Ascent vs. Integration

In the practice of Spirituality, 99% of the focus is on the phenomenon of Ascent, whereby the individual learns to comprehend higher truths and develops a connection with his Spirit. The connection with Spirit makes the Aspirant strong, self-absorbed, somewhat reckless, and truly individual. On the other hand, such illumination does not persistently create satisfaction. The mundane life will eventually suffer if Integration or grounding practices are not introduced.

Ascent in a Free Age

An individual's connection with their Spirit is in fact very hard to conceal. Large social systems, like the medieval oppression by the Church, are required to effect it. Individuals should be filled with extreme fear, shame, and guilt, while intellectual freedom is suppressed. Only in such very restrained conditions, individuals will be effectively disconnected from their Spirit. In our age, in contrast, freedom, individuality, intellectual life are very much developed. As a result, through various means such as psychoanalysis, esoteric lore, life experiences, or personal intellect, many people achieve illumination without giving too much importance to it. If we consider streams like the Golden Dawn, it is easy to notice that the stream is shaped after a blueprint of presenting intellectual and personal freedom through a transitory vocabulary that extends from the Hebrew Bible all the way to Elemental Magic. It is formulated in such a way to transform the individual through the transformation of their religion through a linguistic transition. This might have been a very relevant formula for the still conservative and religious society of the 1890's. However, in our age, few people need new ideas to be introduced within the linguistic space of ancient religions. The atheistic individual can be transformed through psychoanalysis by directly manipulating the unconscious. Looking at A.A. or Aleister Crowley, one sees a further step beyond, whereby the illumination is brought to a sufficiently individualized Aspirant in the form of a small nuance what will take them cross the Abyss, to the world of the Unknown. With the demise of the old, conservative society, one would expect every individual to go through the self-realization that extends from Golden Dawn, to psychoanalysis, and ends in the A.A., in their natural progression. They may or may not follow these exact schools, but they will make the same gradual conquest of their unconscious. The main driver here is pleasure. With the making conscious of the unconscious, the conscious ego expands to its limits, whereby achieving 'Ascent', as felt subjectively by the Aspirant. Through a divine decision or evolutionary principle, this conquest cathexes narcissistic libido, whereby creating a sense of peace and 'heroic euphoria'. 

Ascent is Exaggerated

Regardless of the transition to a completely free society beginning from 1968, the momentum of the 1930's and before is still evident in the field of Spirituality. Great emphasis is still being placed on esoteric knowledge, illumination, rejection of paternalistic values, etc. In actuality, the Spirit also comes with varying qualities. There is an inherent Grade of every person born, such that given the best of the conditions they will end up comprehending the Daath or stop at the Theoricus level. When they reach their pre-ordained level of illumination, their journey is complete. Hence, Ascent is a personal, limited, and quite achievable phenomenon. I also suspect that it is one of the reasons mental health issues are so prevalent. Ignorance is truly bliss, and fear is a far better option than narcissism. The crisis of the Soul after Ascent, looks far worse than shame, guilt, envy, or fear, which are elemental overlords corresponding to Fire, Water, Air, and Earth. The worst overlord that the Soul can bear is the individual's own Spirit. Once the Spirit appears through the fog of celestial rulership, a relentless pressure on the Soul will commence. The Spirit will get to shape the Soul, and start the Integration cycle.

Integration Becomes A Bond

The starting point for Integration is Pain. An individual who is capable of serving the Inner Order of spiritual ranks cannot resolve their personal problems just by Ascent. In such cases, Ascent creates bigger mental problems by removing the previous protection of the overlords. Then, the overlords start draining the libidinal energy through harsher and more visible means. This might be due to a need to lower the energies first to the mundane planes, and then suck them away, which is pure mental rape. At this point, I suspect, the drug addictions of Crowley and similar esoteric teachers became their refuge. Although it is very visible that they have failed some very crucial part of their Work, they are still regarded as the perfect examples of illumination. Actually, they do are perfectly illuminated individuals, but I challenge whether their subsequent misery and suffering was a necessity. After all, Crowley rightly claimed achieving the grade of Magus, but he never claimed he understood perfectly well how to live as one. In that regard, I believe he missed a fundamental facet of illumination which is Integration. I don't think a Magus is supposed live in the mundane World in the shape of a Magus. The learning and understanding is only one side of the coin. The other side is achieving Power. Without Power, a Magician is reduced to a poor, miserable, hated, and obsessed outcast, that can show a few tricks now and then, only to his detriment. Thus, the journey onwards from Adepthood requires molding into a shape of Power in accordance with the True Will. This is not only desirable, but a necessity in the face of Pain.

Fig. 1: The final years of A. Crowley was marred with increasing personal problems such as addiction and financial issues. Was he trapped in an Ascension mindset that lacked necessary mundane Power?

The Way of Integration

Until Integration is underway, the only mundane sign of illumination is Pain and Restlessness. To rule over the Elementals requires a Spiritual superiority which requires letting go of the ego. The ego is the arbiter between Shadow and Consciousness. Integration requires the transformation of the Shadow and rejection of Consciousness. I feel that Integration is a matter of ruling over energies rather than rigid expectations from Life. The rigidity is rooted in the Shadow which has definitive expectations. By being a conduit of Light, the Shadow can be cleared out of existence, thereby fully releasing the Soul. An example can be given from business. For the Uninitiated, business means a way of making money, such that so and so desires can be satisfied. Of course, basic needs are not included in it, as it is not egotistic to seek them. In contrast, an Initiate works to exhaustion, so that his ego is detached from the Earth elemental and the Spirit can rule over the Elemental world. My take on this is that, detachment from each Element brings Power over another Elemental, so that ego dissolution can continue without trappings. For example, working to exhaustion would not give Power over the Earth elemental, i.e. would not make one rich, as can be observed every day. However, it would give Power over some other things, such as Water, that will allow an outlet for the Spirit. The psychoanalytic view would be that the desire for control, after the integration of unconscious ego fragments, results in vertical complexes due to the obstinance of Superego and Ego-ideal structures that cut their way into the Self. Then, whatever practice allows penetration into the collective unconscious, will generate the necessary Power. 

Conclusion

The unconscious is easier to integrate to the Self than it historically has been. The reconstruction of the Self beyond the Ego is the main challenge. Failure to do this leads to unrelenting Pain and weakness. Once the Self and the Spirit is aligned, deep forces are to be acknowledged and followed. Beyond object relations and self-preservation, to achieve Integration, the narcissistic libido needs to be discharged through energy work. Then, this energy attaches itself to Elementals as the Elemental Mind and does the mundane work for the Spirit.