When I embarked on my personal growth journey I presumed that it was solely concerned with psychological issues. I was quite quickly corrected by my Reichian therapist, David Boadella, and also by bioenergetic groups – also based on Reichian principles. Both showed me that traumas were stored very powerfully in the body as well as in the mind. So the importance of body work was an important part of my Discovery phase of growth.
This changed quite significantly in the Consolidation phase. When Eva and I began to run 4,5 or 6 Intensives every year we noticed that eliminating caffeine and eating more consciously had clear health benefits. But it was only when I began fasting that the need for purification was really brought home to me. The first day of each fast I undertook was very difficult as toxins started to leave my body; I had a very bad headache and really awful smelling breath. After a few irregular fasts I established a routine of fasting one day a week and the benefits were tangible. With hindsight I think that quite a lot of my need for detoxification in those days was because my life was very stressful – but that is not an unusual circumstance.
It was around this time that I also started to meditate regularly and then I was able to notice the effects of alcohol and drugs quite dramatically. If I had much alcohol my meditation was affected for a day or two. With cannabis it was affected for about a week and with hallucinogens, such as psilocybin, it was affected for two or three weeks. My use of drugs has always been for a combination of self inspection and pleasure, so just giving them up was not straightforward. I was gaining significant growth benefits from their use (see Conscious Use of Drugs). The conflict between ‘hedonist’ and ‘pilgrim’ became acute. Hedonist couldn’t really enjoy himself because pilgrim was always moaning about the effects on his meditation, and pilgrim couldn’t meditate because hedonist would periodically use one drug or another. The conflict was only resolved by a long and detailed negotiation carried out between the two of them, supervised by my real Self (see Gestalt Style Negotiation). The result was complete abstinence for 3 months, followed by 3 months of partying. During the partying phases my meditation suffered, but was able to develop again in each period of abstinence. And during the partying phase pilgrim was quiet, awaiting his turn.
The second step on the Yogic path, the niyamas, are relevant to this because the very first niyama is about purity and cleanliness. Another niyama is about self-discipline and austerity – being willing to go without. The other niyamas are concerned with acceptance, self study and surrender to God. Taken together with the yamas the aim of these observances is to prepare the body for the release of kundalini.
A Master's Path 