Ken Wilber’s spectrum of consciousness model comprises the following four levels: shadow, ego, existential, and mind. To come right to the point, the third force (especially, humanistic force) is situated on the mind level; strictly speaking, the transpersonal force might be more closer to the mind level. First, Wilber (1975) explains that human beings tend to identify with the universe. Human beings in the existential level are regarded as organisms which have a rational thought, those who in the ego level are deemed to have a mental picture of their total psychophysical organism, and those who in the shadow level become gradually able to dis-identify with some aspects in their ego. On the other hand, human beings in the mind level are identical to the absolute and ultimate reality of the universe. Secondly, Wilber (1977) describes the mind level in the following: “The Level of Mind is―as we shall try to demonstrate―exactly what you are feeling right now before you feel anything else―a sensation of being one with the cosmos.” (p. 8). In other words, human beings in this level tend to value feelings of here-and-now and attempt to connect with higher and expanded consciousness.
As well as Wilber’s remarks, the third force addresses a sense of unity, or higher realm of human consciousness. While the first force is prone to focus on the mechanistic aspects in human beings and the second force is inclined to emphasize a dark side of human beings, the third force is likely to shed light on higher realms of human psyche. Regarding this point, Maslow’s research about self-actualizaed people is a typical example of focusing on a bright side of human beings. Therefore, I think that the third force is categorized into the mind level in Wilber’s model in that it refers to the higher and bright side of human beings.
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