In this blog post, I have summarized the characteristics of three different states of consciousness that we experience before, during, and at our spiritual journey’s end or destination (which is a new beginning).
The journey’s destination is the new consciousness, the awakened state. And we are leaving the old, ego-based state behind. But between the old and the new, there is a process most of us need to go through to move from the old to the new. So here, we are in between. We are awakening but we are not yet fully awake.
The process of evolution happens when we are in between. Here, we are awakening and no longer stuck in our old ego identities and moving toward the new. But we also need to realize our true selves and who we are to move on to the next stage.
Three states of consciousness
1. The ego-based state
At the core, the ego is a state of consciousness. It is a way of perceiving reality that all humans experience before we awaken spiritually.
When we perceive reality from that state, we believe that we are a separate identity, a thought-based version of ourselves that is arising in our minds. So, we walk around with a self-image and think that that image of ourselves is who we are.
When we do, there is no distance between our thoughts, emotions, and reactions and where our attention is. So, we don’t see them as thoughts, feelings, and reactions. Instead, we experience them as reality and look at the world through them. So, we are stuck in conditioned thoughts and feelings and live as if we are them – as if we are the ego identity.
Here, we are not yet aware of what is happening inside us and that there are patterns of thinking and feeling repeating themselves and pretending to be who we are.
Remember that this is not personal. This is the way humanity has been living for a long time. It has been our “normal” even though it is not natural to live this way.
2. The state between the old and the new – the awakening process
Here, we become aware of the ego and that we are not that mind-made identity. We also become aware of and open up to a larger reality beyond our thoughts, feelings, and actions. We recognize ourselves as the observer, the one becoming aware of the ego and the patterns of that identity inside us.
Now, there is a distance or space between us and what and how we think, feel, and act. We can observe what is happening inside us instead of believing what our mind says about what we are experiencing. We can also begin to question what we experience and let go of old patterns that no longer serve us. The more we do, the more our true self shines through.
3. The awakened state
There is no separation here, so there is no observer and no one being observed anymore; you are yourself. Here, the space or distance that was there during the awakening process closes or disappears. So there is no distance between us and our thoughts, emotions, and actions again. But this time, we are not lost in thought or the ego identity. It is not the old conditioned thinking anymore. We are ourselves, free to think, feel and act in new unconditioned ways. The universe can work through us, as us.
Here, we are also aware that this is happening since we have experienced the two previous states of consciousness and awakened to the third one.
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I’m a spiritual teacher, writer, and visionary. My work helps you awaken to your true self. I have created my teachings based on the experiences, realizations, and insights from my own spiritual journey. Read my story.
