The 4 Levels of Consciousness (Part 2)

In last week's article we explored the first level of consciousness or "simple consciousness". I do encourage you to read it if you haven't already. Link here .

This instalment takes us to the next level in the hierarchy of consciousness. This second level is all about Self-Awareness and Global Consciousness. This is where I believe there is still a very small minority of the world's population (perhaps 3-4%), but it is a growing contingent. This is because I believe that the planet on which we live is forcing us to "wake up" and realise that we can no longer continue waging war indiscriminately, allowing excessive wealth to coexist alongside abject poverty and for the wealthy and those in pursuit of wealth to continue exploiting the earth and its resources for the sake of accumulation of material possessions or "status".

However, this level of consciousness begins with the self before it impacts the world. It's about becoming more self-aware: observing your thoughts, feelings and reactions and deciding if they create harmony or disharmony. And then it's about deliberately and consciously making a different choice that serves the highest good as opposed to the ego self. It's about distancing ourselves from "drifting" (a concept from Napoleon Hill's Outwitting the Devil that I introduced last week). It's about deciding that we have to take back responsibility for our lives on an individual level, before the world can change and heal itself. We can no longer live automatic, fear-galvanised lives. If we decide we cannot make a difference, we go back to living small, disempowered, inert (automatedly passive) and "drifting" lives, succumbing to our "fates". In this, we acquiesce tothe status quo of injustices and imbalances, and they therefore - by our very inaction (of thoughts, words and deeds) - persist.

Hence, with self-awareness comes responsibility, not just for ourselves, but for others. As we move into this higher state of consciousness, we realise that we are all interconnected: how we respond affects the world around us. Scaling this awakening one-by-one, we'll eventually have a global transformation of consciousness (and ultimately a global healing). We begin to grow and thrive in collective consciousness maturity. Many say this is a spiritual awakening of the world. And I suppose this is true. Spirituality is all about unity. Not just unity of individual mind, body and soul/spirit, but about understanding that we are parts of a whole, of a unified field of energy, of the Cosmos. Our energy has a ripple effect - it's all one giant web and we feel the vibrations from one link to another.

Let's take a closer look at this interconnection from the point of view of suffering and pain in the world.

Neale Donald Walsh seeks to address why there is suffering and pain in the world in his latest book Happier than God . As an Energy Alignment Method mentor, I've been taught all about the Laws of the Universe. In this case the Law of Cause and Effect comes into play. This is the concept that what we experience in our reality is merely a reflection of our internal state of affairs - our thinking, feelings and behaviours. This leads to the idea that people who have pain in their lives are somehow attracting it with their thoughts. When you hear about the starving children in Africa or the female rape victims of war, it's difficult to stomach this.

But the real message of this, according to Walsh, is that it's the collective thoughts of everyone that contributes to our current global woes. He says that "to a huge extent the suffering of entire cultures and peoples is also created by the collective consciousness of those elsewhere who are not suffering. For it is many of those who are not suffering who allow the suffering of others to continue, turning a deaf ear to pleas for help, and often saying that at some level it is their own fault, or surely, at least, their own responsibility."

But in my opinion, I would argue that is not just about stirring the consciousness and the hearts of those who live in relative plenty or comparative freedom, but about educating those who are currently suffering and do not know better. They are the people who have generationally, socially and politically been oppressed, conditioned and therefore suppressed in their thinking and self-expression. They have bought lock, stock and barrel into the idea that they are powerless to defy the system, the cultural norms, the pernicious hierarchy of power.

Every so often, incredible leaders have risen up, despite all the odds against them, to claim back something good for humanity, including Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, Mahatma Ghandi, Tenzin Gyatso (4th Dalai Lama), Martin Luther King (Jr), Harriet Tubman, Desmond Tutu, Maya Angelou. They prove it can be done, without recourse to violence. They have clearly demonstrated that we have to be the change we want to see in the world (Ghandi quote). We educate by our living example. We cannot force this education or realisation on others if they do not see the impact and the ripple effect it can have in our own lives.

Our planet is an important reminder of how apathy and not rising to the challenge of becoming more self-aware of our relationship with self, our relationships with others, and our relationship with our natural environment, can be life-threatening and threaten the very existence and survival of our human race.

Let's start by taking responsibility for ourselves in the healing process. Let's move away from anger, blame, judgement and criticism - let's forgive ourselves and others and show compassion and understanding. Once releasing the past, we focus on the present moment (for tomorrow will take care of itself) and embrace the energy of gratitude, peace and love, for ourselves and others. For only then can we embrace a higher level of consciousness and be the shining example for others to follow. We can be the ripple effect in the world and energetically raise the vibration of the planet. That is how we secure a release from suffering and pain and address the all-too-many imbalances in this world. The question is: are you up for the challenge? I invite your answers in the comments section.