T r a n s c e n d i n g  
 t h e  L e v e l s  o f  C o n s c i o u s n e s s . T h e  S t a i r w a y  t o  E n l i g h t e n m e n t . D a v i d  R . H a w k i n s ,  M . D . ,  P h . D . Also by David R. Hawkins. Reality , Spirituality , and Modern Man. Discovery of the Pr esence of God: Devotional Nonduality . T ruth vs. Falsehood: How to T ell the Differ ence. I: Reality and Subjectivity . The Eye of the I: Fr om Which Nothing Is Hidden. Power vs. For ce: The Hidden Determinants of Human Behavior . Dialogues on Consciousness and Spirituality . Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis and 
 Calibration of the Levels of Human Consciousness. Orthomolecular Psychiatry . (with Linus Pauling).T r a n s c e n d i n g  
 t h e  L e v e l s  o f  C o n s c i o u s n e s s . T h e  S t a i r w a y  t o  E n l i g h t e n m e n t . Copyright © 2006 by David R. Hawkins
 
Grateful ac knowledgment is made for per mission to reprint the following previously published
material:
 “Moral Relativism,” an article that originally appeared in The P hiladelphia T rumpet, June, 2005
Copyright © 2005. Used by permission. The material in this book may not be reproduced or transmitted in whole or in part in any
medium (whether electronic, mechanical o r otherwise) without the express written authorization
of the  publisher . T o request authorization, please contact V eritas Publishing Compan y , outlining
the specific material i nvolved, the proposed medium, and if applicable, the number of copies, as
well as the purpose of the use. This book is not intended to be considered  legal, medical, or any other professional service. The
information provided is not a substitute for professional advice or care. If you require or desire
legal, medical, or o ther expert assistance, you should seek the services of a competent
professional. The author , the publisher and their employees and agents are not liable for any
damages arising from or in connection with the use of or reliance on any information contained in
this book. V eritas Publishing. P . O. Box  3516
 W . Sedona, AZ  86336
 Phone: 928-282-8722 • Fax: 928-282-4789
 www .veritaspub.com
  
Softbound ISBN-13: 978-097150074-7
 Hardbound ISBN-13: 978-097150075-4
 Softbound LCCN: 2005935369 
 Hardbound LCCN: 2005935370 Straight and narr ow is the path . . . W aste no time. Gloria in Excelsis Deo! DEDICA TION. This work is dedicated to 
 the liberation of the human spirit 
 from the bondage of adversity 
 and limitation that besets mankind 
 from both within and without.T ABLE OF CONTENTS. Dedication. Foreword. Preface. Introduction. Map of the Scale of Consciousness. Section One: Calibration Levels Below 200: The Ego. Overview . The Evolution of Consciousness. Chapter 1. Shame: Despair . Chapter 2. Guilt and V indictive Hate. Chapter 3. Apathy . Chapter 4. Grief. Chapter 5. Fear . Chapter 6. Desire. Chapter 7. Anger . Chapter 8. Pride. Section T wo. Calibration Levels 200-499: Linear Mind. Overview . Brain Function and Physiology of T ruth. Chapter 9. Courage. Chapter 10. Neutrality . Chapter 1 1. W illingness. Chapter 12. Acceptance. Chapter 13. Reason. Section Thr ee. Calibration Levels 500-599: Spiritual Reality . Overview . T ranscending Linear Duality . Chapter 14. Love. Chapter 15. Unconditional Love, Joy , and Ecstasy . Section Four . Calibration Levels 600-1,000: 
 The Illumined, Enlightened States. Overview . T ranscendence. Chapter 16. Peace, Bliss, and Illumination. Chapter 17. Self-Realization. Chapter 18. Full Enlightenment. Section Five. T ranscendence. Overview . Spiritual T ransformation. Chapter 19. Limitations and Distractions. Chapter 20. Passing Through The Gates. Chapter 21. T ranscending The Mind. Chapter 22. Becoming The Prayer . Appendices. Appendix A. Map of the Scale of Consciousness. Appendix B. How to Calibrate the Levels of Consciousness. Appendix C. References. About the Author .FOREWORD. The pur pose of prior works was to explore and explain a new  research
technique based  on consciousness and its application to all areas of life,
including subjective spiritual experiences and realizations. The
development of a pragmatic clinical science of truth emer ged that could
be u sed as a compass to guide man’ s endless quest for t ruth. As
described in previous studies, b y virtue of its very structure, the human
mind is incapab le of discerning truth from falsehood, a fact of which
mankind is painfully aware. The price of this ignorance and limitation
has been  enormous. Not only individuals but also whole civ ilizations
have gone through staggering amounts of agony , suf fering, and death. The levels of consciousness will be examined specifically for th e sake of
the spiri tual student, devotee, and integrous person interested  in self-
improvement for its own sake. By analyzing the various obstacles and
levels to be transcended, certain principles that support spiritual
evolution are self-revealing. This wo rk is therefore a practic al manual rather than a comprehensive
analysis, which has been presented in prior books (e.g., Sect ion 1 of
T ruth vs. Falsehood , 200 5). Although it alludes to prior work, the basic
principles will again be covered. Material is also provided for the
frustrated seeker who has ‘read everything, been everywhere’, attended
all kinds  of workshops, and yet seems to be ‘stuck’. (“My mind is like a
sponge: It has absorbed all the information, but I’m still in the same
place!”) 
Because the lower levels of c onsciousness are the most painful and
dif ficult to endure, it seemed best to start up the ladder of consciousness
from the  very bottom levels, which are the most agonizing. Just because
they are  the most painful does not mean they are the most di f ficult to
transcend. On the contrary , the very pain of such lower levels ur ges one
forward to seek relief. In transc ending the levels of con sciousness, the importance of the human
‘will’ is emphasized because it is the most critical of all functions in
spiritual work. Relatively little  attention has been paid to the will inproportion to its extreme importance, for the will is the invitation to
Divine intervention.PREF ACE. The bas ic research on the natur e and levels of consciousness has been
described in previous works. The first was published in the form of a
dissertation ( Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis and Calibration of
the Levels of Human Consciousness , 1995.) Next came Power vs. For ce
(also 1995), which included  explanations and elaboratio ns. The
following two books were devoted to spiritual truth and enligh tenment:
The Eye of the I (2001), and I: Reality and Subjectivity (2003). While the last two books were devoted to personal enlightenment, T ruth
vs. Falsehood (2005) investiga ted the distribution and evolution of levels
of c onsciousnes s in public life and society , as well as in the individual. The thrust of th at study was to denote a roadway to peace and  integrity
and hop efully lessen the likelihood of war by providing an accessible,
pragmatic, clinical science of truth. This book returns to focusing  on the individual and stud ying the
experiential subjective blocks to the advancement of consciousness that
leads to  progressive spiritual awareness and on to higher levels of
consciousness p reparatory to advanced states such as Enlig htenment
itself. The material is drawn from multiple sources, including fifty years
of psychiatric practice; psychoanalysis; twenty-five years of research
into the nature of consciousness; and transformative, subjective spiritual
experiences that have been described elsewhere. In t his book, as in previous ones, the calibrated levels o f major
statements are included. Note th at due to more recent discoveries in the evolving field of
consciousness re search, the instructions for doing the muscle test have
been revised and updated (see Appendix B).INTRODUCTION
 
The all-pervasive universal ener gy field called consciousness is of
infinite power and dimension beyond time and is compositionally
nonlinear . It is the ‘light of the world’ as it emanates f rom the
Unmanifest to the Manifest, from  the nonlinear , infinite potentiality to its
linear expression as the unfolding of Creation (the circumscribed,
perceived physical domain). The power of the infinite field of consciousness and its infinite
potentiality man ifests as matter . Later , the interface of the Light of
Divinity as the field of consciou sness in its encounter with matt er results
in the emer gence of the unique quality and ener gy of life itself. Although
matter h as enorm ous potentialit y , it lacks the innate quality or power to
evolve t o the field of existenc e termed ‘life’. Matter plus e volution
results in the dimension of ‘time’. Then, matter plus time is expressed as
‘space’, subsequent to which the existence of time, space, and matter is
discernible by intelligence, an a spect of Divinity expressed as L ife. That
life ema nates solely as a cons equence of Divinity is confirmable at
consciousness level 1,000, the level of the Absolute. Creation is capable of being known solely by virtue of the pre sence of
consciousness, which is the very matrix of existence itself. Thus,
consciousness is the irreducible  a priori reality by which the linear is
perceived by the subjective awareness of the nonlinear . Consciousness t hen evolves through progressive levels of power that can
be c alibrated as to relative streng th, much as is done with a light  meter or
any oth er measurement of ener gy waves, whether kinetic, radio, or
magnetic comp onents of the well-known stratifications ca lled the
electromagnetic spectrum. In th e 1970s, a clinical science emer ged based on the use of life ener gy
and its interaction with the inf inite field of consciousness itself. This
resulted in the c alibrated levels of the Map of Consciousness  that has
subsequently be come well known worldwide as a consequence of its
presentation in a series of bo oks in many languages and n umerous
lectures in the United States, Canada, Asia, and Europe. The desi gnated l evels were stratified in accordance with their nu merical,
calibrated levels of power according to a logarithmic scale from ‘1’
(indicating existence) to the highest level at ‘1,000’, which is the highest
ener gy f ield pos sible in the hum an domain and reached by only  the few
throughout history who have traditionally been referred to as the Great
A vatars (the founders of the wor ld’ s great religions, such as Jesu s Christ,
Buddha, Zoroaster , and Krishn a), and who were enlightened by the
Divine Presence  that replaced the linear , limited, ordinary human mind
with the nonlinear Reality . The  Self, indicative of the presenc e of the
Divine as immanent, is sometim es referred to in classical lite rature as
Universal Mind. By transcendence, the ego-self is replaced by the non-
ego Self  (see Hawkins, 1995, 2 001, 2003). This phenomenon has been
traditionally termed ‘Enlightenment’. The emer gence of a clinical s cience of truth has been desc ribed in
previous works . One important statement about the infinite field of
consciousness is that it represents the Absolute by which all else can be
calibrated as to degrees of being relative to it. The mechanism is the
living clinical science of muscle  testing, which uses the human  nervous
system and the ener gy of life  as expressed through the acu puncture
ener gy system as the requisite sensitive biological measuring instrument. (The technique cannot be duplicated by nonliving scientific instruments.) In t he presence of T ruth, the  body’ s musculature goes ‘strong’. In
contrast, it goes ‘weak’ when c onfronted with falsehood (whi ch is the
absence of truth, not its opposite). This is a rapid and transitory response
that quickly reveals the degree of truth of the presented stimulus. The infinitely powerful, all-present timeless field of consciousness is
comparable to an electrostatic fi eld that is motionless unless trig gered by
the chal lenge of a presenting e lectrical char ge that then activates the
electrostatic fiel d, which responds with an equal and opposite char ge to
precisely the same degree. The electrostatic field, in and of its elf, does
not ‘do’ anything but merely responds and records. Unlike the electrostatic field, the timeless field of consciousness is
permanent and thereby records  all that has occurred or existed from
within time/space/evolution. The field itself stands beyond time, space,
or any known d imension and instead includes all dimensions , without
being altered by them. The in finite field is omnipresent, omnipotent,omniscient, and  uniquely identifiable as the Absolute by w hich all
expressions of evolution or existence can be compared. Everything in the universe, inclu ding even a passing thought, is recorded
forever in the timeless field o f consciousness, which is everywhere
equally present. All that has ever occurred, either physically or by
thought, is equally available because the field is beyond time and space. There is no ‘here’ or ‘there’; there is no ‘now’ or ‘then’. The totality is
equally and permanently present everywhere. The Ma p of Consciousness is t herefore a very practical and pragmatic
guide to understanding the evolutionary levels of consciousness to be
transcended in pursuit of spiritual advancement, enlightenment, or self-
improvement. I t also provides a pragmatic map of the obs tacles to
overcome in order to achieve more optimal levels of consciousness. Calibrations do not establish truth but merely confirm it and lend
additional corroboration. Section One. Calibration Levels Below 200. The Ego. Overview:. The Evolution of Consciousness. Chapter 1. Shame. (Cal. Level 20). Chapter 2. Guilt/Hate. (Cal. Level 30). Chapter 3. Apathy . (Cal. Level 50). Chapter 4. Grief. (Cal. Level 75). Chapter 5. Fear . (Cal. Level 100). Chapter 6. Desire. (Cal. Level 125). Chapter 7. Anger . (Cal. Level 150). Chapter 8. Pride. (Cal. Level 175).Section One – Overview . The Evolution of Consciousness. T o unde rstand the calibrated levels of consciousness, it is helpful to
recapitulate the emer gence of  consciousness on the planet and its
evolution throug h the animal kingdom into its expression as humankind. The init ial focus of interest is the evolution of the ego, with its innate
limitations. The term ‘ego’ has a  dif ferent meaning in spiritual work than
it ha s in psycho logy , psychoanalysis, and the theories of Carl  Jung or
Sigmund Freud. The dif ferences will be clarified later . The ego is not overcome by seeing it as an enemy . It is one’ s biological
inheritance, and  without it, nobody would be alive to la ment its
limitations. By understanding its origin and intrinsic importance to
survival, the ego can be seen as being of great benefit but prone to
becoming unruly and causing emotional, psychological, and spiritual
problems if not resolved or transcended. From th e Unmanifest to the Ma nifest, the ener gy of consciousness itself
interacted with matter , and a s an expression of Divinity , by that
interaction life arose. In its earliest forms, the animal expressio ns of life
were very primitive and did not have an innate, inner source of ener gy . Survival therefore depended on acquiring ener gy externally . This was not
a problem in the plant kingdom where chlorophyll automatically
transforms solar ener gy into necessary chemical processes. Animal life
had to acquire w hat was needed from its environment, and that principle
then established  the main core of the ego, which is still primarily
involved in self-interest, acquisition, conquering, and rivalry with other
or ganisms for survival. Importantly , however , it also had the
characteristics of curiosity , searching, and, therefore, learning. As evolution progressed, the  survival mechanisms becam e more
elaborate as the quality of intelli gence, by which information is acquired,
stored, p rocessed, compared, integrated, correlated, and stratified. This
observation is the basis for the t heory of ‘Intelligent Design’, which does
not r equire any presumption of Divinity or a Creator . It confirms that aninnate quality of the ener gy of life is that through experience, it acquires
information and is capable of p rocessing it in a progressive integration
and in stratifications of increasing complexity . Life then evolved into progressively higher life forms, and if this is
charted over great evolutionary epics of time, its expression in the animal
kingdom becomes apparent. (Reprinted here from T ruth vs. Falsehood
for convenience. )It is noticeable that at consciousness levels below 200 (with the
exception of most birds), life could be described as rapacious. It acquires
its ener gy at the expense of others, and because survival is based on
acquisition, it sees others as rivals, competitors, and enemies. L ife up to
consciousness level 200 is therefore strongly rivalrous and self-
interested. Beca use it sees ot hers as potential enemies, in modern
languaging it would be called possessive, competitive, hostile , and, in
extreme expressions, aggressive and savage. At c onsciousness level 200, there is a shift to the more benign, that is, in
addition to the carnivore, there emer ges the herbivore. From
consciousness level 200 up, the nature of life becomes more harmonious. Maternal caring appears, along with concern for others, pack loyalty ,
identification wi th others, and th e beginning of what is later expressed in
human n ature as  relatedness, socializing, play , family and pair bonding,
and group cooperation for share d goals, such as survival via community
activities. W ith the  advancement of evolution, the bipeds appeared with two limbs
that they did not need for locomotion so, standing upright, the two free
limbs develope d manual dexterity and, as a consequence of the
development of the thumb, were enabled to develop tool-making crafts. The increased complexity was facilitated by the emer gence of the
forebrain and the prefrontal co rtex as the anatomical seat o f human
intelligence. However , because of the predominance of animal instincts,
intelligence init ially served primitive instincts. Thus, the p refrontal
cortex became subservient to animal-survival motivations. As is apparent
from even casual observation, evolution represents Creation, and the
basic qu ality of Creation is evolution because they are one and the same
thing. Primitive man appeared as sprouts of the evolutionary tree, starting
presumably with “Lucy” three million years ago, and then much later as
Neanderthal, Cro-Magnon, Homo erectus, and others, all of whom
calibrated at approximately 80 to 85. Most recently , perhaps 600,000
years ago, there appeared in Af rica the probable predecessor of modern
man, Homo sapiens idelta , with consciousness level also at 80 to 85. The persistence of the primitive ego in man is referred to as the
narcissistic core of ‘egotism’, which, at calibration levels below 200,
indicates the persistence of the primitiveness of self-interest, disregard
for the rights of  others, and seeing others as enemies and com petitors
rather than as all ies. For safety’ s sake, humans coalesced into groups and
discovered the benefit of mutuality and cooperation, which again was a
corollary to the animal world of group, pack, and family formation in the
mammalian and bird kingdoms. The calibrated consciousness level of humans evolved slowly . At the
time of the birth of the Buddha, the collective consciousness of all of
mankind calibra ted at 90. It then rose to 100 by the time of the birth of
Jesus Christ and slowly evolved over the last two millennia to 190,
where it  stayed for many centuries, until the late 1980s. Then, at about
the time of the Harmonic Con ver gence in the late 1980s, it suddenly
jumped from 190 to 204-205, where it stayed until November 2003,
when again, it suddenly jumped from 205 to its current level of 207. At
the present time, approximately seventy-eight percent of all humanity
calibrates below consciousness level 200,although that figure is onlyforty-nine percent in America. The significance is that the consciousness
level of close to eighty percent of the world’ s population is still below
200 and therefore dominated by primitive animal instincts, motivations,
and behaviors (as reflected in the nightly news). Of major significance on the calibrated Scale of Consciousness (see
below) is that th e critical level o f 200 dif ferentiates truth from fa lsehood. Therefore, levels over 200, which progress logarithmically , indicate
levels of power , and those below 200 indicate reliance on force, whether
emotional, physical, social, or by whatever expressio n. This
dif ferentiation is denoted by the dictum that the pen (ideology) is
mightier than the sword (force). Of major significance is that  the brain’ s physiology also changes
dramatically at consciousness l evel 200, which is the level where the
quality of life ch anges, not only in man but also in the animal kingdom,
from predatory to benign. This is expressed by the emer gence of concern
for t he w elfare, survival, and happiness of others rather than just for the
personal self. The benefits of t he evolution of caringness and spiritual
growth are clearly shown in the following chart. The dyn amics o f the ego will be investigated in each of the f ollowing
chapters as they apply to a specific level, thereby clarifying the subject in
greater detail.CHAPTER 1
 
Shame: Despair
(Calibration Levels 20 and Below)
 
Intr oduction
This lev el is perilously proximate to death, which may be chosen as
conscious suicid e or more subtly elected by failure to take steps to
prolong life. Death by neglect, indif ference, carelessness, or accident is
common at this level. Everyon e is aware of the pain of ‘losi ng face’,
becoming discredited, or of seeming to be a ‘non-person.’ In Shame,
people hang their heads and sl ink away , wishing they were invisible. Banishment is a traditional a ccompaniment of shame, and in the
primitive societies from which humankind originates, banishment is
equivalent to death. It is the bas is of the fear of disapproval, rejection, or
failure. Early life experiences such as n eglect or physical, emotional, or sexual
abuse le ad to shame and warp t he personality for a lifetime unl ess these
issues are later resolved. Shame, as Freud determined, produces neurosis. It is destructive to emotional and psychological health and, as a
consequence of low self-esteem , makes one prone to the development of
physical illness . The shame-based personality is shy , wi thdrawn,
introverted, and self-deprecating. Shame is used as a tool of crue lty , and its victims often become cruel. Shamed childre n are cruel to animals and cruel to each other . The
behavior of people whose consciousness is only in the 20s is dangerous. They are prone to hallucinations of an accusatory nature, as  well as
paranoia, and some become psychotic or commit bizarre crimes. Some shame-based individuals compensate by perfectionism and
rigidity , becoming driven and intolerant. Notorious examples of this are
the moral extremists who form  vigilante groups, projecting their own
unconscious sh ame onto others whom they then feel jus tified inrighteously attacking. Serial killers have often acted out of shame, hate,
and sexu al mor alism with the justification of punishing ‘bad’ women. Because it pulls down the whole level of personality , Shame results in a
vulnerability to the other negative emotions, therefore often producing
false pride, anger , and guilt. Clinical. Severe depression is a serious level of consciousness that can be
immobilizing and life threatenin g. It occurs not only in individuals but
also in most of the lar ge groups of people who die of apathy or even
suicide. Despair is characterized by helplessness and hopelessness and is
therefore described as a dispirited state and hellish to endure. The will to
live is lost, but  in the deepest  depths, even the act of suicide is not
possible due to l ack of ener gy . P assive suicide occurs through the failure
to eat or provid e for physical n ecessities. Paradoxically , as the person
comes out of the severe apathy  of depression and gains mor e ener gy ,
they then become capable of the act of suicide, which exp lains the
misunderstood c linical paradox that, supposedly , antidepressants ‘cause’
suicide, especial ly in children an d teenagers. This phenomenon was well
known clinically over great periods of time long before antidepressants
became availabl e. When the apathetic depressive begins to improve, the
phase of agitated depression em er ges in which the ener gy to carry out
suicide exists. Many years ago, before antidepressants, patients were
placed on close watch during the periods when they had ‘improved’ from
apathy to the agitated state (Hawkins, 2005). Shame i s also reflective of self -hatred that, when turned outward, can
result in  severe, even homicidal aggression. It is notable that a sizable
percent of senseless classmate killers were reportedly on antidepressants. Depression is accompanied by major changes in brain physiology and
low levels of critical neurotransmitters, such as norepinephrine and
serotonin. The propensity to depression includes strong genetic and
karmic factors and is often familial. It is also correlated with
vulnerability to alcoholism. It is estimated that at least one-third  of adults
will have a serious or moderately severe degree of depression at
sometime in their lives.Clinically , depression usually necessitates professional help. T o
complicate it further , it is also dif ficult to dif ferentiate true su icidality
from the relatively more frequent suicidal gestures or threats that arise
from a dif ferent problem, usua lly involving interpersonal relationships
and resentments. Depressions of a serious degree can be worked through under
appropriate conditions, but the y are really indicative of the need for
psychiatric or other professiona l clinical help, as well as protection and
support. The loss of hope and the will to live, along with the
accompanying depression, frequently occur in lonely isolated  persons,
the elderly , and in ordinary people who have gone through the
psychological depletion of severe stress, such as divorce, financial
disaster , loss of loved ones, and the process of grieving itself. S uicide is
a leading cause of death in adolescents. Like other illnesses, major emotional problems are comprised of
physical, mental, and emotional components. There may also be
additional interpersonal and social factors as well as karmic in fluences. Recovery may require addressing any or all of the factors. Even a
seemingly simple physical problem such as undiagnosed f unctional
hypoglycemia may be a major contributor . (Many depressives have
recovered simply by avoiding sugar .) Failure to seek or accept
appropriate help is frequently due to pride (spiritual), denial
(psychological), or simply ignorance (karmic). The mood fluctuations
then af fect interpersonal relations and even employment (e.g., workplace
homicides and rages). W ith humility , all the contributing factors can be
examined, and recovery from even very serious, near -fatal conditions can
be achieved, as is seen in spiritually-based recovery groups. The Attraction of Death. Although there is the common presumption that everyone fears death and
has an aversion to it, paradox ically , death is also, under ap propriate
conditions, seen as an attraction (the end of suf fering) or as a final act of
revenge, heroic sacrifice, or an extreme acting out of self-pity . There is
also ‘the romance of death’ by which it is celebrated for its intrinsic
drama (legends, opera, and fiction, such as Romeo and Juliet ).The thrill of death pervades the Roman Coliseum, dueling, the racetrack,
and acts of war . T o ‘flirt with death’ is also an attraction of high risk-
taking ( e.g., as represented by motorcyclists’ jackets and tattoos with
skull and crossbones). Death ca n also be ceremonial (h ari-kari) and is solemnly celebrated via
funerals with the casket draw n slowly by horses in State  funeral
processions. Freud postulated an intrinsic death instinct termed ‘Thanatos’ (in
contrast to ‘eros’, the life instinct) that is buried deep in the primitive
unconscious w here it exerts a potential influence that can be
strengthened by indoctrination (kamikaze pilots, Islamic suicide
bombers, cult mass suicide). Currently there is a long waitin g list of
zealous volunteers among Islamic extremists (“W e worship death, not
life,” sa id bin Laden.) There is therefore the ‘Cult of Death,’ which is
glamorized to impressionable, n aive youth who are induced to commit
not only  suicide but also simu ltaneous mass murder of the innocent. There were numerous kamikaze  volunteers during W orld W ar II . Thus, a
dramatic exit has a unique attraction and the glamour of drama. Most
commonly , suicide is an act of despair and desperation consequent to the
loss of faith or hope. Spiritual: The Dark Night of the Soul. The state of feeling abandoned by God and being hopeless results in a
global f eeling of depression and may include an alteration of the
experience of time comparable to the experiential lower levels o f Hell as
described by Dante: “Abandon hope all ye who enter here.” This state
may also be a transitory phase as a consequence of intense inner spiritual
work, es pecially in a devotee w ho throws all caution to the wind and
explores the deepest levels of co nsciousness, at which depth the devotee
intuitively sense s that it is necessary to relinquish the ego and re move all
doubt. Thus, this state may represent the need to reach inner validation of
spiritual truth before total aband onment of the ego itself. Oddly , this can
be the very route taken by the devoted atheist who is proving whether
actual G odlessness is true or eve n survivable. Severe spiritual depression
can repr esent th e last toehold of the ego as it fights for survival. The
ego’ s ba sic illusion is that it is G od and that without it, death will occur .Thus, w hat is described as ‘the dark night of the soul’ is actually  the dark
night for the ego. Confrontation w ith the core of the ego may be unexpected  and the
consequence of letting go of att achments, along with the ego’ s illusions
and cherished false spiritual/religious beliefs and fantasies about God,
e.g., God will respond to intense entreaty or bar gaining (‘rattling the
gates of Heaven’):“O God, look how I suf fer for thee.”
Paradoxically , th e dark night o f the soul is often a sign of significant
spiritual progres s for it is not really the soul (higher Self) but the ego that
is in the dark. S ome comfort can be obtained by recalling the  spiritual
dictum that one can only go as high as they have been low , or that Jesus
Christ sweat blood in Gethsema ne, or that the Buddha reported that he
felt as though hi s bones were being broken and he was being attacked by
demons. In the pits of spiritual despair and black hopelessness, the necessary
Knowingness to  be followed is that, spiritually , all fear is illusion. The
reason it is safe to let go comple tely of all that one holds dear , al ong with
the belief that the inner core of the ego is the very source of life itself, is
because it is not the source, no matter how intensely the experience may
seem. The last barrier to relinqu ish and turn over to God is the seeming
irreducible substrate of the core of existence itself. The reason it is safe
do so is because that is not true. W ith the surrender of what seems to be the very source, irreducible core,
and ess ence of one’ s life, th e door swings open when karmically
appropriate, and  the Presence shines forth with the Radiance of Divinity . The pers onal ‘I’ , along with th e mind, dissolves into the Infin ite ‘I’ of
the Eter nal, with its profound peace and state of Oneness beyond all
time. This state is not a consequence of the mind or the ego but r ather the
replacement when they cease to function. The final steps take courage,
conviction, and surrender at gr eat depth. It is here where T ruth in the
form of  the vibration and the  aura of a true teacher is of maximal
assistance (the historical ‘grace of the guru’), as is the calling upon one’ s
chosen master , Savior , or ultima te spiritual reality , be it Buddh a, Christ,
Krishna, or God directly . Another form of the dark night  of the soul arises as a consequence of
experientially falling from a high state (such as devotional joy orecstasy), as has been well described in the lives of the Christian saints. It
is as though one has been ‘deserted by the Beloved’. (See Butler ’ s Lives
of the Saints .) This may arise because one has ‘used up their good
karma’, subsequ ent to which the remainder of karmic attachments and
proclivities surface to be processed out and surrendered to God. Some of
these ar e deep, such as self-hat red, resentments of God, and cherished
beliefs t hat are often attached to beliefs about suf fering itself (e.g., that it
will leverage God’ s favor , etc.). In th e dark night of the soul, fa ith in certain beliefs is pitted against the
actual Reality . All beliefs about God are second-hand information
derived from others and handed  down, and thus, even these have to be
surrendered. The reason for this can be found by examining the analogy
of the fact that o nly a cat truly knows what it is to be a cat by virtue of
being a cat. It does not know  ‘about’ being a cat and has no belief
systems. Therefore, all erroneou s beliefs about God are extraneous to the
experiential Rea lity . The door to Enlightenment is through the deep
honesty of unknowingness. The experience of Divinity wit hin as Self, or God Immanent , is quite
dif ferent from belief in God T ranscendent. It is for this reason that the
Buddha counseled against all depictions or nominalizations of God
because Enlightenment is a condition or state in which the Self-knowing
is that of Identi ty . In this cond ition or state, there is no ‘this’, such as
self, with which to describe the Self. The condition or state is best
described as Self-ef fulgent, and in that state the Knowingness i s its own
Reality . (The subject is revisited in later chapters.) Although the term ‘karma’ is no t used specifically in W estern religions,
it is nevertheless a basic reality as it is spiritual accountab ility that
determines the fate of the soul after death. The term also inc ludes the
spiritual problems that are inherent to being a human being, including the
fact that humankind is characterized by limited spiritual understanding
(‘ignorance’). Thus, the purpose of human life is to overcome and
transcend these inherited limitat ions via spiritual truth as reveal ed by the
great religious and spiritual teachers. ‘Karma’ is often confused in the W estern mind with rebirth,
reincarnation, or multiple human lifetimes.Generically , karma merely refers to the fact that the soul is evo lutionary
in both origin and fate and accountable for its decisions. Everyone alread y has a specific calibrated level of consciousness at
birth. Pragmatic ally , how the condition came about could be v iewed as
irrelevant. The various religions , as well as consciousness research, of fer
dif ferent explana tions. Whateve r the reasons may be, each individual has
to proce ed from wherever they find themselves in the evo lutionary
process. W itho ut an understanding of karma, however , in dividual
circumstances would seem to be accidental or capricious and th us not in
accord with the findings of consciousness research that demonstrate that
all Creation is a reflection of Divine Harmony , Justice, and Balance. Karmic Despair . Karmic despair is often experienced via major tragic events or
catastrophes. There is also the collective human group karma that is
merely the consequence of bei ng human. It may also be expressed as
group conditions that may be ethnic, religious, geographic, or aligned in
other ways due to acts or ag reements in the past. Karma is linear ,
propagates via the soul, and is inherited as the consequence of si gnificant
acts of the will. The likelihood o f such seemingly negative consequences
can readily be deduced from human history , which freque ntly and
recurrently involved useless sla ughter of the innocent as well as willful
and wanton acts of desecration (i.e., negative karma). Inclusion in what seems to be n egative karmic consequences occurs as a
result of  prior concurrence and/or participation. Thus, the cheers at the
death of a gladiator are karmically significant as is taking grim
satisfaction from  pain and suf fe ring or the death of others. T o cheer on
the implementa tion of the guillotine is to join with its  karmic
consequences. T o take justice into one’ s own hands is done at karmic
risk for “Justice is mine, sayeth the Lord.” Faith that Divinity guarantees
absolute justice is dif ficult to accept in a world of seeming inju stices. It
is better to trust in the absolute justice of God and “judge not, lest ye be
judged,” for it is well to remember that “Let he who is withou t sin cast
the first stone.”
A u seful analogy to Divine Jus tice (Laws of Karma) is the realization
that the infinite  omnipresent and omniscient field of consciousness isitself the Radiance of Divinity in which all passing events, no matter
how seemingly  trivial, are re corded. At birth, one is auto matically
aligned with the overall karmic  field as a consequence of the q uality of
that line ar field in the infinite fie ld of consciousness itself. Thus, only by
acts of the will can an ent ity bring about its own fat e. One’ s
consciousness calibration is af fected for better or worse by inner decision
and act of the will, and as a consequence, the individual entity is drawn
to it s own appro priate level of consciousness, which is dominat ed by an
‘attractor field’  (see Power vs. For ce , 1995). Thus, one’ s level of
consciousness represents karmic inheritance. From an overall understanding of the nature of consciousness, it can be
seen that justice (karma) is auto matic as a consequence of the interaction
of the vibration of the soul within the overall infinite field of
consciousness. The science of truth and consciousness ca libration
research confirm  the scriptural passage, “Every hair on one’ s head is
counted” (numbered). All is known by the infinite field of Divinity by
which ju stice therefore automatically prevails. Mankind’ s fantasies are
projections from the unconscio us of an anthropomorphic god who is
vengeful, jealous, wrathful, and the alleged ‘cause’ of disasters. However , it is o bvious that natural disasters of greater proportion than
have happened during the histor y of mankind occurred before m an even
existed a nd are, in fact, presumed to have been the condition tha t brought
about the termination of the age of the dinosaur . T o sum marize, as is commonly known, karma (spiritual fate) is the
consequence of decisions of the will and determines spiritual destiny
after physical death (the celestial levels, hells, pur gatory , or the so-called
inner ast ral plan es [bar dos] ). In cluded also is the option of reincarnation
in the human physical domain, which, by consciousness calibration
research, can only be done by a greement with the individual will. Thus,
all humans have, by agreeme nt, chosen this pathway . In addition,
consciousness research confirms that all persons are born under the most
optimal conditions for spiritual evolution, no matter what the appearance
seems to be. Karma r eally means accountability , and, as cited in previous spiritual
research, every entity is answerable to the universe. It is also well known
that positive karma (good works, prayer , selfless service, benevolent
acts, etc .) can compensate for and undo negative (‘bad’) karm a. In thisprocess, ‘merit’ accrues, which at times can even be drawn against in
confronting vici ssitudes. Spiritu al progress ensues automatica lly from
choosing good will, for giveness, and lovingness as a way of bei ng in the
world at lar ge rather than viewing it as a gain-seeking transaction. W orking throug h one’ s ‘karma’ includes not only this lifetime but
historical, long- for gotten evolu tionary aspects as well. Spiritual work
may brin g up repressed attitudes, thoughts, or beliefs from the personal
unconscious, as well as aspects of the collective human unconscious that
are ener g etically aligned analogo usly to the chakra system of the Jungian
archetypes (e.g. , the heart of the child, the spleen of the wa rrior , the
naiveté o f the adolescent, etc.). Due to the nature of human deve lopment,
even a mature, intelligent, fu lly-grown adult still has repressed or
for gotten, but still functional, infantile and childish drives that operate
out of awarene ss. One of the most common is the out-of a wareness
balance between the ‘good me’ and the ‘bad me.’ (This is the area of the
split and  compar tmentalized Jek yll-and-Hyde personality disorders.) The
good/bad dichotomy may be the source of multiple psychological
dif ficulties, of which projecting  the ‘bad me’ onto others is the most
common. Gr oup: Catastr ophe, Regional, and Situational. Severe poverty , deprivations, an d starvation are geographically  endemic
to whole regions, cultures, and major areas of the world, as described
and grap hed in a prior work ( T ruth vs. Falsehood , Chapter 14). They are
characterized by high birth and infant mortality rates, short life spans,
high rates of disease, civil disorders, tribal type warfare, cruelty , and
mass slaughter . Consciousness research confirms that regional endemic poverty is of
group karmic origin and expr esses itself in correlation with genetic
transmission. Early fo rms of hominids (calibration level 85-90) have come and gone,
and Homo sapiens, from an evolutionary viewpoint, is only a very recent
emer gence from  the evolutionary tree. At this time, in fact, the  majority
of the human population (seventy-eight percent) calibrates below 200,
which therefore  initiates and a ttracts experiences in accord with that
level.Each calibrated level of consciousness indicates progress beyond the
levels be low it and may also rep resent the level to which those who were
once higher have fallen as a c onsequence of volitional choi ces. This
descending level is well documented in the cases of very famous
political leaders who started out as integrous and idealistic, calibrating in
the 400 s, and who later , as a consequence of the develop ment of
megalomania, c rashed to very low numbers (Napoleon, Hitler , et al.). The same phenomenon occurs  in ordinary individuals as w ell as in
groups, such as Easter Island a nd other societies that have come and
gone. What is common ly known as ne gative karma is sometimes referred to as
‘debt’, e.g., “For give us our deb ts as we for give our debtors.” A lthough
decisions of the will have karmic consequences, they are rec overable
with appropriate spiritual alignment and dedication. As people evolve spiritually , each ascended level has its corollary tests or
temptations into which the unwary may fall. Of these, the best known, of
course, are wealth, power , and  prestige (pride goeth before the fall;
power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely , etc.). This is
clinically descri bed as the ‘Lucerific T emptation’ of power for its own
sake or power over others. The source of the error is ascribing th e source
of power to the ego ‘I’ instead of to Divinity . Similar falls are exhibited
in the secular world where corporate CEOs seem to lose all sense of
reality a nd succ umb to the gree d of unlimited power . Shame is  also the
consequence of the abuse of spiritual/religious status and influence as
seen in the catas trophes of fallen gurus who once had worldwide  acclaim
and vast wealth. Much of  the world’ s literature includes fables, such as those of the old
Greek and Germanic gods, as well as those of the Old T estament and
other re ligions that were later superseded by the development of
monotheism. Th at spiritual work can be arduous is attested to by the
recorded histories of Christian saints. Many of them are aptly described,
as in the T em ptation of St. Anthony and the Confession s of St.
Augustine. The Buddha also des cribed how he was attacked by  illusions
and the negative ‘demon’ ener gies of Mara (illusion). From previous studies, it was learned that everyone is born under
optimal conditions for karmic opportunities; therefore, it is wise to judgenot, for what appears as misery or catastrophe may be the do orway to
liberation for those who have n egative karma to undo. Thus, seemingly
catastrophic eve nts may be the very essential and necessary elem ents for
the evolution of the soul. T ranscendence. At the bottom o f despair , there is the exhaustion of ener gy and of even
the w ill to survi ve. It is often only in the very pits of Hell and  absolute
despair that the ego can be sur rendered, even right up to the point of
imminent physical death. In extreme, timeless agony , the soul may
entreat, “If there is a God, I ask him for help,” and a great transf ormation
occurs. This confirms the truth of the Zen teaching, “Heaven and hell are
only one -tenth o f an inch apart. ” Bizarrely , the ego may reach this point
as an attempt to make God wrong, including even one’ s physical death
(the ego will gra sp at any straw ), and thus, even in the last moment, the
ego struggles to prove that death is a reality and that God is not. The Dualities of Shame. Shame is a cons equence of the negation of the realities of both self and
Self. It is transitory in normal l ife but denotes a very major obstacle to
spiritual evoluti on as a prevai ling level of consciousness, and when
severe, even threatens physical survival.CHAPTER 2. Guilt and V indictive Hate. (Calibration Level 30). Intr oduction. Guilt, so commonly used in the form of blame by our society to
manipulate and punish, manifes ts itself in a variety of expressions, such
as remorse, self-recrimination, masochism, and the whole gamut of
symptoms of victimhood. Unc onscious guilt results in psychosomatic
disease, acciden t proneness, and suicidal behaviors. Many people
struggle with guilt their entire l ives, while others desperately attempt to
escape it by amorally denying guilt altogether . Guilt domination results in preoccupation with ‘sin’, an unfor giving
emotional attitude frequently exploited by religious demagogues who use
it for coercion a nd control. Such ‘sin and salvation’ merchants, obsessed
with punishmen t, are likely eithe r acting out their own guilt or p rojecting
it onto others. Subcultures disp laying the aberration of self-flagellation often manifest
other en demic forms of cruelty , such as the public ritual killing of
animals. Guilt provokes rage, and killing is frequently its ex pression. Capital punishm ent is an examp le of how killing gratifies an angry and
guilt-ridden populace, but it has never been demonstrated to have any
deterrent or corrective value. Instead, it satisfies the emotional need for
‘just’ retribution. Clinical. This is the level of serious gui lt and self-condemnation as being bad,
evil, and seeing God as being punitive as well as vindictive. G uilt is a
learned behavior with major psychological components. There is input
from society , parents, and religion, as well as negative programming by
social programs. Thus, shame may predominate, with consequential self-judgment as being unworthy , undeserving, unlovable, and a worthless
worm that is hated by God and undeserving of salvation, m uch less
for giveness. Thi s is the level of self-judgment of being unfor giv able and
beyond hope or redemption. Guilt tak es the form of penance, self-hatred, psychological and physical
self-punishment, suicide, self-abnegation, and self-propagating
addiction. “Oh look, God, how  I suf fer” becomes a subtle attempt to
manipulate God. One way the ego mechanism handles guilt is by projection, so that one’ s
motives and emotions are disowned and seen as being ‘out there’ and
therefore an object for justifie d hate and vindictiveness. A spiritual
paradox is represented by the r eligious teaching of ‘hating sin’, which
merely e xpresses the very thing it deplores. This pitfall can be bypassed
with compassion, for giveness, and the realization that mankind and
individuals are limited, ignoran t, and really do not know or understand
why or what they do. Ignorance is an automatic byproduct of the ego’ s inherited internal
mental mechanisms, which were examined and clarified from an
evolutionary vie wpoint in T ruth vs . Falseh ood (Section I). Guilt can also
be amel iorated by recognizing the truth of Socrates’ statement that ‘all
men seek only what they perceive as the good’, but unfortunately , due to
the limitations of perception, truth cannot be discerned from falsehood,
nor the truly go od from that w hich is perceived as desirable (wealth,
success, possession, power over others, etc.). Guilt is the consequence of the memory of regretted past actions as they
are recalled. These can be transcended only by recontextualization. Mistakes are the natural, impersonal consequence of learning and
development and therefore unavoidable. As evolution progressed, the capacity of learning, called ‘intelligence’,
arose as a consequence of trial and error , which is a proces s that is
operationally required for survival. The process of trial and error then
accumulates as data and memory . This accrues as the long and
experiential time  continuum that sorts events into ‘then’ and ‘n ow’. The
present self ‘is’, and the former self ‘was’, and, in truth, that wh ich ‘was’
is no t id entical w ith that which ‘ is’. Regret and guilt result from  equatingthe present self that ‘is’ with the  former self that ‘was’ but actually is no
more; they are not the same. Guilt can be an educative emoti on that arises as a warning not to repeat
the sam e mistake. The past cannot be rewritten, but it can be
recontextualized so as to be a source of constructive learning . Regret
over past events or decisions c an be ameliorated by realizing that they
‘seemed like a good idea at the time’. Inasmuch as the human mind is defective and not omniscient, guilt and
regret are sourced by ignorance and limitation and represent evolutionary
stages. P ast erro rs are due to limitation and belong to a certain point in
the time line of evolution, not on ly personally but also collectively . What
was acc eptable in the past is no longer acceptable. Ignorance is due to
fallacy of perception or interpretation. Therefore, whatever the content of
regret may be, it is actually the same identical defect bu t merely
appearing under dif ferent circumstances. The literal, absolute definition
of the word ‘s in’ is ‘error ’. This later becomes compounded with
religious dictum s, elaborations , and rankings according to alleged
degrees of seriousness and culpability . Operationally , there is just one single recurrent ‘sin’, which is that of
error , ignorance, misperception, mistake, or miscalculation. It is a
consequence of a limitation of human consciousness. Self-for giveness is
facilitated by humility and acceptance of this limitation. Realistically ,
what is usually appropriate is a ‘decent regret’, as was cited by Bill W .,
the famous founder of Alcoholics Anonymous. Excessive guilt and
remorse are a d isguised form of egotism in which the self becomes
blown up, exaggerated, and the  hero of the tragedy , the negativity of
which feeds the ego. Therefore,  release from guilt requires sur render of
this bas ic egot ism because the ego reener gizes itself through the
negativity . Another egoist position is ‘I should have known better ’, which brings in
the hypothetical, which is always fallacious. (All hypothetical positions
calibrate as false.) W allowing in guilt is feeding the ego a nd is an
indulgence. Therefore, there has to be the willingness to surrender it. In psych ological terms, the source of guilt, as termed by psychoanalysis,
is th e so -called superego, so nam ed by Freud. This is the part of the mind
comprised of introjected judgments, points of view , and learned content.A hype rtrophied superego can  be the source of excessive guilt or
scrupulosity , or it can be projected onto others, which justifies
vindictiveness in extreme form s as revenge against the ‘evil’ enemy . This rationalizes  killing others as their being ‘deserving’ of dea th, which
is further supported by culturally distributed propaganda and cult-style
brainwashing by  authority figures (e.g., religious terrorists). Severely
low levels of co nsciousness are reached by those persons who fall victim
to a combination of the Luciferic error (pride, distortion of truth) and the
Satanic error (cruelty , savagery ). Thus, the worst ravages of humanity
have oft en been done in the nam e of God (the classic Luciferic inversion
of g ood and ev il). From a developmental viewpoint that reveals the
limitations of the ego, it can be seen that the perpetrators of sav agery are
themselves the victims of rudimentary levels of consciousness. From an  analysi s of its origins and dynamics, it can be summarized that
guilt is but another form of egotism in which error is inflated i nstead of
being relinquish ed to a higher  power . God is not a sadist, so self-
degradation or self-punishment serves neither God nor one’ s fellowman. The ‘Gothic’ side of historic Christianity tended to glorify sackcloth,
ashes, a nd suf fering as penance. W ith greater understanding of the ego
and its mechanism, it can be seen that this mechanism is subtly self-
serving and may lead to extremes of asceticism or persecution (e.g., the
Inquisition). In psych ology , one process of r elieving guilt is called ‘undoing’, which
has to do with bringing up the  punitive superego (conscienc e) into a
more re alistic view of life and compensating for error so it becomes
more benign and less judgmental and punitive. In an ideal childhood development, the introjected (identified with)
parental figures are not harsh but supportive and loving as teachers. The
punitive superego may also be projected outward as an aggressive,
judgmental, extreme political positionality that propagates by the ‘juice’
of political hatred. Another expression of this error is the socially
pervasive model  of perpetrator/victim that can be superimposed onto any
social situation. In psychoanalysis, such a device is called ‘projection’ in
order to keep th e conflict repressed instead of becoming conscious and
responsible for it.In classical Freudian terminology , the ‘ego’ is understood and
contextualized q uite dif ferently than it is in spiritual terminology . The
Freudian ego is that aspect of the mind that has to deal with  external
reality , a s well as balance and re solve the inner conflicts between the ‘Id’
(primitive drives) and conscience. Thus, psychological health is equated
with having a healthy , realistic, and balanced personality . When the malignant superego is  ameliorated and becomes benign, it then
sees auth ority as protective and its role as that of teaching. Thu s, it does
not nee d to be projected onto the external world or turned against
oneself. Guilt and Memory . As has been d escribed, the dualistic structure of the ego r esults in
perception (edited linear program) being mistaken for reality . (For
example, the reported percentage of error in eyewitness testi mony in
courts is fifty pe rcent.) Memory and recall are not of reality but of one’ s
perceptions at the time. (See Section I, T ruth vs. Falsehood , for more
information.) Although literal historical facts may be recalled correctly ,
their meaning is not understood because, if guilt remains, then the events
were not truly understood from the context of a greater Reality . T ransformation. While the psychological/sociological explanations are helpful, they do
not explain the true healing that occurs when these lower levels of
consciousness are transcended. By spiritual alignment, the past
circumstances u nderlying the guilt are recontextualized u nder the
influence of spiritual ener gy . Th is process is occasioned by an  exercise
of the spiritual will, which, by its intention, invocation, prayer , and
declaration, initi ates a process that is not of the ego but of the n onlinear
Self. This process is extensively described in A Course in Miracles (cal. 600), and the e xperience is subjectively miraculous, transformational,
and results in a feeling of pe ace and healing. This phenomenon is
facilitated by participation in spiritual groups where the personal
spiritual ener gy  is augmented by the group’ s intention, support, and
spiritual field (e.g., AA calibrates at 540, the level of Unconditional
Love).As attested to by many thousands of people, negative perceptions and
guilt can  thereb y be replaced by  a positive understanding and a shift in
comprehension and memory . This is the basis for the statement
commonly used in such groups, “I see things dif ferently now . ”V ia this
transformation, formerly hated persons can be for given, the formerly
frightening can be seen as peaceful, and hatred is replaced by
compassion for human frailty . A lthough the transformation is invited by
the personal self, it is occasione d by the invocation of the power of the
spiritual will by which the se emingly impossible becomes not only
possible but an experiential actuality . Understanding the Ego’ s Mechanisms of Dominance. Illusion is the secondary , automatic consequence of positionality . What
happens in a miraculous transformation is that the positionality dissolves,
allowing for a g reater contextualization, outside of time and place, by
which the linear content is replaced with the nonlinear (context). The
primary underpi nning of the persistence of negativity is the ego ’ s secret
pay-of f from negativity (‘juice’ ). This secret pay-of f is the ego’ s only
source of ener gy , so it sees for giveness, as well as compassion, as the
‘enemy’. (In totalitarian armed forces, no expressions of benevolence,
sympathy , or compassion are allowed as they are considered signs of
weakness and are strictly prohibited.) In the spiritual world, the basic dictum is, “There are no justified
resentments.” This statement is abhorred by the ego. “Oh yeah, ” it says,
“but wh at about so-and-so?” It then goes through its laundry list and
litany of horrors, violations of ‘rights’, injustices, presumptive ar guments
of ‘e thics’, ‘morality’, etc. Every counselor , sponsor , or professional is
familiar with such recitations. T o recover , the question one has to face is
whether one wishes to cling to it (and thereby get the ‘juice’) or give it
up. This is the point of decision, without which healing cannot occur . The decision made at this turning point has actual consequenc es in the
brain’ s p hysiology and its capacity to even comprehend the wisdom of
choosing for giveness instead of hate. (See Brain Physiology diagram,
Chapter 9.) T o help with acceptance of this necessary step, a strong example can be
useful and supportive. Probably the lar gest and most striking example isthat of the vetera ns of W orld W a r II in which the experience of groups as
well as individu al combatants was horrific to the maximal degree. After
the end of the war , the majority of former enemy combata nts very
quickly for gave each other , even formally saluting each other , and
celebrated the end of the conflict. They shook hands in renewed mutual
respect. There were the kamik aze pilots who had strafed on e’ s ship,
killed one’ s comrades, and left many wounded and crippled casualties. On the other side, Americans were the ones who dropped the atomic
bombs t hat killed thousands of civilians. Subsequent to the cessation of
hostilities, there was a strange, a lmost blanket-like acceptance that it was
all over and that it had all ‘just been about war ’. Former combatants even
became close personal friends and periodically visited each other ’ s
families. T o this day , the survivors still commemorate great battles
together . Reluctance to for give is a consequence not only of unwillingness to let
go of the ego ju ice of perceived injustice but also the illusion th at others
do not ‘deserve’  it. In reality , it is the for giver and not the for g iven who
benefits the most. The purpose  of the example is to demonstrate that
even the most severe conditions can be transcended, but only by an act of
the will and the willingness t o surrender the nursing of ha tred and
revenge. One might ask h ow could such a  saintly transformation even be possible,
given the horrific circumstances on both sides, including imprisonment
in POW  camps, starvation, personal torture, gross cruelty , and carnage. In actuality , and psychologically , it really could not be done by the
ego/mind at all because it lacks the necessary power when it is c aught up
in the ener gy field of hate, which calibrates at only 30. Therefore, the
transformative source of power  cannot originate from the mind or the
personality calle d the personal ‘I’. The necessary power resides in the
nonlinear quality of consciousness termed the ‘W ill’, which alone can
open the gates to the power necessary to dissolve the ego’ s positionality . By invit ation, the Holy Spirit tra nsforms comprehension by virtue of the
presence of the healing power o f Grace. What the ego cannot lift with all
its m ight is like  a feather to the Grace of God. As a consequence of the
process of transformation, not o nly are the views of others transformed
from hateful to benign, but the view of self is also transformed.Guilt-ridden cul tures commonly have a negative view of God as being
judgmental, vindictive, angry , and punitive via natural disasters, which
are c ontextualized as punishme nts for wickedness that stem from God. Personal judgment is based on p erception that is reinforced by b elief and
prior pro gramming, all of which are held in place by the pay-of f of the
negative ener gies of the ego. T he ego just ‘loves’ suf fering a ‘wrong’,
being the martyr , being misund erstood, and being the endless victim of
life’ s vic issitudes. It thereby gets an enormous pay-of f, not only from the
positionality its elf but also f rom sympathy , self-pity , entitlements,
importance, or being ‘center stage’ in which the self is the hero or
heroine of the melodrama. The ego hoards ‘slights’ and injuries, nurses
‘hurt feelings’, and stockpiles grievances in this inner melod rama of
injustice collecti ng. T o this end, the collective ego milks ‘right s’, which
can be summoned up and ration alized for any positionality or extremist
viewpoint. The battle over ‘rights’ is the mainstream of the media and
contentious soci al strife termed ‘politics’, for which truth is willingly
sacrificed for gain and for which millions die. Inner examinatio n and self-honesty reveal the secret delights the ego gets
from the nurturance of these ju stifications and protestations. The ego’ s
illusion is that th is process is se lf-nurturing, whereas, in actuality , it has
exactly the opposite ef fect. In re leasing this vicious cycle, it is well to view the totality of human
suf fering and recontextualize the events from the level of com passion. As the Buddha p ointed out, being mortal automatically entails s uf fering,
which is why he taught to seek Enlightenment in order to preclude that
karmically determined recurrence. When one willingly lets a hated
perpetrator ‘of f the hook’ by for giveness, it is not that person who is
taken of f the hook but oneself. As the Buddha also said, there is no
necessity to punish or get even with others because they will bring
themselves down by their own hand. The public often expresses concern that the guilty might go unpunished. Anyone familia r with the reali ty of consciousness and spiritual truth
realizes that no such thing is possible. Everyone is accountab le to the
universe and is subject to Divine Justice by the very dynamics of the
universe itself. Like a cork in the sea, each soul floats to the level of its
own buoyancy , which is not due to some arbitrary act by the sea. There is
no hand on the tiller but one’ s own, which is the total freedom accordedto life by God. No man falls but by his own hand. Even the supposed
‘accidental’ occurrence is merel y a perception. There are no accidents in
the universe, nor are they even a  possibility . What it really mea ns is that
they are unpredictable or inco mprehensible to the linear ego and its
limitation to the Newtonian paradigm of cause and ef fect (cal. level 450). In th e he adlines twenty years ago was the example of an airpla ne flying
at a high altitud e when part of the fuselage flew of f and just on e person
out of the hund reds of passengers on board was sucked ou t. People
congregate in groups because t hey are aligned with the same  attractor
field. When fish at the bottom of the sea swoop about in schools or birds
fly in flocks, each one is where they are, not as a result of their alignment
with the others but because they are all attuned to exactly the same
attractor field. Each one, individually , is following a powerful m agnetic-
like field that in turn is subject to the next higher attractor fiel d, and so
on up to Divinity . (The above passage calibrates at 995.)
_OceanofPDF.com_Transcending_the_Levels_of_Consciousness__-_David_R_Hawkins.txt
Summarize the following text section accurately and concisely. Maintain specific details and numerical information, and use anti-repetition mechanisms:

        T r a n s c e n d i n g  
 t h e  L e v e l s  o f  C o n s c i o u s n e s s. T h e  S t a i r w a y  t o  E n l i g h t e n m e n t. D a v i d  R. H a w k i n s,  M. D. ,  P h.
David R. Hawkins, M.D., Ph.D.
Who is the author of the book "T ranscending the Levels of Consciousness"?
The purpose of the book is to provide a pragmatic, clinical science of truth to guide humanity in its quest for enlightenment and spiritual growth.
What is the purpose of the book "T ranscending the Levels of Consciousness"?
The level 200 is significant because it differentiates truth from falsehood, and it is the lowest level at which the human mind can discern truth from falsehood.
What is the significance of the level 200 in the context of the book?
According to the author, guilt is a consequence of the ego's inherent limitations and is used to justify self-punishment and self-hatred.
What is the relationship between guilt and the ego, according to the author?
The author states that karma is not a punishment from God, but rather a natural consequence of one's own choices and actions, and that one's consciousness level determines one's spiritual destiny.
What is the author's stance on the concept of karma and justice?