Understanding Spiritual Illusion and Mental Distortion

As we strive to operate under the influence of the soul, it is essential to remember that we are imperfect. And, because of our imperfections, we are vulnerable to misunderstanding the impressions and information that we receive. The first of these vulnerabilities that we will explore is referred to as Illusion.

What is Spiritual Illusion?

Illusion is a degree of distortion of our thoughts. This is due to our imperfect instrument (the mind) attempting to access and interpret intuitive impressions from the Buddhic plane (the source of our intuition).  As we strive to improve our alignment with our soul and the One Life, a meditation practice facilitates contact with the intuitive field. However, we must ‘train’ the mind to enable it to work within the intuitive realm just as we do when we are in training for a sport or vocation.

7 Types of Spiritual Illusion and Mental Distortion

The pure information from the intuitive realm is distorted by our mind. Depending on our equipment, there are Seven Types of Spiritual Illusion that emerge in our meditative work as it relates to distortion by our mental bodies.

1. Wrong Perception – Occurs when our mind is untrained or unillumined. We are unable to adequately process and work within the formless intuition of the Buddhic plane.
   • The Remedy for wrong perception is persistent training of the mind to become still and find union with the mind of God. [Meditation]

2. Imperfect Interpretation – Occurs when we overestimate our mind’s ability to adequately interpret the highest vibration of the intuitive impression. This is often linked with pride. We think we are better at it than we are.
   • The Remedy for imperfect interpretation is to foster a continuously cautious attitude about our interpretation of the ideas that come to us through meditation.

3. Incorrect Appropriation – Ideas from the Buddhic plane come through us, not from us. Their origin is divine. Misappropriation occurs when we take ownership of the idea; it becomes ‘my idea’. We then realign our life and energy around ‘our’ idea. Misappropriation leaves us ripe for mis-use of ideas and the development of ideal.
   • Remedy – Cultivate humility and the awareness that our personalities can take ownership of ideas and maintain a healthy detachment. Remember always that we are imperfect vehicles for the translation of thoughtforms from the Buddhic Plane. [Practice WIT – With me – In me – Through me]

4. Wrong Use or Direction – There is larger context into which all ideas fit – a greater life that we are all a part of. Individual ideas, as we perceive them, are only a small piece of this larger reality. The limitations of our mind’s perception allow us only a small inkling of the larger context, so the component we perceive may be applied wrongly due to a lack of understanding of the whole.
   • The Remedy for wrong use is to train the mind to be inclusive and consider what is not readily obvious. Hold an understanding that there is always more to perceive and understand. [Ask, “What am I NOT seeing?”.]

5. Wrong Integration – Occurs after some idea of importance is touched on and understood. It can be inspiring and relevant. We seize upon it and attempt to integrate it into our personal plans in a way that is not intended by the One Life. This may present to the personality as selfless service. We are ready to jump into action to serve….
   • The Remedy is a humble attitude and spirit. [Ask, “What is mine to do?”.]

6. Wrong Embodiment – The purity of the thoughtform constructed is dependent on the quality of the mental matter that the meditator is able to draw from. In Wrong Embodiment, a pure idea is contacted, but impure mental substance constructs the thought form around it. This potentially distorts the impression significantly.
   • The Remedy is application of higher mind processes (such as are found with the scientific method). What is the quality of thoughtform? Will it hold up to analysis, critique, testing? [Question. Analyze. Determine what is true and not true.]

7. Misapplication – Misapplication may occur at any point in the steps above (creative process). Also, we may contact an idea intuitively, intelligently and with purity. However, we then apply it incorrectly. As a result, we are swept into wrong activity and application because of the general illusion emerging from of any of the types above…. Misapplication occurs at any point when we act upon our illusion.