Consciousness
"If the doors of perception were cleansed,
everything would appear… as it is,
infinite.” William Blake
Beyond
Matter
Perceived
by the human senses, matter is a thing or substance that has shape and
form, yet upon electroscopic investigation (according to Quantum
physicists) it is made up of individual molecules with even smaller
sub-atomic particles. Relatively speaking (according to
Astrophysicists) there is about as much space between the planets and
stars as there are between the atoms that make up matter. Apparently,
our tangible reality is more vacuous than we thought. Still, even
though matter itself makes up a miniscule portion of our universe (like
the tip of an iceberg) this is the part that we are most conscious of -
especially while we are living under its spell
(“Maya”). Yet, if we take away all this matter that
we objectively and subjectively experience... what’s left?
What is residing within this “empty space”? If we
go below the surface of our perceived reality, what will we find? If it
is not matter, then is it energy, vibration, sound, light or some other
intangible like consciousness... or is it God?
Consciousness
Let’s
just say that we find ourselves floating in the vacuum of empty space.
The light from our sun and the stars shine forth to us unimpeded
(unless we close our eyes). We could say that this outer light brings
us “consciousness” or
“awareness” of the physical universe... for when
one turns on the light, one is “awakened” from
sleep (and ignorance) and becomes “conscious” or
“aware” of things (thus increasing our
intelligence).
Yet,
independent of the outer light, there is an inner light that also
shines - the “light behind the light” so to speak.
This is the “spiritual light” - when you remove the
physical, this spiritual light is shining, subtly, but it’s
still there. When we are asleep and dreaming, our eyes are closed yet
we are aware - we see light and images (and hear sounds too) all
independent of the outer light (and outer sound). It logically follows
that when the body dies, the light of our spirit would still be alive.
If there
was
no separation between inner and outer, there would be a state of
oneness, union, bliss. Yet, between the seeing and the seen, between
the subject and the object, between our minds eye and the light, there
is often something in between. This something separates the two
– to various stages of distinction.
Let’s
say that we (the subject) are looking at the universe (the object)
through a camera with a pristine sparkling clear lens. If we looked out
of that camera, we would see the images of life just the way it is. But
if the lens collected some dust, or someone added on a red colored lens
(called a filter) or another lens with scratches on it... when we next
looked out of our camera... we would see life – not as it is,
but
tainted with this red color (it would be a bit cloudy from the dust,
and scratchy too). So too is our inner consciousness affected by all
the “stuff” we collect inside. All the filters we
start
adding on to our lens, these would be all those things that our egos
get attached too - the identifications and belief systems and thoughts
and feelings that are enmeshed within the material phenomena and
reality.
For
example,
if one dusted upon that clear lens... images (or thoughts) of material
possessions, then when you would look out through the lens of your
camera, what you would see would be images (or thoughts) of your
things... and one would say you are “materially
conscious”. Wherever you go, that’s what you will
see overlaid on top of all your perceptions. And if one has angry red
feelings filtered over that clear lens, then when you would look out of
your camera, what you would see (or feel) would be a red glow (these
angry feelings). It’s like wearing rose colored glasses -
everything is perceived rosy, but that’s not its true
objective reality. In other words, our conscious personal experience of
reality is defined by that which overlays it – this is what
our ego-minds hang its hat on. If we have dark over our lens, then our
consciousness identity and awareness is darkness, and so on.... we may
even have subtle shades of colored filters, pink, gold, violet, and so
on, yet they are still filters... still not a direct pure unadulterated
perception of what is.
Levels
of Consciousness
But
where do these other lights covering our minds come from?
Within all of Creation, there are many many mansions, many dimensions,
many universes... of different lights (and sounds). Just like there is
a vast spectrum of visible light, so too are there different spectrums
of consciousness... ones that reach from the more dense solid colors to
the subtler pastel colors of the light spectrum... way beyond the
invisible. Whatever dimensions our soul, our spirit has ever traveled
on, even ones where we existed as incorporeal beings... we accumulated
(as part of our karmic repertoire) a variety of consciousness filters -
some very fine and subtle, others very dark and intense. All these
filters overlay our current life experience. Imagine if you will, a
person who has accumulated so many of these filters, that their vision
becomes so dark, all they can see is in shades of black - this is a
possibilities (in this case, they would be virtually blind).
Not only is
each one of these filters (of consciousness) covers our vision, but
each one clouds our body, emotions and mind. These are the layers of
stuff that must be peeled off (like the onion analogy) within your
healing. This can be a lot of stuff, and could take a long time (but it
is your stuff and it has to go, that is, if you want to experience pure
reality).
Depending
upon your past experiences in these various dimensions of
consciousness, one band or filter of consciousness can hold a whole
different set of memories and feelings – some positive, some
negative. In other words, each one of these layers and their stuff may
be sensed somewhat differently by you than another. Again, some may be
very very subtle and fine (almost imperceptible) others dark and
intense (and overbearing). But all are affecting (clouding) your
experience of reality. In order to ascend through the limitations of
these consciousness', one has to clear out these filters –
this does take time and a lot of patience and faith.
Many people
live exclusively within the awareness and energy of one consciousness
over another. Telling them that they are stuck in one is a hard idea to
swallow. The existence to us of different consciousnesses (just like
the existence of God) must be taken with a great deal of faith...
considering that “consciousness” is like the air
(or gas) we breathe – we can’t see it, but we
somehow sense its presence within and all around. And like gas, there
are subtleties in it – like carbon monoxide, some have toxic
qualities that cannot be sensed until it’s too late.
The
Pure at Heart
The
more clear and pure the inner screen of our consciousness (or if you
will - mind) the more we can perceive the true nature of reality. When
all our internal filters are removed - when our lens is polished and
clean - we can see things as they are, not what we have made them to be.
The state
of having this blank and neutral a
lens is what is sometimes referred to as "Pure Consciousness", an
“Enlightened Consciousness”, "Pure Awareness",
“Beginners Mind” or simply just "Being". Nothing is
added or subtracted from reality – it just
“is”. Reminds me of a quote from the Bible
“Blessed are the pure at heart for they shall see
God”.
Copyright
1999 - 2008. David "Michael" Isaacson. No portion of information in this
website may be reproduced or distributed in any form without prior
permission from the author. All rights reserved.
