the human personality, or psyche. The use of Hermes'
Web is based on the following fundamental
psychological concepts.
The ego is the part a
person prefers to show
the world, that which is
visible and wants to
please others. The ego
works constantly to
preserve itself and is
protected by various
filters and defense
To aid in prevention, the ego may construct a secret
world in which to repair itself by allowing the parts
underneath to briefly emerge and fulfill their needs.
Core
The core is the center of the personality, the soul,
where all parts of the human personality meet. If the
ego is unaware of or refuses to acknowledge the
needs in the core, the core can become desperate,
hungry, void, or totally out of control.
The barrier is the psychological boundary between the ego and the core that houses the filters and
defenses that protect the ego at any cost. The barrier can prevent the core from rising to the surface,
but it cannot prevent input from affecting the core. As such, core feelings and needs may be very
close to the surface and visible in times of stress.
The Black Box — An Active Function of the Barrier
In common terms, a black box is a device that records the last communications, actions, or
reactions of a flight crew before an airplane crash. Humans have a similar device, which is actually
an active function of the barrier. The black box filters the information that controls and builds the
barrier and prevents a person from awareness of his or her core-level needs. The black box
prevents honesty, clarity, and the ability to make informed choices, all while providing the illusion of
safety and comfort to the ego.
The unconscious is the various parts of the personality a person is unaware of or prefers not to deal with, that which is separated from
the ego. The unconscious is represented by the different arms of the Web underneath the barrier.
What a person buries does not die. It plots, seeks retreat, and grows more desperate. What has
been ignored and left hungry temporarily revolts, takes center stage, and acts out or offends. The
parts that “flip up” do what they want without interference from morality. Once the core had been fed,
the unconscious flips back over and the ego either pretends nothing happened or has to cover up,
explain away, and clean up the aftermath. The flip allows the ego and the core to briefly meet, but
the core remains volatile, leading to flip after flip.
The greater the disconnection between the ego and the core, the more likely a flip will occur
and the less likely its consequences will be acknowledged.
Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is the degree to which a person can move past the barrier and into the
depths of the core while maintaining sanity, integrity, and values. EQ results from making
connections that build an internal network and break down the isolation of the ego. A person must
develop EQ before he or she can shift the locus of consciousness from the ego to the core and
make the right choices — informed choices — over and over again, throughout life.
