We’ve already explored
how consciousness evolves from birth into a fully mature ego, plus some of the
problems encountered on the way. To finish, we’ll look at where we can go next.
Assuming all has gone well and we don’t have too many hang-ups or kinks in our
development, it should be possible to evolve to higher stages of consciousness
and move beyond ego into awakening.
The vast majority of
people in the world today are at the Ego level of consciousness, but many are
beginning to grow towards the higher, or more inclusive, levels. To do this you
need to become whole, which means facing, accepting, and then integrating your
shadow. Once you’ve done this, evolving to the next stage becomes more
straightforward – but that doesn’t mean it’s easy!
Let’s remind ourselves
of the territory we’ve already covered. Here’s the chart from Ken Wilber’s Integral Spirituality which shows the
levels of consciousness:
In How to Grow a Person
we looked at the levels up to and including the Individualistic Self (or Green level). These are what Spiral
Dynamics calls 1st Tier, which is ego-centred and thinks: “what I
believe is right and everyone else is wrong”. When you begin to transcend the
ego you move into 2nd Tier which is more inclusive and open to other
perspectives, as we’ll see.
Before we look at the
different stages, it’s important to remember that these aren’t distinct steps
like a ladder. The whole process of development is fluid and flexible, and works
more like a spiral.
Higher Stages of Consciousness
Quick recap on the last
stage of ego consciousness: the Individualistic Stage (Green) is transitional
because it begins to shift us from rational to transrational consciousness – in
other words, mysticism. The Green
stage is where we develop a pluralistic perspective and see how everything is
relative and open to interpretation, which is an important step towards what
comes next…
Autonomous Stage
In the previous stages
rationality was fairly straightforward and linear. Logic and reason are useful,
but can be narrow in focus. In Low
Vision-Logic, or Autonomous, rationality branches out and becomes aperspectival – aware of multiple
perspectives. We can see how everything is interconnected and interdependent,
and that life works as a network or system. Everything is seen to exist within
a context and all is relative. This is the post-modern
mind.
To establish at this
level we must heal our shadow and accept everything we’ve previously disowned.
The self is integrated, and the body and mind work together in harmony towards authenticity and self-actualisation. We begin to confront the ultimate existential
concerns of death, meaninglessness, freedom, and aloneness. Individuals at this
level are non-conformist, flexible and spontaneous, and don’t care about
status.
Key points for
Autonomous/Low Vision-Logic (Teal):
- Focus: Being and Authenticity
- Self-identity: Self Integration
- Worldview: Holistic
- Worldcentric
- Rational
Key ideas: Spontaneity, flexibility, interdependence of systems,
egalitarianism, aware of paradox, complexity theory, dynamic systems theory
Possible Problems: existential crisis, inauthenticity, boredom, bad
faith
Integrated Stage
This is really a
continuation from the previous stage, also known as High Vision-Logic. Our thinking becomes increasingly complex, holistic and truly integral. The mind begins to see through itself and becomes
transparent. We’re moving away from the personal towards the universal. Soul is
beginning to emerge into conscious awareness.
Individuals at this
stage think in terms of energy systems. They understand the wholeness of
matter, mind and spirit, and are motivated to work on behalf of Life itself.
Spirit at this stage is conceived as a planetary holarchy.
Key points for Integrated/High
Vision-Logic (Turquoise):
- Focus: Global Spiritual Renewal
- Self-identity: Self Transparent
- Worldview: Integral
- Worldcentric
- Higher Mind
- Rational
Key ideas: Integrative, compassionate, holistic, global awareness,
spiritual transformation of self and others, integral-holistic systems such as
Gaia theory, morphic fields theory, string theory, quantum technologies.
Possible Problems: resistance to the emerging higher levels, ego
temper tantrums when it glimpses its own demise
Illumined Mind Stage
We’ve now made another
leap to the next level of consciousness, from 2nd to 3rd Tier. This is a massive shift. We’ve
finally transcended the ego. This can happen briefly in peak experiences
and awakening when you’re functioning from a lower level but get a glimpse of a
higher level as an altered state or experience of grace. But it’s also possible
to stabilise at this stage permanently, as embodied by shamans and yogis.
If Vision-Logic was
extra-logical (the inclusion of feeling and emotion with reason), Illumined
Mind could be called hyper-logical.
Perception at this stage becomes clairvoyant, highly empathic and extra
sensory. There may be feelings of awe and rapture, and experiences of nature
mysticism – a sense of oneness with the physical world. Spirit is seen as
infinite Light/Love.
Key points for
Illumined Mind (Indigo):
- Focus: Nature Mysticism
- Self-identity: Ego Transcendence or Witness Self
- Worldview: Psychic / Shamanic
- Kosmocentric
- Transrational
- Transpersonal
Key ideas: shamanic consciousness, trans-global and psychic
perception, mega-tribes, trans-global social ideals, compassion for all – human
and non-human.
Possible Problems: psychic inflation (believing you are Jesus,
etc.), energy disorders in the body, split-life goals (conflict between soul
path and ego wishes), yogic illness (disorder that won’t heal until you
surrender to this stage), Dark Night of
the Senses (first level Dark Night). Problems can also be caused by peak
experiences and/or awakening, followed by an inability to integrate what you’ve
seen.
Intuitive Mind Stage
This stage of
consciousness is blissful and ecstatic. It’s the level of the Bodhisattva and the saints, with feelings of compassion for
all beings and universal love. It features deity mysticism and archetypal
luminosity, which is a feeling of oneness with all subtle level phenomena. This
involves audible illuminations, haloes of light and sound, visions of angels
and other archetypal forms. Spirit is seen as a radical interiority (everything
has an interior) and infinite holarchy.
Not many people
stabilise at this stage of consciousness, but many have glimpsed it in peak
experiences and altered states.
Key points for
Intuitive Mind (Violet):
- Focus: Deity Mysticism
- Self-identity: Soul
- Worldview: Subtle / Archetypal
- Kosmocentric
- Transrational
- Transpersonal
Key ideas: spiritual discipleship and surrender to a higher power,
trans-dimensional perspective and perception of trans-dimensional beings.
Compassion and social ideals includes all sentient beings – human, non-human, and
trans-dimensional.
Possible problems: archetypal fragmentation and soul-level
sub-personalities which split from the self (see the latest craze for
channelling ‘entities’ and spirit guides) which is a symptom of failed
integration of previous levels, Dark
Night of the Soul (second level Dark Night).
Overmind Stage
This stage of
consciousness includes formless absorption states and awareness of emptiness.
It features the dissolution of subject/object duality in the mind and
experiences of formless mysticism. This is oneness with all of unmanifest
reality and is experienced as luminous darkness and cessation of all thoughts
and perceptions. This stage can be seen embodied in the sages. Exceedingly rare.
Key points for Overmind
(Ultraviolet):
- Focus: Formless Mysticism
- Self-identity: Pure Self
- Worldview: Causal / Formless
- Transrational
- Transpersonal
Possible problems: further disintegration caused by failed
integration and unstable foundations, Arhat’s disease (getting stuck in the
unmanifest or emptiness), Dark Night of
the Spirit, or Self (third level Dark Night).
Supermind Stage
This stage of
consciousness is Non-dual. It involves a realisation of emptiness in form, and
form in emptiness. Nirvana is samsara and samsara is nirvana. This is the Big
Mind of Zen or the unio mystica, as embodied by siddhas and Buddhas.
This is non-duality mysticism and oneness with all phenomena, both manifest and
unmanifest, and is characterised by the experience of constant consciousness.
The siddha is capable of maintaining awareness even in deep sleep.
Key points for
Supermind (Clear Light):
- Focus: Non-Dual Mysticism
- Self-identity: Non-Dual
- Worldview: Unity
- Transrational
- Transpersonal
Possible problems: no such thing as a problem at this stage!
And that’s about as far
as you can get…
You may have recognised
some of the features of these stages of consciousness because you’ve
experienced them as part of your spiritual practice and awakening process, or
perhaps just day-to-day. It’s possible to dip in and out of these levels as peak
experiences and get a glimpse of the territory. But this doesn’t mean you’re
functioning from that level. After a peak experience you usually return to your
previous stage or level.
For example, you might
be at the Orange level of Developing Ego where you’re focused on achieving your
goals and making something of yourself in the world. Then out of the blue you
have a peak experience that briefly pulls you into the Violet level – you’re
overwhelmed with bliss and compassion for all beings. Afterwards you return to
your normal functioning level of Ego and perhaps begin to incorporate your new
found compassion into your ego. Whatever happens, you’re likely to interpret
what you experienced through the lens of your current level, distorting some of
its contents in the process. (Refer: the history of religion to see how that
works out – i.e. badly.)
Growing Beyond the Edge
In How to Grow a Person
I wrote that our experience of consciousness changes as we evolve, becoming
more inclusive as we transform in response to life’s challenges. Each stage of
consciousness seems to exist as a potential, enfolded into the fabric of
reality. These archetypes are animated and made manifest when we choose to grow
into them. But whatever level you’re at, to grow to the next stage you have to
be willing to let go.
If you use any of these
higher levels to boost your own ego or sense of self-importance, you’ll get
stuck. You could end up going round in circles for years, or even lifetimes –
trapped by your own ignorance and karma.
Awakening is a process
where you become increasingly aware of your true nature which is always
present, even at the lower stages of consciousness when you’re trapped in the
clutches of the ego. You can dip in and out of this truth at any time. It’s there
in the gap between thoughts, or when you fall asleep at night, and in the
moments just after waking in the morning. To awaken you don’t need to become
someone or something else, but to stabilise in the awakened state of being
takes time and practice.
There seems to be an
evolutionary imperative at work in human consciousness. Life is always growing
and seeking out new frontiers. It is ruthless in its pursuit of more life, more
consciousness, more experience. The driving force behind this is Love – the only force powerful enough
to counter entropy. Love is always transgressive and ultimately, completely
impersonal.
We build walls, Love
tears them down.
We create barriers in
our minds to the truth, Love turns them to fire and ash.
Spirit wants us to
evolve. It wants to know itself and play through us.
Who are we to stand in
its way?
Image: Spring Stones
