Healing and Hypnotherapy Volume - 3, issue 12, I June 2019 | Page 8

the sense of being limited to a single perspective), but capable of
accommodating multiple perspectives. In fact, the self-serving ego comes to
be seen as a problem, something to be overcome - though in reality it is
more a case of incorporating it into a broader level of awareness.
Reaching beyond the forthright independence of the third stage, the
major challenge at this fourth stage is to discover how to live inter-
dependently with others, and “other-ness” in general. While they are aware
of their own ego, the Mature Soul is trying to rise above it and be connected
to something greater. They tend to have quite a bit of inner conflict because
of this. And, because they can see things from multiple perspectives, they
may often find themselves confused.
This tension between ego and ego-transcendence, or between having
both a personal agenda and a desire to be more open and authentic, makes
life much more complicated - sometimes overwhelmingly so. On the one
hand, Mature Souls reject narrow-minded values. Yet on the other hand,
they can empathize with whoever holds those same values. Fixed opinions
are replaced by a sense of ever-shifting perspectives - “it all depends on
how you look at it”. This disappearance of solid ground kicks off a search for
deeper meaning and self-understanding - whether through art, psychology,
philosophy or spirituality. Politically, Mature Souls tend to be liberal and
inclusive, and disapprove of any kind of narrow chauvinism. To younger
souls, they can come across as bleeding-heart liberals. They tend to
question everything, including their own motives, and are prone to do a lot
of (if you’ll pardon the expression) “soul-searching”.
For this soul, life is no longer simply a matter of what happens “out there
in the world”. It’s also what’s going on inside of them, where we are coming
from, what it all means, i.e. “What’s it all about, Alfie?”
Through understanding more and more of its own psychology, the Mature
Soul also learns about what makes others tick. They come to recognize that
all others are their equals, at least on the inside. In fact, their own
perspective is nothing but one among many equally valid perspectives.
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