ABSTRACT
Before and behind our normal, ego-bound mode of being lies a non-dual, timeless world. This lies beyond sensory perception and consciousness and is the spiritual origin of humankind. This chapter discusses the two modes of being (non-dual and ego-bound) and the transition between them. We internalize these modes, which thus become part of our soul. I conceptualize these two modes in terms of psychic layers: the non-dual is our basis, while the ego-bound mode of being corresponds to our everyday consciousness. In between lie various stages of changed perception, such as dream consciousness and musical sensitivity. Near-death experience (NDE) illustrates the non-dual modes of being and our longing for this other world. Especially music touches us deeply: we are capable of hearing even in the non-dual mode of being. Our sensitivity for sound and music increases in the liminal sphere. These two facts provide music therapy with a special opportunity to reach deeper levels of the psyche. Chapter 1 concludes with an overview of the developmental perspective, and of different experiences of being and their respective psychic layers, language, and symbols.
