The proper dynamics of both ascent and descent with respect to spiritual development are subtler than commonly realised.
For example, I have characterised Band 3 as a model of the spiritual ascent towards a formless type of transcendence.
However even during Band 3, I had become deeply aware of a corresponding form of descent that was taking place.
So whereas the ascent was then associated with the unfolding of the "higher" stages of super-conscious development, the descent was associated with the corresponding unravelling of "lower" immanent stages of sub-conscious behaviour.
Thus I was already strongly aware then of the complementary nature of both the "ascent" and "descent", assuming that full spiritual union would gradually emerge with the completion of Band 3 (with transcendent and immanent directions of spirituality then be fully reconciled).
However whereas aware of this requirement at a conscious level of understanding, I was only later to discover that considerable further development would be required before this realisation could fully take hold likewise at an unconscious level.
Also, as Band 3 unfolded - especially with respect to Level 3 - I noticed that a significant imbalance had opened up with respect to development, in that the continual attempt to vertically integrate in bi-directional fashion both the "higher" new stages of Band 3 with the corresponding "lower" revisited stages of Band 1, led to a considerable by-passing of the rational linear stages of Band 2.
And as normal everyday activity is deeply grounded in these stages of Band 2, this this was to lead to growing difficulties with conventional social and work responsibilities.
Therefore though Band 4 in my account is designed to outline the specialised development of the holistic contemplative stages of development, considerable on-going development is required before this can be effectively achieved.
In fact this situation is not at all unusual in development. As each stage of development is necessarily linked to all other stages, then the full range must thereby unfold - which in truth is a never-ending task - before any individual stage can achieve its mature developed expression.
Therefore though in earlier development, Band 2 is associated with the specialised unfolding of the linear rational stages, without further on-going contemplative development, these are inevitably understood in an unduly rigid manner.
So long before the specialised development of such conscious stages can be complete, one must already embark in the contemplative direction of Band 3, to prevent the unconscious energy needed for this task from becoming significantly eroded.
Thus as I have repeatedly stated, the specialised default rational development of Band 2 in. the understanding associated with the first significant unfolding of Band 2 stages, can itself create a major block in terms of the subsequent unfolding of Band 3 (and the more advanced bands of development).
Likewise the attempted specialisation of default development with the contemplative awareness of Band 4, can likewise create a major problem with respect to the subsequent successful grounding of this awareness in the rational understanding of Band 2.
Therefore, though for simplicity I have tended to characterise Band 5 with the spiritual descent in the attempt to integrate spiritual contemplative awareness with everyday linear understanding, the vertical dynamics of this Band are in fact more complex.
Thus with respect to Band 5, the descent properly relates firstly to the super-conscious awareness of the "higher" stages (initially associated with Band 3). However rather than now being directly associated with the "lower" sub-conscious stages (initially associated with Band 1), these are gradually integrated with the linear "middle" stages (of Band 2). In this way "higher" contemplative awareness can become properly grounded in everyday normal reality.
However there is an important complementary type process that equally unfolds with respect to the (revisited) sub-conscious stages (initially associated with Band 1).
Because development here - due to unconscious repression from earliest childhood - tends to lag behind the unfolding of super-conscious awareness, one must continue with the descent into the lowest regions of instinctive behaviour, before all repressed primitive material can be fully unearthed from the unconscious. So until this process is completed (which depends on the depth of integration involved) remaining repressed material will be projected in a somewhat involuntary manner into consciousness.
Now with personal experience, even though both the ascent and the descent of super-conscious awareness had been largely completed with the culmination of Level 2 (of Band 5) only the corresponding descent of sub-conscious behaviour - away from Band 2 - likewise had become completed with the culmination of Level 2.
However overall integration of both (intuitive) super-conscious awareness and (instinctive) sub-conscious behaviour, finally requires the ascent of instinctive sub-conscious activity (now suitably free of involuntary type projections) from the primitive subterranean depths back to Band 2, where in like manner it can be also successfully integrated with everyday conscious activity.
Now this I would see as the task of Level 3 (Band 5).
Thus when duly completed we have the situation where both spiritual intuitive awareness and physical instinctive behaviour - now suitably refined so as to be free of any inordinate attachment of either a conscious or unconscious nature - can both be truly integrated (from above and below as it were) with everyday conscious life.
And when this integration is finally achieved, the notion of "higher" and "lower" stages in development loses any residual meaning (except in a merely relative sense).
Thus the "lowest" stage in development - relating to the physical instinctive behaviour of the baby infant - is just as important as the "highest" stage relating to the most advanced type of spiritual contemplative awareness.
Indeed in a certain sense, because its significance tends to be so devalued, this "lowest" is often the most crucial stage and generally the last that can be successfully integrated with overall development.
So with the onset of true radial development (Band 6) the very tendency to rank "higher" and "lower" stages, except in a merely relative sense, melts away, with all experience now emanating from a spiritual centre of being, which is equally experienced as the centre of the entire physical universe of form.
For example, I have characterised Band 3 as a model of the spiritual ascent towards a formless type of transcendence.
However even during Band 3, I had become deeply aware of a corresponding form of descent that was taking place.
So whereas the ascent was then associated with the unfolding of the "higher" stages of super-conscious development, the descent was associated with the corresponding unravelling of "lower" immanent stages of sub-conscious behaviour.
Thus I was already strongly aware then of the complementary nature of both the "ascent" and "descent", assuming that full spiritual union would gradually emerge with the completion of Band 3 (with transcendent and immanent directions of spirituality then be fully reconciled).
However whereas aware of this requirement at a conscious level of understanding, I was only later to discover that considerable further development would be required before this realisation could fully take hold likewise at an unconscious level.
Also, as Band 3 unfolded - especially with respect to Level 3 - I noticed that a significant imbalance had opened up with respect to development, in that the continual attempt to vertically integrate in bi-directional fashion both the "higher" new stages of Band 3 with the corresponding "lower" revisited stages of Band 1, led to a considerable by-passing of the rational linear stages of Band 2.
And as normal everyday activity is deeply grounded in these stages of Band 2, this this was to lead to growing difficulties with conventional social and work responsibilities.
Therefore though Band 4 in my account is designed to outline the specialised development of the holistic contemplative stages of development, considerable on-going development is required before this can be effectively achieved.
In fact this situation is not at all unusual in development. As each stage of development is necessarily linked to all other stages, then the full range must thereby unfold - which in truth is a never-ending task - before any individual stage can achieve its mature developed expression.
Therefore though in earlier development, Band 2 is associated with the specialised unfolding of the linear rational stages, without further on-going contemplative development, these are inevitably understood in an unduly rigid manner.
So long before the specialised development of such conscious stages can be complete, one must already embark in the contemplative direction of Band 3, to prevent the unconscious energy needed for this task from becoming significantly eroded.
Thus as I have repeatedly stated, the specialised default rational development of Band 2 in. the understanding associated with the first significant unfolding of Band 2 stages, can itself create a major block in terms of the subsequent unfolding of Band 3 (and the more advanced bands of development).
Likewise the attempted specialisation of default development with the contemplative awareness of Band 4, can likewise create a major problem with respect to the subsequent successful grounding of this awareness in the rational understanding of Band 2.
Therefore, though for simplicity I have tended to characterise Band 5 with the spiritual descent in the attempt to integrate spiritual contemplative awareness with everyday linear understanding, the vertical dynamics of this Band are in fact more complex.
Thus with respect to Band 5, the descent properly relates firstly to the super-conscious awareness of the "higher" stages (initially associated with Band 3). However rather than now being directly associated with the "lower" sub-conscious stages (initially associated with Band 1), these are gradually integrated with the linear "middle" stages (of Band 2). In this way "higher" contemplative awareness can become properly grounded in everyday normal reality.
However there is an important complementary type process that equally unfolds with respect to the (revisited) sub-conscious stages (initially associated with Band 1).
Because development here - due to unconscious repression from earliest childhood - tends to lag behind the unfolding of super-conscious awareness, one must continue with the descent into the lowest regions of instinctive behaviour, before all repressed primitive material can be fully unearthed from the unconscious. So until this process is completed (which depends on the depth of integration involved) remaining repressed material will be projected in a somewhat involuntary manner into consciousness.
Now with personal experience, even though both the ascent and the descent of super-conscious awareness had been largely completed with the culmination of Level 2 (of Band 5) only the corresponding descent of sub-conscious behaviour - away from Band 2 - likewise had become completed with the culmination of Level 2.
However overall integration of both (intuitive) super-conscious awareness and (instinctive) sub-conscious behaviour, finally requires the ascent of instinctive sub-conscious activity (now suitably free of involuntary type projections) from the primitive subterranean depths back to Band 2, where in like manner it can be also successfully integrated with everyday conscious activity.
Now this I would see as the task of Level 3 (Band 5).
Thus when duly completed we have the situation where both spiritual intuitive awareness and physical instinctive behaviour - now suitably refined so as to be free of any inordinate attachment of either a conscious or unconscious nature - can both be truly integrated (from above and below as it were) with everyday conscious life.
And when this integration is finally achieved, the notion of "higher" and "lower" stages in development loses any residual meaning (except in a merely relative sense).
Thus the "lowest" stage in development - relating to the physical instinctive behaviour of the baby infant - is just as important as the "highest" stage relating to the most advanced type of spiritual contemplative awareness.
Indeed in a certain sense, because its significance tends to be so devalued, this "lowest" is often the most crucial stage and generally the last that can be successfully integrated with overall development.
So with the onset of true radial development (Band 6) the very tendency to rank "higher" and "lower" stages, except in a merely relative sense, melts away, with all experience now emanating from a spiritual centre of being, which is equally experienced as the centre of the entire physical universe of form.
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