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THE INNER JOURNEY HOME:
Soul’s Realization of the Unity of Reality
BY A. H. ALMAAS
Shambhala Publications, 2004, $30,
640 pp., ISBN 1590301099.
Reviewed by Lawrence M. Spiro
Hameed Ali, writing under the pen name of A. H. Almaas,
is widely acknowledged as one of the most influential spiritual
teachers of our time. His presentation of the spiritual path,
which he calls “the Diamond Approach,” as it
has now emerged and developed over 25 years, is distinguished
by a thoroughgoing effort to bring modern Western concepts
and understandings to the traditional work of spiritual development
and realization. And, judging from the schools, groups, and
many students now practicing this work in the US and Europe,
the effort appears to be yielding impressive fruits.
Furthermore, a wider public, going far beyond the immediate
circle of his students, is coming to appreciate Almaas’ unique
contribution. Although his writings are sometimes quite weighty
and detailed, we appreciate Almaas’ insistence that
we need to explain and confront our spiritual condition in
terms that the modern consciousness can understand, and present
to it the task of spiritual realization in a way that will
facilitate its acceptance and actualization. In contrast,
the deeper traditional teachings, to empower and actualize
its path, usually require entrance into a specific religious
context with its own specific languaging; but this is seen
to impose a serious burden upon students whose consciousness
that has been formed in the crucible of modernity and for
whom traditional formulations may seem foreign. Even the
seeker who sincerely commits to a religious system may be
repeating formulae rather than accomplishing what is needed,
i.e. truly assimilating the pathwork into the context of
their modern consciousness. But Almaas is attempting, full
tilt, to speak directly to the modern consciousness in terms
consonant with it, to make more accessible essential spirituality— and
one’s real nature—and to offer methods for realization
that can be more readily appropriated and used.
We see at once that this book has a unique and special task.
It is meant to be a master work, seeking to present a complete
overview of the entire Diamond Approach (to date). It stretches
over a wide ground, clarifying many aspects of this approach,
the author continually referring the reader to certain of
his previous books for more detailed treatment of many points.
As Almaas writes in his introduction, a key purpose of the
book is to serve as the central organizing presentation of
the Diamond Approach: This book presents the larger view
of the Diamond Approach, its metaphysical underpinnings,
its overall structure, and its metapsychology. This will
clarify its logos, which structures its methodology and which
in turn is grounded in the articulated understanding of the
five boundless dimensions of true nature.
At 700 pages, it is a large task to absorb it, and its spiritual
purview, rather awesome, is certainly ambitious, even for
someone like me who has been friends with Hameed for more
than 20 years. I hasten to add that such an effort is well
worth it, of especial value to anyone engaged in spiritual
work, or seeking its meaning, and the work offers valuable
insight into Almaas’ personal journey and experiences.
VALUE OF PSYCHOLOGY
The Diamond Approach has unfolded through 11 or 12 books
to date. From the very beginning, Almaas’ major way
of addressing and engaging the modern consciousness has been
to take modern psychology as the theoretical statement of
its self-identity, choosing this as the ground from which
to unfold his presentation of the teachings. The strategy
has mainly been to take the familiar and accepted body of
modern psychological theory, appreciate its contribution
deriving from sustained research experience, but then subject
it to a very careful immanent critique which reveals its
limitations. As its limitations are seen through, a door
opens to what Almaas terms essence, the experiential arising
of spiritual truth and potency from its own dimension, illumining
the very realm of the empirical and ordinary, and coming
to assimilate this latter to itself. At this point, the psyche
of psychology begins to really reveal itself as soul, and
the “false” egoic self is displaced, and we come
to rely on our true foundation of being. In, for example,
The Pearl Beyond Price (1988), he introduces the subject
of Personal Essence, and then reveals its operations and
efficacy through a presentation and critique of developmental
psychology and the object relations theory of psychoanalytic
psychology. For example, we have 100 or so pages there reviewing
the separation–individuation process to see its relation
to essence and being, via such topics of separation, merging,
negative merging, identity, personalization, rapprochement,
etc., and again many pages on ego boundaries, ego deficiency,
etc. In The Point of Existence (1996), we have a very thorough
examination of psychology’s theory of narcissism in
order to discriminate true identity based in being (Reality)
from all the narcissistic defenses which uphold a false self
that we must come to abandon on the path, albeit with difficulty.
Again, we have hundreds of pages, on subjects such as the
characteristics and development of narcissism, narcissistic
transferences, the dynamics of narcissism, developmental
issues, etc., in their relation to essential identity. What
is noteworthy is that both these major works, which begin
so carefully and methodically respecting and working through
the borders and boundaries of our existential and psychological
consciousness, culminate in their ending chapters with a
full discussion of the boundless or formless dimensions of
Being. It’s a tour-deforce, because it reveals to us
how the Ultimate (or, if you will, “the Boundless” or “the
Unitive”) has been present all along, and can arise
to consciousness to reveal an everdeepening spiritual guidance.
It has been a brilliant strategy: To begin with our actual
experience, then to show how the spiritual essence can be
invited into and nurture our personal worlds, where it will
become effective in guiding us in the work of transformation.
The self-identity of the human today, not as Scripture or
Prophetic tradition defines it, but as recorded and documented
in the empirical studies of modern psychology, is the starting
point: Even if our present experience should turn out to
be limited or deficient, we still begin with and proceed
from our experience of reality. The guidance of being evolves
us, replacing our deficient groundings with more essential
ones, and does not begin by undermining our subjective reality
in the name of ultimate truth. The universe itself shows
its caring and nurturing basis throughout all Almaas’ works,
especially in Facets of Unity (1998), and does so in a throroughly
Western way. His main methodology, that of a spiritually
informed inquiry, detailed in Spacecruiser Inquiry (2002),
is a practice consonant with the modern Western mind.
THE INNER JOURNEY HOME
Quoting from the Introduction:
The central thread of wisdom informing the methodology
of the Diamond Approach is that our normal human consciousness
does not possess the knowledge or skill necessary for traversing
the inner path of realization. However, the intelligence
of our underlying spiritual ground tends to spontaneously
guide our consciousness and experience toward liberation.
This spiritual ground, which is the ultimate nature of
reality, is unconditionally loving and compassionate in
revealing its treasures of wisdom to whoever is willing
to open to it. We simply need to recognize the truth about
our present experience and learn the attitudes and skills
that will invite the true nature of reality to reveal itself.
When we turn back to Inner Journey Home, we find the book
divides itself into two halves. The first half (pp. 1-217)
is a detailed discussion of the soul and “self,” the
fruit of many years of experience and research by Almaas.
The second half (pp. 219-479) is an account of the journey
of the soul, in its “ascent” to True Nature and
its subsequent “descent” and reintegration. In
fact, two volumes would be preferable because there are some
readers to whom I would recommend starting at the beginning,
while others I would suggest start at page 219, “The
Inner Journey of the Soul.” The sequence of these two “volumes” is
not, however, in question: a thorough phenomenological treatment
of soul is logically a precondition for its “journeys,” the
topic of the second half.
(I) As for the first half, the exposition of soul and self,
three main tasks seem to be taken up in the discussions of
the soul’s properties and development:
(1) Clarifying confusion: In the psychological literature,
on one hand, there is considerable confusion as to the meanings
of self, ego, soul, etc., and in religious traditions, there
is considerable ambiguity and, from the modern perspective,
an often outdated or “medieval” psychological
framework. Almaas’ approach requires much clarity and
precision.
(2) Vindication of the dimension of “soul” in
the midst of a prevalent worldview and culture which is empirical,
mechanistic, materialistic, and, of course, spiritually truncated.
Here the work is to show the limitations of the conventional
and mainstream views, and to establish the reality of the
soul, its dimension, its basis as essence, its qualities,
dynamics and development, and its relation to “self.” (3)
Vessel-building for the journeys: To travel in inner space,
one needs a travel-worthy vessel.
Underlying the attempt to pull the metapsychology underlying
Almaas’ previous books into a coherent and thorough
treatment is an important premise, which while self-evident
to many, still needs to be emphasized, namely that human
development is not only a means to spiritual work, but may
also be considered so important that it, if not an end in
itself, at least cannot be bypassed by any spiritual work;
it must be an integral part of it, with help from modern
Western methods.
(II) The second half of the book, beginning with “The
Inner Journey of the Soul,” describes the situation
for those whose essence is emerging or is now functioning
as presence or guidance. The spiritual journey is in turn
divided into three journeys in sequence, a very effective
presentation and framing of the path, namely: (1) The Journey
to Presence; (2) The Journey with Presence; (3) The Journey
in Presence. (These three journeys are also described in
Chapter 4 of Spacecruiser Inquiry, using the metaphor of
inner space.)
THE JOURNEY TO PRESENCE The theoretical basis for the recognition
and discovery of Presence in/of the soul is detailed in the
first half of the book, i.e., the metapsychology of the soul
and its development. Methods for revealing its essential
basis, which manifests as Presence, has permeated almost
all of Almaas’ work.
THE JOURNEY WITH PRESENCE
The second journey is introduced, but has been covered in
other works: Essence, the Diamond Heart series, the Pearl
Beyond Price, The Point of Existence, etc. There is a concise
integrative overview in pp. 221–246).
Looking at the first phase of the transition from the first
to the second journey:
The transition . . . is . . . marked by a . . . process
of discovery whose central element is the initial experience
and recognition of presence. . . . This recognition is
the discovery of a living presence that feels to us to
be the core of the human being, what makes a human being
both human and Being. On directly recognizing the medium
of our soul, we feel we know what humanity is, for we are
aware of its inner truth and potential.
And in the second phase:
. . . [W]e develop the vessel of the inner journey,
the consciousness that goes through the clarification and
purification. . . . The second phase of transition . .
. is the activation of the subtle centers of the lataif,
which is a system of centers through which the primary
essential aspects operate.
And then:
In the second journey, essence continues to unfold in its
various aspects and dimensions. This is where most of the
essential development of the soul occurs, as a process of
her integrating the arising essence. . . . [T]he discovery
and integration of essence transforms the soul from its condition
of being primarily an animal soul to the state of being primarily
a human soul, a soul with heart. . . . This is primarily
the task of the second journey. . . . The soul journeys here
in the company of presence, receptive to it and guided by
it. There then follows a brief review of the process of the
soul’s spiritual maturation, true individuation, and
the achievement of essential personhood (achieved through
overcoming or “seeing through” the structures
of ego-self, accompanied by the wisdom of presence). Various
issues in this essential development are next noted briefly,
and then we are treated to a very fascinating, but all-too
brief, summary of the “Diamond vehicles”:
The process of the soul’s journey is assisted
by the arising of certain structures of essential wisdom,
which we call the “Diamond vehicles.” These
vehicles show us that real wisdom can come only from true
nature [Almaas’ term for the ground of Being]. They
are often experienced as messengers from the source of
the soul, teaching her about this source and guiding her
return.
In the experience of this reviewer, the description of these
essential manifestations of true nature—being— structures
that arise to guide the student—is the most exciting
piece in the book, but is covered in just the last 13 pages
of chapter 15, (but with continual references to his other
works for more detail). They are described with metaphors
such as Diamond aspects, or gems, or “spaceships” for
traversing innerspace, or as messenger–angels, all
of which conveys the utter richness of the spiritual treasury
that can come to guide those on the path. We have here summaries
of four of the ten Diamond vehicles, “Diamond Guidance” (correlated
with the Greek nous), the descent of “Markabah,” joyously
and blissfully filling the soul when intimate with true nature,
the “Citadel,” true support and protection for
the soul, and the “Diamond Dome,” bringing a
clarity and intelligence deriving from true nature.
As Almaas notes continually, he is sharing with us his direct
and personal experience—not theories or experience
reported by others— and so we are also told that the “Diamond
Approach” itself owes its existence to these very vehicles,
which have been informing and enlightening his work.
In the experience of the author, these vehicles manifested
totally without any expectations or prior knowledge. Their
arrival was a total surprise. And so, presumably, inner inquiry
can also open the student’s soul to such manifestations.
All of the above, which is the heart of Almaas’ Approach,
is covered in the scant 25 pages of Chapter 15! Here is the
clearest overview of the specific logos of the Diamond Approach.
But questions arise. How unique is it? How universal? How
does it relate to, or differ from, the logoi of other traditions?
It is not easy because the “Diamond Approach” is
not explicitly referenced to, or within the discipline of,
a tradition that would provide an historic context for that
logos? The primary reference is Almaas’ own personal
experience, which carries authority, and does impressively
seem to have the power and feel of universal, or “ancient” wisdom
in it, and, furthermore, Almaas expends significant energy
attempting to establish a context in the footnotes and appendices,
by comparing his expositions to those of other wisdom traditions,
an effort I find very helpful. Almaas recognizes that logoi
of valid spirital paths may differ significantly. This is
the subject of a brilliant piece, unfortunately relegated
to the very last Appendix of his book, entitled “The
Logoi of Teachings” (pp. 567- 582), which I recommend.
THE JOURNEY IN PRESENCE
The third “journey”: In this last aspect of
the journey, essence, having arisen to consciousness, and
having been increasingly assimilated by soul, and the wisdom
vehicles appearing as guidance-emissaries of true (soul)
nature, returning us to it, the next topic, that of true
nature and its dimensions, is extensively unfolded throughout
chapters 16-21 (pp. 247–409). The transition to the
third “journey” begins:
As the soul integrates the various essential aspects and
the Diamond vehicles, transforming it into an increasingly
essential soul, essence begins forcefully to reveal that
it is the true nature not only of the soul but of all Reality.
. . . Essence expands beyond her individual location and
reveals itself as the essence of everything.
We are now far from the metapyschology of the first half,
or of the dynamic pathwork of Chapter 15. We are into theology
(albeit with little theos or God-talk, but instead the language
of “True Nature” or Reality or the Absolute or
the Ground of Being or Objective Truth). The wisdom emissaries
have come from this ultimate source and now lead the soul,
which is assimilated to essence, back to its own true nature.
This is found in Almaas’ presentation of “True
Nature and its 5 Dimensions” in the next 164 pages,
his experiential account of the nondual Godhead. Given that
the function of the (divine or divinized) soul is to bridge
the two worlds (like Plato’s soul), Almaas is offering
an account of the nondual world, the unity (or nonduality)
of its own (true) nature to which the soul aspires. So the
main subject of the second half (in length) is a description
of this “unitive” state.
THE UNITIVE STATE What is being conveyed by the descriptions
of five boundless dimensions of true nature? Each is given
a chapter: Divine Light and Love (17), Being and Knowledge
(18), Awareness and the Nonconceptual (19), Logos and Creative
Dynamism (20), and The Absolute and Emptiness (21). To me,
it’s a remarkable theology: Described as “dimensions” of
Being, but with little or no theistic God-talk. Yet it makes
great efforts to provide a source in the Godhead for Love,
Individuation, Creation/Creativity as Speech/Logos, Soul,
Guidance/ (Divine Will), Holy Ideas, and makes of the World
a benevolent divine holding environment—all so very
Western—while that world is being transcended. It is
written in a somewhat Greek/Eastern rational mode, as experience/experiential,
as natural, as a discovery available to all, rather than
as a special revelation bequeathed by the divine. It seems
to strive for a language that tries to emancipate itself
from the theistic languages of the West. But yet, it is oh
so Western, as one can see clearly with the help of the footnotes,
where the subject is contexted to other mystical and religious
traditions. We have here a picture, in the description of
the five dimensions, of a loving, caring, acting Godhead.
This whole subject becomes a wonderful field of reflection
and examination and suggests many questions, which we cannot
go into here. But I’ll suggest one issue as an example.
In speaking of the soul’s entrance into the nondual
state (the reader will remember that the subtitle of Inner
Journey is Soul’s Realization of the Unity of Reality,
we learn that there are two integrations. There is the higher
integration of the soul, and the higher integration of reality
in general, the universe. In other words, two levels of nonduality,
one personal and one cosmic, so to speak. The former, a limited
nonduality, but one which maintains the integrity of the
individual soul, is quite Western. But Almaas says of the
latter:
Full nonduality is not a matter of the nonduality of
soul and essence, but of the total nonduality of true nature
and manifestation. The nonduality of soul and essence is
only an instance of the true condition of things, an individual
and hence limited nonduality. But, as we have seen, the
realization of this level of nonduality functions as the
entrance to the full nondual condition, reflecting the
soul’s function as a bridge between the two worlds,
that of duality and of nonduality.
But which is the higher integration, a full absorption into
the nondual or a full development of the “fully human” which
also has nonduality as basis? All the very careful attention
to human essential development that characterizes his work,
and his favorable view of the value of existence, would lead
us to believe the latter, but when we arrive at the discussion
of the Absolute, which we learn is our home, and the consummation
of our love affair and the end of our search, the reader
may feel that the former nonduality is the final end of the
path. But then there is a surprise. There is next a journey
of Descent (Chapter 22, p. 413ff).
THE JOURNEY OF DESCENT
The self-realization of the Absolute is the end of the search,
the satisfaction of the soul’s longing. But it is not
the completion of the inner journey. . . . [But] at some
point, the soul realizes that she cannot simply remain at
the transcendent summit of Reality; her unfoldment naturally
takes her on another journey, the journey of descent!
I may be missing something, but I don’t understand
how there can be any further “natural unfoldment” based
on the spiritual framework that has been presented in Inner
Journey to this point. While there is a developed ontology,
metapsychology, and even an epistemology, there has been
no developed account of a cosmology or teleology that would
give us a reason for the descent.
There’s guidance, but there has been no divine will
explicitly predicated that can will such a thing. This is
the stuff of theism, which appears more prominent at this
point. A footnote by Almaas in this chapter states:
Many of the wisdom traditions, especially the mystical
teachings of the monotheistic religions, conceptualize
this station as the surrender to God’s will. They
recognize that the realization of union of God is easier
than that of surrender to His will, and that the latter
is a more profound and total surrender and realization.
. . . And the soul, feeling the separation, and loss of
the home and Beloved, begins its descent, “surrendering
to the flow, mostly out of love for the absolute ipseity,
for she recognizes that it is the source of all unfoldment.”
This is not a small point, and the entire subject of “True
Nature” has to be reread with this Descent in mind.
The question that needs to be contemplated is whether the “fully
human (essentialized) soul” is a means or an end.
IN CONCLUSION
This is undoubtedly a brilliant book, and shows the power
and scope of Diamond work. But there are also challenges
for the reader. (1) As the central organizing presentation
of the Diamond Approach, Inner Journey does just that. It
makes a unity of the Diamond work, but it also requires a
familiarity with the entire corpus of Almaas’ work,
or at least requires us to follow its thread. (2) Almaas
is at his best when he is doing an immanent critique of current
notions, showing what real human potential is, not just the
usual conventional notions, and why present theory has to
open up to and be “absorbed by” Being. But when
he develops his own premises of a metapsychology of soul
and self, it may appear scholastic. (3) The Journey through
Godhead in Presence is a big leap and highly abstract. As
a statement of Diamond Logos, it is truly authentic, but
its theological aspects have their own uniqueness, and this
very high theology, unlike the more psychologically oriented
Diamond pathwork, may not be so easily assimilable to other
religious traditions.
LAWRENCE M. SPIRO, PH.D., is a former Director of the
East-West Psychology program at the California Institute
of Integral Studies in San Francisco. He is presently residing
in Jerusalem and can be reached at mnlarry@msn.com |
