we choose to see the world.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nYou see, when we are first born, we have no concept of self, or other. We don\u2019t even have words for mama or dada. We are pure, naked, empty consciousness. Within that grows a process we call Ego, and it helps us optimize for pleasure, and minimize pain. In doing so, it notices that there are these seemingly independent beings \u2018out there\u2019 that can help us get food, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This realization breeds the idea of something out there that is not \u2018me\u2019. In doing so, duality is born, and the idea of \u2018self\u2019 takes root. But this idea is not permanent and unchanging. In fact, it changes quite a bit as we grow up. This transition to self vs. other is the movement from \u201cNo Person View\u201d of the world, to \u201cPerson and Environment View\u201d of the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We now understand that there is something outside ourselves, and that changes the way we behave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Growing Up: Ego Centric<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The next transition evolves within us around 1 years of age. It\u2019s the First Person view of the world, or Ego Centric. It\u2019s basically all about \u2018Me\u2019. I, Me, Mine. In this power based view of the world, it\u2019s all about what can I get out, given what I\u2019ve put in. It\u2019s dog eat dog, and doesn\u2019t view anyone as friendly, only looking out for themselves. And since that\u2019s the view, it creates the experience of what that individual lives. This is a very \u2018animal way\u2019 of experiencing the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Growing Up: Ethno Centric<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Eventually, hopefully, one evolves out of this view and adopts a \u2018Second Person\u2019 view of the world. Around 7 – 8 years old, they begin to realize that there are \u2018others\u2019 out there like them, and that they can trust some of them and not others. Some people are scary, some are familiar. The mental pattern matching system that creates this view essentially absorbs certain types of people into it\u2019s definition of \u2018self\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This creates a very Ethno-centric, conformist, traditional view of the world. There are some people with whom I\u2019m comfortable, and anyone who is not them cannot be trusted. This is much deeper than anyone realizes, and thus, no one actually knows that they are racist as a result of that. It\u2019s just how they see and experience the world at this level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hopefully, around mid-teens, they evolve beyond that limiting view. But as we\u2019ve seen, this is not always the case. In fact, 60 – 70% of the WORLD is stuck at this level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Growing Up: World Centric<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
In the mid-teens, assuming that there are good examples around to learn from, and individual can begin to see the world from a Third Person perspective. They can put themselves into the shoes of people who are not part of their \u2018trusted group\u2019. They can begin to see, and accept arguments that justify those being\u2019s right to live a life, have rights, and freedoms. Similar rights that \u2018me and my group\u2019 enjoy must also be valid for those \u2018other guys\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This creates a Rational, Modern view of the world. It is from this mindset that all science and rationality, objectivism has arisen. It has universal truths, and rights that apply to all humans equally. So this is where human rights came from, and how slavery ended – this level of consciousness arose and fought for these ideas. Who did they have to fight with?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Just look at the previous level, and imagine them trying to have a debate. People who can put themselves in the shoes of \u2018others\u2019, vs. people who at a deep level do not truly believe that \u2018those others\u2019 are even humans. Surely, this is why much blood has been spilled: The battle of ideas, and levels of consciousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Growing Up: Pluralistic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
But wait! There\u2019s more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This new group is still emerging, and represents the third largest portion of the population, next to World-Centric. This group has done something truly amazing, and can not only view the world from the perspective of \u2018others\u2019\u2026but are also not confined to the idea of \u2018universal truths\u2019. So they can accept that others have ideas, and ways of operating in the world, that are different. Many different truths can be accepted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It if from this base that the Civil Rights movement, BLM, #metoo, and many other cutting edge, transformational ideas \/ movements have been born. The simple idea that 2 + 2 just might sometimes = 5 for someone else, and that is OK. You don’t identify as male or female? Cool, that sounds great. It is here that a deconstruction of ALL value systems happens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As you can see, these last three groups are very, very different. And given the struggles in the world, are all three central to the evolution of humanity as a whole. There are more levels beyond, but they are not necessary to discuss in this article. Check out Ken Wilburs work in \u201cThe Religion of Tomorrow\u201d for a much more detailed analysis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Waking Up: Gross State<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Waking up is described differently in different cultures, and traditions. I am going to do my best, to describe it from direct experience, vs. an academic view, however it\u2019s very hard to detach that from the environment I had the experiences in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Most people in the world, are very strongly identified with their bodies, their family, friends, others, and even possessions as their sense of self. They perceive a threat to any of these things as a threat to their very existence. This is called the \u201cGross State\u201d or \u201cPhysical State\u201d of consciousness. Please don\u2019t confuse this with the structures of consciousness in the \u201cWaking Up\u201d dimension, these are very different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Waking Up: Subtle State<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
If one chooses to inspect reality, via meditation, prayer, or some other practice\u2026eventually it is possible to see that there is more to how the experience is constructed, than is immediately apparent to the \u2018eye\u2019, or other senses. That there are layers to this reality, and it\u2019s really hard to even tell how many. Much like a rainbow, we can slice and dice it in many different ways\u2026either 8 colors, or maybe thousands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Following an initial inspection, we begin to see that there\u2019s a more subtle form, or body, just \u2018beneath\u2019 the physical one. Some might call this an energy body, thought body, or body of emotion. It again really depends on where you draw the line. In any case, let\u2019s just say it\u2019s a Subtle body, and contains all that you can\u2019t directly touch or see. However, you can \u2018perceive\u2019 it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Waking Up: Very Subtle State<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Continuing down whatever path you\u2019ve chosen, eventually you begin to \u2018see\u2019 how everything in your direct experience is connected, and can perceive cause and effect of subtle phenomenon. You can see clearly that energy, or the subtle moves all matter, or the physical. And that there\u2019s a kind of order to the way that all of that happens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That \u2018order\u2019, or \u2018dharma\u2019, or \u2018law\u2019 is what we call Very Subtle, or \u2018Causal\u2019. This is where the idea of Karma comes from. When you shift into this state, the way people behave, the way animals behave, even the way trees and rocks behave all kind of makes sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Waking Up: Turiya State<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Turiya, in Sanskrit, literally means \u201cthe 4th state\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is the state where one begins to notice that all phenomena is \u2018out there\u2019, and that there\u2019s some sort of witnessing awareness \u2018in here\u2019 watching it all happen. You\u2019ve observed enough of causality to know that you\u2019re not really the one making decisions, and that much of what happens is only influenceable through minute pushes \/ pulls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s kind of like having been in Virtual Reality your entire life, then finally figuring out that you have this VR helmet on, that you can\u2019t take off. But that the character you see in front of you (this body) and all the thoughts \/ emotions, literally all experience, are not \u2018You\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You ARE the one who receives the \u2018experience\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Waking Up: Turiyatita<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Turiyatita in Sankrit literally means \u201cbeyond the 4th state\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is full liberation, joining with all that is\u2026and realizing that you are all that \u2018is not\u2019. Some call it \u2018God-Head\u2019, \u2018Liberation\u2019, or many other names. It\u2019s somewhat different than \u2018Enlightenment\u2019, in my experience, though it includes it. Really, it\u2019s very very difficult to explain this in words. Let\u2019s just say that it\u2019s completely unimaginable for most people. There\u2019s an element of transcending Time and Space\u2026so yeah. You can\u2019t really wrap your head around it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(It\u2019s kind of wrapped around your head actually)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cleaning Up: Related to Growing Up<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Why are there so many \u2018Enlightened People\u2019 who seem to be taking advantage of women, children, students, minorities, etc?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How can they be \u2018Enlightened\u2019?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Well, most often than not, our path along the \u2018Growing Up\u2019 phase gets interrupted. What by you ask? Well, trauma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You see, Trauma creates Shadow Material. And Shadow Material inhibits the growth of a particular part of our consciousness. Whether the trauma was regarding sex, power, safety\u2026.It always seems to make us behave in ways that are counterproductive to our own development on the Growing Up dimension.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cleaning Up: Shadow Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
So, how do we continue along the path? If we\u2019ve Woken up\u2026but not Grown up? This is where Shadow work comes in. We need to go deep into our subconscious and dig up those past memories that are haunting us from the shadows. We need to face that which we are not willing to face. We need to lean into the discomfort and see why it\u2019s uncomfortable in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And when we do that, almost like magic, we begin to Grow Up again. And we can move very quickly, if we\u2019ve done the work of Waking Up already.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Showing Up<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
This is where the rubber hits the road. Now that we\u2019ve walked the path, on all dimensions of human development, it\u2019s up to us to show the way for others. This is how we change the world, one person or group at a time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Showing up doesn\u2019t necessarily mean teaching, though for many it does. It can be as simple as living your own truth. Once you\u2019ve connected with your subtle consciousness, you quickly find out what that is. You will have no time for wasteful activities as mundane as simply making money, or collecting \u2018stuff\u2019. There\u2019s much work to be done, and life could end at any moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So forge on, create, produce, inspire. Make the world into that beautiful tapestry that you know it can be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n