ABSTRACT
How does eternity begin to move? Through a big bang, by sheer coincidence, or by an act of creation? How the ego and ego-bound consciousness came about and continue to come about remains a mystery. I assume that a force inherent in the Whole is at work behind all becoming. Becoming an ego involves leaving the non-dual world. On the threshold, when any dynamics are initiated, we gain some sense of the non-dual world that we are leaving behind (e.g., paradise). On the threshold lie our deepest personal experiences (e.g., being in order, being at peace, being utterly and completely happy). Primordial trust is rooted in experiencing a state outside the ego and beyond fear. In a spiritual perspective, we are all part of and connected with the Whole. No one is without primordial trust. I illustrate such deep sensations and experiences with two examples from clinical practice. However, the sensations and experiences on the threshold also include longing for what we have lost. This chapter also considers the phylogenetic perspective and mentions symbols, experiences of music, and images of God/the divine that are typical of threshold experiences.
