of the problem of freeing the Kath, is recognizing them. When the Kath is fully free, all action will flow from it without being distorted in any way. This seems to mean that instead of the social games there will be a happy, easy family, completely open to one another, essence open to essence. This is the aim of the communes that have been started. Gradually, the whole world should be a family.

The conservation game would give way to a simple communion where each would give according to his ability and receive according to his need. In our present society, the level of living could be very comfortable and the fear of poverty could be destroyed. There is a great stress on comfortable living in the Arica system. The only thing that the system bans are alcohol, pork, crab and addictive drugs.(350)

350:

Arica seems to discourage exclusive unions and the family scene. Rather, since all are brothers and sisters, there should be freedom for everyone with regard to sexual needs. From time to time when a new exercise is being introduced, there will be a temporary ban on sexual activity. This helps focus attention on the exercise and provides extra energy and tension for its success. The children are the responsibility of the whole group, and nurseries, childcare centers and schools have been set up. All members are supposed to spend time with the children in these centers. In order to keep the children in essence as much and as long as possible, avoiding the development of a heavy ego, Arica exercises are a daily feature for the children.

… Narodha… in this state of serenity, the Kath focuses most efficiently, and instinctively acts correctly in any situation. The problem involves reducing the mind chatter to a minimum so one simply is and doesn’t have to think about what to do and how to do it. To blank out the mind chatter, the student learns a nonsense syllable sequence which he repeats continually until it goes on automatically in the head, blocking out the usual mind noise.

… When a reasoning process is required, the mechanics of Trialectics are used … while not much has been done to develop Trialectics in the school , it does help the student become aware of change and movement, that he does not live in a static world. All scientists have concentrated change and movement long before it was named Trialectics by Ichazo, so it is not anything new but is in a form that can be taught.

There is some talk about knowledge in a state of enlightenment. Since man is in his essence then, he is joined with all enlightened men in all time and is aware of the laws of the cosmos, so the knowledge of all is available to each according to his level of enlightenment. This is the teaching of the Askashic record.

351:

However, this knowledge would seem to be of a very venerable type. [However] because of his ability to concentrate his powers, he could learn much more quickly and efficiently than before.

Dangers:

The group is all important in the Arica system. The individual must find his own personal meaning in being a member of the group and must find his happiness as a member of a large family with Ichazo as the father… The individualist, of course, will find that he has great difficulty accepting group life 24 hours a day, and in accepting without question the decisions and statements of the group. While he undoubtedly will benefit from the exercises, he will use much of his energy fighting internally and externally the group mystique. The training itself is dynamic, given under tension, and at a high level of energy. Such pressure can be dangerous for an emotionally unstable person and the Arica system has not yet developed an effective method of handling breakdowns; the person is simply referred to a psychologist. So a person with a serious psychosis should not look to Arica for a cure. It is only for those with sufficient emotional balance to undergo the pressure and tension.