When the physiology and psyche are clean and pure, all experiences move from the surface to the depth of one’s being, undistorted. What then reflects back as the individual’s perspective is in harmony with all of nature.
However, each individual has what is called their unique “psychophysiological basenote.” The psychophysiological basenote is a distortion resulting from the sum total of one’s life experiences. For some, it is anger. For others, sadness, fear, distrust, self-doubt, or a longing for peace and love. The psychophysiological basenote can be likened to the color of glasses one is wearing. It determines the nature of one’s perceptions. So, when an impression or experience comes in, it reflects off of the psychophysiological basenote to some degree, coloring one’s viewpoint, perception, thoughts, and feelings. You could say it is the psychophysiological basenote that creates friction in one’s life, thusly creating Karma.
It’s interesting to note that even Vedic principles or principles that I teach in my classes are heard through the individual’s psychophysiological basenote. The intellect then rallies around the distortions. In that way, even knowers of the Veda or my teachings are not true Knowers. Over time, as the distortions clear, the vision and understanding becomes clearer. But that is a process that takes time and is facilitated through meditation and humble reflection. However, identification with the psychophysiological basenote is not easily brushed away. It is held firmly as one’s truth, one’s knowledge, one’s perspective.
There is a principle in psychology that a client’s positive transference (positive perception) of the therapist inevitably, at some point in time, becomes negative transference. That is as certain as a ball tossed up in the air will at some point come down. This principle also applies to the relationship of a student with their spiritual teacher. For that reason, traversing the path of that profound relationship with their teacher is sometimes viewed as the razor’s edge. In other words, one very easily slips off of that path in allegiance to one’s psychophysiological basenote.
Generally, the spiritual teacher first provides the student with fundamental principles about the nature of life and existence. For the student, that is a very inspiring and life-transforming period. During this phase of positive transference, it is often experienced as a time of euphoric infatuation with the knowledge.
The next step is more challenging, for that is when the teacher holds up the mirror to the student, showing them their distortions, in order to help them purify out their distortions. It is then that the student must remain steadfast. It is then that their anger, sadness, fear, distrust, self-doubt, or longing for peace and love can become triggered. If they are not careful, it is then that they enter the time of negative transference and remain there, and thereby lose their way along the razor’s edge.
Similar to what is said in psychotherapy, the real work with the spiritual teacher begins after the student moves through positive and then negative transference. As has been said, it takes a lot of pressure to make a diamond. The key then, as one progresses, is to keep a steady hand on the rudder.
Amazing message..amazing timing. I have had thoughts on all of this and felt all of this.Some times it felt hopeless however most of the time its forward..slowly forward. Today..the day that I am in..forward slowly forward..with a smile! Great progress has been made
Could you expand on the idea that a longing for peace is a distortion? I find the insanity out here quite exhausting, and really, really, really long for peace. Seems to make sense….Thank you.
Namaste
Practically explained karma.. our own doing… reflection of our psycho physiologic base and consistent Sadhana/ meditation to keep our base clear.
Auh moment for me.
Thank you Michael👏
The psychophysiological basenote becomes very clear after spending the weekend with family.
It’s so easy to see in others.
Having to dig deeper to see in myself.
This is a great blog! I have seen students lose their way through the course of my time with you and it is sad. I miss them. It hasn’t been easy for me to keep a steady hand on the rudder at times, but this is my spiritual journey and I am responsible for it’s outcome not you. I have experienced how hard it can be to get past my psychological basenote but this journey has changed my life – it’s worth it.
The psychophysilogical basenote I am functioning with is anger. I recognize it as soon as I get in a car and am following someone not driving safely or not paying attention and then I am pretty disgusting by honking the horn or yelling. I have been wondering why this comes up when I am driving and now it makes sense. I am also now recognizing the same thing in my work place. Hmm. More stuff to meditate on. It has also brought up I am right and the other person’s wrong and I hate to make a mistake. Jeez more and more stuff. Thank you again. I was looking for a project.😊 Thank you!
Great comments here from all of you. Heidi, good question and, to be honest, I anticipated it. So yes, you are right. The longing for peace only makes sense. However, even that can be ‘over the top’. A healthy relationship with life is not so colored by the longing for peace (or anything else) that it throws the person out of balance. At some point, even the longing for beautiful idealized notions create an unrealistic relationship with life. Of course we would all love to be in a world with nothing but peace, love, and harmony… but what happens to you, when the world does not work that way? Where do you go in your psyche? As I have often said, “It is not about the ‘thing’; It is about your relationship with the ‘thing’. What is your relationship with the realities of life? Yes, discord makes us sad… but even that sadness can throw us excessively out of balance. Yes? Children come into this world so pure… But at some point they are confronted with hard realities. That is not as heartbreaking as the idea that it leaves a deep impression that throws them out of balance in their relationship with whatever lies ahead… i.e. it establishes the ‘color of the glasses’ they wear in life.