This article discusses some interesting ideas around doing, being and levels of consciousness.
CONSCIOUSNESS
A side note: Some of the content on this section might seem irrational or even debatable but I am presenting it from a view that would make complete sense at a deeper intuitive level.
There are many definitions available about consciousness in different ancient and contemporary wisdom texts. Different states of consciousness have also been mapped out. I will use three states of consciousness that I think is relevant to us human beings – the unconscious, conscious and superconscious.
UNCONSCIOUS – this is the most limited state of awareness. There is no awareness or the inherent knowing of one’s existence. In humans, the activities that happen inside of our bodies that occur automatically without our conscious awareness are those that belong to this category. Examples, our breathing, our digestion, etc.
CONSCIOUS – in this state of awareness a person is able to respond to internal and external stimuli through the use of the five senses. They are also able to react or respond in intentional as well as unintentional ways by the use of individual free will.
SUPERCONSCIOUS – In this state of awareness a person is able to distinguish higher states of awareness and direct spiritual energy in response to internal and external stimuli. This state is achieved through conscious effort and the use of freewill to gain spiritual knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. A conscious effort is required and can be achieved through practices like meditation, prayer, self-inquiry, and contemplation. In this heightened state of awareness, a person seeks to BE (come) and embody more fully their True Self. There is a desire to learn and apply higher knowledge, greater understanding and wisdom as well as universal principles in every daily life.
Be (state of being)
We call ourselves Human Beings. The word being can be used to refer to a state of existence. Our state of being is influenced by many different factors that are mostly ego-driven. The default levels of consciousness of the ego defaults are unconscious and conscious. Through deliberate spiritual practice we can embody the higher superconscious states of being. The self-awareness that develops during the course of spiritual practice helps us to uncover and peel away the layers of unconscious thinking to reveal more loving and holistic states.
The connection between our Divine Self and the Ego self becomes stronger and the person’s state of becoming more aligned to their Divine Self. In terms of heart and mind, we become more open-hearted and open-minded.
Do (Behavior in the world)
Our daily lives are filled with willful activity. When we are not sleeping or in a state of stillness (as in meditation, contemplation or prayer) we are involved in actively doing something. When doing, we utilize our internal resources – our energy, our intellect, our physical body, our attitudes and so on. Mostly, we move from one activity to the next with little or no awareness of how our consciousness participates in the activity. Our doing is based on our immediate human needs, innate desires, and unexamined motivations. For example, if we have a need for Significance, we perform (do) actions (often in an unconscious manner) that will in some way satisfy that need. We might seek out ways where we are seen by people around as a valuable and significant contributor. Here, our doing is driven by our need for significance.
Our doing is dependent on our being. At any given time we are doing and behaving based on who we have come to become. We must strive to build our being-ness by integrating the higher states of consciousness into our life. This can be done by undertaking inner work to transform our limited ego selves to more fully embody our Divine Self. (To understand the Ego and Divine Self, follow the links provided).
I invite you to think about the following questions:
- If I had greater awareness as offered to me by the superconscious, how would my behavior in daily life be affected?
- Consider the extent of reach that question has and how our lives would be influenced if we took the time to shift to a greater level of awareness than that we currently possess. Isn’t it worth it?
- What is my current level of consciousness?
- What are the influencers of my internal state of being?
- Am I self-aware?
- Do I want to become self-aware? If yes, what do I need to do or what am I doing to create or maintain a higher level of conscious awareness?
- When I am doing (as in acting out) in my daily life am I aligned to a conscious state or superconscious state?
- How different will my actions be if I were acting from a superconscious level of awareness with strong intuition vs. acting from a conscious level of awareness based on information I am receiving purely from my five senses?
- What spiritual practice am I actively involved with that is moving forward from a conscious doer to a superconscious being?
- Do I appreciate the value of living life from a superconscious level vs a conscious level (five senses)?
In conclusion, I invite you to consider the tremendous value that lies in more fully embodying our higher states of consciousness.