Consciousness As Yet Undefined

I stepped out and away from really big thoughts for quite a while.  I guess I needed a break for a bit.  But, lately consciousness as a topic of thought calls from that precious place I left it some time ago and it tells me I’m not done yet.  Have you any idea the frustration this causes or why?  There have been over 200 papers written on the topic of consciousness and yet, we are still unable to pin point exactly where it begins and ends. The theories are abundant.  Some are very outlandish and some seem so rational and logical.  I cannot help but wonder though, if it remains truly illusive because we are looking for it with the wrong perspective and possibly, the wrong equipment.

What if consciousness is a type of energy field pervasive in its existence to the point it cannot be defined in terms of beginnings and endings?  What if it is such an intrinsic part of this world we experience that we will be unable to differentiate it coming from the mind or soul because both are a part of consciousness?  If we raise ourselves up to the consciousness of spirit and beyond, we still could not define its borders because we cannot get outside of it in order to fully look at it.  We have a word or a concept that carries multiple meanings only because we have no words to define the fullness of the essence of the infinite.

I had to stop looking it this for a while.  I had to cut myself off from thinking about it.  Not because it was a problem I couldn’t solve or it was frustrating or anything like that.  I had to stop looking at it to reconnect with it in a better light.  It has been a stressful year for me in so many ways I just won’t bore you with.  But that stress has been the impetus for my return to aware consciousness.  I think, sometimes, we need something painful to bring us back to the center of our being where there is peace, there is comfort and there is this vast and depthless expanse of pure consciousness we are always engaged with, plugged into and a very focal part of.

I guess in all my inquiry about consciousness, contemplating all the theories, I guess I have to smile and say “Yes” all are not only plausible but likely in some way.  There is no mind over soul over body here in terms of origins.  I think the reality would be much closer to a “yes” to quite possibly all theories.  I have no scientific proof but you see, science cant really measure it from the inside.  It hasn’t got the proper tools or the right perspectives yet to see itself from the inside.  It would be like a fish trying to formulate the existence of the ocean?  What would that be to a fish?  It is in it and so how could it be defined properly?  What framework would the fish use?  You might have to catch glimpses where you could step outside of consciousness but I ask you, how on Earth would you do that?  How in any realm could you do that?

I like to think of us all as interactive processors in a way.  We take in data at various frequencies, process that data and put out a world view that suits us but realize that output is dependent upon our processing equipment.  Not all of us process data in the same manner and even if we are comprised of similar components, the way we were put together creates many and varied ways in which we see, process and output information into the realities that we embrace.  No two processors (humans) are fully alike and each will have his areas of focus based on how he or she was created (and I’m including here genetic memes and psychology as well as environmental psychology and social impact upon our development).  So, within consciousness, how do we see consciousness when we are actually processors of consciousness?  I don’t have the answers.  I, like many others, only have questions. 

At some level, I think I can accept the concept of being conscious, in a sea of consciousness, I consciously interpret to exist within a larger global shared consciousness.  At first this sounded so silly to me but then I stepped back, stopped thinking about it so much and it became more clear to me.  What purpose would it serve for me or anyone to define the indefinable at this point in our human-conscious development?  In this frame and within this plane of existence at this time, I do not think we have yet developed the right equipment, thought processes or perceptive ability to definitively articulate what precisely consciousness is.  Clever as we may be, the best we can hope for, I think, is to define aspects of it and maybe coin some better words to contain the aspects we define…like Spirit, Soul, Sub-Conscious, Latent Consciousness and Awake/Aware Consciousness.  But those are merely points on a spectrum that is really not limited to just the points.  What about the whole plane?  What about the other planes?

I’m more content today knowing I don’t have the tools to do a job I somehow started to take on without realizing it.  Rather than drive myself mad, I am happy to look for the right tools to begin to define component parts, go back to the studies and reread them, go back to the world of rich, beautiful and amazing experiences within the global consciousness and allow what is to manifest to, well, manifest with much greater ease and much less intense thinking on at least this topic in particular.  Because we exist to process and respond to what we both take in and put out, we bring naturally, this space-time continuum into the mix of consciousness.  We are the crossroads or culmination of time and space and the consciousness that keeps these things dimensionaly in tact in our experience.  Hmmm, more thoughts to come.

 

© 2016 JL Harter (Photo: http://www.wallpaperhi.com)

 Dr. J.L. Harter, Editor see bio section for more information.

Moving to the Post-New Age Paradigm of Consciousness

After running across an article about the New Age Movement, I had to give some serious thought to the broader concepts expressed.  In the article, the author expressed understandable frustration with some factions of the New Age Movement for some of its darker lessons.  These frustrations have been expressed by many related to the New Age Movement, primarily, the over-stated ego of the professed ego-less, money for nothing and abundance of the monetary focus only.  I took in the article and focused not on the words used but the feeling behind it and I have to say, I get the frustration.  As a qualified practitioner in the discipline of Metaphysics, I work in the realm of what the New Age has brought us.  As I continue to look within the realms of my own discipline, the New Age Movement, The Secret pushers and Law of Attraction for Mansions and Sports Cars Success Promoters, one does have to scratch her head for a moment and think, “Wait a minute.  Abundance is good but when you use spiritual principals for egotistical gains only, what is the point and how will that bring you the kind of growth you leave here with?"  Okay, that’s my own ego talking and on the ego, there’s more.

In my book, The Ego is the Veil, I explained the concept of the ego as that point where consciousness meets physical reality. This is not a new concept.  It is one written about by Sigmund Freud.  I take the point in a bit of a different direction in that while we have a conscious focus in the Third-Dimensional reality, we must understand that the ego is here because we are physically here.  I posit that we cannot exist here in 3-D without the ego.  The arguments of frustration expressed in the article I ran across sort of proves my point in a way.  You see, so many of us consider those in the enlightened New Age Movement to be above ego.  Some may even profess it.  Then, as we get closer to these folks and see that they too have within them the little “c” egoic consciousness just like we do, we are instantly disenchanted and likely very disappointed.  Is the problem with the New Age Movement and its proponents and practitioners having an ego or is it the misconception held by those seeking services from those in the New Age movement being ego-less that is the problem?  I do not intend to blame any victims here. There are those who claim to be egoless and are out to gather followers and the money of those followers.  There are also those truly beautiful souls with great integrity just interested in helping humanity by providing a service.  Neither faction is without ego.  If those seeking services or guidance understood this point, perhaps they could make more educated decisions about how they follow and financially support others.

In reality, there are just bad apples in every movement whether you are observing a political, religious or other movement.  Those bad apples are just human beings trying to find a way to deal with the Malware they unconsciously hold and get by. They may do things judged unsavory by others but those who judge and judge harshly merely perpetuate their own Malware in psychological transference and projection.  So, where does that leave any of us who feel a higher calling, a call to help, a call to educate or those seeking help and education from the purportedly educated?  Well, for starters you have to level-set your understanding.  There is no conscious human being here that does not have an ego.  The ego represents our physical focus here in 3-D.  Everyone has an ego and those that tell you the loudest that they are egoless are quite honestly proving my point that they are in fact, not egoless.  I don’t discount the fact that there may very well be Avatars among us who seem real but are not.  I’ve had some rather interesting experiences as have many others.  The Avatars or those appearing here but are not really here may be the only one’s not possessing an ego.  But they are projecting here ethereally and not physically and, therefore, they can escape the need for ego, perhaps? They remain more closely tied to the Cosmic Consciousness and the void of creation or no-thing which is truly Everything.

If you are seeking to expand your consciousness, I suggest that you find someone that you work well with.  Don’t worry so much about the path you take or calling all trees bad because one had some bad apples.  Instead, use your energy for greater conscious knowledge and understanding.  We all have an ego.  We are all here to learn and grow.  Look for a teacher that is more in line with your personality, your morals, your goals and your beliefs--never mind which path they hold onto.  It is truly time to embrace the Post-New Age Movement where dogma is not needed to embrace our own consciousness and better understand the true self that remains always and ever connected to the Source Consciousness of All That Is.  This world is an amazing place of dichotomy for us to learn from. There are good apples and there are bad apples.  The New Age Movement, as any other, has brought us some amazing light and it has also brought us some darkness.  How perfect is that for humanity that some times learns best by stark contrast?!  Reach for deeper meaning within your own being and you will learn what is in resonance with you and your purpose here.  Those who don’t resonate with you are just those who don’t resonate with you.  Those paths that don’t resonate with you are not paths that you must choose or destroy.  There are plenty of folks who will sell you snake oil with huge promises of false returns.  They exist in every facet of humanity.  We all have egos and most are infected with all manner of Malware.  I also wrote in my book, Exploring the Conscious Self that we are all subject to Malware which is the frame work from which we engage in our learning while living here.  No path is a bad path and no one’s Malware is worse than another’s.  Each is different and serves no lesser or greater purpose.

When we can let go of the paradigm of rigid, limited and dogmatic thinking, let go of blame and finger pointing and seek that which moves us most from the center of the core of the true heart of our being, we will find enlightenment…enlightenment of our own path.  We’re all unique in terms of what we are learning and how we will learn.  Be an aware consumer of those things you choose to consume.  Embrace your conscious journey with hope, stamina, determination and so much love for the beauty of the journey.  That’s all that matters.

© 2014, J.L. Harter

Rev. J.L. Harter, PhD, M.Msc., B.Msc., Author, Blogger, and Spiritual Counselor, Editor of the JMCC.  See Bio section for more information.