A.H. Almaas’ Theory of Holes suggests that we are born with essential qualities such as strength, love, and clarity. However, these qualities can be suppressed if they are rejected or not reflected back to us. This suppression creates “holes” or deficiencies, which the ego then attempts to compensate for by imitating the lost quality, often in distorted ways. For example, a lack of essential strength may lead to seeking power over others or feeling inherently weak.
To reclaim these lost qualities, Almaas argues we must first recognize the ego’s compensatory strategies and allow ourselves to experience the underlying emptiness. By staying with this emptiness, we create space for the essential qualities to naturally re-emerge.
While many spiritual teachings emphasize surrendering the ego to a higher power, Almaas warns that this alone is insufficient. Without facing and integrating these “holes,” surrender may lead to passivity rather than true strength. Saints, like Therese of Lisieux, may have expressed submission, but their presence radiated profound strength, showing that they had completed this inner process.
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