Growing your Consciousness
Last week we talked about the importance of raising our consciousness and this enforced lockdown gives us ample opportunity to do that; in fact it may be the best use of your time over the next few weeks and even going forward from there. Raising our consciousness means we become more aware, more mature and more capable of addressing the issues that we face in every aspect of our lives. Many of us have the attitude that we just want to live a “good life”, minding our own business and staying safe. This prevailing attitude is a very poor preparation for life because when a challenge such as Coronavirus shows up on the doorstep we freak out, and become consumed by fear and scarcity. The way forward is to give up the denial and expand our consciousness so we can contribute to the solution as well as becoming more benign and kind.
Right now the world is facing a mega problem and there are a few more, possibly even greater ones, waiting in the wings. The biggest contribution we can make to our families, our communities and ourselves is to raise our consciousness. But how do we do that?
The first step is to understand our heritage. As we humans evolved we lived in nature at the mid level of the food chain, and so we developed a strong survival instinct. We physically honed our senses to best suit our survival strategy and that served us well because it got us here. We managed to remove everything above us in the food chain and we now devour all below us without regard. In the part of our mind some call our reptilian mind we still have that very primal flight or fight response, and many of us revert to it in times of stress and even remain there subconsciously for many hours of the day.
The first step in raising our consciousness is to become fully aware of these primal responses and learn to transcend them. In order to grow we must develop past this survival instinct, be willing to expand and become more inclusive, and allow our heart/mind to cultivate a relationship with all in our world. We choose constantly to become more aware of the dynamics and interactions going on around us. In this regard it is best not to reach judgments about what we think is happening; we engage as fully as we can but we avoid reaching fixed conclusions. This is basically our willingness to learn more and keep an open mind.
Secondly we are called to practice a path of forgiveness, which requires us to be willing to give up our grievances and resentments. When we become good at forgiveness then our life starts to align with the forces of the universe and becomes faster and more exciting. Forgiveness allows us to be in the flow when life comes towards us and so we are available to take the ride. We are also called to give up our desire to control events around us in order to hide our fear of being overwhelmed by them.
Finally, to transcend our survival instinct we are asked to accept a spiritual path. Another way to describe our spiritual nature is that part of us that knows there is something greater than ourselves, a universal energy, the Creator, God, whatever that is for us. Then we need to nurture a relationship with that part, which we also call our higher mind. So find a path that works for you but find a path and stick to it the best you can. Develop a practice that you do every day and from there witness your mind becoming increasingly expanded and inclusive.
A daily spiritual practice raises your energy; you become like an antennae, available for inspiration, creativity and connection. A practice might be based on yoga, meditation, chanting, walking in nature, reading spiritual texts, or using cards – anything. When you commit to that practice and raise your consciousness you become more tolerant and harmless, a kinder and truer parent, partner or friend.
Creative initiatives that expand our awareness beyond our day-to-day survival are all around us as we find a new rhythm of life in this global pandemic. What is growing your consciousness going to look like for you at this time? Who or what would you forgive, what fixed ideas are you willing to relinquish, and what daily practice would bring you into ever-closer connection with whatever you believe in?
Right now we can be grateful to have more space to devote a part of each day to explore and find answers to these questions.
With love
Sue and Jeff