FYI: This blog represents a draft chapter of my upcoming book. For more info, see the note at the bottom of this page.~Mark
“The key to growth is the introduction of higher dimensions of consciousness into our awareness.” ~ Lao Tzu
One of the biggest mysteries of our existence relates to our experience of what we call “mind” and “consciousness”. My personal wonderment over my experience of consciousness was one of the major curiosities that have pushed me along my “spiritual path”. Although in the following paragraphs I am going to outline how I see mind and consciousness relating to the general spiritual theory that I am teaching here, I do so with a great sense of humbleness that there are many aspects to this topic on which I still feel incomplete.
However from the outset, I must take a moment to distinguish between what most of us experience as the common uses of the terms “mind” and “consciousness” in our current world and how I will be using them.
Many people, especially those who hold a scientific materialist mental map, generally equate our “mind” with our “brain”. After all, if their belief is that only physical stuff is real, then what we call our “mind” is simply something generated by our body’s brain. This belief is so pervasive among this group that they frequently use the terms “mind” and “brain” synonymously.
Furthermore, such a belief also generally leads to the acceptance of another argument that what we experience as a sense of our thinking and self-awareness is what is defined as “consciousness”. This experience of consciousness, as the story goes, is simply a by-product (an “epiphenomenon”) of the physical evolution of our brains. Some conjecture that maybe our experience of consciousness gave us a physical evolutionary advantage along the way, although just exactly what that advantage is has not been fully determined.
So then for many, the terms “mind” and “brain” mean the same thing and the experience we call “consciousness” is simply that feeling that we have as a self aware person who has thoughts (of which we have awareness!) Why all this exists is debated but currently not clear by those who hold these beliefs.
I have obviously been using the terms “mind” and “consciousness” previously in this book in a manner differently from the scientific materialist. Yes, there is certainly interplay between our physical brain and our experience of our “mind”, but they are not one and the same. And, “consciousness” is much more that simply that human sense of self-awareness and thinking.
So what is “consciousness”? Simply stated, it is the perception of existence. But let’s elaborate a bit.
In a previous chapter we outlined the idea that the process of involution was the method whereby Spirit (or God, The All, etc.) embedded aspects of Itself into Its creation. Hence, the non-physical Absolute took Its “God characteristic” of Divine Consciousness (among other characteristics) and placed it within every aspect of Its relative physical world. Hence, Divine Consciousness is “stepped down” into lower degrees of consciousness as it is placed into material stuff. The lowest material levels have the lowest levels of consciousness.
Simply stated, everything in the physical world has something called “consciousness” inside of it. Consciousness is in atoms and molecules, in minerals, in plants and animals, in humans and beyond. Often this is described as “consciousness is the ground of all being” meaning that consciousness is some base aspect of life that permeates everything.
At each individual level, that “thing” (atoms, molecules, etc.) has its own “perception of existence” appropriate for that level. We may know what the perception of existence is like at the level of a human being, but we can only imagine what that perception may be like at these other levels. However, we can see that our human level of the “perception of existence” creates certain motivations that lead to certain behaviors as described in previous chapters about our human and spiritual needs. The fact that we know we exists pushes us to maintain that existence and more.
Considering this, we can observe certain “behaviors” of things at other levels of existence that are similar to our human behaviors. At each physical level, we can see that things pop into material existence for a period of time and then pop out of existence (that is birth, life, death). During the life span at each level, there is a seeming motivation to maintain one’s existence (life) by meeting physical needs. There is also a motivation to maintain one’s sense of self separate from other things at that level (individual agency or independence) while simultaneously seeking connection with others (love and communion). Also, there seems to be within all a motivation to grow and evolve to higher levels of complexity.
At each level of existence, from atoms to molecules to rocks to plants to animals and humans, we see certain behaviors that seem to be driven by that level’s consciousness, that level’s perception of existence. We may not be able to imagine how personal consciousness is experienced at that level of being, but we can acknowledge worldly actions consistent with some type of “inner knowing”.
Critical to this is recognizing the continuum of (or a “spectrum” of) consciousness that exists throughout the world of form and into the realm of the non-material. The simple consciousness of atoms and molecules and minerals becomes the more complex consciousness of plants and animals as we move up the spectrum. That growth of complexity continues with the greater depth of consciousness within humans who “cross a threshold” into self awareness, “knowing that they know”, being able to think about their thinking and to make “conscious choices”.
Another point to emphasize about consciousness is that as it is “in everything”, consciousness is neither unique to humans nor is it something that “emerges” out of the brain. As all physical forms grow in complexity, the level of consciousness that is within them also grows in complexity (or “depth”). The complexity level of human beings certainly “crossed the threshold” to self awareness but that is not the end of the journey! Evolution continues its march to greater complexity and higher consciousness even beyond the current stage generally experienced.
Does that mean that we are headed towards some more complex “physical being” into which humans are both physically and “mentally” evolving? Maybe. Or it could mean that this greater level of complexity could come from the combining of the consciousness within individual human beings into some type of inter-cooperative human group (similar to how atoms and molecules maintained their individuality while combining into the inter-cooperative groups of higher organisms). Or it could mean that the further development and evolution of consciousness is purely in the realm of the non-physical.
So which is it? I tend to believe that our further evolution is primarily in consciousness expressed in the non-physical, but I suspect that all options are possible. However whether it is in consciousness only or a combination of new and more complex material forms embedded with more complex consciousness, the direction and outcome is similar. We are headed back to higher consciousness where we know that everything is One. As described in the chapter on involution and evolution, we are headed back home to our Source in Oneness and Wholeness.
So what about the term “mind”? Sometimes I use the term “mind” as the same as “consciousness” but there is one big difference that needs to be highlighted.
Whereas the term “consciousness” means the perception of existence (and the perception then tends to generate certain needs appropriate to that level of existence), the term “mind” tends to include both that conscious perception of existence as well as a universal creative force. Put another way, “conscious mind” is “consciousness” (the perception of existence) while “subconscious mind” is a “law” that acts upon our conscious thoughts within a universal creative medium.
Let’s put it even another way to gain clarity.
Our consciousness highlights to our awareness that we exist and that we have certain needs. At the human level we are aware of our consciousness and our thoughts which also comes with the ability to choose our thoughts. This could also describe our “mind” at its “conscious” level. However, at the “subconscious” level of our mind there is also a creative force that acts upon our thoughts (conscious or subconscious) to manifest that which we accept or believe.
Mind, like consciousness, exists in everything. Conscious mind, like consciousness, exists along a gradient of existence from the lowest material level to the highest spiritual level. Although subconscious mind as a part of the totality of “mind” exists in everything along this gradient, its creative power (“law) is only limited by its conscious mind limitations at that level. At the lower levels of existence, the consciousness at that level defines the experience of existence, generates the needs for that level and the subconscious mind embedded in that level respond to create what is needed.
The same is true but in different degrees as we move up the chain of existence. The major change occurs in humans who again “cross” the threshold into self awareness and can then choose which thoughts they want to manifest via their use of the subconscious mind. And, again, the creative power is only limited by our conscious mind limitations. The more we consciously remove those limits, the greater our creative use of this divine medium.
Ultimately as we move up the continuum we reach “Divine Mind”. Divine Mind (within the realm of God or the Absolute or “The All”) is at the highest level of existence. Divine Mind contains all total perceptions of existence of everything (that is all “Consciousness”) as well as the total ability to control the creative ability (that is all “Law”). That is, Divine Mind is aware of All and can create All. Divine Mind is both cause and effect. Ultimately, the term “Divine Mind” equates to God or Spirit.
Now, I get it that this is a bit complex at first, so let’s take it solely into your experience of life for a moment. You are a spiritual being having a human experience. You experience both your spiritual nature and your human nature. All of you, both spiritual and human is embedded with consciousness and mind. Your consciousness (your conscious mind) calls into your awareness that you exist. Your existence comes with certain needs (both conscious and subconscious). These needs motivate you to act (in both the physical and spiritual worlds). Your thoughts (both conscious and subconscious) are acted upon by the subconscious aspect of your mind to create your life experience.
Our use of our individual mind is how God, the Divine, Spirit, The All acts through us to create our lives.
Mark Gilbert
NOTE: This article is a part of our Spiritual Philosophy Series and represents one chapter from our upcoming book. THIS ARTICLE describes the series’ intention. To view the entire series, CLICK HERE.