Skip to main content

Spiral Ascension: From Ritual & Emotion to Heart, Soul, and Mind

Ethereal spiritual spiral ascending from mind to heart to soul, Level 3: deep translucent blue mind, glowing indigo heart, pale silver-gray dormant soul, subtle red flickers for pride; Level 4: radiant indigo heart, soft ethereal gold soul, thin luminous strands connecting layers; Top: deep blue mind, flowing indigo and gold integrated self, tip softly glowing; delicate glowing arrows, subtle sacred geometry, minimal gradient background indigo to soft gold, small meditative figure at base, luminous, sacred, reflective, elegant, not cartoonish.
How Level 3 and 4 Mark the Turning Point Where Understanding Becomes Inner Vision

We often mistake ritual observance and emotional stirring as ends in themselves. In reality, they are diagnostic tools, not destinations. They indicate the state of our inner development—the level at which the self is currently operating. True growth is a spiral ascension, a movement that begins horizontally and gradually rises: from habitual actions → emotional awakening → reflective heart → awakened soul → nourished intellect.

By grounding this model in Level 3: The Emotional Seeker – Heart Awakening (link) and Level 4: The Reflective Heart – Emerging Sincerity (link), we can see how Islam’s practices are designed to activate, elevate, and integrate the self—spiritually, emotionally, and cognitively.

Spiral Model: Level 3 (Bottom / Horizontal): Mind comprehension, partial heart awakening, dormant soul, pride risk. Level 4 (Middle / Incline): Reflective heart, awakened soul, System 2 begins shaping System 1, sincerity emerges. Later Levels (Top / Vertical): Mind nourishment, tafsir and study, integrated automatic self, insight expressed and lived.Color Concept: Indigo = heart, gold = soul, deep blue = mind; arrows indicate spiraling ascent; subtle glow for layers repr
Level 3 of the Soul: Understanding Without Expression

At Level 3, the mind may grasp complex concepts, and the heart may respond, but the soul remains dormant. Comprehension is internal, but integration is absent. This is why understanding is often misconstrued as spirituality: the mind and heart can be aware, yet the vertical plane of the soul has not been activated.

I have encountered this many times: explaining a deep concept, people seem to understand it as if it were ordinary logic. They may say, “Yes, that is logical,” yet they have not generated the insight themselves. Pride is a flaw that blocks the integration of understanding into the soul and prevents the spiral from ascending.

Without deliberate cultivation, the student often loses the entire program: insights evaporate, habits fail, emotional responsiveness flattens. The knowledge remains horizontal, the heart partially engaged, and the mind alone cannot sustain the program.

The Teacher’s Role and Recognition

A skilled teacher does more than convey information; they awaken insight and prepare the soul for ascension. They can discern the state of the student by observing responses:

  • Repetition without integration?

  • Nodding but inability to articulate or apply the concept?

  • Subtle signs of pride, defensiveness, or detachment?

These responses reveal whether the mind, heart, or soul is dominant—or absent. Recognizing these patterns allows the teacher to guide reflection, correct flaws, and prevent collapse, ensuring that the spiral begins its upward trajectory.

Level 4 – Reflective Heart: Spiritual Incline

Level 4 represents the first vertical turn of the spiral. The heart begins to respond to the soul, creating an incline toward higher planes.

  • The soul, as the most fundamental plane of the self, awakens and pulls the heart upward.

  • Sincerity emerges: rituals are no longer performed purely by habit, and emotional responses are tempered by awareness.

  • Reflection deepens: tafsir, contemplation, and self-examination guide the heart and actions.

  • System 2 begins to engage: deliberate attention, critical reflection, and conscious choice emerge as regular practice.

At this stage, what was once horizontal (habitual, emotionally reactive) starts rising, and even System 1 is refined. The automatic self begins to act in alignment with heart and soul, forming a spiralic ascension.

System 1 and System 2 in the Islamic Paradigm

Kahneman’s Thinking, Fast and Slow illustrates:

  • System 1 → automatic self: fast, intuitive, habitual.

  • System 2 → reflective intellect: deliberate, effortful, capable of overriding default responses.

Islam’s framework maps directly onto these systems:

  • System 1 governs ritual habits and emotional responses.

  • System 2 is engaged through tafsir, reflection, and study.

Through regular spiritual and intellectual practice, System 1 gradually aligns with the higher plane, integrating habit, emotion, and intention.

Spiral Ascension: From Horizontal to Vertical

  • Level 3 (Horizontal): Ritual and emotion dominate; understanding is internal; pride or lack of cultivation risks collapse.

  • Level 4 (Incline): Reflective heart; soul awakens and pulls heart upward; System 2 shapes System 1.

  • Later Levels (Vertical): Mind is fed through tafsir, study, and reflection; the automatic self now acts in harmony with the soul; insight is expressed and lived.

The spiral illustrates holistic growth: heart, soul, and mind ascend together, elevating the self beyond routine knowledge into conscious, living wisdom.

Practical Implications

  • Identify your level: internal comprehension without integration = Level 3; reflective heart aligning with soul = Level 4.

  • Deepen reflective practices: tafsir, dhikr, self-examination, honest contemplation.

  • Use rituals diagnostically: detect gaps in heart or soul integration.

  • Feed the mind: reading, reasoning, analysis, and structured study elevate System 2, retraining System 1.

  • Cultivate humility: pride blocks integration and can cause collapse of understanding.

  • Teachers should observe responses carefully to guide students effectively, preventing loss of insight.

Through this integrated approach, the entire self ascends, spiraling upward into higher levels of sincerity, reflection, and wisdom.



Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Introduction and Welcome

Introduction: Unveiling the Inner Blueprints Welcome to Inner Blueprints, a space where we explore the profound intersection between personality, spirituality, and self-discovery through an Islamic lens. Here, we delve into the unique workings of each individual’s soul—what we call the blueprint —and how it aligns with the divine guidance set forth by the Qur’an and the teachings of the Ahlul Bayt (AS). Our journey begins with the belief that every person possesses a distinct potential, a fiṭrah (natural disposition) crafted by Allah, that reflects their purpose in this world. Ma sha Allah, the human being holds immense power—not just to analyze the workings of the mind but also to understand the depths of the soul. Through reflection, faith, and guidance, we uncover the essence of our existence and move closer to aligning with our Creator’s blueprint. Why MBTI? The MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) offers a valuable framework for understanding how we think, feel, and interact with t...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Amygdala, pineal gland, changing genetic misprograms and the Holy Qur'an

How the Arabic Quran Activates the Amygdala, Pineal Gland, and Corrects Genetic Programming In the realm of neuroscience and spirituality, the power of the Arabic Quran goes beyond mere words—it activates key brain structures that influence both emotional regulation and higher consciousness. The amygdala and pineal gland are two critical areas of the brain involved in this transformative process, working together to help correct inherited or learned emotional and behavioral patterns. Here’s how this process unfolds: 🔹 The Amygdala: Emotional Processing and Regulation The amygdala plays a key role in processing emotions, particularly fear, anxiety, and pleasure. When reciting or listening to the Arabic Quran , the rhythm, structure, and sound of the language activate the amygdala in a way that promotes emotional healing and balance . How it works: Arabic recitation’s distinct intonation, rhythm, and frequency stimulate the amygdala, allowing the brain to process emotions more eff...
Post a Comment
Read more

From Sensing to Vision: Shifting from Dunya to Akhirah Through Inner Growth

786 Understanding the role of the S function in personality, its dunya orientation, and how Islamic practices guide us toward inner vision and higher spiritual alignment. Introduction: The Call to Inner Vision Allah warns us in the Qur’an, “And whoever is blind in this [life] will also be blind in the Hereafter and more astray in way.” (Qur’an 17:72). This verse reminds us of the critical importance of inner vision—the ability to see beyond the immediate, tangible world and into the unseen realities that truly matter. The secular world often approaches personality with neutrality, offering frameworks like the MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) to better understand oneself. While these tools can be useful, the issue lies not with the models themselves but with their secular origins. The real responsibility falls on us, as Muslims, to bridge the gap between these frameworks and the spiritual guidance we receive from Islam. It is not our duty to reject such studies, but to integrate them ...
Post a Comment
Read more