– by Søren Lauritzen
Our world is going through significant and rapid change. There are positive and negative trends.
On the one hand, we are becoming increasingly more aware about the importantance of certain things (for example, sustainability, environmental protection, health, parenting, the entire transpersonal realm, quantum-physical and consciousness oriented paradigm shifts, etc.).
On the other hand, we have human-made climate changes, wars, population explosion, greed and poverty, as well as environmental destruction.
On an individual level, we also face plenty of challenges and problems. We are challenged in our thoughts, emotions, body and health, our daily lives, our work lives, our love lives, our sex lives, our spiritual / religious lives, and in several other areas. Not least, many of us experience meaninglessness and may have to seek treatment for depression and anxiety.
(The number of people with depression and anxiety is actually exploding globally; so much so that the World Health Organization (WHO) has chosen to give them a special focus and (in a report from 2017) called them the most prevalent and rapidly growing contributors to disability in the world).
But why do we have all these problems and challenges? And how do we solve them?
Experts in various fields each have their own answers. And different experts in the same field may not necessarily agree. This may all seem quite overwhelming and confusing.
But imagine if there was one single, simple, all-inclusive answer to all of the aforementioned challenges and problems. Just one.
There is.
The underlying cause of why we have all these problems can be described with a single word:
Unawareness.
Or in three words:
Lack of awareness.
Or in six words:
We do not have enough awareness.
That’s it. That one thing causes us to not function properly, to feel bad – and behave in a dysfunctional way.
In short:
We need a consciousness revolution
What Is a Consciousness Revolution?
Revolution means radical change, and that’s indeed what this is about, a significant and permanent change in consciousness.
When we revolutionize our consciousness, several things are turned upside down – especially things we believe in. Things that we’ve typically been led to believe are right, real, true ever since childhood. Currently, we’ve ‘turned these things upside down’: We believe in various misconceptions that distort our reality. The consequence of believing in misconceptions is an uncomfortable experience – of ourselves and of life.
Examples of Misunderstandings and Beliefs We’ve Gotten all Wrong
Just to take a few examples of fundamental misconceptions, many of us currently believe:
a) that the physical world is the basis of everything and that consciousness is a byproduct of the physical domain
b) that everything (including ourselves) is separate from everything else
c) that you can understand something that is whole by breaking it apart and describing all the parts
d) that everything – from our own body to the universe as a whole – is fundamentally mechanical
e) that humans are fundamentally defective, or “sinful” or evil – that there is something wrong with us
All these things, which many of us believe, are turned upside down in relation to how things actually are.
If you (just as a little game) take each of the above sentences from a) to e) and say …
“No, actually, reality is the complete opposite of those statements.”
… then you have a much better idea of reality.
Of course, it’s a claim, but it’s quite easy for anyone to check it to their own satisfaction:
The first thing that needs to happen is that we expand our consciousness. This can be done through many different techniques and methods. Then, when we see everything in the light of ‘higher’ consciousness, we can focus on each of the topics and gain proper insight into it. By doing so, there will no longer be any need for a theory or belief, because we will personally KNOW how things fit together.
When You Revolutionize Your Consciousness, You Make It Larger
So, what is a consciousness revolution?
Briefly, it can be put like this:
A consciousness revolution is simply the act of becoming significantly more aware – it’s a powerful and permanent expansion of our consciousness.
One could also call a consciousness revolution:
– a lift in consciousness – a movement from a “lower” level of consciousness to a “higher” one.
– or a movement away from limited consciousness towards a less limited consciousness.
– or one could also call it a movement from ego-consciousness to essence-consciousness / ‘soul’-consciousness (meaning significantly expanded consciousness).
But there’s more to it than that …
A Consciousness Revolution Is Also …
Here are a few more things that a consciousness revolution also is (and entails):
• A paradigm shift that affects everything, from our everyday lives and experiences to research and science, to the way we treat each other, animals, plants, ecosystems, and the Earth itself.
We leave the old physical-mechanical-reductionist paradigm and transitions into a new one, which currently doesn’t have a name, but could be called, for example, the quantum physics-based, holistic consciousness paradigm.
• A focus on truth, wholeness, and reality as both goals and means (tools). If this sounds a bit strange or difficult to grasp, it simply means that we use truth to uncover more truth, we use wholeness to (re)create more wholeness, and that a helper, such as a Consciousness Guide, can use their understanding of reality to assist others in renewing and enhancing their understanding of reality.
• A shift towards a new way of being, a new identity, a new worldview, and a new understanding of reality, which will provide us with a new and better life experience, a new and better life in practice – as well as a more healthy and useful behavior towards ourselves, others, and our environment.
Does a Consciousness Revolution Mean that We Lose Ourselves?
No, quite the opposite!
A consciousness revolution is an expansion of our ‘bubble’ of reality, from an ego-based reality to a transpersonal one. And this happens WITHOUT us losing our identity – in fact, we find more of it.
The shift FROM an identity and worldview that are narrow and ego-centric, TO an identity and worldview that are both broader and transpersonal, has the effect that we become more ourselves than we were before.
It’s very logical: When we take on a larger identity, there is room for more of us in it.
And the same goes for our worldview.
The truth is that both we ourselves and reality are much bigger than most of us think. (When we have a constriction of consciousness, both ourselves and reality appear much smaller than they (we) actually are).
This is not just a theoretical claim; it is the actual EXPERIENCE we have when we do it: When we become larger, we become more ourselves – and more real. Just as the reality we experience through a larger identity becomes more real. This is extremely pleasant and makes our entire life experience better.
And with the new, larger perspective on everything, our behavior – towards ourselves, others, and our environment – becomes much more healthy, useful and functional.
We have Tried It Before: Revolutions Are Important Steps in Evolution
We humans have experienced consciousness revolutions before, but not that many, because such a revolution is a very big fundamental thing that changes everything for us.
Once we were hunters and gatherers; then we revolutionized ourselves by becoming farmers – an extremely different way of thinking – along with a completely different type of behavior.
Then we revolutionized ourselves with the scientific revolution, the Enlightenment era, and the Industrial Revolution.
Right now, we are in the midst of a communication revolution … as well as the consciousness revolution we are talking about here. Make no mistake – the consciousness revolution IS happening, thankfully so, and some of us have already gone quite a way through it, so we can begin to show others the way.
What Is the Purpose of a Consciousness Revolution?
Even though a consciousness revolution is a huge thing, the purpose of it can be described briefly and clearly:
The purpose of a consciousness revolution is a better life experience and a better life in practice for the individual … as well as a better world for all of us. By this I mean that we humans start to behave healthily, functionally and beneficially (consciously) towards each other, other beings / life forms, and the environment / ecosystems.
This is a quite attractive and worthy purpose, isn’t it?
What Is Our Tool if We Want to Make a Consciousness Revolution?
More awareness. Both individually and collectively.
The primary tool to revolutionize our consciousness is choosing to become more aware.
And what exactly is that?
When we become more aware we will use our will plus truth and acceptance of ‘that-which-is’ to:
1) liberate and strengthen our will
2) make the unconscious conscious and the unknown known, as well as
3) lift, heal, and expand our consciousness.
(By the term ‘that-which-is’ we mean reality – not in a relative sense, but in a more absolute sense. We won’t delve into exactly what that means right now, only briefly acknowledge that it is the largest, most inclusive, and most comprehensive version of reality there is – it encompasses all that seems opposite each other and all relative aspects).
Awareness is something we can work on individually, with an expert (e.g., a Consciousness Guide), or in a group. It could also be called personal development – or spiritual development – and it has (as we can see in this and several other articles on goodconsciouslife.com) many, many positive effects.
“What you don’t know has power over you; knowing it brings it under your control, and makes it subject to your choice. Ignorance makes real choice impossible.”
~ Abraham Maslow ~
Is a Consciousness Revolution a Violent Thing?
No, absolutely not. Rather, it’s the opposite.
We typically associate the word revolution with something sudden, intense, and perhaps even violent, but …
A consciousness revolution is quite peaceful and entirely violence-free.
A consciousness revolution can indeed occur quite suddenly, for example, entirely spontaneously and unexpectedly, or it can be triggered by, for instance, a near-death experience or an important inner journey in consciousness …
But perhaps more importantly, a consciousness revolution can be something we choose and take steps towards – a process we work on within ourselves, and a gift we give ourselves (and our surroundings and the world).
This means: A consciousness revolution is a positive and radical change in consciousness and it can occur suddenly and powerfully or gradually and calmly (as a result of a conscious choice).
WHETHER we actually choose it or not – well, that’s up to us. Perhaps this article can spark some interest in the phenomenon.
A Consciousness Revolution Is Simply Choosing More Consciousness
The American psychologist Abraham Maslow (1908-1970) is interesting because he specifically studied living individuals who had already undergone consciousness revolutions – he called them “self-actualized” people.
Maslow’s conclusion was that self-actualized individuals have a different general state of consciousness (Maslow called it cognition). This state of consciousness is based on a holistic and unitary awareness characterized by simplicity, joy, transcendence, integrity, playfulness, humor, truth, and autonomy (A more comprehensive overview of these characteristics can be seen here, and the concepts originally come from (chapter 20 and onwards of) Maslow’s book “The Farther Reaches of Human Nature“.
But Maslow was also quite a ‘hardcore’ academic, so his texts are not necessarily super easy to read. However, if you and I want to revolutionize our consciousness in practice, it is extremely important to understand how simple consciousness revolution actually is:
Either we give ourselves more consciousness, or we don’t.
If we don’t give ourselves more consciousness, everything continues as before. If we give ourselves more consciousness, we also give ourselves a better life.
It seems there is a fairly direct correlation between consciousness and life quality: The more consciousness we give ourselves, the better a life we give ourselves. If we choose to specifically revolutionize our consciousness, we give ourselves a MUCH better life because …
A consciousness revolution affects everything in our lives in a positive way; including our thoughts, feelings, insights, beliefs, being, choices, actions, our practical lives (family life, work life, relationships, sex life, etc.), and our life experience.
How exactly may this improvement manifest itself?
Five Important Aspects of Our Lives that a Consciousness Revolution Improves
Yes, a shift in our consciousness may require effort, and it can also be confusing. But there are many benefits.
Specifically, during and after a consciousness revolution, we will experience a fundamental change in – and clear improvement of:
1) Our understanding of everything.
We will give ourselves more and deeper insight into ourselves, others, and life, and we will understand connections that were previously a mystery to us.
2) Our state of being.
We will experience more wholeness, meaning, love, joy / happiness, freedom, inner peace, and better health – both physically, mentally, emotionally, energetically, and spiritually.
3) Our choices and behavior.
We will choose and act in a more functional and meaningful way, more from a place of wholeness, and the interesting result will be what could be called ‘universal beneficial usefullness’, meaning that our choices and behavior lead to the best possible outcomes for all parties involved in those choices.
4) Our personal gifts.
There is probably no guarantee, but it is very common to experience that our intuition becomes much stronger, that healing and various forms of clairvoyance become quite commonplace, that ‘manifesting’ whatever we choose happens almost effortlessly, that inner journeys in consciousness and other forms of consciousness exploration become much easier for us, and that we emanate a more positive energy, which others find pleasant or even attractive.
5) Our experience of everything.
We experience that we are ALIVE, and that everything is good – and easy. Plus: we get rid of a lot of tiresome drama and emotional ups and downs.
Again: All based on the simple principle that a consciousness revolution is about giving ourselves more consciousness.
How Do We Revolutionize Our Consciousness?
We do that with what we may call an intense or even extreme process of becoming more aware. This can actually be described in just a handful of steps:
1. The Basis of a Consciousness Revolution
Check if your foundation is strong: this includes will, health, and needs
We will start by checking how our will is doing. If it’s not strong, we will make a conscious effort to strengthen it. This, along with a review of our state of health and our perception and the handling of our needs, is the first step: Will, balanced health, and awareness of needs are the basis for further work.
2. The Beginning of a Consciousness Revolution
Uncover and address consciousness limitations
We will become aware of all the consciousness limitations we have … and start letting go of them. This in itself will solve many of our challenges and problems. Experiencing this alone is quite revolutionary. The more (and the larger) the consciousness limitations we free ourselves from, the more consciousness we will give ourselves, the better we will feel, and the more we can improve our lives.
3. The Middle Part of the Consciousness Revolution
Expand your self-image, worldview, and entire perception of reality
We will realize some basic things about reality, ourselves, others, and life, that is, how things actually fit together. Put another way: We will work on our self-image / identity, our worldview, and our perception of reality – and the goal of that work is simple, those three things must expand!
We must give ourselves a larger identity, a larger worldview, and a larger reality. This too is absolutely revolutionary. It will make us far more conscious and significantly improve our lives.
4. The End of a Consciousness Revolution
Make concrete choices and create practical change
With the insights we have given ourselves (and the new skills that typically come from expanding our consciousness), we will make new choices and make concrete improvements in our lives. We will create alignment between a) our new insights and choices, b) the way we live our practical, daily lives, and c) the way we experience life. This practical side of things can be called life design (and consciousness design and experience design), and it constitutes the end of our consciousness revolution.
5. After a Consciousness Revolution
Evaluate the process and follow up if needed
The fifth and final step is simply to evaluate the process, possibly repeat parts of it as needed, and, if desired, continue to expand our consciousness in various ways.
In practice, things are not always as neatly organized as the five steps above. The different steps are interconnected and overlap, so they are not always easy to separate, and we also tend to jump back and forth among them. But overall, the process is clear enough.
Psychiatrist Roger Walsh has written, “The state of the world reflects our state of mind; our collective crises mirror our collective consciousness.” If this is so, we are in a race between the awakening of a global consciousness and ecological and social calamity.”
~ Duane Elgin ~ (born 1943). Duane Elgin is an American futurist/visionary, researcher in paradigm shifts, author, educator, consultant, and advocate for the empowerment of world citizens.
Conclusion: A Consciousness Revolution Is the Optimal Path to a Better Life
In short, a consciousness revolution is a movement …
away from …
a small, narrow, and imprecise worldview and self-image that is uncomfortable and quite dysfunctional.
towards …
a self-image and worldview that is much larger, deeper, broader, more precise, comfortable, and work much better.
One could ALSO say that a consciousness revolution is a shift …
from …
a small, relative, fear-based, and ego-driven reality.
towards …
a larger, less-relative (more absolute), fear-free, and transpersonal reality.
And quite CONCRETELY, a consciousness revolution is a change …
away from …
– a dysfunctional individual experience and behavior (depression, anxiety, meaninglessness, addiction, violence, greed, etc.)
AND
– a dysfunctional collective experience and behavior (war, oppression, poverty, environmental destruction, etc.)
towards …
– a well-functioning, conscious, holistic individual and collective experience and behavior, based on deep insights into ourselves, life, and reality.
The collective realm is based on the individual realm, and we all influence each other. This means that a consciousness revolution starts with the individual – that is, you and me. And the very first, small step is just a decision: The choice to become more conscious and aware.
“Remember that your perception of the world is a reflection of your state of consciousness.”
~ Eckhart Tolle] ~ (born 1948). German-Canadian spiritual teacher and author. He is considered one of the world’s most renowned, respected, and influential contemporary spiritual teachers.
What Would You Like to Read Now?
Go to the ‘mother’ page” for Consciousness: What Is Consciousness, and Why Is It so Important? |
Other Pages Related to This Topic
We suffer from a constriction of consciousness! |
The Programming of Consciousness Controls Us! |
Go to the article library: Articles on Personal Development – An Online Library on Consciousness and Personal development
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