The Fifth Wave: Conscious Evolutionary Psychology
By OMTimes Feature Writer Karen M. Rider
It is rare to open a self-improvement book and feel, deep in your core, that you have begun a journey that will lead you to your own spiritual empowerment and to understanding our collective responsibility for the evolution of humanity. Yet that is exactly what visionary psychospiritual teacher and therapist, Celeste Mattingly offers in her new book Celestial Psychology®: A Workbook of Chakras, Psychological Theory & Conscious Evolution. Celestial Psychology® (CP) integrates well-known (and well researched) psychological theories and counseling techniques with ancient spiritual traditions, metaphysical concepts, energy medicine modalities and an evolutionary trajectory
There are few visionary teachers who can both inspire and empower people to overcome the trappings of the ego-mind. Celeste accomplishes this in her new workbook through simple and profound practices that allow you to optimize your psychological and spiritual strengths. This workbook is an adventure into uncharted territories with seminal ideas and never-before presented exercises for consciousness-raising. Stunning guided visualizations, innovative affirmations, and forward-thinking concepts create an ascent into higher consciousness, improving quality of living, enhancing luminosity, increasing self-mastery and providing an undeniable reconnection of body and mind to spirit.
Celestial Psychology® ends the debate about a schism between psychology and spirituality. It proves beyond doubt that Western psychology has paved the way for spirituality and reveals the two are inextricably woven. Starting with Freud and chakra one, and ending with chakra seven and the Conscious Evolutionary Psychologies this body of work holds promise of a bright and glorious future—a luminous future.
From her office in West Hartford, Connecticut, Celeste spoke with Om Times columnist Karen M. Rider about the evolution of Celestial Psychology, The Fifth Wave, and humanity’s transformation form homo sapien to homo luminous—it begins with you.
Karen: What brought about the development of CP?
Celeste: Celestial Psychology® has evolved over time, with a number of small “a-ha” moments. Growing up in a painfully dysfunctional family provided me with a gift of desperation to figure out what the heck was going on with us. Forty years of devotion to metaphysical studies, the last twenty-eight immersed in a variety of 12-step studies, combined with seventeen years of Social Work has brought me to this point.
In 2008 I was stirred by the question, “What am I doing, in my work, that is truly different from other practitioners?” My work has always emphasized a subtle, non-specific, non-denominational, non-judgmental, spiritual component of Self. From this vantage point, I began to articulate Celestial Psychology®.
Karen: There are four major schools of psychological theory and numerous models and practices of holistic counseling. What makes CP different?
Celeste: The first three schools of psychology—Psychoanalysis, Behaviorism and Humanistic Psychology—all denied the existence of soul or spirit. Transpersonal psychology came next and some consider it the ‘fourth wave’ or the fourth school, because it provided a framework that incorporates spirituality with academic psychology. At first, I thought CP belonged in the category of Humanistic Psychology because both include opportunities to self-actualize, have peak experiences and find meaning in life. CP shares common ground with Transpersonal Psychology—both emphasize states of consciousness, especially non-ordinary or altered states. CP differs from Transpersonal Psychology because it provides coherence, specific approaches, efficacious practices, true definition, and advocates only natural approaches to achieving altered states. These realizations lead me to declare an emerging ‘fifth-wave’ of psychology.
I am naming this fifth wave-Conscious Evolutionary Psychology. Ken Wilber’s theory, Integral Psychology, meets four of the five criteria outlined in the workbook, with its focus being consciousness-raising. Dr. Albert LaChance calls his theory Unitive Psychology; it is concerned with the development (evolution) of the individual from Homo sapiens to Homo Spiritus. The essential components of CP are outlined in the workbook, providing a frame of reference and a call for the evolution of future fifth-wave theoretical frameworks.
Karen: In the workbook and other writings, you talk about transformation from Homo sapiens to Homo-luminous beings. What is the experience of homo-luminosity?
Celeste: Many of us are getting glimpses of this evolving phenomenon as new teachings and philosophies blossom and the veil lifts on our egoic perceptions. Many religious, philosophical and metaphysical teachings contain references to the emergence of a “light-body.” Over the last two decades, Alberto Villoldo, Ph.D. has popularized the term Homo-luminous. He studied and taught Shamanism, which for centuries passed on the knowledge that the human energy field is luminous, acting as a blueprint for our lives and our health. Over the last decade, Dr. Eric Pearl, founder of The Reconnection®, has made outstanding contributions to the understanding that our DNA is expanding and we are developing the ability to take light into our cells, along with energy and information.
Karen: How do you think this transformation happens?
Celeste: Transformation happens with consciousness; in other words, each of us—you, me, the people reading this article right now– have to think and feel into being what we want to occur. Practicing meditation, yoga or the meditative martial arts is a good start to developing our essential or higher Selves. However, we must develop a personal vision of what transformation will look like to us. Placing our attention on transformation and setting our intention to transform or to evolve into light beings is how we begin. The exercises in this workbook provide a clear path for this journey to transformation.
Karen: What do you see as the biggest obstacle in the transformation from Homo sapiens to Homo-luminous?
Celeste: Fear. It’s always fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of change, fear of the magnificence of who and what we really are. Even a mere glimpse of how truly powerful and magnificent we really are can rock the ego’s world and blind us to the Light. Many of us know from our own experiences, without a meaningful way to navigate the path of Light, we remain stuck, potentially worse off than where we began. It is very important to practice consciousness-raising activities as regularly as possible and in a safe and supportive environment. Celestial Psychology®, addresses these needs. It is available to lay persons, students and professional practitioners, via this workbook, workshops, classes, lectures, and individual and group therapy, to guide all who desire to stay on the path to Homo-luminosity.
About Celestial Psychology http://celestialpsychology.com/celestial-psychology/
Free Download: Seven Days to Your Luminous Self
Contact Celeste to receive this simple, day-by-day practice to help you expand consciousness, affirm and activate your inherent potential, and begin the shift toward homo-luminosity.
LINK TO BOOK: http://www.amazon.com/Celestial-Psychology®
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Karen M. Rider has a passion for writing about all things holistic and mystical. With a background in health science, psychology and research, Karen brings a keen mind and sensitive objectivity to writing about subjects that fall into the ether between science and spirit. For articles on health, spirituality and healing Karen has interviewed respected visionary healers including Andrew Weil, Joan Borysenko, Caroline Myss, Stewart Pearce and Judith Orloff. Karen has also published essays about ordinary people living inspirational lives. Her articles on success steps for writers have appeared in both The Writer and Writer’s Digest magazines. An accomplished writing coach and co-writer, Karen guides healing arts professionals in creation of articles, interviews, book proposals and other writing projects. Ask Karen to Write for You.
