The Elemental Receiver of Consciousness

Abstract

The body is an elemental comprised of mineral, water, air and the fire of spirit and consciousness.  The pure elemental components mirror that of the Earth from which the elemental body was originally composed.  The elemental body is comprised of a brain with multiple component parts e.g., Amygdala, Hippocampus, Cerrubellum, Pons, Medulla, Pituitary Gland, and more.  Each of the components of the elemental brain have very specific purposes and operate the various functions of the elemental.  The Claustrum portion of the brain has recently been discovered to contain an on-off switch concerning our animation (Scientists discover the on-off switch for human consciousness deep within the brain.  Sebastian Anthony July 2014. Extreme Tech. Web).  This article intends to explore animation separate from consciousness and define the animation as the turning on of the receiver within the Claustrum that allows the elemental to receive it’s consciousness as we commonly understand today as aware consciousness.  There is a question as to who is transmitting for the elemental’s brain to receive consciousness for the purpose of animation. For this answer or further hypothesis the author will turn to the realms of spirituality, philosophy and psychology.

Key Words: Elemental, Physical, Consciousness, Awareness

Introduction

It is long held in spiritual circles that we are comprised of stardust, of soul and of spirit.  Many an author, research and academic have questioned, opined and researched all matter related to the question of the origins of our consciousness.  This line of inquiry bears on our explorations as they help to form a framework from which we may begin to understand how the elemental is animated and by whom.  If we were to hypothesize that a human being is comprised of the elemental or physical body with a brain and that the brain is a receiver or at least a very specific part of the brain is a receiver for conscious awareness, then we must have a Source of the consciousness being transmitted to the receiver in order for the elemental to be conscious.  Without this schema, what we would have is a mere zombie made of mud and stuff that is inanimate.  We may even be able to create very life like elementals but where would their animation come from.  We might rely on  artificial intelligence to animate the elemental but such an elemental would be absent a soul or spirit which means it would not meet the criteria for being considered human.

It is a leap to say the least that we are to grab hold of belief in a soul or a spirit but my hypothesis is that it is the ultimate Source or God that gives birth to the Spirit and that Spirit individuates from the Cosmic Consciousness to form it’s own consciousness and that consciousness projects to a designated or available elemental receiver.  To my mind this explains such phenomena as “walk-ins,” Possession and multiple personality.  I have no proof as this is merely a hypothesis.  However, even if theorized this line of thinking provide a logical progression of our conscious existence from the Big C of the Cosmic Consciousness down to the little “c” consciousness animate within an elemental.

More On Consciousness

In understanding the striations of conscious as set forth by Freud (Sigmund Freud), I believe that we must have a soul that contains our latent as well as unconscious portions of our awareness.  A soul connected to the Spirit would explain in part such a necessary function.  It is so very difficult to prove such hypotheses particularly those that relate to consciousness as we cannot necessarily call upon the applied sciences to test, research and obtain definitive truths concerning these matters.  We can relegate them to the lands of mystery or metaphysics if that is our persuasion or we can continue to research, ask more question, seek more answer and form great hypotheses from which we may gain greater understand.

Conclusion

While the body can at times function in the same manner as an inanimate object in the absence of consciousness or the ability to receive the transmission of the soul, we cannot prove definitively that this is precisely how this system operates.  It would seem logical to draw on the non-logical in an attempt to see if we can work out these equations much like the realm of physics and definitions of the various dimensions.  I think that more study is needed on this topic and the article that generated my own line of inquiry is worthy of much further study in order that we become better acquainted with our own brains.

© 2015 Dr. J.L. Harter

 

 Dr. J.L. Harter, Founding Editor.  See Bio Section for more details.

The World is My Country; Humanity is My People: An Exploration of the Luminary's World View

 Abstract

One thing that many learned and wise individuals held throughout time was the idea that there is no “us” versus “them” mentality, consciously or even physically.  We are one humanity, we all live on planet Earth and there was this idea these luminaries consistently held and was that we need to lead as well as come together in the purest essence of compassion that can be expressed.  This article takes a look at some of the ways in which, many of the world’s modern luminaries attempted to influence the world view of the general populace.  This world view as has been expressed, must change now. The time for outdated thinking has already come and gone and the world has suffered enough.

Key Words:  Consciousness, Luminaries, Wisdom Within

Discussion

Not a modern luminary but a luminary none the less, Thomas Paine (1707-1839) has had attributed to him the quote, “The World is my country, all mankind are my brethren, and to do good is my religion. I can think of no greater quote that resonates more deeply with my inner soul than this one quote.  Although there are many luminaries from more modern times with great advice for us in terms of understanding our lives, our common every day consciousness and those with minds who have sought to expand our limited world view to something bigger and better.  It’s coming – the bigger and better, whether you embrace or deny and fight it.  But this quote speaks not just of getting along but the true realization of our consciousness nature.  We are but one soul in a way, we are all related one to the other – black, white, yellow or red and the best religion we can embrace for the good of humanity is kindness and compassion for all always and in allways never being withheld for any reason of judgment.  These seem like simple concepts on the surface and in some ways they are.  In others, they are very complex and to embrace these concepts, one must be willing to trade beliefs, no matter how they were come by and exchange them for knowledge and true understanding.  These things are going to become more key for us in the times to come as our consciousness expands from old, tired and worn paradigms of the iron age thoughts of our present day consciousness into the greater realms of expanding awareness.

So many have brought us wisdom long before the rest were ready and what did we do but deify them.  We set them above and apart from us and worshiped them while listening to not one single word they said to us about who we really are.  They have already given us every single answer to our every question and still we quest and thirst for more even though we have been filled.  There is a reason for that.  Some of us are like the little wary goldfish, happy to swim about but who will eat and eat and eat as long as he or she is fed until we are fed so much we explode.  This means, until the majority of us achieve a state within body and mind, to where we can hold the space necessary to understand, life is going to seem a bit of a struggle.  Just don’t lose hope.  I’d like to share with you the wise words of other great luminaries who in thought were or are not too unlike our dear friend Master Paine above.  I’d like for you to consider these quotes.  Don’t just read them and move on.  Take them one at a time and mull them over, meditate and reflect on the words, the meaning behind them and the soul of the speaker of those words and now contemplate that this very same said wisdom is coming from inside of you as well.  I know it is a bit of a mind bender but this consciousness/Consciousness that we have is shared just in ways we have yet to understand.  Conduct a little research on consciousness and you’ll see it is one of the most widely researched and little understood topics.  Consciousness is everything from the Big “C” Consciousness of the Quantum Whole of existence to the little “c” egoic consciousness that tries so very hard to understand the nuggets of beautiful wisdom left behind for us like crumbs on a trail through a darkened forest that will, if we allow it, lead us out of the darkness and into the light of truth.

“Forget the past, for it is gone from your domain! forget the future, for it is beyond your reach! control the present! Live supremely well now! This is the way of the wise...” ― Paramahansa Yogananda (1893-1952)

“Whatever we put our attention on, will grow stronger in our life.” -- Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (1918-2008)

“The moment I have realized God sitting in the temple of every human body, the moment I stand in reverence before every human being and see God in him - that moment I am free from bondage, everything that binds vanishes, and I am free.”-- Swami Vivikananda (1863-1902)

“We've got this gift of love, but love is like a precious plant. You can't just accept it and leave it in the cupboard or just think it's going to get on by itself. You've got to keep watering it. You've got to really look after it and nurture it...

I believe in God, but not as one thing, not as an old man in the sky. I believe that what people call God is something in all of us. I believe that what Jesus and Mohammed and Buddha and all the rest said was right. It's just that the translations have gone wrong.”-- John Lennon (1940-1980)

“Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.” -- Princess Diana (1961-1997)

"... I've seen it around the world, in the poorest countries and in countries riven with conflict, ... It is women who are the key to breaking out of poverty, breaking out of stagnation. ... It's women who can contribute to achieving real security -- not bombs and bullets and repressive governments." -- Queen Noor

“I believe in the absolute oneness of God and therefore also of humanity.  What though we have many bodies?  We have but one soul?” – Ghandi (1869-1948)

“I note the obvious differences between each sort and type, But we are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike.” -- Maya Angelou (1928-2014) "The Human Family" I Shall Not Be Moved

“Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.” -- Mother Theresa (1910-1997)

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” - Martin Luther King (1929-1968)

“Looking for consciousness in the brain is like looking Inside a radio for the announcer.” -- Nasim Haramein

“Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.”-- Dalai Lama

“Our maturity will be judged by how well we are able to agree to disagree and yet continue to love one another and to cherish one another and seek the greater good of the other.”-- Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu

“Learning how to be still, to really be still and let life happen - that stillness becomes a radiance.--Morgan Freeman

Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.” -- Albert Einstein (1875-1959)

“Though we may never be able to comprehend human life, we know certainly that it is a movement, of whatever nature it be. The existence of movement unavoidably implies a body which is being moved and a force which is moving it. Hence, wherever there is life, there is a mass moved by a force. All mass possesses inertia; all force tends to persist.”-- Nikola Tesla (1884-1943)

“To be what you want to be, you must give up being what you are.

--Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens)

“There is nothing outside of us. It's all in us.” – Yogi Bajhan (1929-2004)

“I truly believe the only way we can create global peace is through not only educating our minds but our hearts and our souls.” – Malala Yousafzai

Conclusion

All around us in everything we see, hear, feel and experience, there are various levels of consciousness.  This consciousness is herein expressed from luminaries around the world as these quotes indicate.  Within each selected quote lies a beautiful piece of wisdom.  You too possess the spirit of this Consciousness and in those rare moments of quiet and stillness deep within the heart of your soul, you too possess this wisdom and are also a luminary and beautiful soul.  You need only understand yourselves much better to come to these facts and when you begin to see this light within, you cannot help but notice this light everywhere you go.  You are forever changed and changed for the better.  Each time a soul becomes aware, he or she creates an open pathway of energy that pushes another and another and yet another to open to awareness in this beautiful wave.  These waves pulse the surface of the Earth as they have in every age but right now in particular, the conscious awareness grows in leaps and bounds.  I have faith in humanity that we will yet find the right doorways not just to knock upon but to open and open inclusively with great compassion and love.

Sources

Quotes derived from multiple online sources, Goodreads.com, brainyquote.com and wikipedia.com.

 Rev. J.L. Harter, Ph.D.  See Bio Section for additional details.

I and the Moment Are One

Cloudy skies and the sun paints the edges of the clouds in silvery golden light. My consciousness stretched out wide again, I’m opening to whatever thoughts may come. I am not disappointed for they do come but not in their usual frenetic cacophony but more of a peaceful swirl of curiosity and questioning. As I notice the motion of them inside, just one begins to rise to the surface: What do you believe in? I let the thought linger in the present and reflect upon it without trying to think too much about it. From my studies in psychology and consciousness I could tear apart most things I believe. But I don’t give much credence to my beliefs as I see them for what they are, thousands and thousands of thought forms existing within my head as untested hypotheses or provisional truths stated or derived as fact from the outside world of my own perspectives.

There is a feeling within me growing in response to my own question and I relax and let it culminate into conscious cognition. It comes then, the response: I believe in this moment. For in this moment, there is both nothing and everything from the microcosm to the quantum whole of all of reality. And then I wonder a little more as I let my thoughts gently float into and out of my awareness. More questions than answers I presume as a measure of my learning and another becomes more clear: How do you know that this moment exists at all? I consider these questions and answers reflect in the form of feeling rather than thinking and the swirling then stops. The thoughts now still have me reaching with my senses again. I can only seemingly know a moment by the way I sense the moment, by the way I am present in that moment but that brings me no further certainty that it exists definitively outside the scope of my perception.

I’m not the first to wonder of such things and I certainly won’t be the last. But I like this mental meandering of sorts and its accompanying ever-expanding feeling and so stay with it a bit more wondering where it will lead me. I trace with a glance, a bank of clouds moving a little faster and lower on the horizon than the larger and darker ones nearer the sun. I watch the city come fully awake and am wandering amongst a concrete jungle. So many thoughts beg for attention and I quell them focused on one breath in this moment. This moment to me is very much like a wave on a sea. When we are in the midst of a moment there is no before or after, there is no past or future and there is no worry or care. I like how that feels but it doesn’t answer my question or address my seeming belief in the validity of a moment. Perhaps a moment isn’t a moment at all but a collective of moments woven by chains in hours and minutes or days and years. I cannot say with any definitive certainty, for who am I to say anything definitive or certain about anything even my own measure of consciousness? I think I am awake and driving my car down the busy highway. I see that there are buildings and people walking. I see there are other drivers driving and still I can’t decide so with certainty that they exist. I perceive something but a perception, like belief, is not a fact. It seems so, both – perception and belief. They seem like truth but time and time again are we proven wrong by science, experience or our own first hand observation from a much higher level of consciousness we may find ourselves momentarily engaged in.

I think the moment is as others have described and being fully present within it is like a surfer on top of a wave, there is no more waiting for it to come or considering it after, there is only the ride in the moment it has become manifest. To think about those moments awakens a part of our experience that takes the pure and pristine beauty of a moment away. Every moment is precious whether here, gone or yet to come. All of time is an expression of our own perception and I’ve had these experiences where time has stopped or sped by extraordinarily fast. Does it stand on its own outside of my experience? I could easily argue both yes and no. Did yesterday exist? In my perception it did at least as my perception of my own memories tell me. Will tomorrow exist? Maybe. I don’t know if it will. Does today exist? I think that it does as I hear the wind chimes outside playing a wind facilitated beautiful tune, while the leaves shiver and shake in the sea breeze and I hear the birds singing as well. But I must admit that each of these things is filtered through the perception that is the way I see the world. Who is to say that I am right? What if I’m wrong?

How does one master true understanding then of anything when all we think we know is based only on perception or belief? I believe in this moment, I thought only moments ago. But there are other moments I believed in too and now they are gone except in the confines of my conscious memory. What is more real in my consciousness, that which stands before me or that recalled from memory? If I go with feeling alone there is no answer and my feelings seem to react the same to memory or “real-time.” But what is real-time but a moment in motion? I cannot say even what a moment is or whether it truly exists or doesn’t but I exist as I observe it. Am I separate at all then, in my consciousness from this moment? Am I separate at all then in my consciousness from my perceptions or beliefs? Again, I could answer both yes and no. But something doesn’t sit right with the feeling within me.

If I throw out all of my thoughts and just be, I am content, sensing an ever expanding existence of consciousness of the big “C” kind. Is that the Moment? Are we creating them, the moments? Do they exist in our memory, our souls or our Spirits or are we sitting in some etheric movie theatre somewhere…Elsewhere watching some form of educational movie we call life? From a momentary experience I suppose it doesn’t matter whether when I am asleep I dream or I perceive myself awake even if by other standards I am still very much asleep. My logical mind grasps for the themes, the patterns and the constants and there is only one and that one is most easily expressed as “I.” Anything in this world or the next may follow that one tiny little letter in our very short alphabet that has meaning beyond that which 100,000 dictionaries, encyclopedias or academics of all sorts could define. We can all describe a piece from our learning and from our respective perspectives but how much closer does that bring us to understanding a Moment? I think the Moment is aligned with I. I and the Moment are one in a way that may make no sense at all.

But it’s fun to toy with my thoughts as the leaves glow brilliant green on the trees and the clouds give way to cerulean blue skies and every single line and angle in my perspective is etched in both dark and light. Now, in this moment, I have found yet again a tiny little space of peace in having no answers but questions, curiosity with coming knowledge and feeling. What would a moment be without a feeling? That, I suppose is a question for another time.

May you find joy in your life’s moments for all are truly precious in whatever manner you perceive them to be. May the light brilliantly shine upon the dark shadows of all of your perceptions and beliefs. In time illumination comes for those who know it will and already has.

© J.L. Harter (photo/words)

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

Beyond the Sun's Light: Finding Conscious Understanding

Funny thoughts of late have I held for reasons I don’t know if I care to explore.  There are so many thoughts converging and feelings surfacing in this moment that I’m not sure where to begin.  I wanted awareness and I wanted understanding and I find it near comical the effect it has had on my vision.  I see things now so differently.  At first the sights in my new found vision hurt me to my core.  It hurt my heart to see what humanity does to itself, all of the pain and all of the striving to be better than even in the negative.  Oh it sent my mind spinning and my world swirling right straight back into the heart of me.  And there I sat so very quietly.  Long years spent thinking and searching for meaning and understanding only to find pain?  I knew that could not be the reason and something within me drove me further within.

I see so much now in this world.  I see sociopathic behaviors in companies, narcissistic behaviors in humans, antagonistic behaviors in those harmed by their own psychology and the wake of additional collateral damage left to flounder in a sea of not knowing, seemingly lost.  Was I better off before?  I questioned that.  I really did.  For what did understanding bring me now but to see how much humanity suffers with intent.  Yes, I said Intent with a capital “I.”  It took many years for the horizons to broaden ever wider and to contend with the emotions and feelings my new vision brought me. 

Reconciliation could not be had while working from within a framework I was given and unconsciously held on to.  I was working from the premise of malware so deeply installed within my own human operating system that I made myself such a victim of this world.  I couldn’t admit it but I felt it.  It crushed me and I unconsciously sought out lesson after life lesson to reinforce what I was learning.  But I wasn't getting the lesson so I fought back harder and longer and walked off eventually in dire frustration creating silence and distance while thinking I was stepping off the battlefield.  I was not.  The battle had only begun and I waged it well.  Unfortunately, no wait...fortunately, I waged that battle against myself.  The battle was an illusion born of delusion and mistaken belief held for so long it seemed real.  It wasn't real.  It was never real.  Breathe.

Perhaps it was actually growth that brought me to that point.  When I reached that point and the pain grew deep enough I had to stop all thought, all feeling and then begin to reach within for the truth.  Brilliant teachers from all parts of humanity helped me to understand that belief can be a deadly thing to our emotional states, our relationship with ourselves, our relationships with others, our relationship with this world and reality as well as our relationship to the Cosmic One in which we are all an intrinsic part.  I did not understand that it was belief alone that created the opacity of the filters through which I once viewed this world and life here within it.  From ground zero, you cannot see the Whole.  From 10 feet up, you cannot see the Whole and from 1,000 and 100,000 feet you cannot see the Whole.  You have to get yourself entirely outside of the framework you think you know in order to see the Truth.  And even when you see it at first you will not want it.  You won’t at first understand it.  Our consciousness is beyond our description and is more than the limited striations of psychology or any other “ology” that exists to define it.  We must learn to find our own resonance and the Source of that resonance and feel our way through the muck and mire of an unaware and zombie-like state of a life lived asleep.  We must awaken gently with a blessed curiosity that does not prejudge an outcome of our exploration other than knowing we are capable of not only seeing and feeling the Truth but being It.

In a naturally and intentionally altered state of consciousness, I saw the world at last and I felt humanity in its entirety and with everything in me to the level of the tiniest cell within I knew the precious nature of existence.  I was shocked and astounded at my own capacity then for not only understanding but love…a love so profound and purely endless these words are really useless in conveying the depths.  We are here in this world of dichotomy for learning.  When we awaken to the Truth, the definitive Truth that can only be intuitively felt, we relax a little and the former pain of our first awakening visions begin to subside, we come to find peace and resonance with life as it is.  We find no need to change or control what is and therein lies our freedom should we wish to take it.  We can take it.  We just have to want it.

So, the point again, where was it? Yes, there it is…feel it…close your eyes for a moment and breathe in the first fiery rays of morning sometime or the last scarlet golden rays of the day as night brings a blanket of stars into view.  Know that this understanding of the Whole of our Consciousness is not unlike the sky.  Every single day we look up and we see gray or blue and white but we don’t see what is really there when the sun is up do we?  The stars are there day and night; different positions maybe as we move on our little planet in our beautiful Milky way Galaxy.  The stars are always there behind the blue, behind the clouds, behind the blinding rays of the sun.  The truth, the Truth is like that too.  It’s always there…like the heart beat of eternity…when you hear it and your own heartbeat resonates in tune with the cadence of the heartbeat of the Source of all Consciousness, then you know you have found what you were looking for.  You know you never lost anything and you know some part of you was always Home even if you forgot and even if you still struggle to remember consistently.

I wish for you a blessed journey precious ones.  Enjoy your lives; the good times and bad times equally and with a grand and yet relentless curiosity.  Seek to understand what it is you are learning and you will begin to understand the amazing wonder that you are as a glorious part of this beautiful and powerful Sentient Conscious Whole.  In love and light, may the peace and stillness carry you and comfort you always and in all ways.  And So, It Is.

  © J.L. Harter (photo and words)

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

Considerations on Consciousness

I wish to share with you some considerations on consciousness from one of my works.  Exploration is an ever unfolding task as is the resulting understanding that comes in waves.  But, we all must begin from some point of origin or premise and go on from there.  This was one of my points of focus and although written just earlier this year, the thoughts and ideas for greater understanding continues.

From my exploration into the topic of consciousness, the ego as the veil, I begin to come to the conclusion that the life we experience here on Earth is the result of a conscious individuation from the Cosmic Mind or One Mind in the form of ego for the purpose of a physical experience in an individuated focal point of existence in a specific time.  The ego is the veil that separates humanity from the Cosmic Mind or that, to us, which is unconscious or simply, not yet known.  The veil does not separate us from our Source or sever the connection to that Cosmic Mind but rather obscures it through the existence of the ego.  We remain part of the entirety of the cosmos, our cells, molecules and particles gathered as a density intentionally collected in a point of focus here in this now as are all entities in existence within this frame or dimension.

The ego exists as learned scholars and wise spiritual teachers will in unison agree.  Where they all may diverge is on the purpose of the ego and understanding its related consciousness.  In my dissertation, I posit that it is because of the ego that we have individuated from the One Mind or Cosmic Consciousness and this intentionally formed the veil between the physical conscious world and the world of unconsciousness, ether or the ethereal realms of the spirit.  It is through the process of choosing individual experience that seems to separate us from our Source at a purely physical or conscious level.  We did so in order to experience creating and the receiving of the gift and the use of free will from whatever Source or Force in this universe that created us.  As a unified whole, we still exist, I think, as everything in creation is interconnected as well as interdependent.  Others are beginning to join this body of thought. 

Another wonderful work I encountered that describes this thought in part a little more comes from Eva Herr in her work, Consciousness, within the Introduction section.  The author describes a moment in her life in which she became aware of her consciousness.  She describes going to sleep one night during a troubling time and awoke with a new sense of purpose in that she moved away from “the dogma of materialism, vanity and self-consumed ideations” (Rainbowbridge Books, xix) and moved to a more full understanding of consciousness.  She describes it within this same section as “The God force—behind everything that exists’’ and that accompanying this thought or feeling was “a powerful but simplistic idea of agape—the love for one’s fellow man as one loves oneself, because we are all one.” 

It is not enough to become enlightened to the mechanics of the fullness of our physical existence; the ‘hows and the whys’ in which we have come to exist.  These things are just the vehicles designed to carry forth our points of focus for an individuated experience of the wholeness of the Source of All That Is in order to truly experience and understand the significance of it.  Perception affects the perceiver and thus the perceiver learns through his or her own perceptions of individual experience.  If there were no veil of egoic consciousness, we might know the ending of the movie before the movie is finished playing and thus remove our ability to learn in the now moments as they pass as we intended.  The ego is not something to be destroyed but rather, better understood.

Various disciplines describe the Cosmic or Quantum Whole with different languages.  Many see the similarities in the words and descriptions and yet others see only a single source language with which to define our place in this world.  I like to use the analogy of a tree.  There is a beautiful tree planted on a beautiful green hill.  How would a psychiatrist define the tree and its existence?  How would an artist or poet describe the tree and its existence?  How would a carpenter or mechanic see a tree?  How would a reverend see a tree?  How would a mystic describe a tree?  How would a scientist or physicist define a tree?  What about a botanist? Each would view the same tree and describe it in accord with his or her selected discipline or experiential perspective focus. There is no other way each could define the tree. But then what would happen if the Truth were explained that each perceiver from within his or her discipline was the tree or an integral part, thereof?  

Like a perfect circle, each discipline has a degree from which they work within the construct of the circle.  What if the reality of our individuated experience is the circle and yet there are increasingly ever more concentric circles overlaid upon our dimension of reality?  Would it be too much for a simple human being to take in all at once?  Does the ego create a sufficient veil that allows us to take in the information we need in bite-sized chunks that are much more easily digested and that make it easier to live our lives in our current point of focus for the experience we most desired?

What if our body, the physical body that we seemingly exist within is the ego or the point at which the spirit and soul meet the physical world?  What if that ego is the tiny tip of the gigantic iceberg in terms of the divine aspects of the souls that we are and further yet, the spirit that lies beyond the veil?  Beyond the spirit is the Source of All That Is and that is simply beyond a tiny particle’s ability to comprehend.  A tiny bug cannot comprehend the entirety of the universe cohesively and completely, as it hasn’t got the capacity.

We have the potential for the capacity but our purpose and point of focus does not necessarily include understanding the entirety of the whole of existence precisely while our point of focus and materialization exists in the third dimension physically. 

Understanding that we are not the limited, unimpressive mere egoic humans pursuing our desires to our detriment or betterment may yet buoy humanity as they work their way through the construct of this experience here in this world, in this dimension at this time.  Physics theorizes and contemplates that our existence is not in a singular dimension but that it is quite possible that all that we see and experience has multiple layers of existence beyond that which we can readily comprehend. (Exploring the Conscious Self: For Greater Understanding, 125)

Referenced Work:

Harter, J.L., Exploring the Conscious Self: For Greater Understanding, 2014. California, The Ministry of Connected Consciousness.  Print. 

Herr, Eva, Consciousness, 2012.  Virginia, Rainbow Ridge Books.  Print.

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

No Problem

Why does it seem that we have so many problems in our lives to deal with?  It sometimes seems we have way more to contend with than we can possibly handle and this can result in anxiety, stress, insomnia and even depression.  Giving considerable thought to these symptoms and their multiple and varied origins and knowing how within our Consciousness we create, I wonder if it is just something as simple as “we’ve got it all wrong.”  We watch how our lives are supposed to be from television, books, movies and even what those around us represent to us as the best case scenario for living and finding happiness.  But what if we realized the truth that these things are only idealized potentials and that if we strive for someone else’s ideal of the perfect life or happiness, we may actually find ourselves quite disheartened?  That isn’t what we’re here for.

We haven’t come all this way in our evolution and development to settle for someone else’s perfect version of what our reality should be, I think.  Look around you and see what this approach is getting us.  Every day we’re becoming more aware of the growing symptoms of personality disorders.  Even the DSM V sites more psychological disorders today than ever before.   The DSM is, “The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) … widely known as the bible of psychiatry and psychology,” (n.p. Tartakovsky, psychcentral.com).

Now, having cited this I realize that perhaps this knowledge is simply a part of the deepening of our understanding due to the increasing availability of information more quickly.  However, certain disorders or behaviors still seem to be on the rise such as those in the anti-social or sociopathic category.  But what if we’ve still not even scratched the surface of the true problems that ail humanity?  Consider this if you will, I have posited before that the Ego is the Veil.  Meaning that I lean towards the theory that our egos are that part of our consciousness that meets physical reality.  If there is a bigger part of our Consciousness that remains not in physically manifested three-dimensional reality, then maybe behavioral issues stemming from the ego are an unintended (or unconsciously intended) consequence of our being here, generally speaking.  So, if we begin from this premise that the ego is the reason we are in the physical, and when in the physical, we don’t understand the whole of our true Conscious capabilities, I could understand how some could wax either more sensitive with the realization of the possibility or it’s opposite, not sensitive at all in the absence of the realization of the possibility.  I see all of these things as coping mechanisms related not just to life and our experiences from childhood but that sometimes the level of discontent and ill-behavior grows simply from our lack of understanding of what it is that we are.

So, we have an ego that projects our focus here were we are physical, experience the physical, encounter egoic emotion and if we remain aware, we can still experience the ethereal.  Now, those of us still engrossed in entertaining that the physical is the ONLY reality may never awaken to the ethereal components of our larger Consciousness and they may begin to label, make-fun of or find other ways to hide out in pure science or psychological bad behavior alone to prove their own ego’s version of reality and all that will seem to do is perpetuate this ill behavior we so often see demonstrated within humanity.  I’m a compassionate soul and have to believe there is a reason for this behavior, for this seemingly limited thinking and why some of those in the know may find our make-up and lack of awareness quite convenient.  I’m not going to dive into conspiracy theories here.  I dare not put any good energy towards that.  I can neither confirm nor deny the existence of those with supreme knowledge and those who are lost to that knowledge (at least temporarily).  What I do know is that there is a collective of memories, thoughts and knowledge available to humanity.  At any time one can merely observe their own thoughts to realize we are not so simply defined.  We cannot even completely define consciousness itself unless we begin to break it down into very small, agreeably identifiable component parts (we can’t do that yet, at least not entirely).  Even if were able to identify all of the component parts, due to the process of individuation of focus (materialization of our consciousness in the third-dimensional world), the challenges of living we’ve all been through in our own unique ways would have us view the findings only through the perspective of our own life experience. The way we are generally made up would have us believe our own perceptions as truth whether or not that truth was provisional.

I have learned in life that we can experience so many problems, challenges and pain as we try to make it through the day living up to ideals presented for us to hold and believe in.  But what if the things in our lives are not problems to solve at all?  What if that concept or framework of operation is the problem and prevents us from truly knowing ourselves and the beauty that life has to offer?  What if we fearlessly engaged in serious inquiry of the origins of our own beliefs, understood them and then realized there is no need to fight for someone else’s version of reality or even defend our own?  What if you discovered that the way things are here as we see and experience them right now is just exactly the way they are supposed to be?  What if you knew you had a choice in terms of labeling, judging, hating, dividing, conquering or accepting, holding compassion, understanding, allowing and appreciating the diversity of life here and the full scope of potential experiences you have in order to better understand your life lessons?  What would that do to your problems?  Would that put them in a different category that might cause you to react differently towards?  Would you begin to see the behavior in others that drives you mad is not the impetus for you to engage in a campaign to change others but to seek greater understanding and wisdom within yourselves?  The irritating factors that occur to us from others does not exist so that we can allow the frustration to take up residence within our heads to our detriment.  On the contrary.  They are messages only to remind us that we have a choice in how we view things, even if we have to struggle a few days to gain a more positive perspectives.

So much is possible in this world.  If we could shift our perspectives we could endeavor to engage in more richly rewarding discourses and interaction with all of life here on planet Earth…here in the Earth School.  We could see the world with new eyes, hear the music of life with new ears and feel the truth of everything with a sensory perception unaided by limited psychological labels for experiences.  We could transform misery into beauty in the span of a heart-beat if we but took the time to learn how to stand in the center of the light of our own beautiful Consciousness and realize that we are one in so many ways.  Or, we could just continue with the drudgery, the pain, the bleak and stark expanses of some of the roadways of life.  The choice of perspective belongs to each of us alone.  That’s the beauty of life I suppose.  There isn’t really a wrong way or a right way.  I think being here at all has the consequence of symptomatic expression of “malware” we’ve had unconsciously installed in our minds from very early on.  I’m referring to the beliefs that were created about ourselves and the world that came from outside in and remained resident in our psyches without our understanding it was that very same "malware" that we have always operated from.  That "malware" skews our vision and makes the truth awfully difficult to perceive definitively.  I guess maybe that part of the fun is learning to spot our false premises and then striving to transcend them.  It is in the journey that we find our greatest rewards and not necessarily in the attaining of a destination, thing or whatever it is you can think of.   

In a way, we are already very Consciously Aware and Awake, we just have chosen not to acknowledge that yet or maybe we haven't yet learned how to remember that fact.  Each in his or her own time, I continually remind myself and remind myself with much gratitude.  I love life and humanity.  The beauty and diversity of existence here is just beyond words.  It’s miraculous, amazing, inspiring… even on those dark nights or during dark seeming times.  Things change, we always grow and everything is forever in motion.  It's not a problem.  It's just life.

Referenced Work:

Tartakovsky, M. “How the DSM Developed:  What You Might Not Know”  Psychcentral.com Web.

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

© 2014 J.L. Harter, PhD

A Word of Caution for the Conscientious

The Oxford Dictionary (Web), defines the word Conscientious as follows: 

 

Conscientious - adjective

1(Of a person) wishing to do what is right, especially to do one’s work or duty well and thoroughly: a conscientious and hardworking clerk

2Relating to a person’s conscience: the act does not provide exemption from service on the basis of personal conscientious beliefs

Origin (for those who are curious):  early 17th century: from French consciencieux, from Medieval Latin conscientiosus, from Latin conscientia (see conscience).

Derivatives:

·      Conscientiously – adverb

·      Conscientiousness - noun 

Not every human being on the planet has a well-developed Conscientiousness.  For those who have a well-developed Conscientiousness or an even deeper sense, empathy, those lacking conscience can either unintentionally or intentionally exploit your Conscientiousness.  If you’ve ever given this any thought, you may have already come to this conclusion.  An interesting thought to me is how we typically deal with the ensuing conflict when we encounter individuals out of sync with our own level of Conscientiousness.  When we have a fairly well-developed sense of Conscientiousness, we may hold this mistaken belief that if we are Conscientious, that others are or should be as well.  Not so.  As we live our lives dealing with the conflict of our beliefs and the Truth of reality in the absence of understanding, we may become quite conflicted.  This conflict within us may have us wishing, “If only this person did this” or maybe, “If only that person would just do that, then I could or would be happy, fine or content.”  This is where we do ourselves a great disservice in a number of ways.  I’d like to count them for you because I think (notice I did not say “believe”) with greater understanding we can expand our awareness and compassion.  These two things are important to our well-being in ways that are worth understanding.

The Ways:

1.     Just because a thought comes from within our own heads, it does not make it true.  Given this, our beliefs would have us think that everyone should be conscientious but the truth is, they are not.

2.     Every person on this Earth has some things in common and many things uncommon in terms of experience, psychology, and this list, well, is endless.

3.     If we walked through our lives hanging our only capability of finding happiness on the behavior of others in accord with the way we might behave, we’re headed for a life of pure anxiety, anger, sadness and even depression.

4.     If you are conscientious or even empathic, you may positively project that onto others believing they are what they are not which may set you up, again, for an uncomfortable emotional fall.

Now, considering all of the above and it is really a list that could go on into eternity, it might seem a reasonable approach to become very fearful and distrusting of others.  That is certainly an option but how would taking that approach support a true sense of well-being for you?  I’ll say that it is a fairly reasonable approach to life if you’ve experienced many disappointments through interactions with your fellow human beings (truly your brothers and sisters).  However, I suggest to you there is yet a better way.  That way or path is the path of understanding, acceptance, forgiveness and compassion.  When you realize that we may extend from the same Source in origin but that our consciousness diverges based on our individuation and focus here in 3^rd dimensional reality, you come to understand that every one may operate similarly at some basic levels of maybe biology or psychology but we all operate very differently spiritually or metaphysically speaking.

That fact, that we may operate differently, is beautiful and perfect even if we learn the truth painfully at times.  We learn the most from others in some very interesting ways.  Let me explain to you a little bit of a theory I have about malware, meaning in the context of this article the emotionally and energetically charged beliefs in our mostly unconscious memories.  I’ll break it down in summary to help explain:

• We have all had some form of experience while in a fragile state of mind.  Perhaps it was while we were very young and just learning to work within the confines of this world.  Maybe the state occurred later in life.

• That experience may have created in you a belief that was either negative about you or about the inhabitants of or even your own existence in this world.

• Depending on the depth and severity of the thoughts generating emotion resulting in an energetic charge attached to the belief (whether true or not), that emotionally charged belief was stored in your memory.

• This emotionally and energetically charged belief stored as an unconscious memory changed the way you operated in this world.  In a way, it changed the way you operate within the confines of conscious awareness in this life.

• Any belief that formed around wounding will in time move to the level of consciousness beneath the awake and aware state.  Dr. Sigmund Freud referred to this consciousness as latent consciousness (meaning that which is unconscious with the possibility of rising to consciousness).  The memory of the belief and the emotional and energetic charge attached to it will still be active in terms of how your thought processes work but since the original belief has drifted below aware consciousness, you are no longer consciously aware of it.

• The amazing minds and physical forms that we hold will always seek a state of homeostasis (study biology and learn some amazing things).

• If you have an emotionally and energetically charged belief stored in your unconscious memory, you will seek to heal it through the interactions with people in this world or situations that will brush that emotionally and energetically charged belief in the form of a trigger.

• When you become triggered, you may be acting from the basis of a belief that was not true or that you didn’t even know existed.  When in a triggered state, you may even wonder, “Why am I reacting like this?” or “Why do I feel like this?

• Until you find your emotional and energetically charged beliefs stored in the level of consciousness below your awareness, you will continually be surrounded by people and situations that will trigger you.

• This process, while it may sound complex or even far-fetched for some, is actually quite perfect and amazing.  It is more evidence of our innate ability to heal ourselves and to do so individually and perfectly for each of us.  In a sense, we all have some form of malware that we are unconsciously seeking to heal.  This may create the various differentiations between our levels of conscientiousness as we live our days on planet Earth.

Consider this, if you will.  If you are a Conscientious individual, you can think about how others may feel before you act.  You have developed a very good thinking simulation process whereby your mind can rapidly take in lots of data and information, consider the feelings and situations of others and then act in ways that coincide with what you feel deep within is the right way to act.  But think about it for just a moment, why are you conscientious?  Are you just a very aware person or have you had to learn to be 3 steps ahead of others in order to protect yourself emotionally?  Both are perfectly fine and can actually be exactly the same but regardless, in a world where not everyone operates at the same level, Conscientious individuals need to exercise caution.  I say they need to exercise caution because those that are not Conscientious and who may even completely lack any scruples at all due to their own Life Lesson Plan, may exploit you.

So, how do you keep from being exploited or how do you prevent your own disappointment when people don’t behave kindly or maybe as considerately or gently as you do or would do?  There is an easy answer and a difficult answer.  The easy answer is by merely understanding that every one here in this Earth School, or simply the citizens of planet Earth, all operate at different levels of consciousness, have different emotionally and energetically charged beliefs (triggers) and will just act differently than you.  As for the difficult answer, well, you need to step way back and maybe go deeply within perhaps reaching for the metaphysical and spiritual perspectives to consider why we might be here at varying and different levels to begin with.  Consider that you may have come here for the opportunity to learn something.  Maybe that something was a challenging emotional existence fraught with tough life lessons.  What if your lesson plan was to learn to transcend your own triggers by learning to understand, love and hold compassion for the difficult path that every one here must take?  What if you are here to heal the wounds you planned to take on and so you find conflict where ever it is that you go not to wreck your world but to help you learn in better and more long-lasting ways?

The Caution for the Conscientious is to make sure you are aware in your thoughts that all here are learning and in different grades (and importantly, that no one grade or level is better than the other – just, perhaps, different).  Because we are all learning at different levels and in different ways, you must discover what it is you are learning from your own Conscientiousness.  Being Conscientious is wonderful and a great advantage as well as a wonderful way to learn life lessons.  It has beautiful rewards.  But if you hold the expectation that everyone should be as you are, you may be greatly disappointed.  Often times the conflict we think is coming at us from outside of us is actually coming from within us.  Taking a great leap into the metaphysical and spiritual perspective for a moment, we are creating what we experience whether we are consciously aware of it or not.  We will either continue to suffer the processes of our learning or we will learn and rise above.  Through awareness you can exercise caution in your thoughts, caution in your expectations and caution in your own behavior.  You can set boundaries within which you operate but realize those not on your path may crush them, or attempt to.  Understand that some people just can’t know what they don’t know and so will behave as they do until they learn.  You can appoint yourself their personal teacher if you want or you can simply step off of such battlefields without engaging in conflict.  You have free will and you will gain what you came here for.

This is a lot of food for thought, I realize.  If anything, my sincere desire is to paint a picture to illuminate some of the darker perspectives we may hold.  My intent is to open people up to the idea that what they think is True may be the biggest illusion they’ve ever held and all of this--existence, could easily be a simple, maddening or extraordinary dream.  I deeply appreciate all paths of learning and realize that the extent of my free will ends at these thoughts.  I share them for the purpose of presenting an alternative perspective that may cause individuals to think, feel and understand the importance of their existence here so that they may live with an increasing sense of ever unfolding well-being.  

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

© 2014 Rev. J.L. Harter, PhD (photo/words)