We learned in the last chapter how fieldwork enables us to observe the actual experience of self. In this chapter, we will move further into realms previously considered ineffable, bringing fieldwork to the task of observing what can perhaps most usefully be referred to as spiritual or transcendent experiences.
These transcendent experiences are in fact an ordinary outcome of fieldwork. The examples below are a glimpse of what awaits in the fieldwork moving practice. For this chapter, I share these simply as more advanced observations. We will dig further into an understanding of these states from the scientific perspective of psychotopology after we thoroughly cover the moving practice and the discoveries that emerge from it in Volume 2.
For now, I want to draw a connection between these states that are easily accessible through fieldwork and the kinds of states referred to by various spiritual and esoteric traditions throughout history. These states are powerful, and entire lineages have been built around them. Fieldwork offers us a valuable opportunity to learn more about these states through direct observation.
These examples are drawn from some of my own inner work as well as from work by Louise and Rebecca, some of whose other states we have seen in earlier chapters.
The Nature of Transcendence
The states I share with you below fall into a category psychotopology calls source states. Source states have a unique quality of being experienced as an infinite supply of some kind of experiential resource in the form of its virtual material feeling substance. It is this felt sense of having access to the infinite that gives the states their quality of transcendence.
In doing fieldwork, we typically encounter three types of source states, in which the resource enters the experiential space from a point inside or outside the body, or is located infinitely, everywhere. Let’s look at examples of each of these. (In the title, I have also provided the name of the state which was originally mapped and moved to its ideal, the illustrated source state. I have more to say about this at the end of the chapter.)
Source States Originating Inside the Body
These are experienced as an infinite supply of feeling substance, providing some kind of experiential resource through an origin point located on the midline of the body.
Sharing (originally Hurt)
A joyful light at my throat, just under voice box; blue-white light, shining out in hundreds of narrow rays/beams in all directions; soft but bright; neutral temp, some warmth; can be other colors also – ROYGBV etc; this really opens up my back, the light reaches people I can’t even see; my voice animated, level (at the same time), confident.
I am sharing what I have learned and observed, my questions, my challenges, and my support. I am speaking. Others can listen or not, engage or not. I inspire many others. My inspiring helps others contribute to / participate in the big give/receive.
Lion Heart (originally Tranced Out)
{From Rebecca.} Light/energy from my heart, radiating outward; white and silver, luminous; pretty hot; sound of radiating light/energy; really intense.
Something about peace, and strength, and giving, and passion. I’m infinitely stronger than I think I am.
Power Core (originally I’m Dead Already)
{From Rebecca.} Belly; energy; warmer than body temp (but not hot); orangey red, luminous on the inside but not on the outside; red blood cell shape; medium-high vibration; medium-low hum; limitless. It’s where the power is, where my source of power and strength and solidness comes from, as opposed to being flaccid, unmotivated, or unduly influenced by outside influences. It’s the engagement, taking myself from potential energy to kinetic energy, the source of strength in any other system; it touches all systems.
I am strong. I can handle it, whatever “it” might be. I can trust myself.
Creative Expression (originally Rigidity)
{From Louise.} Warm; softer, rounded edges, pliable... a shimmering energetic light, lengthened, a long, cone shape, all shimmery, silver and gold, the way sunlight looks on water; it moves into my body, my throat area, shining outward, forms a cross with the focal point at my throat, a strong energy there, golf-ball size; movement is sparkling, energetic, outward, the throat is an origin, and it’s moving out, rings pulsing out from it, with vertical and horizontal axes. Sound of sparkly laughter, my voice.
It’s the integration between self (vertical) and expression (horizontal). Self is expression. You are, right now, living the absolute, creative, expressive life of yourself, and it’s all in the moment. You’re living your expressive self every day; it’s not about what you could be in the future, it’s about what you are right now. Everything I do, I am living my absolute creative expression, the life of me.
Source States Originating Outside the Body
These are experienced as an infinite supply of feeling substance, providing some kind of experiential resource from an origin located outside the body, with the feeling substance traveling into and through the body.
Here (originally Trapped)
Light, a column shining down and through me from above; yellow/white, shimmering, glistening, like mother-of-pearl; fills me all the way up, I am bursting from within with the energy and power of this light; some strong/fast vibration; strongly anchored in the earth, as if the whole point of its coming in is to provide that anchor; sound like a large waterfall, a roar that softly fills in all sound space.
I am here. On this earth. As this person. Among these people. My power comes through when I embrace my role, my identity, my time and place. I am here. Not anywhere or any time else.
Wu Wei (originally Hopeless)
{From Rebecca.} An energy; a posture facing up, arms up; orange-red-amber cloud of energy; all through my body with concentration at the peaks of the posture, so tops of cheeks and blades of my arms where it comes out, upward, extending far out; a feeling of movement, my whole body moving upward; cool; it’s effortless and it moves forward, it just is moving; sound of wind rushing past my ears.
Reminds me of Wu Wei in the I Ching, the easy path, the path of least resistance. This allows for inaction as the appropriate course of action at times. There’s no such thing as being unproductive, because the movement is always forward regardless of what it looks like to me, and because I know when I need to take physical action and there’s other actions that are non-physical, and other actions that aren’t my actions, and it’s always moving forward. Sometimes the appropriate action is non-action, because the other elements haven’t done what they’re supposed to do yet. Waiting is an appropriate action sometimes.
The energy comes from behind me, moves through me and forward/up.
Bigger than Happy (originally Helpless)
{From Rebecca.} Pulsing up through my body in waves, from ~ one foot below to 2-3 feet above me, opening up above like a sprinkler; gold, shimmery, appears gold and white; same substance; same sound.
Something special is happening. This is it.
Infinite Self (originally Longing)
{From Louise.} Slightly above body temp; energetic light; luminous gold/yellow, warm, rich egg-yolk color; steady, expanded, coming into me from above, all the way through my body; a real sense of awareness of the different chakra points illuminated; peaceful and quiet, with a feeling of all sound, an energetic hum of everything.
Feeling of connection. I feel this real height, like my whole being is really tall. This feeling of this constant source of, more of an energy, this constant supply of love. It’s a feeling of being perfect in the moment, not perfect as a closed, achieved thing, but more an energetic balance in the moment, the feeling of being perfectly supported, prepared; perfectly comfortable in the moment and present for the moment. I have everything I need, and it’s just there.
Source States Infinitely Occupying All Space
These are experienced as an infinite supply of feeling substance, providing some kind of experiential resource that is available everywhere inside and outside the body, infinitely in all directions, occupying all space.
Breathing/All (originally Vindictive Retribution)
70 degrees; yellow, luminous; energy; there is “breathing” going on everywhere, in the space of me and everywhere else, a constant give and take, from one area to another, back and forth; the pattern of this “breathing” is grand, like Van Gogh’s Starry Night; sound of deep breathing everywhere; energizes my whole body.
I can simply breathe. My breathing is a participant in the pattern of all breathing; we are all connected through air and water and food and energy, each one into another into the next; nothing anyone can do can take that away or stop it; it has always been so and will always be so.
Be Peace (originally Guilt)
{From Rebecca.} Cool; like every atom part is, the first thing is, just expanded, but expanded like this opening where all the stuff that constructs my body is separated into its energetic elements and is slowly expanding; just peaceful matter; just the awareness of being matter; energy and lots of nothing; spread out infinitely everywhere, but that is me infinitely everywhere, there’s not a body separated from everything; the universe is me, it is inside my body but there is no outside of my body.
Darkness with points of energy-light, like stars; sound of “Aaaahhhhhhhh,” the voice of the cosmos, (therefore, my voice).
No thoughts, just peace. Be peace. It’s simple.
Joyful Zest (originally Everything Is Wrong)
{From Rebecca.} Light, sparkly, like shooting stars in random directions, inside and outside; shooting stars sound effect; warm tones of color, orange, red, amber, yellow, with a little blue, green for balance; where they go through my body, they leave a vibrational chaser sensation for a second; one to several at a time; infinite, everywhere, and I can feel the vibration inside and outside my body when one shoots through me. The green and blue ones are more playful.
It’s very joyful, playful, happy, bright. It’s not about agency, it’s just context, it’s zest for life. Everything is really fun. Massive fun. This is my native ground. It brings a sweetness and levity to what I do, regardless of the heaviness of whatever content may come. It’s that appreciation for the magnificence. It makes it possible to not go in-fucking-sane. Instead: fun, puppiness, playfulness, joy, lightness.
The Infinite Universe (originally Chaotic World)
{From Louise. This one was shared in the earlier chapter, SO-4: Challenges to the Assumed Somatic Basis for Feeling.} Goes out infinitely, these floating shapes, golden color, close/far, all accessible, infinite different shapes, moving gently, all different directions, pulsing almost; they move through me or touch me and move in another direction, all really gentle. Very gentle humming sound, vibration. Shapes are gold and shapeable. Gentle warm to hot temp.
Everything is accessible. Therefore, reach out and select what you want. You can select from an infinite array of choices, all different ones, and they’ll all fit together somehow.
Connections to Spiritual and Esoteric Traditions
I am no expert in spiritual and esoteric traditions. In fact, ever since I set foot in virtual materiality land, I have assiduously avoided dipping into such waters on purpose. It has been of the highest importance to me that I maintain a disciplined focus on the raw data of direct experience above all. The opportunity of this discovery was too rare to dilute with other teachings.
Nevertheless, the parallels here are too strong to ignore. I thought you might have some interest in unpacking them somewhat. So to help draw the parallels for you, I’ve turned to the strengths of current AI resources — this is one of those places where the extensive training of the LLM comes in handy. The following is a commentary by ChatGPT on these examples, making comparisons with spiritual and esoteric traditions.
Note: I debated whether to include this, but decided at the last minute to go ahead with it. It’s useful, and while I have no experience with any of the spiritual connections made here, I anticipate that some of you might, or at least might find these interesting. And of course, take it with a grain of salt, and use this simply to stimulate your own exploration and inquiry.
The transcendent states described above align with several spiritual and esoteric traditions. Below are connections between the three categories of source states and their potential parallels in various traditions:
1. Source States Originating Inside the Body
These states involve an infinite supply of virtual material substance located at specific points within the body. This resembles Eastern esoteric traditions, particularly those involving the chakras and kundalini energy.
Sharing (Throat Light) → Resonates with the Vishuddha (Throat Chakra) in Hindu and yogic traditions. This chakra governs communication and self-expression, and the described experience of light radiating outward suggests an alignment with its qualities.
Lion Heart (Heart Energy) → Aligns with the Anahata (Heart Chakra), which is associated with love, courage, and connection. The mention of peace, strength, and giving echoes Sufi teachings (e.g., “expansion of the heart” as an experience of divine love).
Power Core (Belly Energy) → Resembles the Manipura (Solar Plexus Chakra), traditionally linked to personal power, confidence, and motivation. It also parallels the Dantian in Taoist practices, the energy center believed to hold personal vitality.
Point of Total Awareness → This description evokes Zen and Dzogchen Buddhist notions of a point of awareness illuminating everything, akin to the Bodhi (awakening experience) in meditation, where a single insight shifts perception into clarity.
2. Source States Originating Outside the Body
These experiences describe an infinite supply of virtual material substance entering from beyond the body, which aligns with mystical experiences of divine transmission, cosmic awareness, and surrender to flow.
Here (Light Column Downward) → Very similar to Divine Light transmissions in Christian mysticism, particularly experiences described by Christian saints (e.g., St. Teresa of Ávila’s “transverberation” experience). It also parallels Shaktipat (energy descending through the crown chakra) in Hindu traditions.
Wu Wei (Flowing Energy, Effortless Action) → Directly corresponds to Taoist Wu Wei (effortless action, alignment with the Dao), which emphasizes moving with rather than against the flow of the universe.
Bigger than Happy (Golden Light Fountain) → This could align with beatific vision experiences in Christian mysticism, where divine joy and bliss permeate the body.
Infinite Self → Closely mirrors Advaita Vedanta’s notion of Atman-Brahman unity, where the self is recognized as an infinite, unchanging presence beyond the body.
3. Source States Infinitely Occupying All Space
These experiences describe an infinite expanse of energy, presence, and interconnectedness, echoing non-dual traditions and cosmic consciousness.
Breathing/All (Universal Breathing Awareness) → Directly parallels pranic breathing in yogic traditions, where one becomes aware of breathing as a cosmic exchange.
Be Peace (Expanding Infinite Presence) → Mirrors Nirvana in Buddhism, where the dissolution of personal boundaries leads to pure being. The cosmic “Aaaahhh” sound also resembles Om/Aum, the sacred vibration in Hinduism and Buddhism.
Joyful Zest (Playful, Expansive Joy) → Could correspond to Sufi ecstatic states (wajd) experienced in dance and music (e.g., whirling dervishes), where joy and divine connection merge.
The Infinite Universe (Golden Moving Shapes of Possibility) → Resembles Tibetan Buddhist teachings on infinite potential in the Dharmadhatu (realm of pure potential and interconnected movement).
Summary of Key Similarities and Differences
To review:
Similarities:
These states strongly parallel mystical, yogic, Taoist, and Buddhist traditions, particularly in their descriptions of light, expansion, flow, and interconnectedness.
The midline energy centers correspond well to chakra and Taoist dantian mappings.
The outside-body energy sources resemble theistic or divine light experiences.
The infinite space experiences strongly resonate with non-dual traditions.
Differences:
Fieldwork provides a precise phenomenological map, while many traditional systems rely on symbolic/metaphoric descriptions.
No deity or external figure is invoked in psychotopology—traditional systems often frame these states as divine gifts.
This comparison highlights how psychotopology independently maps transcendent states with a phenomenological precision that aligns deeply with, but is not dependent on, traditional spiritual systems.
Back to Me — And You
Let’s review. The states observed here were reached, not through an aspirational practice aiming at achieving those states, but through a practice of simply being with an ordinary state that showed up for observation (named in parentheses in the state-name header), and inviting that state to shift in a direction that felt natural to itself. There was no specific goal and no alignment with a tradition. The practice involved simply showing up with what was inside, inviting it to reveal a more deeply authentic expression for itself through shifting its virtual material properties, and being open to whatever showed up.
In Volume 2, we will deeply examine the fieldwork moving practice, but for here I will just say that we can hold fieldwork moving as a more engaged practice of observation. You will see what I mean when I cover that phase of the practice and go into the science of what it reveals. These source states arise naturally in the course of doing fieldwork, and turn out to be built into the interior structures of all of us.
The fact that they show up very easily through a practice of enhanced observation validates that these longstanding traditions are very much rooted in a tangible reality that is accessible to you and me — to everyone. At the same time, we shall see through more extensive and systematic observation as we moved into more advanced work in Volume 2 that each tradition seems to focus on a portion of the whole. Together they represent a more comprehensive map of our inner universe, and independently, each one highlights and emphasizes one portion of the vastness within us.
Another aspect of this comparison to spiritual traditions that stands out to me is the difference between holding states as a kind of aspiration or goal, and holding the structure as a whole as the primary focus. Psychotopology clearly establishes that these extraordinary states inhabit a context of multiple parts of the self, and their role seems not to be to maintain any particular state but to respond more adaptively to life as it occurs, holding the ideal state as a reference point but fully inhabiting whatever state is most authentic for the moment. It’s a very different priority.
At the same time, these extraordinary states do offer certain gifts. I have invested very little time in investigating or cultivating these states and their specific gifts, though, and at this time I don’t have much to share about those.
Overall, we’ve barely scratched the surface (of the surface) here, but I’ll leave you with this. Psychotopology does make it possible for us to achieve a far more expansive understanding of these inner realms. It enables us to more fully map the territory available to all of us and provide more universal and diverse access points and pathways for us each to seek and find the inner ways of being we uniquely long for.
For those who are drawn to such states and the insights and experiences that come with them, fieldwork offers a very smooth road to accessing versions of these states that are unique to each individual and their life context. This path promises to be much smoother, more direct, and more personally meaningful than the more protracted paths offered by many of the world’s spiritual traditions. I’ll be curious to see what other people might do with this.
