Vertical Plane – The Three Lights of the Transcendental Function
1. The Light of the Unconscious (Lower Light)
This light originates from the deepest layers of the psyche – from the unconscious, the body, instincts, and archetypal patterns. It is connected to the inferior function, that is, the area a person usually suppresses, ignores, or does not consciously process. The lower light leads downwards – into the depth, where it reveals rooted shadows, emotional imprints, ancestral and collective records. Entering this space opens a transformational process – it is here that blocked energy is released, which can be transformed into a new movement of consciousness. Its function is initiatory – it unlocks the path to hidden potential and original life force.
2. The Light of the Heart (Middle Light)
This light radiates from the center of the system – from the space of the heart as a place of harmony, acceptance, and unification. The heart connects the upper and lower light, thus creating a bridge between consciousness and unconsciousness. At the same time, it functions as a horizontal node that integrates all four psychic functions (thinking, feeling, intuition, perception) into a cohesive foundation of personality. The middle light spreads in all directions – down, up, inward, and outward. It is the bearer of the spiritual function, which does not judge but listens, connects, and softens. Its function is mediation, acceptance, and compassionate connection of opposites – without it, the upper and lower poles would remain in tension. The heart is what “holds it all together.”
3. The Light of Consciousness (Upper Light)
The upper light moves upwards – towards expanded consciousness, understanding, insights, and higher orientation. It embodies the ability to observe, comprehend, and connect – it is the domain of the dominant function, where rational constructions, intuitive insights, or higher ethical principles arise, depending on personality type. The upper light enables integration of the whole experience and its transformation into wisdom. It is the light aiming for the stars – connecting individual consciousness with higher levels of being. Its function is to lead, frame, and place the experience into a meaningful whole. It is not separated from the body or heart – it is the crown of the tree that has rooted deeply and grows through the center upward.
The three lights of the transcendental function form the vertical axis of consciousness:
- Lower light activates the unconscious, bringing strength and transformation through depth.
- Middle light unifies and connects through the heart; it is the center of balance and acceptance.
- Upper light mediates consciousness, insight, and higher meaning; it leads the overall developmental movement.
This vertical plane is a fundamental pillar of the holistic psychic structure – together with the four-function horizontal plane, it creates a new integrated system of human consciousness.
In the depths of the unconscious, processes occur that are mostly beyond conscious control – here are hidden suppressed emotions, basic instincts, forgotten traumas, and karmic patterns, that is, recurring life themes and behavior patterns we carry from past experiences and which influence our current experience and decisions. These unconscious contents can subtly influence our life, and awareness and work with them is the key to personal transformation. Unconsciousness in this context includes everything not currently in consciousness – that is suppressed emotions, forgotten memories, instincts, but also archetypal patterns that shape our experience. The lower part of the unconscious is often called the subconscious – containing mostly personal, emotionally charged contents that influence behavior without our awareness. The upper pole of the axis points to the area of superconsciousness, which represents an expanded state of consciousness – here intuition, insights, values, and meaning are born that transcend the personal level and enable contact with something greater than ourselves: with the whole, universal consciousness, archetypal order, or spiritual dimension.
Unlike the horizontal plane, which shows how we function in relationships and everyday life, the vertical plane concerns inner development, healing, and gradual unification of these different layers into a cohesive Self.
The vertical plane is not static – it is a living energetic axis along which impulses flow between the subconscious, consciousness, and superconscious. Contents from the depths of the subconscious (lower light) can be received, experienced, and integrated not only in the center (light of the heart), but also in the body, where blocked energies are released and transformed. Simultaneously, superconscious insights, values, and inspirations arriving from the upper light integrate in the heart. This enables connection of all three lights and also harmonization of the horizontal plane – thinking, intuition, feeling, and perception.
Working with this plane requires:
- Courage to descend – that is, to face unconscious aspects, wounds, and instinctual forces without escape.
- Willingness to remain in the present center – to stay in contact with the heart, where tension of opposites can be held without slipping into polarization.
- Ability to open to spiritual guidance – to listen to subtle impulses of consciousness that show direction without external authorities.