Levels of consciousness

Levels of consciousness

Everything seems to point to the fact that the universe is geared towards growth and the expansion of our consciousness usually takes place naturally due to learning through trial and error and growth opportunities such as mentorship and formal training. However, this can take forever, or may never happen at all. As metaphysicians, we know that the process can be speeded up by conscious living

and metaphysical practices.

 

There is actually a continuum of consciousness, but I have identified a number of specific states or levels. Try and place yourself somewhere on this scale and this will give you an indication of how far you have to go, but do not be too concerned, as I will show you how to raise your consciousness quickly using metaphysical means.

 

Note

A raised consciousness can be a problem if you still have unresolved trauma, as it can increase your anxiety. So always deal with your past issues first. However, once you safely reach a high level of consciousness, the deeper insights you receive will reveal the real unimportance of past trauma and concerns and you will rise above them like an eagle flying above the storm, becoming free and authentic.

 

Instinctual consciousness

Let me take you back to the awakening of self-awareness as it took place over millions of years. From scientific evidence we can assume that our most primitive ancestors had not yet achieved self-awareness and acted purely on instinct. The brain structures of embryonic homo-sapiens had not developed the complexity to support language or to reflect on itself and become self-aware. At this point there was no real thinking and consciousness was probably limited to moments of crude realisation based on past visual associations. For instance, imagine a caveman being cornered by a sabre-tooth tiger and realising its association with death from his early learning experiences (having seen it kill others). This would give rise to an instinctual response of fear.

These drives and instincts of early man were necessary to his survival. They were built into his DNA. For example, greed would be a natural reaction to the need to hoard food for the winter and keep it safe from others. The battle for food was real. Aggression was needed to ward off wild animals and threats from others like himself. Sex was unfettered and necessarily so to build a family and a strong tribe for defence. An undeveloped brain was sufficient for basic living at that time.

These drives, so necessary to early man, still persist in our DNA to a degree, but are no longer acceptable in a modern society with our ethics and values, and so they now have to be tempered by our minds. However, we can regress to this animal-like state of consciousness during moments of blind rage, drug-induced behaviour and mental disorders such as psychopathy. This becomes a real problem for self-development.

Schematic consciousness

The next stage of the unfoldment of human consciousness would be linked to the development of those areas of the brain associated with self-realisation, language and thinking. This would bring with it, ‘self-awareness’, but with an ego-driven mentality, a schematic consciousness in which people think only in terms of themselves using habitual ‘programs’ built up from rigid beliefs. There would be no real independent or creative thought. In my previous book I spoke about these programs in terms of schemas. Sadly, even today, many people are still stuck at this level of consciousness, using well-worn slogans and rhetoric to voice their opinions instead of really thinking on the issue and not considering the far-reaching implications of their selfish or mindless actions.

Cognitive consciousness

The third stage of the development of consciousness would bring with it a cognitive consciousness, when, as the result of education and mental maturity, the human being begins to think less selfishly, more independently and is able to come up with creative and helpful ideas and discoveries. This level would be associated with those persons having a good understanding of themselves and their role and purpose in the world and a good sense of morality.

Hopefully, this would be most of us.

Intuitive consciousness

We then have the stage of intuitive consciousness, in which our pre-programmed thinking and reasoning give way to an innate realisation of natural universal principles which we use to explore and understand the mysteries of life and the universe. This can be likened to the study of philosophy and metaphysics. Apart from a deeper understanding, when this happens, we’re guided more by our conscience and reveal a more general attitude of love and benevolence towards all humanity, expressing the desire to help and be more compassionate. This consciousness would be typical of those engaged in selfless service to others. Unfortunately, many of us are still lagging behind and have not reached this intuitive stage.

Soul or Christ consciousness

This is the highest level of consciousness available to us as human beings. You could see this level as the unfoldment and expression of our souls. In other words, soul-realisation. It is not possible to stay at this level of consciousness for long periods as it puts us in the ‘zone’, so to speak, in which we lose contact with everyday reality and are not in a position to do tasks such as work and driving. As a result, this state is usually reserved for those moments of sublime connection during meditation. However, we can carry the effects of these moments of soul-connection into our everyday lives and live with less selfishness, more understanding and a willingness to serve all of mankind.