What do Concepts Feed?

This blog is all words. Words are symbols for concepts.
“Taking concepts to be reality. That’s the basic human dysfunction that we call maya or illusion or original sin…  we form all these concepts in the head, and then we take the concepts to be reality. And the concepts are words about reality at best…”
– Francis Bennett (1:09)*

In other words, if I feed your concepts that create barriers to what is here, this blog fails. But if the words here offer pointers that help you recognize what is already here, it succeeds.

“Peace will come one enlightenment at a time.”
–John Mark  (1:32)*

*Both in an interview by Rick Archer on Buddha at the Gas Pump.
Both bring a Christian perspective to the enlightenment discussion.
Davidya

Front Row Seat

Imagine you’re watching a play at the theatre. It is a vast spectacle and you have a front row seat. In fact, that play is a custom play, written and performed just for you. While the audience feels very large, there is only one watching. The play is called “My Life.” In spiritual parlance, this experience is called witnessing.

This play is unfolding simultaneously with billions and billions of other such plays and they’re completely interconnected. No play could go on without all of them. The actors on your stage are, at the same time, also at play in others plays. When they leave your stage, they enter the stage of others. Even death is just a change of act, a brief curtain call. As in the film Cloud Atlas, we begin the next act in a new but related role. And you, in your front row seat, are also on your own stage and the stage of everyone else in the play.

This play is unfolding at all scales. From galaxies to stars to animals to bacteria to atoms. The stage extends in all directions for eons. The billions of sets have an unimagined complexity. Plus, it is unfolding not just here in the vast physical world but on multiple layers of reality that interpenetrate each other, even in your play. In other words, there are actors you don’t necessarily even see. And there’s other universes as well.

Because there is only one watching, there is really only one play. In Sanskrit, they call it Lila. But because of the complexity on the stage itself and the diversity of perspectives, it has the appearance of many, many unique plays. Other beings experience your stage quite differently, be they bird or angel. The play has laws or rules of the game, though those rules may depend somewhat on what act you’re in and who’s present on stage.

While some may discount such ideas as “intelligent design,” creationism, and faith-based nonsense, what I describe is actually a direct experience at a specific stages of development. But this doesn’t discount evolution in the slightest. Notice I said stages of development. It’s both.

Whosoever thinks it’s all an accident has not yet seen the script. Or the author.
Davidya

Souls, Groups, and Flames

An interesting discussion came up in a forum and I thought it useful to touch on a few things around souls and soul connections. Not a topic I’d want to over-emphasize, but it’s useful to have some clarity.

Souls
I’ve discussed the soul on this site a few times, such as in Seat of the Soul or the Soul’s Past. There are other things people may point to and call the soul but to me, it’s the golden-white light in the heart space. It is connected to the divine with a silver thread out the top of the head and leaves the body when it dies. All life-forms have one to some degree.

The life force (prana, chi) expresses itself through various means, including energy centres and our physiology. As the first link above talks about, there is also a life-spark in the head. Yogananda called this the soul. To me, the soul is the larger light in the heart.

Name
Each soul has a name, an energetic or vibratory signal that may be heard or felt. It is quite unpronounceable with a mouth and is much more subtle than a spoken word. This has also been called the “true name” and our given names curiously often reflect phonemes from it. This is also distinct from different kinds of spiritual names but again, there can be a connection.

Soul Groups
While the karmic connections between souls are complex and intertwined, we typically will travel through lives with some people from a shared journey. Sometimes the connection is driven by resolving incomplete desires and feelings from prior time together. Sometimes, we’re brought together in shared purpose. Or both. We tend to feel a resonance or sense of connection with people in our soul group, like they’re familiar before we get to know them. But if not, circumstances pull you together until you do. If the connection is strong, it may bring with it expectations of who they are from the past. But their present life may or may not reflect that.

In his Essene Mirrors talk, Gregg Braden points out that attraction does not necessarily mean you should have an intimate relationship. It may simply mean there is something to resolve between you. Or they can bring you the key to the next step in your growth. Resonance with an awake person is also a great way to awaken spiritually.

Of course, there can also be relationships that show up to resolve karma that may not have a soul group connection. And you’re more likely to connect with your group when you’re living to purpose.

Twin Flames and Soul-Mates
I’ve heard a lot of nonsense and variability around these terms. Some use “soul-mate” to mean a good friend or wife. Or to mean our “one true love.” I use the term soul-mate to describe souls we have a strong, close resonant connection with. Someone we have a lot of ancient history with. As such, we can have several soul-mates. They may not become lovers. They may not be at the same point in life or even on the same plane of life as we are. But the connection will be strong. They may even push buttons for us and find us both attracted and repelled.

If we long for “the one true love”, I would suggest that is actually the Divine as no human can ever do more than be a vehicle for Divine love. A relationship based on that makes for a wonderful connection but we’re recognizing the Divine in each other, as the Namaste greeting represents.

Similarly, some describe our “twin flame” as the one true love. That is rather idealized, unfortunately. Love is boundless and eternal so is never limited by this or that form. Along with the twin flame concept is the idea that our souls were split in 2 and will never be whole unless we find our twin. Again, it is spirit that will make us whole, not a person. And the soul is a focus or spark of the Divine. It is never divided, spilt or broken. It may become lost to our awareness, but it is never lost to itself or the Divine. This is similar to the idea of “soul fragments”. We may certainly feel unintegrated, like parts of ourselves are spread about, our energy scattered through time and space. But the soul itself remains undivided. (“he who should not be named” included)

While I’ve not experienced this fully, the experience suggests your twin flame is born together with you as a pair and your lives flow juxtaposed and balanced. Just as there is a thread that rises out of your crown to connect you to the Divine, so too there is a thread from the heart connecting you with your pair. This does not however mean you’ll spend a lot of lives together. Only that you’ll balance each other. As another observed, we’ll usually be better able to serve apart from each other or we won’t be balancing. One fellow suggested you’d know each other in only about .3% of lives and have an intimate relationship in a fraction of those. Can’t speak to the accuracy of that and I’m sure it varies, but it gives you an idea. Another idea is that the twin flame shows up in your final human lifetime.

It’s worth noting that some people are “fallen” angels. As such, their twin may be an angel. That certainly limits the relationship possibilities. 

Again, this does not mean you cannot have profoundly intimate and loving relationships with a soul-mate or 2. But if we really want the eternal juice, we’ll only find that in the Divine.

Guardians
Guardian angels are other beings that we have a long soul-level relationship with. Friends Forever we can count on. They are themselves part of groups or teams with a hierarchical structure rising to the Divine. But their work is with us. Clearly, life is a sea of interconnectedness in a field of oneness.

How could it be otherwise? 
Davidya

Feeling is Believing

Recently, I did another workshop on working with your energy centres with Nancy Shipley Rubin. It was part 2 of the “solution field” process we learned last fall.

While the workshop covered all chakras, I’ll focus on the 2nd here. It plays a key role in our experience of life and our ability to create what we’re seeking. The second is the main energy centre for our emotional sheath, also called the astral or vital body. It’s also where we tend to carry the most baggage. The related third drives the lower mind and will, that which names and judges. It is also the lower protector or guardian.

Unmet Needs
Much of our disappointment in life is from unmet emotional needs. Out of touch with ourselves, we unconsciously project our needs into the world and seek them externally. Expecting others to somehow mind-read what we don’t recognize in ourselves, the world fails us repeatedly.

When someone else is projecting on us, it takes a lot of strength not to get caught in it. Ironically, if we close our energy in protection (common for most of us), our energy will amplify their projections, reflecting it back. This of course amplifies conflict and discord too. To just be able to see it as their projection of unmet needs profoundly changes relationships. (not that I’m well-practiced at that)

Many relationships fail because of unconscious needs that cease being fed by the other person due to changing circumstances and growth.

Yet if we can learn the simple ways to resolve internal conflict and repressed feelings, we can clear the way to meet our emotional needs internally. For example, we can’t project when we’re grounded and present. And wouldn’t you like to be happy for no reason? Happiness is part of our nature and will arise if we cleanse the emotions.

This is not to say we shouldn’t love and express feelings, only that this is a giving and sharing rather than a co-dependency. When we don’t depend on another for basic emotional needs, our inner life settles markedly. But this requires skills, like learning to tell the difference between our old baggage (unmet or unresolved) and what we’re feeling now (new).

What we feel, we believe
Like seeing is believing, what we experience directly we tend to believe. However, events can trigger emotional memories that feel real but may no longer be true. Like that we’re bad or unworthy. They have a kind of “magnetic” quality, due to embedded desires. They are the story of what was not met in the past. And they continue to filter our perception of ourselves, others and the world. In some ways, beliefs are named emotions with ideas attached.

This causes us to live driven from the past and from avoidance rather than from what is here in front of us. It also tends to create life dominated by what is unmet (used to want) rather than what we want now. Emotional literacy helps us become aware of our internal dynamics and differentiate between a triggered memory, resistance, and what is actually here now.

Inversely, if we’ve repressed our feelings and don’t feel the dynamics, we’ll tend to try and force things, striving and pushing against what is. This is more common for men. ‘Real boys don’t cry.’ And if you can’t relate to this, numbness is an emotion too, a good sign of long-term overwhelm.

Where do we feel it coming from? What is the “tone” of the feeling? Does it feel forced or resistant? Is it a natural response to circumstance we can let flow through us? If it’s not clear, a reality check may be helpful. Talk it out with someone not involved for perspective. It can take time to resolve an emotion fog. But it’s more than worth it.

One belief we do want to have is that feeling good is safe. Many such beliefs are quite healthy. But many messages we got out of anger or to correct childhood behaviour may no longer serve us.

Conflicting Beliefs
We all experience areas of life that move well and other areas that are bumpier. These bumpy spots indicate we have unresolved emotional dynamics (aka karma) that create a conflict between our higher and lower selves. Nancy called this a “warble.” Where our higher self is open to what is unfolding but our lower self is hesitant and blocking that flow. In a way, we hold both the problem and the solution in a duality rather than letting the solution through. Old past belief-experiences get in the way of solution. But curiously, even familiar suffering can feel safer than the change of opening to happiness. With the familiar, we feel safe and in control even if we feel bad. Or nothing.

Feelings, even fear, are not the enemy. They are life’s richness. Fear and anger are often a form of protection. They are not a problem in themselves. It is the attempt to resist, suppress and control emotions and not let them resolve that makes them an issue. This doesn’t mean dwell in the muck but rather allow them to complete and leave. When we face a large trauma or change, it is natural for it to take time to heal. But we need to give it that time and not repress.

Because we often experience others as emotionally fickle and unable to meet our needs, we may come to distrust love. I’ve met many in my age group who have become ambivalent. But love isn’t a second chakra emotion. It’s the divine in focus and flow. Love is simple and unattached. What we love will grow in our hearts. Love based on needs is not really love. This is why we can love someone but not like them.

When the higher and lower are in sync, we experience the smooth flow of the formless into form. What we know the feel of, we can create. Do you know what hope actually feels like? Safety? Feeling is the energy before form and what sustains our world. What do you feel?

These points were only a small part of the other chakras we also discussed and experienced. But they are key things to get to know in ourselves. Especially for a guy. Real guys do cry – especially out of happiness.
Davidya

Solving Problems

Recently, I attended an afternoon workshop by Mark McCooey, a very successful businessman involved in multiple industries and several non-profits. The workshop covered problem-solving techniques he’s developed, based partly on the work of Byron Katie. The presentation followed the outline of a book he’s working on.

I found his approach to life’s challenges excellent. It can bring you peace in difficult circumstances but it may require some deep looking. I’ll paraphrase from notes, adding my own perspective.

The first thing to recognize about problems is that they’re only problems as long as we don’t see a solution. Once a solution arises, our stress levels drop – even before it’s implemented. In other words – everything is perception, even the problem.

As Mark observed, if we have no expectations, we have no problems. When we disengage the identified me and recognize our nature as the cosmic Self, that unlimited perspective changes our perception of ourselves and the world and heals many old wounds. Challenges will still arise but when they are no longer personal, they will not bring the weight and stress they once did. Nor will we tend to create problems for ourselves with expectations, though it may take time to wind down the many old habits. The ultimate solution to problems thus lies in spiritual awakening.

The second thing to note is that our first reaction to a new challenge is to drop into our animal brain with a fight, flight, or freeze response. The reactive self experiences stress and uncertainty. The body shifts blood flow away from the higher brain and gut and into the animal brain and muscles. It demands something be done, now, even if nothing can be done. Just remembering something we’ve forgotten can elicit the stress response. Or noticing we don’t know where something is. The style of our typical response (anger, fear, withdrawal) is usually based on long-established habits from our childhood. That in turn is based on those circumstances and family examples, plus our own temperament.

Mark recommends we never respond to a newly perceived problem immediately, unless it’s a small one. Rather, if we wait until the initial reaction settles, we can shift back into our higher rational mind and make much better, more creative choices. The best way to relieve stress and stimulate the prefrontal cortex per research is with effortless meditation – which is good for awakening too.  

Once settled, the first step Mark suggests is we ask the question:
Who’s problem is it?
Often, we can spend a lot of energy and stress over a circumstance we have no resources to do anything about. The problem does not even belong to us.

The 3 types of problems:
1) Yours: if it’s your problem, it’s solvable by you only and with the resources you have.
2) Someone Else’s: if someone else has the resources, it’s their problem. You may need to bring it to their attention or support them in the process, but if it’s theirs it is only theirs to actually resolve.
3) God’s: no one has the resources but God. (substitute nature, universe, or similar if you don’t like that word) If you don’t control it, let it go. Put another way, let go and let God.
Note that God also controls all outcomes. You control your actions but not the results. This is a key teaching from the Bhagavad Gita.

For example, perhaps someone in the family has an addiction. In the case of an alcoholic husband, only he can solve the problem of the addiction, much as the rest of the family may try. Others may help support them in finding treatment, but the addict must take the responsibility and seek healing. No one else can do it for them, just as no one else can learn their lessons for them.

However, that initial problem may create problems for others that they can address. For example, the wife of an unrepentant alcoholic has the choice to stay in the relationship or not. They also have a choice around how they respond emotionally to the circumstance. But they cannot solve the addiction itself. Expectations the addict will change will only lead to our own suffering.

There can also be a whole chain of people involved, such as in trying to deal with or cover for the alcoholic. But again, only they can solve the core problem. If they are unwilling, the others have to let it go and decide how they will deal with how it impacts them. Tough love.

In another potent example, a terminally ill child. The parents and family can do their best to provide care and comfort and research options. But they have to leave the outcome to God. They have no control over that.

You may also find some problems are shared. You have some of the resources and can be part of the solution. However, you have to be very clear that it’s not all your problem and you or others don’t try to make it so.

Why do we get involved in problems we can’t solve? If we have the illusion we can do something about it, it avoids a feeling of being helpless. However, this just delays the inevitable and often leads to deeper suffering. Ofttimes, it can also be tied into our sense of identity and illusions of control. As I mentioned, this can take some deep looking.

Constraint theory
If the problem does belong to us, it’s important to address the main aspects of the problem and not get caught in minor details. After identifying it’s your problem, identify the biggest obstacle and look to resolving that. For example, you need a job. Are you spending most of your time seeking and applying for jobs? Or making nice spreadsheets of possible employers, polishing the resume, and so forth?

The Either/Or dilemma
Often we see a problem as black and white, a this or that choice. This is another symptom of being in the reactive animal brain. Often, hybrid solutions are possible that address both sides. This requires time for the higher brain to process and synthesize.

For example, do you stay in a dead-end job or go back to school for training? Perhaps there is a weekend training option that lets you support yourself while getting the training. In other words, both. The job isn’t so dead-end then.

Helping Others
If we’re going to actually help someone with their problems rather than becoming part of the problem ourselves, there needs to be some clear ground rules. Use gentle, quiet truth.
1 – you need to be clear it’s their problem before you even get involved
2 – they need to be clear it’s their problem
3 – they need to be clear your help is not you taking the problem (#2 again)
4 – they need to be demonstrating that they’re doing what they can
Once they recognize it’s in their power, ask them to make commitments to action steps, even baby steps. If they take no action, you cannot help.

If they come to you with a big story or drama, they have not yet defined the problem. You may be able to help them get clarity. The problem should be able to be stated in one or two sentences. First, the problem is defined, they recognize it’s theirs to do something about, and then action steps are identified.

In this regard, women tend to see issues more in relationship and thus may take longer than men to come to clarity but the result is a more comprehensive solution. So men, be patient and let them share. It can be part of their process. Sharing a story is not a problem. Regurgitating it over and over without change is when it’s an issue. Then it’s being turned into a belief.

If they are unwilling to take responsibility & action steps, you cannot help. Sometimes people get invested in their drama and just want to keep telling their story. You may be able to challenge them with baby steps but if they keep telling the same story, you’re just enabling it. Sadly, some people need to suffer more deeply before they’re willing to let go. Until then, there’s little you can do except tell them you’ll be there when they’re ready.

Perhaps a friend has a health crisis and needs support through it. But then the crisis is over and it’s time for them to reengage life. If they’re still asking for the same support and you give it, then you’re enabling a dependency. Instead, can you help them see steps to take to become sufficient again?

Define, take responsibility, and act may sound obvious but all of us can get caught in loops, reacting habitually to a circumstance without stopping to consider what the real issue is. Only then can it be addressed. A key red flag is when you find yourself telling others an excuse story over and over. Another flag is when your health is taking a hit because you’re unwilling to deal with the potential change being called for by life.

Mark also explored a number of other dynamics, like identifying the primary reactive mode people you engage with favour and how to mitigate each. He plans to hold a further session to explore others layers. I look forward to this and his resulting book.
Davidya

Making a Living through Precession

In 1927, R. Buckminster Fuller committed himself and his family to working as he saw nature working. He documents this process, and the spiritual experience he had that  started it, in his book Critical Path (1981), along with ideas like global power sharing, the origins of man, and much more.

“How do you obtain the money to live with and to acquire the materials and tools  with which to work? The answer was “precession.”"

“Precession is the effect of bodies in motion on other bodies in motion.” It operates at 90 degrees (right angle) from the force. For example, the sun’s gravity causes us to orbit around it at right-angles to the gravitational pull.

“The successful regeneration of life growth on our planet Earth is ecologically accomplished always and only as the precessional—right-angled—”side effect” of the biological species’… preoccupations.” For example, the honey bee enters a flower in search of nectar to make honey. Inadvertently, it collects pollen at right angles to its nectar-seeking efforts and goes on to pollinate other flowers. The bees activity supports its own species and unintentionally, the flowers that feed it.

“Humans, as honey-money-seeking bees, do many of nature’s required tasks only inadvertently.” Our side-effects must be nature’s intended effects. He gives the example of weapons-making inadvertently developing  performance-enhancing technology that “can provide a sustainable high standard of living for all humanity, which accomplished fact makes war and all weaponry obsolete.” We’ve been a little slow to recognize this threshold has been reached.

“…since precession governs the interbehaviors of all bodies in motion, and since human bodies are usually in motion, precession must govern all socioeconomic behaviors.”

“In 1927 I reasoned that if humans’ experiences gave them insights into what nature’s main objectives might be, and if humans committed themselves… toward direct, efficient, and expeditious realization of any of nature’s comprehensive evolutionary objectives, nature might realistically support such a main precessional commitment and all the ramifications of the individual’s developmental needs…”

He notes that the effort has to be unique as nature doesn’t support competition or redundancy. It does however support “several angularly nonredundant forces at a given time.” Or, I notice, similar efforts that are distributed in other locations. Cooperatively networked is another of natures modalities.

His particular direction was to raise peoples awareness by improving their designed environment. Something quite attuned to his skills. “Since nature was clearly intent on making humans successful in support of the integrity of eternally regenerative Universe, it seemed clear that if I undertook ever more humanly favorable physical-environment-producing artifact developments that in fact did improve the chances of all humanity’s successful development, it was quite possible that nature would support my efforts…”

“I must so commit myself and must depend upon nature providing the physical means of realization of my invented environment-advantaging artifacts.” He notes that no other human could validate the choices but it would instead require close attention to feedback from nature – what was supported and what not.

“I assumed that nature would “evaluate” my work as I went along. If I was doing what nature wanted done, and if I was doing it in promising ways, permitted by nature’s principles, I would find my work being economically sustained — and vice versa, in which latter negative case I must quickly cease doing what I had been doing and seek logically alternative courses until I found the new course that nature signified her approval of by providing for its physical support.” I referred to this as Nature’s Support here.

He then details the commitment he made, including “paid no attention to “earning a living”" and “found my family’s and my own life’s needs being unsolicitedly provided for by seemingly pure happenstance and always only “in the nick of time,” and “only coincidentally.” He spoke only when asked, never tried to persuade, and committed unreservedly.

“…only the “impossible” continued to happen…” He mentions intuition, frequent course correction, and paying attention to what was evolving. This is not something we attune to once but rather is an ongoing tuning to the shifting flow of life.

For the devotional, this is the same as allowing God to work through oneself. Nature is but the expression of God. St. Francis of Assisi comes to mind.

This does require a significant change in how we look at work roles, the economy and so forth. We cannot understand precession by looking at usual models of human activity or labour nor at personal desires or goals. We have to learn to look at what nature is organizing around us and how our actions seem to be in tune (supported) or not by this. We often have to break through our established, habitual roles and reactions and be willing to let go of various shoulds, musts and expectations. Sometimes, we may even be pushed into circumstances that require a reevaluation. Of course, all this is immensely helped by spiritual evolution.

If you think this is difficult, the reverse is actually the case. It’s actually much easier to work with nature than with artificial economic systems. If you’re doing the right thing now, life is smoother and feels better. But you do have to learn new “listening” skills. You probably already know people living like this, though you may not have framed it that way. The form may even appear as a business, but one that succeeds with little effort. And then there are those people who haven’t had anything resembling a job or income in years but live very comfortably. What they need or the means just shows up. From wherever it is now, as one teacher said.

However, it’s important to recognize the difference between someone working with nature or the divine and someone living off their accrued credits or good karma. The trust account kid who never grows up would not be a good example of the first. But even they will be unintentionally seeding what is needed. This is the nature of living in the field. The idea here is to start doing it consciously so we’re more effective and much happier. As Joseph Campbell famously said, follow your bliss.
Davidya

Father Thomas Keating

My first real exposure to Father Keating was in the film One, the Movie (2005). I bought the DVD and the extras DVD that included the entire interviews*. More recently, I discovered he played a key role in helping a contacts healing from a cult I knew of.

I recently had the pleasure of hearing a new interview with Father Keating. While a Christian Father, he is well-versed in the faiths and philosophies of the world, is active in Inter-spirituality, and developed and promotes Centering Prayer. The last is a practice that is surprisingly like Effortless Meditation that I recommend. (see also Jewish Sh’ma “meditation.”)

If you read the article What is Consciousness?, you’ll know the importance of the means to direct experience of our spiritual nature. Father Keating similarly emphasizes this. The interviewer has a background in the Vedic tradition of India but Father Keating has no trouble speaking to his terminology and questions.

Father Keating speaks of Unity without recognizing the full depth of it, suggesting the Isness aspect of God and the expressed God, or Father and Son, can never unite. As I’ve explained here, even the Holy Trinity unites in advanced Unity. However, the few minor points like this are just quibbles with the extent of it, not with the content. He is a remarkable example of the value of surrender and gratitude, common subjects on this blog.

1 hr 50 min

On BATGAP

Contemplative Outreach
See the link on the left for Contemplative Prayer. That page includes instruction documents and the workshops he recommends to help you establish the practice correctly. As I’ve mentioned here, it’s very easy to mess up effortless practices as it’s such a habit to try. And that small change is the difference between direct experience of Divinity and a headache.
Davidya

*They now sell the full interviews as audio files separately, probably due to the expense of mastering another DVD. My original purchase was burned, not produced, an early home-brew of the project that was later manufactured when the funds were raised.

What is Consciousness? – Part 2

< Part 1

Higher Stages

Going beyond the individual ego-sense moves us into several stages of development of consciousness itself. First as the observer, then with the observation of the world becoming, and then united as oneness. Then we move into stages beyond consciousness.

These stages of consciousness may be a new field in the west but it’s one with a rich history in the east. However, history is full of lost understanding. A great teacher or revivalist comes along with not only the understanding but also the means for people to have the direct experience themselves. For several hundred years, there are many adepts and much advanced development. Buddha, Jesus, Shankara, and many others light the pages of history. However, with time and generations, the means are somehow distorted and the development withers. Within a few generations, the understanding becomes conceptual rather than lived and then becomes dogma. What was once alive becomes instruction into what to believe. This is true of many of our traditions and religions today, east and west. The truth is there but it’s been misunderstood by minds trying to understand what they have not experienced. How can you understand the taste of a dragon fruit if you’ve never eaten fruit?

As with any human development, the process is not linear and tidy but rather unfolds uniquely for each person. Puberty is a good example. The same underlying process unfolds for all to the same general result. But how it is experienced varies widely and it helps to have a sense of what’s going on.

While there are many experiences and sub-stages that may arise, the first major stage is known as Self Realization or Cosmic Consciousness. In this stage, we shift from identification with the individual self or ego to the cosmic Self. Other traditions may refer to this as a shift to no-self. Many describe things like “awakening to their true nature.” The inner awakeness of consciousness is continuous throughout the daily cycles of waking and sleep. We are a witness or observer to all and ever awake, even in deep sleep. Science confirms that in witnessing sleep state, the EEG alpha waves of alertness are blended in with the delta waves of deep sleep.

This shift is often characterized by a sense of freedom or liberation and being unlimited or boundless. We are a deep inner peace and silence. As the lively edge of consciousness is bliss, a profound inner happiness will arise. Thus, it is the Buddhist nirvana or sat chit ananda, absolute bliss consciousness. As noted above, this unfolds in steps uniquely for each person.

Another characteristic of this stage is that we now know ourselves as unchanging, limitless being. The inner world is stable and real and the outer world comes to be seen as an illusion or mirage. Thus it can reverse our sense of what is real.

For a long time, it has been thought that such development was a high ideal, only possible with many lifetimes of arduous practice and austerity. However, times are changing. Many thousands of people have had this shift in recent years and the numbers are growing rapidly. For example, there are now several weekly interview shows that chat with the “ordinary awakened.” Most such people are quietly going on with their lives, deepening into silence and bliss. But if the millions of meditators are having the effect they are, imagine the effect of thousands enlivening consciousness all the time.

Coming back to the opening question, we now know ourselves as consciousness but what is it? Those living this may have a nice answer like “limitless aware being.” But even here, we are still inside the house, getting to know the rooms of consciousness. Many beautiful expressions of this stage exist but all point only to the lived experience, not the deeper source of it.

Living this stage, we are effectively meditating 24-7. Progress often rapidly accelerates. A new stage dawns as the focus of development shifts to the refinement of perception and the awakening of the heart. In ayurvedic terms, we are living atman (Self) so now we develop more sattva (purity/clarity).

While the prior and later stages start with a realization or shift in our sense of who we are, this stage can begin earlier or later and has its realization at the climax instead, after the next stage of unity. This climax is known as God Realization.

All those layers of the world between the source of thought in consciousness and physical objects gradually become known: sound/vibration, geometry, fields, and form. We come to literally experience that the fine vibrations in consciousness that give rise to thoughts and feelings are the same fine vibrations that give rise to form and the apparently solid world. With our senses, we perceive quantum mechanics in action and watch and hear the world being continuously formed before us. The world shifts from being seen as an illusion to being recognized as Lila, a play of the divine.

We may infer from this that consciousness IS the unified field of physics.  However, let’s be a little more precise. The lively inner surface of consciousness is known subjectively as universal mind and objectively as the unified field from which quantum fluctuations of the vacuum arise. As such, it is universal mind that is the subjective equivalent to the unified field. But universal mind is non-separate from consciousness, just as waves are one with the ocean. We could say this is the difference between surface dynamics and the quiet depths. In fact, this field is often described subjectively as an infinite golden ocean. To quote Donovan’s song, “There is an ocean of vast proportion, And she flows within ourselves.”

These fine levels we’re getting to know directly are where artists find their muse and scientists get breakthroughs. You’ve undoubtedly had some experience of getting “downloads” or a sudden understanding or “aha!” This stage is like that, only more so. Unlike occasional experiences, once a value opens to you it remains available at all times. More and more values or “rooms” open to our perception. It is the awakening of the inner guru.

In this phase, there are two primary modes. Through the intellect (impersonal) we experience and understand the fundamental laws and principles of nature. Through the heart (personal), we see these same laws personified, hence the many ancient stories of gods dreaming the world into existence and angels managing creation. The mode is just a chosen orientation. Each mode has its  advantages.

We can see that this phase is the most variable subjectively due to the wide range of prior refinement, orientation, cultural factors, mode, and simply where we put our attention. In the mind-dominated west, the refinement is often happening later than historically. But in any case, the profound love and intelligence at the foundation of creation becomes unmistakably recognized.

Personalized, the love and intelligence are described as the divine Mother-creator and Father watching over. In the east, they are Shakti and Shiva. From them, Narayana (first born) and all experience and creation arise. In this, you may recognize a variation of the Holy Trinity of Christianity. In other words, not just something to believe but something that can be directly experienced.

Part 3 >

Culturing the Feelings

In another forum, I made the following comment as some of the “enlightenment fundamentalists” were categorically discounting energy work.

I think it worth noting an observation. In India, they have historically had a profound devotional culture, along with rigorous intellectual exploration. In the west, we’ve focused largely on the second, mind over heart.

As a result, many have a much more muted version of God consciousness (or the more politically correct Refined, Glorified, or Celestial Con.). There simply isn’t the refined feelings nor acceptance of the celestial aspect. Some even deny the stage exists even though it is mechanically required.

While I certainly agree that the majority of what’s out there is nonsense, it can be profoundly useful to recognize our feeling dynamics, how to work with our energy bodies (and kundalini), and have some familiarity with experiences that may arise. It’s much more fun if we understand what’s happening.

There are very practical reasons for this as well. Ideas like “nature’s support” and “environmental cooperation” hinge on our feelings. The laws or devas work in the feeling/ energy range so if we’re culturing negative or dismissive feelings, this is what we’re feeding. It will attract things we don’t want and weaken those we have.

(note that it’s natural to feel the full range of emotions – the point is – note what you’re  dwelling on)

You’re welcome to take this as woo-woo hooey, but I’d invite you to try an experiment. For a month, for one minute each day, think of something different to be grateful for. Really open and feel it. Monitor what happens. Most find their whole feeling tone climbs, so their enjoyment of life and relationships increases. Plus, this tone supports and welcomes those who help make things happen. Most will notice more coincidences or synchronicities arise.

This will give you a taste of what a profoundly open heart can accomplish. And what if you had a direct relationship with the doers and shakers of the world?
Davidya

States of Consciousness redux

aka 7 States of Consciousness, aka Stages of Human Development

Periodically on this blog, I write a reference article for background info on key subjects. I can then link back to it for followup by readers, rather than re-explaining key points in detail. The article I’ve linked to the most has also been one of the top 10 hits here for years. That is States of Consciousness.

Since writing that article, my own experience and understanding has deepened. I’ve even gotten a graduate degree in the subject. (laughs) I’ve added several addendum’s to the old article but  a rewrite is overdue.

Fundamentally, the evolution of higher states of consciousness or enlightenment is a continuation of the development we experienced growing up. Rather than stalling at personal self-actualization (Maslow), we continue through a natural series of steps into cosmic (boundless) Self (Atman), through the depths of its development, and on into what is known as Brahman.

In the early 70′s when I first began reading about consciousness, there was no Internet, just a mixture of speculative books and ancient oddly translated texts. Bucke’s old book Cosmic Consciousness was key for many but it tossed experiences and awakening together in a basket. The west had no framework or map, not even a language. Many used different definitions for fundamental terms like consciousness or cosmic. As science has lacked the eastern tools for a systematic study of awareness, it’s been relegated to an effect of brain function.

A small book I read then was Anthony Campbell’s Seven States of Consciousness. It was based on Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s teaching which was in turn based on ancient Vedic experience. It was the first I saw to offer a framework for experiences and the nature of the process of enlightenment.

Basically, the 7 States are:
1) Sleep state – dreamless, mind & ego asleep.
2) Dream state – REM sleep, mind is active, body asleep.
3) Waking state – typical ‘reality’, typically only the physical world is seen as real.

4) Transcendental Consciousness (TC) or samadhi: a state of restful alertness where the mind is awake but quiet, silent but alert. It’s completion is CC below when it becomes full-time.

5) Cosmic Consciousness (CC), awakening or Self Realization: with enough experience of TC, it becomes infused in our life and becomes full-time, beneath waking, dreaming and sleeping states. We wake up to ourselves as cosmic, or more precisely, the cosmic wakes up to itself through us. This shift is permanent though it may take a little time to be clear. We are a witness or observer to an apparently illusory world. Only the inner wakefulness is real. It’s completion is sat chit ananda, absolute bliss consciousness.

6) God Consciousness (GC), Celestial or Divine Con.: the refinement of perception and the awakening heart and fine feelings from lived CC reveals the mechanics and process of creation. In some ways, this is more a process or series of stages than a single state. The inner remains real and the outer world becomes seen as a Lila or divine play. It’s completion is God Realization post Unity where we choose to unite with or remain close to God. Refinement continues through all stages and can take hundreds of years to complete. Thus in the current age we do what we can.

A lot of GC development is skimmed over by western minds. For some, you can barely recognize a GC phase, just CC and UC. But without this development, the fullness of enlightenment will not unfold and later stages will stall. Soma is the mechanism, discussed here. It’s also worth noting that soma and bliss awaken laws of nature that have long been dormant. Personally, that brings us the experience of being fully supported by the world. More broadly, it changes the rules of life over time. Golden ages are very different from what we’ve been experiencing because new laws are awake.

7) Unity Consciousness (UC) or Oneness: where the intellect recognizes the outer experience of the world and the celestial plus the inner experience of silence are of the same thing. The inner and outer world are found to be one and the same reality and their separation ends. Through a series of recognitions, all layers of experience, memory, all space and time, and even the experiencer itself are united in one wholeness. It’s completion is in Brahman.

Beyond Unity, there are no longer stages of consciousness. We transcend consciousness, existence, and Atman into Brahman. I’ll explore that more in a later article.

It should be noted that development of Atman carries forward from prior lives. We pick up where we left off. Thus some seem to move more quickly or slowly than others. Similarly the development of sattva (purity or clarity) also carries forward. This is most related to the refinement of GC. With sattva well-developed, you see people who may not be awake but have amazing perceptions. With Atman well-developed but less sattva, you see clear awakening but a denial of the divine and a drier unfoldment. The ideal is of course a well-balanced development.

A Reexamination
Over time and study, it soon becomes apparent there are flaws in this 7 states map. For example, the first 3 are more states of the physiology whereas the last 3 are more stages of development. The first, waking, dreaming and sleep, continue in all stages of development. The later three are stages that are progressively superseded. (although there is much overlap) TC in the middle evolves. At first TC is experienced as a new and transitory 4th state of consciousness. There has been scientific research to validate this experience. However, as it becomes permanent, it becomes experienced as the foundation underlying all states and stages of development. It is no longer a state but rather the permanent, ever-deepening foundation.

Even though the TM organization went on to give Sanskrit names to the 7 states, if you search the Vedas, you will not find a description of the 7 states this way. You do however find them described in the Vedas much as in the prior paragraph. Three states of body-mind and several stages of the development of enlightenment. Two different things.

Maharishi stopped talking about higher states entirely after the early 1980′s. I believe he originally was attempting to bring Vedic ideas of higher stages to the western model of states of consciousness. But there was a huge gap between the western idea of consciousness as a side-effect of brain function and the Vedic experience that consciousness is the source of all physical reality, including the brain.

Dr. “Skip” Alexander, a psychology professor at MUM (where students practice TM) some 20 years ago published several articles, such as in the book Higher Stages of Human Development (1990, out of print), that suggested an alignment of the higher stages with models of human development from psychology. This includes Piaget’s Cognitive states, Kohlberg’s Moral Reasoning, and Loevinger’s Ego stages. Higher stages would simply extend these models. Unfortunately, Dr. Alexander died and though this alignment is still taught, it has not been developed nor has it updated the old 7 states model.

I also explored a related model as an evolution of perspectives. The first 3 stages both map major childhood phases and adult stages if development is less or challenges more.

We can now understand that we should be looking at TC through UC as a process that occurs, underlying our daily experience of waking and sleeping. The stages have a significant impact on our perspective of the world and what is true for us.

Understanding the basics of the development of consciousness is very useful for a number of reasons. For one, understanding our own life and unfoldment certainly makes the whole process easier. I recently explored the issue of Conceptual Barriers. We can also get the jist of where we’re going and verify the experience when it unfolds. And it helps greatly in understanding the perspective described in the spiritual and religious texts of old as well as talks by current teachers.

It’s very easy to fall into conceptual arguments about which teaching or perspective  is right or wrong in a cornucopia of offerings. We should avoid attempts to judge the development of a given person and rather focus on the stage they are speaking to or of at the time.

This understanding of stages has been lost from some traditions. It’s clear the Buddha, for example, spoke to various stages but Buddhism today largely does not recognize anything but awakening. Similarly, many today suggest the inner oneness of CC is advaita (non-duality). Because the outer world may seem illusory, it is discounted. But as long as the illusion is separate, this is dwaita, duality. Advaita describes Unity which is totally inclusive and so much more than CC.

This kind of muddling certainly doesn’t help our understanding. Some teachers even mix stages  together. Further, if you don’t recognize the underlying process, it’s easy to mix experiences or side-effects with being. This is especially true when it’s new when you’re still separating the wheat from the chaff and trying to catch up conceptually. You even see somewhat comical ideas described as requirements, much as a cat may consider being bumped by the fridge door part of being fed.

It’s also important to differentiate between experience and being. We can have wonderful experiences of higher stages. But this is like being King for the day. This is not the same as being the King. There is a big difference between tasting it and living it, between experience and being. Missing this point, you may fall into the trap of trying to recreate an experience that is inherently transitory. You end up chasing the memory of an experience rather than living it. I’ve seen people deny awakening, they’re so fixed on recapturing an old experience they think is “it”.

Finally, the idea of this description is not to serve as a concept to debate or a philosophical position. It is designed to be a map to guide you. Hold it lightly. Even if a fortune teller gives you an accurate reading of your future, how it plays out is never what you expect. Such is the nature of the path home. If we are to continue forward, at each stage we must let something go of what we once held true. But what replaces it is always better than we possibly could have dreamed.

We have a profound gift in having a human form. This is the opportunity to reach profound levels of development and return “home”.
Davidya