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Collective Consciousness

10/30/2017

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In last week's post, we explored the idea of consciousness. In this week's post, I would like to delve into the idea of collective consciousness. In particular, as it relates to the current challenges we are facing as a country and in the world. 

French sociologist, Emile Durkheim, first introduced the term collective consciousness in 1893. It's defined as the set of shared beliefs, ideas and moral attitudes which operate as a unifying force within society. Just as our individual consciousness can evolve or ascend, so can the collective consciousness. 


In last week's post, I suggested that a higher consciousness is an increasing awareness of your spiritual essence, the meaning of life and of the underlying spiritual nature in and of all things. It's elevating your awareness beyond your normal thought processes to your true nature. The same holds true for the collective consciousness. 

I also mentioned last week the idea that life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of consciousness. Many spiritual leaders believe the challenges that we are currently facing as a nation and as a world is a collective challenge. Its intent is to raise the consciousness of a large group of people all at once. From a higher consciousness perspective, being challenged is a good thing and the crisis is a natural part of evolution. 
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Eckhart Tolle explains that sometimes as part of this evolution, we first regress backward. Two steps forward, one step back. It is a cycle, you revert backward, so you can spring forward further. He believes that right now we have regressed, but that we are positioned to bounce forward collectively.


The choice for each of us is to see the craziness, to see the challenges that are happening now, and the other is to see from a higher perspective that what is happening now is part of the evolution. Right now, whether we realize it or not, we are standing at a big fork in the road. The question is, will we stay on the same path and cling to the craziness, or be brave and bold and venture down a new path?

We can choose to work toward the evolution or to work against it. You may be wondering, how do I choose to work toward it? 
There are many things that you can do to foster the growth of the collective consciousness. A global shift cannot occur until we acknowledge and own our actions and then take action in the world. 

​We can choose to stop taking sides and fostering separation. This is not about us versus them. This is not about republicans versus democrats. This is not just about men versus women. This is not about blacks versus whites. This is not about blaming, deflecting or defending. This is about all of us working together. It's about understanding that we are all one. A collective higher consciousness means we stop acting as though we are separate, but instead work toward the good of the whole.

Practice empathy and compassion and loving kindness. What is it like to be you? As Brene Brown says in her new book Braving the Wilderness, "People are hard to hate close up, move in." Stop dehumanizing people and start humanizing. This can start with listening.


We can choose to exercise the ability to truly listen to one another. Listen without judgment. Listen with curiosity. Listen with an effort toward understanding. Listen without the goal of responding. Listen with the awareness that each of us has our own set of unique life circumstances. In this moment of stillness where you are listening you are not only aware of what that person is saying, but you can also become aware of the deeper essence in the other person that goes well beyond what they are speaking.

Do something, anything and do it with conviction. We need to quit making excuses for doing something. I can't right now because I'm too busy, maybe next week. We need to do something and do it with conviction and commitment. It's not a time for kinda sorta maybe, it's time to activate and be committed. What is your passion? Is it racial injustice? Is it homelessness? Is it human sex trafficking? Is it hunger? Is it clean water? Is it the environment? Whatever your passion is, take action toward relieving the suffering. Find your tribe, your circle of like-minded individuals who have the same passion and together create ripples. Use your voice to call attention to the suffering.

​Author and spiritual teacher, Brother David Steindl-Rast, sums it up this way, "See everything as an opportunity. The current challenges that society faces is a huge opportunity. It is a moment in time that is calling each and everyone of us to step into this opportunity. It is a gift, a great gift. We have the opportunity to stretch even further than people have ever stretched before. An opportunity to stretch to understand each other more, to listen to each other more, to come to a common hope."

​There is so much more to say on this topic, but this covers a lot for now. I would love to hear your feedback on this post. Please drop me a comment or send me an email. 
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What Is Consciousness?

10/24/2017

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Do you hear the word consciousness being used? I hear it a lot. It seems to be an almost overused word these days. Ever wonder what it means to be conscious? Beyond the surface level that is? It can be hard to put into words what consciousness actually is from a physical and spiritual perspective.

Consciousness is the state or quality of awareness. It refers to your  awareness of your thoughts, memories, feelings, sensations, and the environment. Consciousness is an individual’s awareness of their own internal states, as well as the events going on around them. Your conscious experiences are constantly shifting and changing. Being conscious is also part of what allows us to exist and understand ourselves in the world. 
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On the surface, or physical level, consciousness is the ability to be awake and process information. Doctors determine if people are conscious or not depending on their wakefulness and how they respond to external stimuli. 

Do you consider yourself to be conscious? Beyond the medical definition that is? Are you aware of your own internal states, as well as the events going on around you? Sometimes I can be conscious, but I'm on auto-pilot and not operating consciously.

From a spiritual perspective, consciousness is all of those things mentioned, but also regarded as an evolving process. One from what might be considered a lower level state of consciousness, or awareness to a higher level or more evolved  state of consciousness, awareness, or awakeness. This is also referred to as spiritual ascension or spiritual awakening. 

Higher consciousness is an increasing awareness of your spiritual essence, the meaning of life and of the underlying spiritual nature in and of all things. It's elevating your awareness beyond your normal thought processes to your true nature.


Spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle says that, "Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness." He goes on to explain, "How do you know if this is the experience that you need? Because it's the experience that you are having." It's as simple and as complex as that. He suggests that we accept each moment as though you have chosen it for your evolution.

Eckhart Tolle believes that, "The most important thing is not what's happening out there, it's your own state of consciousness. what happens to you is much less important than how you respond to what happens. It's then that you are not at the mercy of what happens to you." He goes on to explain that our minds create all kinds of negative thoughts about our experience and that is what creates most of our suffering. 

There is much discussion in the spiritual community about raising our  individual consciousness and the collective consciousness. 
Collective consciousness is the set of shared beliefs, ideas and moral attitudes which operate as a unifying force within society.

I believe the most important thing we can do for ourselves and the world we live in is to raise our level of spiritual consciousness. The more you are able to raise your level of consciousness, the more joyous, peaceful, and meaningful our experience of life becomes. The more we raise our level of spiritual consciousness, the more we change our mind, the more we change the world.

​In next week's post I will expand on the idea of a collective consciousness and how the challenges that we are currently facing in the world are a collective challenge with the intent to raise the consciousness of a large group of people all at once. 


I would love to hear your feedback on this post. Do you have your own definition for consciousness? Do you agree with Eckhart Tolle's viewpoint? What do you think about raising our level of consciousness? Please drop me a comment or send me an email. 
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In The Blink Of An Eye

10/17/2017

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We all know that life can change in the blink of an eye. We've all heard it. We've all witnessed examples of its truth. One thing I know for sure is that nothing stays the same forever. Everything changes...sometimes slowly and sometimes suddenly. Sometimes events happen in the blink of an eye that change the course of our lives forever. Good, bad or otherwise change is inevitable. 

So why do we so often ignore it? Why do we push off the important things in favor of the not so important? Why do we make excuses? Why do we let fear control our decision making? Why do we often choose regret over making our dreams come true?

Life can change in the blink of an eye, all we have guaranteed is right now at this very moment. Don't put off the good stuff. Don't put off telling someone how you feel, even if you think they already know. Don't put off having fun, sharing moments, seeking adventure, living life. Don't put off following your passion and making your dream a reality. 

Seek to find joy and gratitude as much as possible. Don't dwell on the past, instead overcome and heal past wounds. Forgive those that have caused you pain. Express love and gratitude in abundance. Jump off the hamster wheel and participate fully in life. Create a legacy without regrets. Don't take anything or anyone for granted.


Life can change in the blink of an eye testing us, blessing us, challenging us. In these moments whether good or bad our spiritual practice can carry us and support us. 

Our lives are fragile. They can change in the blink of an eye. Live today in light of this truth and carry no regrets. Life is a precious gift, savor the gift as much as you can and make the most of this moment in time.
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Wholeness

10/9/2017

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Spiritual teacher Gary Zukav says, "The journey you are on is toward wholeness." Do you agree that this journey we call life is toward wholeness? And what does that really mean?

Author William P. Young says, "The movement toward wholeness is when the way of our being matches the truth of our being." So, you might be wondering...what is the truth of our being? According to William P. Young, "The truth of our being is that which is everything that is true about God."

​I personally believe that love, peace, forgiveness, grace, and compassion are true about God.  I believe that God is everywhere and is in everything, that God is infinite and eternal, that God is accepting and welcoming, that God is creative and a creator, that God is kind and full of goodness, that God is patient, that God is joy, that God is giving, and that God is the perfect giving being. 

If these are the truth of our being, then matching it means being in alignment with these truths. Being in alignment, being in integrity with these truths is wholeness. 

I believe that Jesus was a human example of what is true about God. Jesus exercised generous amounts of empathy, compassion, love, peace, unity, forgiveness and patience. He exemplified how we should treat each other and live our lives. This was demonstrated clearly in how Jesus treated social outcasts. Social outcasts during the time of Jesus were 
prostitutes, people with sickness, lepers, people who didn't believe in the main religion, tax collectors, people that had diseases, and people that were considered unclean.

Throughout his ministry his actions were consistently aimed at the inclusion of people that were outcasts. Jesus included women, children, foreigners, sinners, the "unclean", outcasts, the sick and even outlaws and murderers.

How do we treat social outcasts in our time? This can be a challenge can't it? It challenges me at times. What would Jesus do? The movement toward wholeness is when the way of our being matches the truth of our being. 


​William P. Young also says that, "The process of transformation is not about becoming something that we weren't. It's about unveiling what we were the whole time. I think we are made in the image of God and we were very good creations before anything got broken, but it all got covered up by all of this crap." There are things to uncover and to unveil. The process of the uncovering is the transformation.

So how do we uncover all of this so called crap and unveil what we were the whole time? It's a matter of exposing the lies. The lie of I am separate from you. The lie of I am not enough. The lies of I am not good, I am not smart, I am not worthy. It's a matter of exposing the shame. Shame for not being perfect, for making mistakes. 

The journey of this thing we call life is an unveiling and a learning of lessons that bring us toward our wholeness. It takes self-awareness and a whole lot of practice and more practice. It takes doses of self-compassion, self-forgiveness and self-love. It takes massive amounts of empathy and than even more empathy, and a sprinkle of love, and a dash of compassion blended with some forgiveness, some patience, and a cup of gratitude. 
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We Are Made For Goodness

10/2/2017

1 Comment

 
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I wasn't planning to write this post, but then we had yet another horrific tragedy happen, this time in Las Vegas. So, now I have a favor to ask you...please intentionally do something good today, it can be anything big or small just something with the intention of creating a ripple of goodness. Contrary to what we may see happening in our world, we are made for goodness. I believe that the infusion of more goodness into our homes, our communities, and our world will play a key role in healing and shifting this suffering. 

Goodness includes being kind, loving, empathetic, compassionate and connected to one another. If we each infuse more of these qualities into our communities and our world a powerful healing ripple will be created. If we each take the time to get to know the people in our lives and care for one another as a community of oneness, I believe we will all flourish and heal the wounds that create these disasters. 

If we pay attention and exercise empathy, care, and loving kindness we would more clearly see and know how to help those among us that are most wounded inside before they unleash their pain onto others.

During these times, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed and paralyzed by fear and the sheer vastness of the issues. We sometimes don't know what to do when senseless acts of violence, or natural disasters rain down upon us. In times such as this, please don't be paralyzed by fear. Please don't just offer up prayer either. I invite and encourage you instead to take action by doing something good, anything good, and do it today. Do it again tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day. 

Do it for someone in need. Do it for someone you don't think needs it. Do it for someone you know. Do it for someone you don't know. Do it for someone you dislike. Be aware that you are doing it with the intention of creating ripples of goodness cast out into the world to create healing.

Let's model empathy to and for others. There appears to be a definite lack of empathy that would allow someone the ability to carry out such senseless acts of violence against another. Current research has demonstrated that empathy is a skill that can be learned. Let's teach empathy by example.

Let's model a spirit of oneness. When one suffers, we all suffer. We are all human beings and there are common threads of humanity that runs through each of us. Let's notice each other, engage one another, help each other, intentionally welcome and spread goodness in our communities and throughout the world. 

Let's remain hopeful that there is a better way and that we can and will do something to collectively help bring more goodness, more light, love and kindness into our world.

I invite you to 
take action by doing something good, anything good, and do it today. Keep hope alive and well.
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