According to Surat Shabd Yoga's categorization, the 'astral' level ('Sahansdal Kanwal in the direction of 'Trikuti') is the level on which all spirituality is perfectly transformed to images, or is entirely expressed in visuality. In as far as it is described and 'expressed' as 'spiritual', though, it is already beginning symbolism, or already carries significance.

This corresponds precisely to psychoanalytic theory. It deals with the level of confused pictures and meanings as they are typical also for psychosis.

They could put back on an even keel only by cultural adaptation or principal opinions, dogmas or ideology (thus the second step on our diagram). In this sense, early man predominantly obeyed his pleasure, and possibly only singularly indulged in nature, the sun or in the moon, and maybe also in the stars as initial images of the ‚female object'.

The gentleman's or master's discourse ('lord's' discourse) is already a discourse that surpasses trivial egoism of primary necessities. But, it solely concerns the authoritative discourse of power and supremacy. This means, that mentally, it is spoken in terms of ideals and high aims. Dogmas are manifested, but in reality, unconscious wishes and aggressions are the basis.

This is the way the 'astral' level is connected to the 'mental'. Since the next level is 'Trikuti' in the direction of 'Daswan Dwar'. It adds 'mentality', whereby it reaches up to the causal level, and bows to the enforcement of psychological rules. Here, symbolism (grammar and dialogism) becomes just equivalent to the mere mirroring functions. Nevertheless, hysteric-neurotic discourse is not advanced yet, it is a discourse of suffering.

Hysteric discourse (neurotic) is established on something similar to faulty identifications, on desires which are already more conscious, though it finally expresses itself in a completely crazy mood. It eventually came to pass, that such discourse caused the advent of psychoanalysis, as university scholars weren't able to help. Knowledge in the neurotic discourse is organized as SHINES ('light') with narcissism in the background. The SPEAKS - now equally established - does not suffice to produce clear (causal) conditions.

It requires an analyst or yoga teacher, or an earnest saint. ¹

1 Saint Theresa of Avila, a classic hysteric, had a Father and Saint Johanne of Cross as companion. But, she had to persevere serious sufferings as she was dependent on purely biblical SHINES / SPEAKS's. Subsequently, it took her a long time before she could distinguish God from the devil. A modern-day example here is Mother Theresa of Calcutta whose memoirs describe her deep and almost life-long doubts in God, despite all the honor and glory she received!

Anmerkung der Redaktion: Dieser Artikel stammt aus einer Beitragsreihe zum Thema: Analytische Psychocatharsis.