In his groundbreaking book -Toward a Psychology of Being - published in the mid '50s, Maslow describes the clinically observed characteristics of healthy, well-integrated, creative people, who clearly demonstrate a conscious and purposeful gravitation towards actualisation of their Inner Self :-
- Superior perception of reality
- Increased acceptance of self, of others and of nature
- Increased spontaneity
- Increase in problem-centering
- Increased detachment and desire for privacy
- Increased autonomy, and resistance to enculturation
- Greater freshness of appreciation, richness of emotional reaction
- Higher frequency of peak experiences
- Increased identification with the human species
- Improved interpersonal relationships
- More democratic character structure
- Greatly increased creativeness
- Certain changes in the value system
Alpha has been instrumental in the move towards Self Realisation and the Principle of Detachment. This trend accelerated exponentially from the age of 28, through integration of the practice of Meditation. Alpha has been present at each and every one of my personal creative highlights - what Maslow calls Peak Experiences. In my analysis and observation, each of these intensely creative episodes is accompanied by a sensation of lightness, focus, attention to detail, an interruption from the continuity of time, identification with quality and a heightened and ecstactic feeling of well being. This life-enhancing, blissful feeling, usually lasts for hours, or even days, after the creative event or insight.
