Consciousness is…
We are going to carry out an experiment of only a few seconds. Take a deep breath, and as you gently exhale try to imagine that you can watch and hear everything that is happening from outside your body. You can even look at your own body during this experience, as if you were looking at yourself through the eyes of “someone else”. Try it in a comfortable position and with your eyes closed, and as time passes, return to reading.
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"What is consciousness?” is a question that the more you seek to answer the more complicated the answer becomes. Many institutions around the world have reached a "medium" agreement to define consciousness as "the understanding or knowledge that a living being has of itself (of its own existence) and its ability to act on its environment“. So Is consciousness something that can be experienced rather than something that can be had? Because we are very accustomed in Latin America to say that "there is no conscience" when something is done without knowing exactly what is being done. We also associate the lack of awareness with ignorance in general, and in some unfortunate cases even with the scarcity of resources. As if whoever is more conscious had some kind of superpower over the rest of the "unconscious".
What we do know is that those who practice awareness act differently from those who do not even take the time to experience it.. To understand it better, we must imagine that our perception is like a bubble; everything that our senses are capable of perceiving such as light, sound, aroma or emotions is found inside a bubble where our consciousness is the center. Our consciousness experiences its own bubble according to its capacities and is capable of expanding this bubble as it puts its attention on it. Consciousness would then be this unit of perception that the Universe experiences through our body. But awareness is even more than that, because once it is practiced it is possible to access places within and in the external world that were previously invisible or non-existent.
I want to share some ways in which I myself have been able to experience my own consciousness:
Authentic Intention
One way I have experienced my own awareness is through authentic intention. This means being fully present and focused on what I'm doing in each moment, without distractions or negative thoughts. It is dealing with a language that comes from within and that does not seem rational at first glance. In Latin America we call this a "hunch." This has allowed me to be more in touch with my own emotions and thoughts, and has also helped me to have a greater understanding of myself and others.
The Mighty Silence
Another way that I have experienced my own awareness is through silence or meditation type “mindfulness”. This means taking time for myself and getting away from the noise and distraction of the outside world. In these moments of silence, I have been able to listen to my own inner voice and have a greater understanding of my thoughts and emotions. It has also allowed me to have a greater connection with my spirit and with the world around me. Part of the magic of silence is that you have to contemplate our reaction to it, without judging ourselves for the thoughts that may come to us. Spending days in silence can be very powerful in conducting a self-assessment of the power of our words and the words of others, and how we can refine that power.
Beyond the Body
The way I experience existence beyond the body is through the practice of lucid dreaming, which means being aware of and having control over your dreams while you sleep. This can be an incredibly deep and eye-opening experience, allowing you to explore worlds and settings that are otherwise impossible to reach. These experiences are so impressive that they do influence a neural level... that's why when we dream we feel what we dream of, even when we wake up.
To practice lucid dreaming, there are a few things you can do:
- Keeping a Dream Journal: Writing down your dreams as soon as you wake up can help you remember them more clearly and be more aware of them in the future.
- Set Lucid Dreaming Intentions: Before bed, you can set the intention to be mindful and influence your dreams. This can help you be more alert during sleep.
- Do reality exercises: During the day, you can do reality exercises, such as constantly asking yourself if you are awake or dreaming. This can help you become more aware of your dreams and have more control over them.
With practice and determination, lucid dreaming can be an incredibly powerful way to explore your consciousness beyond your body and gain a greater understanding of yourself and the world around you.
Do you think it's worth the effort to awaken our consciousness? Could it be that "awakening" means experiencing something higher than our individual experience? Hunab Amaya