TAP IN TO HIGHER CONSCIOUSNESS
“Life will give you whatever experience is the most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness. How do you know this is the experience that you need? Because this is the experience you are having in the moment.” ~ Eckhart Tolle.
In the words of the teacher Sadhguru: “Consciousness is a highly abused word, used in many different ways.” Most people have a set of intuitions about consciousness; but the bottom line is, you are alive—that means you are conscious. All of us are conscious to some extent. The real question is to what degree you are conscious.
Consciousness speaks to awareness; meaning consciousness is not something you achieve so much as something you become aware of. So, when speaking of ‘raising consciousness’, it is not a string of activities you progress through or metaphorical steps you climb to reach enlightenment; it is about tapping into an existing state of being, accessing something that is already in your realm.
STAGES OF CONSCIOUSNESS – TAP IN TO HIGHER CONSCIOUSNESS
Of the differing opinions, there is a common understanding of stages of consciousness. At each stage our capacity to hold empathy, love, understanding, gratitude for all life grows or shrinks depending on our level of awareness. These stages flow from an individual level of survival to a deep, unwavering connection to all sentient life. It is important to hold in our minds that no matter who we are, we all hold an immense capacity for a deep connection to all life.
Stage one is around being ‘egocentric’, meaning you are only focused on your own needs and you do not, or cannot care about other people. When we are born, we are dependent on other human beings for survival; though as we get older and find our independent selves, we can lose sight of contributions others have made; and in this way lose sight of the impact our individual selves can have on others. Often, people don’t evolve to the next level; from the deep pain of individualisation and learned mistrust of others.
Stage two is around being ‘ethnocentric’, this means extending your capacity to care and include your family, community, friends and country into your base-level consciousness. You realise if you want to evolve, you have to give; that growing your community is growing yourself, and without them, you could not be. You spend your energy on giving to your community, being present with your family and truly loving your friends. Anything outside of that, you don’t care much about.
Stage three concerns being ‘world-centric’. This is an even wider circle where you care deeply about people on a global level. At this stage a primary concern is your fellow man and you spend your energy on standing for the rights of those who cannot and contributing to the greater good of everyone in the world. This is a higher level of consciousness where caring grows and expands.
Stage four involves being ‘spirit-centric’, and describes a capacity to care beyond just human beings. It encompasses all life, plants, animals and nature. You feel interconnected with all living things to the extent that self is no longer a concept. You are all living things and all living things are you. You no longer spend your energy but rather engage in an exchange of energy as life flows through all that is living and through you. Your level of consciousness for humanity and the planet has evolved and there is no separation between the individual and consciousness.
HIGHER CONSCIOUSNESS – TAPPING INTO YOUR STAGE
Most people are stuck at the egocentric and ethnocentric level and it is easy to remain there. Everything from advertisements to media entertainment communicates at an egocentric level. Staying tapped into that space though means massively limiting your happiness and success in life. Raising your awareness of consciousness gives you greater wisdom and more power to manifest the life you choose.
The way to begin awakening your consciousness is simply with intention. Intention unlocks imagination and the power to manifest. If you intend to become aware of something, you have already crossed the threshold and begun the journey of living it.
Think of these not as levels of consciousness but as stages of consciousness. None of which are permanent states. It is possible to move from a world-centric stage into an egocentric stage if we drop our awareness. Being aware, present and holding your intention is vital for remaining in the conscious space you choose to be in.
TAP IN TO HIGHER CONSCIOUSNESS was written by SKYE FORRESTER
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