The Three Levels Of Consciousness
If we open to the ancient understanding that consciousness (the reality that is understanding these words) is the single primary source of all existence, then we view the manifest Universe as existing within and from this consciousness. It is, in effect, the mirror that aids us, as unique expressions of consciousness, to return to being consciously at one with ourselves. As it arises from consciousness, how we see it reflects our two basic states. Either we are perceiving duality or apperceiving the harmonious serendipity of the oneness of all things. In this respect, the Universe is our helpful “mandala of many forms” holding up our current state to us so we can see where we are at.
Life comes down to whether we consciously recognise ourselves as consciousness or identify ourselves as being the thoughts and feelings of a separate body and mind. If we do the latter we are in duality, and we see this duality reflected everywhere and in everything. The environment of the Universe, in all its forms, becomes our greatest pleasure or pain as it determines our happiness, and our nourishment or lack of it, we believe, comes from it.
Once we realise our oneness with all things, this is reflected everywhere and in everything. The environment of the Universe in all its forms becomes intimately beautiful just as it is. We can recognise it as a miraculous creative flow of the consciousness we are and not separate from us. We feel instantly fully nourished based on the experience of being at one with all things, and there is no sense of lack or something missing or in the wrong place. The seeking of happiness in the world “project” ends, permanently. That is, until we forget we are consciousness and then think of ourselves as a separate mind and body, and then the seeking starts all over again.
Investigating the experience of consciousness, we find we can rest as it constantly, no matter the circumstances. We have found a permanent experience of peace that even transcends the mortality of our mind and body. This contrasts with the temporary peace experienced when depending on our outer circumstances for fundamental happiness. This realisation of being consciousness and not the experiences of the mind and body instantly frees our mind of any sense of lack or fear. It can then function constructively, doing what it loves and is designed to do; Solve challenges step by step and visualise outcomes creatively. However, if we fall back into duality, our mind and body, being psychologically dependent on circumstances for happiness, is forever prone to anxiety. The mind body is instantly triggered when it perceives security is lost for whatever reason when circumstances change (which they constantly do), even to a minute level. This includes the slightest change in bodily sensations, let alone more obvious outer change in circumstances, such as the tone of voice of someone. At these times, the result is that thoughts become self-defeating, trying to protect from further action and environmentally controlling as they attempt to control aspects of what they perceive as a separate environment to regain peace of mind.
The desirable mental state is to have a peaceful mind that can focus on constructive activity, and this is achieved when at one with all things. The question is then how to realise our Oneness. Two possibilities exist. “Top-down” or directly by understanding the experience of Awareness (Aka Consciousness), which is the imminent experience we all have, or “bottom-up” or indirectly, by practical methods that calm the anxiety of the mind and body to such a degree that they can open to the experience of Awareness for a while. Hence, we have a “bottom-up” world full of psychological and spiritual practices, including psychedelic experiences to open us to the Awareness we are. Also, we can choose to directly experience Awareness by being aware of it, not depending on any practices. For those walking the direct path, any methods and practices are subordinate to understanding what we are, which is instantaneously recognised once we understand what we are looking for. To those walking the indirect pathway, there will be a dependency on practices first, leading to realisation second. Both approaches end up in the same place. We cannot say there is a right or wrong way.
Consciousness remembers itself in all sorts of ways, almost as many as there are individual minds and bodies. For this reason, we must be very wary of any group saying there is only one way. The process of consciousness remembering itself (Oneness) is always an invitation, not an imposition, led by curiosity and love and sometimes the desire to find relief from suffering too! It should be clear that this is always an individual and unique journey. A diverse culture of returning is healthy and desirable! In a world that thrives on groupthink, it's all too easy to fall into it, and this can have the effect of stunting, not encouraging spiritual progress.
We are all innately free and creative individuals reflecting this quality of consciousness, though we also enjoy being in the community, which reflects the love of consciousness. However, the community must remain open to constant creativity in its processes to encourage spiritual realisation. Otherwise, it will lose sight and become mainly a social club or, worse, a business. There is nothing wrong with social clubs and business, but they are not designed to be for spiritual realisation.
An offshoot of this group think occurs when the spiritual community focuses on a single person at its centre, and a cult of personality arises. Fundamentally it is always better for a spiritual community to encourage a democracy of sharing truth to emerge as quickly as possible and not to centralise it. This will be based on trusting the flow of the truth itself through multiple minds and not rest on the centralised institutionalisation of a process to enforce it or overly on a single mind. Inevitably personal loyalty can begin to cloud things when in groups, and even though a quiet voice may seek to question processes we may suppress doubts when issues occur for the sake of social unity over spiritual truth. This is equally true of psychological associations. This danger can be recognised with the right atmosphere of love, respect, encouragement, and openness to questioning.
The author suggests following the title of the famous book by E.F Schumacher, "Small Is Beautiful", that it is in the interests of all psychological and spiritual groups to maintain small semi-autonomous subgroups rather than centralised processes and always establish very clear and strong processes whereby members can feedback and effect change. Centralisation is the bane of the world and loved by the separate self. Autonomy, on the other hand, is the hallmark of free consciousness.
