Fulfillment: The Actualization of Potentiality
The student asks how realistic or practical is it to set the realization of
the Self, or Enlightenment, as it has been called, as a goal, considering its
rarity. Over history, it has indeed been extremely rare. However, because of
the progression of the overall evolution of consciousness within the last
century, the likelihood of a committed student’s reaching Enlightenment has
increased by more than one thousand percent. Each advancement in
consciousness is already an enlightened state by comparison to that which
preceded it. To move from below calibration level 200 to above 200 is
already a primary and very major step. The next major transition is to move
from the dominance of emotionality to the capacities of reason and the
intellect, and then to transcend them at level 499 and realize that Reality is
not linear or descriptive but instead subjective. The emergence of Love at
500 announces the dominance of a new paradigm. Consciousness level 540
signals the emergence of Unconditional Love, which progresses on through
joy and ecstasy. Enlightenment classically calibrates at level 600 and then
on up to 1,000 with the disappearance of linearity as the presumed reality. Identification with limitation ceases, and the process then becomes one
of transcending limiting contextualizations that are related to the emergence
of the qualities or levels of consciousness by which the unmanifest becomes
Manifest. Thus, the most advanced levels of consciousness have to do withexpansion and dominion of nonlinear context and paradigms that are
beyond precise linear description or definition. Q: The final blocks to Enlightenment itself sound rather formidable or
at least difficult. A: They do so to the ego itself but not to the inner Truth and Knowingness
of the Self. It is true that the final core of the ego is incapable of
relinquishing its seeming sovereignty as the illusory source of life and
existence. The strength is provided by the power of the Self that is at
one with the Truth of Divinity. This knowingness is radiated as a
consequence of Identity with the Absolute. Divinity is the Source of all
Existence, including one’s own. Fear arises from the ego/self which is
dissolved into the Self. Thus, the very source of fear is eliminated and
transcended. The fear that is found at the end of the journey is unlike any fear that
was faced previously. Its quality is existential and nonlinear rather than
limited or discrete. Experientially, the fear was indeed very strong but
not really stronger in intensity than prior fears that were overcome. What gave this fear a unique quality similar to dread was its
identification as being equated with the source of existence and life
itself. The ego equates survival of life with control. In a final surrender of
control, the underlying primordial fear arises. Life is a consequence of
the Divinity of its Source, which is the ultimate confrontation to the
very core of the ego. Q: Without instruction, the spiritual pathway would be more difficult,
if not impossible. Enlightenment has been very rare. A: The consciousness level of humanity has been progressively rising,
which collectively supports spiritual evolution and the availability of
more advanced information about the qualities and nature of
consciousness itself. Historical literature about very advanced states
often described the states themselves but did not provide details of the
incremental steps necessary to reach them. Q: The spiritual process itself seems like it must have been of lengthy
duration.A: In this lifetime, the duration of the process was thirty-eight years. The
onset itself was startling and dramatic at age three and has been
described elsewhere. The presentation was a confrontation with
voidness/nonexistence versus Allness as the Ultimate Reality. Thus, the
way back to the Realization of Divinity as Infinite Love had to be
rediscovered and transcended. The strong inflowing of kundalini energy,
which is exquisite, gave confirmation that the pathway was provided by
God. That had originally been experienced in this lifetime during early
adolescence. Q: Was that a ‘near-death’ experience? A: No, it was not. Refuge was sought from icy winds in a remote area but
the physical condition was strong and healthy. What was sought was
merely the comfort of refuge. Then spontaneously occurred a subjective
state that was transcendent, everlasting, primordial, and all
encompassing. The Radiance of the Self as Infinite Love dissolved all
fear of personal self or limitation. The duration was beyond time and
even ‘before all universes and after all universes have disappeared’. The
Self replaced all limitations of personal self, including location,
duration, or identification. Subsequently, all fear of death disappeared. Q: It seems a strange paradox that years later you became an agnostic
for some time. A: That again was the consequence of an unanticipated revelation. It
marked the end of belief in God as a belief system. It was subsequent to
a sudden revelation of the total suffering of all mankind throughout all
of human existence. It was a staggering confrontation. Up until that time, religiosity had prevailed, but in shock and dismay
at the revelation, the belief in a God who could allow or be the cause of
all that suffering was unsustainable. At that time, the common
prevailing belief was that God was the cause and creator of everything. What was being witnessed was the suffering that is the consequence of
the ungodliness of the ego from which humanity needs a Savior. Despite the collapse of religious belief in God, there persisted a drive
to get to the core and source of Truth itself. That led to searching within
during four years of deep classical clinical psychoanalysis, followed by
three more years of depth analysis focused on uncovering the roots ofthe ego itself. The inner search then continued into reaching the very
depths of the ego and the lower levels of Hell that, too, are
experientially beyond the limitations of time. It was from the pits of
eternal spiritual darkness that the call to God was answered for it took
that extreme of agony and despair to crack the ego’s tenacious hold. Subsequently, there was a period of oblivion, and then the shining forth
of Divinity and the Glory of God was made Known and Revealed in all
its stunning Beauty and Perfection. Creation shone forth as God
Manifest as Creation. Q: That was like a termination or end point to the unfoldment of the
potential of Consciousness itself? A: There had been prior advances as well as challenges. There was a very
advanced state of consciousness that was accompanied by the
Knowingness of now being beyond the limitations of personal karma. There emerged a nonlinear state best described as a condition
consequent to a greatly expanded context of Reality. In the silence,
unasked, there was heard and recognized a silent message that said,
“Now that you are beyond all karmic answerability or accountability,
even the limitations of personal love, all power is yours over others—
own it—take it—use it, for there are no consequences.” 
   Few in number had passed through these rarified gates, and it could be
seen who had said yes to the temptation and who had refused power for
its own sake and gain. I saw that Jesus had refused it and passed
through, as had the great Avatars and Enlightened sages. While it is
termed the ‘Luciferic temptation’, there was no entity present as a
source of the temptation. It was presented as a silent temptation:“ All
power over others is yours—claim it.” 
   The temptation was refused by the Higher Knowingness that the
temptation was a false promise because the Ultimate Reality is the
Source of all Power. The Self is innately the Power and has no need to
claim it as an acquisition. Power for its own sake as gain had no appeal. Frankly, it would have been a burden. Subsequent to its refusal, the last
doorway opened up, and with the death of the ego, the Glory of God
shone forth and all went silent.Q: Thus temptations persist and reappear almost to the end of the
spiritual journey? A: That was the sequence. Subsequently, it was recalled that Jesus Christ
and the Buddha described similar confrontive temptations. Q: What of the physical systems? A: Each major advance seemed to trigger a transitory inner agony localized
to the aura, or etheric body. These were made more bearable by
recalling that both the Buddha and Jesus Christ had described them. Jesus ‘sweat blood’ in the Garden of Gethsemane; the Buddha was beset
by attacks of demons and felt as though his bones were broken. This occurs from consciousness level 800 and up and was recurrent at
the passing of the high gates. The reason is that from consciousness
level 800 and up, negative regions from the collective consciousness of
mankind are being challenged and transcended. One is aware that the
positionalities being challenged are not those of personal karma per se,
that is, not that of the individual but the individual as reflective of the
overall karmic inheritance of mankind itself. Q: This kind of information is very rare indeed. Does an ‘ordinary’
seeker need to know it? A: Yes, indeed, for today’s beginner or mid-way seeker is tomorrow’s
enlightened sage. That others have crossed these barriers makes it easier
for the next to break through them. This has been termed the ‘Roger
Bannister effect’. Each crossing leaves a vibrational track available for
the next runner to ‘know’ that it can be done. Breaking through a major
barrier requires an inner Knowingness that it is possible because it is
based on the power and the invincible strength of Truth. Those who seek Enlightenment deserve all the useful confirmed truth,
knowledge, and encouragement that is available. Spiritual endeavor can
result in major unexpected leaps without prior warning. It is the better part of wisdom to have such information beforehand. OceanofPDF.comCHAPTER 15
Progressive States of Consciousness
Introduction
Exposition thus far has been for the purpose of providing clarity to
information that is somewhat difficult to put into language. The
information, however, is comforting by providing some degree of
familiarity through describing the subjective, evolutionary stages of
consciousness that occur at the various levels. It is also reassuring to hear
that seeming obstacles along the way are normal and not actually
intrinsically personal as such but instead are consequent to the
characteristics of a particular level of consciousness. Evolutionary emergence of potential occurs as transitions that are
rewarding and confirmatory overall. However, there are also transitory
periods that are discomforting, and they are also to be expected. There may
be periods of feeling estranged, depersonalized, or ‘not like myself’. There
may also be times of confusion or feeling ‘spacey’ or disorganized. These
are due to the adjustments resulting from shifts of context and their
experiential familiarity and customary sense of subjectivity. The sense of
‘realness’ or self-identity progressively expands and alters prior belief
systems of ‘who I am’, as they transform into ‘what I am’. Therefore, there
may be progressive changes in values, goals, and prioritization of time and
effort. These transitional periods are temporary, and ease of transition is
aided by prayer, spiritual practices, and especially, a contemplative lifestyle. While the self may occasionally feel confused or discordant, the Self
always knows exactly where ‘you’ are because the reality is always within
the Province of God. It is not possible to be lost, although on occasion a
devotee may feel lost. The problem is not the condition itself but the fear of
losing control and familiarity. The infinite field of consciousness is all inclusive and in accord with all
possible experiential ranges or states. The field is innately in harmonic
balance and thereby inclusive of all transitional states. The overall field
could be described as self-correcting, and consequently, it realigns itself in a
compensatory manner. All alterations are time limited and temporary.Analogously, weather changes, but the atmospheric balance of the
stratosphere is unaffected. Subjectively, all that is needed to progress are patience, prayer, faith in
the process, and the surrendering of resistances. Confusion, like the changes
in the weather, is a transitional condition that clears with patience and also
with emergence into the next stage, whereby the confusing condition is
transcended. Divine harmony restores equilibrium in time. All is actually in
Divine Order. It is not possible to get ‘lost’ to God anymore than a tennis
ball gets lost to gravity just because it is temporarily bouncing. Transitions or changes are consequent to the unfolding of evolution,
which is the actualized expression of Creation. The process is both within
and without, and every moment represents the emergence of the new. Life is
lived on the advancing edge of the evolution of consciousness, and thus, all
experiencing is evanescent and transitory. Transcending the Attraction of Form
The evolution of consciousness may proceed in a variety of ways. It
may be slow and sudden, or it may proceed in an orderly fashion but then
take sudden leaps. The major transitions occur when conceptual thought is
abandoned along with interest in ‘experiencing’ or identification with the
experiencer ‘edge’ of the ego/self and its processing functions. Beyond
linear concepts and images, there is nothing that requires processing. Thus,
the mind/self becomes silent, and instead, the nonlinear context prevails. It
could be summarized as follows: Ego/mind thinks, field (consciousness)
knows, and Self is. It is really not difficult to become aware of the ‘experiencer’ aspect of
the self that constantly processes input irrespective of the nature or qualities
of the data, such as thoughts, memories, images, sensations, and emotions. With practice, one can stay focused on that quality of consciousness as a
process without actually getting involved in the ‘what’ that is being
processed or experienced. This experiential edge watchfully processes
every second. It is like a listener/feeler/
anticipator/rememberer/recognizer/multiprocessor unit. The ‘experiencer’ is
the perceptual edge of consciousness awareness that is independent of the
nature of the data being processed. It is this quality that one identifies with as ‘me’ or ‘I’. With observation,
it will be recognized that this function is autonomous and impersonal,
although the self claims it is identity. The experiencer is not a ‘who’ but an‘it’. It is an autonomous functionality. It is comparable to a multifunctional
processing-probe faculty. The ego/self thrives on that ‘experiencer’ quality
and is actually addicted to it. By attention and volition, the seductive attraction of the experiencer can
be refused. Succumbing to its entertainment is only a habit. It is not ‘you’
but only an activity with which the self becomes identified. The mind thinks
that it will ‘go blank’ and become void without the constant linear input of
information and focus on ‘what is going on’. Yet, at night, sleep is a
welcome relief from the experiencer’s endless chatter. Thus, the mind
thinks there are only three possibilities: (1) experiencing, (2) sleep
(oblivion), or perhaps, (3) sleep with dreaming. But relatively unknown to
ordinary mind is a fourth state, which is one of awareness itself and
independent of content, experiencing, or even participating, analyzing, or
recording. The underlying quality is effortless, peaceful, and compatible
with a contemplative lifestyle. It leads to the states classically termed
Samadhi. Alignment with the Field of Consciousness/Awareness
With inner fixity of purpose, diligence, and discipline, the attraction of
the data-processing experiencer function can be refused as a focus of
interest, importance, or even identification. Beneath the emotionalized
experiencer is the subtle silence of Awareness. Because it is devoid of the
limitations of linear content or form, it is like a blank screen or the
reflecting surface of a pool. It is the a priori condition without which there
would be no knowingness of what the experiencer is experiencing, nor of
what the witness/observer is perceiving. This basic subtle state is a fundamental constant. It is akin to an overall
space or field within which all other phenomena and conditions are
encompassed. The silent, subtle field is a quality of the Self. This field,
state, or condition of consciousness is all inclusive, yet devoid of
identification with content. Awareness is aware of itself. As such, it is a
fundamental, everexistent quality. This ‘fourth state’ of consciousness was described by Ramana Maharshi
by its Sanskrit term, turiya. From this condition, all appears equal by virtue
of the reality that meaning and existence are one and the same thing, that is,
what things mean is fulfilled by what they are, and what they are is exactly
the fulfillment of what they mean. Their existence is their meaning. (This
awareness occurs at consciousness calibration level 750. )This state is also discernible as the silent substrate out of which
thoughts spontaneously emerge. It can be detected as the a priori condition
which is the field or matrix that, in a split instant, precedes the emergence
of thinkingness. Its ‘location’ is analogous to that of the ocean, just prior to
the emergence of a flying fish. Each thought spontaneously arises and is not
recognized until it has become fully formed. As it emerges, the thought is
like a vague stirring of energy that quickly moves from indistinct form to
more detailed and identifiable completion. The process is very rapid. To
discern the silent field itself requires sharp attention and perspicacity. The
technique is to refuse interest in the specificity of thoughts and stop trying
to recognize or read them. Unless intended by volition, thoughts are just
endless babble, and it is only the vanity of the ego that cherishes them as
being entertaining or deserving of interest. To bypass and transcend the seductive attraction of the content of
stream-of-consciousness thinkingness, humility about its importance
quickly reveals that without the projection of value, ninety-nine percent of
thoughts are just plain boring and platitudinous. Disenchantment with them
diminishes their attraction by withdrawal of interest. The other illusion is
that attention to thoughts is necessary to survival, whereas in reality,
survival is up to the Self. With sharp focus, it becomes apparent that
thoughts can be relinquished earlier and earlier in the process of their
emergence and formation. With continued focus and relinquishment of their
entertainment value, they will slowly disappear as recognizable form and
subside to just being a transitory urge to think. The gratification of this
impulse can be refused. By doing this, it becomes amazingly apparent that
one thinks only as a consequence of desiring to do so, and that thoughts and
images only have an imaginary value. Intrinsically, they are not really
stunningly marvelous. This discovery that one is really the source of
thinkingness reveals that one is not the victim of the mind but the originator
of the phenomenon by virtue of intention and desire. Freedom is a
consequence of the deep humility which reveals that the only reason one
thinks is because one wants to in order to derive an experiential benefit or
payoff. The ego/mind is afraid that if it doesn’t think, it will (1) get bored, and
(2) cease to exist. The problem of boredom is relatively easy to transcend
simply by seeing that boredom is just the frustration of not being amused by
‘interesting’ thoughts. To transcend the thinkingness, interest should reallybe refocused on searching for the substrate out of which thinkingness arises. One can choose to be bored with thoughts, and upon examination, it will be
clear that they are primarily just the constant reworking, over and over, of
familiar concepts, images, and ideas. The Self is quite capable of choosing and being in charge without the
necessity of concepts. It is also easy to observe that the linearity of
thinkingness merely leads to further linearity as a parade of ideas, images,
memories, imaginings, and more. Curiosity can be shifted from the form
and content of thoughts in order to become aware of the silent nascent field
of consciousness awareness itself. Silence is of the Self; thoughts are of the
self. The Self does not need encouragement by the investment of the energy
of interest. The silent state can be intuited by both contemplation and
meditation. One can merely assume the attitude of being too lazy to bother
to think. Spiritual Practice
The ego/mind is attracted to novelty and therefore searches frantically
for interesting form and sensation. This can be refused and replaced by
interest in the silent, formless substrate that is always present and merely
has to be noticed. It is comparable to the silent background without which
sound could not be discerned. The phenomenal world is like a giant Rorschach card—the figure
‘means’ whatever one wishes it to. Sound is discernible only because it is
superimposed against the background of silence, and thus form can only be
recognized because it is superimposed within formless space. Likewise, the
content of mind is only identifiable because of its formless, silent
background screen. The experiencer can thus be directed to focus on the
silent, formless backdrop. The substrate, because of its silence, has an
innate feeling of peace. Silence and peace can be chosen, appreciated,
valued, and welcomed as relief from the constant tension of the ever-
watchful expectancy of the experiencer function. When peace is more
valued than the entertainment of the insatiable ego, it will be discovered to
be ever present and available. That one even has such an option is unknown
by 99.7 percent of the population. Thus, there is an unknown freedom
available: one can choose merely to refuse the ego investment in the world
and one’s thoughts about it (i.e., surrender it to God). RenunciationTraditionally, many serious spiritual devotees renounce the world and
withdraw from it by retreat to environments that have low sensory input and
do not require specific activity. For some students, that is very helpful and
even necessary at different times, if even for only short periods, such as
provided by formal retreats. As mentioned earlier, true renunciation is
internal and is the consequence of a decision and an act of the will. On a
practical level, actual physical withdrawal and renunciation are a
declaration and a shift of social roles. Inner renunciation may also result in
withdrawal from the world but not for the same reasons. From the calibration levels of the high 500s on up, participation in the
world is problematic. Major alterations of lifestyle may be mandatory as
well as preferred. Rural simplicity and peacefulness, as well as
environmental beauty, become more concordant with one’s inner state. Some devotees in the high 500s manage to continue to teach or write. At the
levels of the 600s and 700s, all participation may stop, and statistically,
many who reach these levels choose the option to leave the body; however,
some remain for the fulfillment of karmic propensities. In the high levels,
function is the consequence of Divine Ordinance, as the personal will has
been surrendered to God. ‘Motivation’, ‘intention’, or ‘goals’ no longer
exist. Actions are autonomous, spontaneous, and consequent to the Presence
as Self. Awareness of the overall silent contextual field is facilitated by a
contemplative lifestyle that could be likened to shifting interest from details
to ‘the big picture’. It ‘gets’ overall qualities of atmosphere without going
into specifics and therefore intuits generalities rather than thinking or
analyzing details. The resistance of the ego/mind is that it is afraid it might
‘miss’ something, as it is addicted to processing the details of the content of
form, which is the attraction and lure of the world. To ‘renounce the world’
means to withdraw energy from it and decline activities that require
attention to specifics, thereby abiding in the Self rather than in the
amusements of the self. As a result of the withdrawal from interest in the world, it may be
abandoned. Many devotees cease following the news via newspapers or
television. It is quickly discovered that it never was the world that was
interesting but the projections by one’s ego of its values and the specifics of
its sensations. The brain is the sense organ of the experiencer, and one
realizes that it is destined for physical death. Therefore, the importance ofthe Self rather than the self is realized by accepting the inevitability of
mortality. It is only necessary to shift from devotion to the world to
devotion to God and the Spirit. One’s life span is already determined at the very moment of birth
(verified repeatedly by consciousness research). The devotee is thus one
who surrenders one’s life to God rather than to the ego/mind experiencer’s
projected values of the world. While abandoning the world may sound drastic in the early stages of the
spiritual quest, it occurs quite naturally and is welcomed with relief later on. At advanced stages, some functioning in the world may return but is of a
different nature as there is no longer anything to ‘get’ from the world. It is
primarily the scene of evolution/creation in which all is of equal value by
virtue of its existence. Q: The emphasis has been on de-energizing the ego and its illusions. What about the identification of the self with the body? A: It is true that many traditional spiritual practices and teachings often
start with and emphasize the body as well as attempts to control the
energies of the chakra system. However, their meaning, importance, and
value are the consequence of mental/emotional processes by the ego. It
seems to be of greater pragmatic value to emphasize the deconstruction
of the ego/self to begin with. The body itself is actually not experienced; instead, only the
sensations of the body are experienced. For example, one experiences
the whereabouts, position, comfort, etc., of the arm but not the arm
itself. This is easily verified if sensation is prevented by the cutting of a
nerve. Therefore, awareness of the body is merely composite sensation
by which the somatic sensory area of the brain records input, and by
neuronal function, replicates the body image. The ‘phantom limb’
phenomenon that is sometimes seen clinically is a neurological anomaly
whereby the brain produces, out of habit, a false image of a nonexistent
limb that has been lost due to amputation. This is classified as a sensory
hallucination. During sleep, sensory input is discontinued and the body passes out of
conscious subjective awareness. Thus, the experience of the body is
conditional. The attachment to the body is to sensation and the superimposition ofthe concept of ‘mine’; and what is ‘mine’ and is controlled by ‘me’
must therefore be ‘who I am’. Identification with the body is consequent
to the ego’s positionalities. To detach from identification of self as the
body, it is necessary only to see the body as an ‘it’ rather than a ‘me’. Even when characterized as ‘me’, it becomes obvious that one does not
have real dominion over probably ninety-nine percent of its overall
functions (biochemical, digestive, cardiovascular, neuronal, metabolic,
etc.) Thus, even control of the body is only in its grossest functions. Now imagine that a limb has been lost in an accident. The person still
calls the body ‘me’. This continues even if more physical attributes are
lost—limbs, facial characteristics, or sensory loss (e.g., Helen Keller). Thus, the ‘body’ as ‘me’ is a mentalization. There is the fictional story
of Donovan’s Brain in which only his brain survives and is kept alive
via artificial means. Relentlessly, the ‘brain’ kept right on with its ego
positions, such as the desire to control others and survive. Helen Keller,
on the other hand—deaf, mute, and blind—calibrated in the high 500s. Joseph Merrick, the “Elephant Man,” so-called due to severe facial
disfigurement, calibrated at the level of a high saint (590). The sense of ‘who’ we are is primarily an identification with the body,
the personality, and its mentalization, with accompanying emotional
investment. One can do an internal mental imaging process to see how
much of the body or its sensations could actually be lost and yet the self
retain a sense of ‘I’. It becomes clear that the experiential ‘I’ has a body
but is not a body. The classic approach to detachment from identification of self with
the body is to detach from the sensory dependence on physicality for
pleasure and gratification. These have to do with desire and the
searching for pleasure as an external acquisition. Asceticism decreases
the sovereignty of the illusion that the source of happiness, pleasure,
and gratification is external, for even if its locus is external, the sense of
pleasure and gratification is an internal function. The body is a
functional utility mechanism, and pleasure is not the consequence of
bodily function but the gratification of desire itself. Similar gratification
can be obtained in a hypnotic state wherein the body itself is not given a
reward but only the image is suggested. The body is therefore a
mechanism and not a source. With spiritual practice focused directly on the ego and its experiencerfunction, the importance and identification of self with the body
automatically diminishes of its own accord. When meaning,
significance, and value are withdrawn from it, the body-image sense
recedes and only recurs when actually necessary (e.g., to sleep,
eliminate, hydrate, etc.) In the state of Bliss (cal. 600), or even at the
consciousness levels of the higher 500s, the seeming needs of the body
diminish. One can dance tirelessly for hours in ecstasy and go without
food for days in Samadhi/Bliss. In higher states, care of the body may
be neglected, as its importance is lost when no longer hypothesized to
be the self. Q: Detachment from the world is correlated with detachment from the
body as well? A: They go hand in hand in that their perception gives them value. When
individuals have an out-of-body experience, the sense of ‘me’ floats up
in space also. One then looks down at the body disinterestedly. It is
perceived as almost foreign to one’s sense of reality. Return to the body
is done only reluctantly, or it happens spontaneously with a sudden
jarring sensation. It is not really possible to identify with the body or
value it when one is not ‘in’ it. People who have learned how to leave
the body in trained altered states of consciousness often have to be
trained in how to return to the body on a given command. Q: Is ‘out of body’ anything similar to the ‘near-death’ experience? A: They are quite dissimilar. Subjectively, the near-death experience is
transformative due to the power of the presence of Divine Love. The
person’s calibrated level of consciousness is thereby advanced and
characterized by the loss of the fear of death. Paradoxically, the out-of-
body experience does not result in a change in consciousness level. This
would imply that the awareness that the self is nonphysical is already
known at a certain level but forgotten in ordinary life. If we pose the question using consciousness research techniques, the
answer that calibrates as true is that the knowledge that we are not a
body but a spirit is already known but merely forgotten as a
consequence of incarnation. Thus, the sense of self is independent of the
body but associated with the sense of being a localized identity rather
than a physicality. It is entertaining to go “out of body” or even to travel considerable
distances, but the experience does not appear to be of any significant
long-term benefit to the advancement of the level of consciousness
itself. It is a relatively frequent occurrence during surgery (well-known
to surgeons) and also after severe accidents. Nurses and doctors have
learned (often rather ruefully) that their conversations while the patient
was supposedly asleep and presumably unconscious were ‘heard’ by the
patient who later related them verbatim to the surprised staff. Q: Consciousness research has revealed a great deal of helpful
information. It clarifies understanding and recontextualizes the
spiritual evolutionary process. It is also confirmation of spiritual
reality and its progressive experiences. Do not the basic
fundamentals, however, remain the same? A: The essential fundamental principles for spiritual endeavor are still
those that are time-honored, such as devotion, humility, fortitude,
willingness to surrender, and faith and trust in God. These are reinforced
by dedication, prayer, and the supplication and invocation of God’s
Grace by an act of the Spiritual Will. Although critical information
about the ego and the levels of consciousness facilitates transformation,
confirmation stems from the application of the fundamental spiritual
principles described. These are empowered by intention, which results
in alignment and integration whereby the basic principles become
operative. Devotion is a consequence of assent by the will. Complete
and total surrender to God can eclipse the process at any given point
along the way. Q: What statement would summarize a whole life of spiritual
experience and dedication? A: Gloria in Excelsis Deo! OceanofPDF.comSection Three
A p p e n d i c e s
A: Calibration of the Truth of the Chapters
B: Map of the Scale of Consciousness
C: How to Calibrate the Levels of Consciousness
D: References
About the Author
O c e a n o f P D F . c o mAPPENDIX A
CALIBRATION OF LEVELS OF TRUTH OF THE CHAPTERS
Explanatory Note
Languaging of material into printed form lowers the calibration level
from its origin by fifteen points. Section I The Spiritual Process
Overview
Chapter 1 Devotional Nonduality
Chapter 2 The Inner Path
Chapter 3 Orientation
Chapter 4 Spiritual Practices
Chapter 5 Clarifications
Chapter 6 The “Experiencer”
Chapter 7 The Razor’s Edge
Chapter 8 Allness Versus Nothingness
Section II Discussion
Chapter 9 Dialogues
Chapter 10 Spirituality and the World
Chapter 11 Teachers and Teachings
Chapter 12 The Devotee
Chapter 13 Transcending Identification with the Ego/Self
Chapter 14 Enlightenment: The Presence of Self
Chapter 15 Progressive States of Consciousness
The Book Discovery of the Presence of God overall
O c e a n o f P D F . c o mAPPENDIX B
MAP OF THE SCALE OF CONSCIOUSNESS
God-viewSelf-view Level LogEmotion Process
Self Is Enlightenment700-
1,000Ineffable Pure 
Consciousness
All-beingPerfect Peace 600Bliss Illumination
One CompleteJoy 540Serenity Transfiguration
Loving Benign Love 500Reverence Revelation
Wise MeaningfulReason 400UnderstandingAbstraction
MercifulHarmoniousAcceptance 350ForgivenessTranscendence
InspiringHopeful Willingness310Optimism Intention
EnablingSatisfactoryNeutrality 250Trust Release
PermittingFeasible Courage 200AffirmationEmpowerment
LEVELS OF TRUTH
LEVELS OF FALSEHOOD
IndifferentDemandingPride 175 Scorn Inflation
Vengeful AntagonisticAnger 150 Hate Aggression
Denying DisappointingDesire 125 Craving Enslavement
Punitive FrighteningFear 100 Anxiety Withdrawal
Uncaring Tragic Grief 75 Regret Despondency
CondemningHopeless Apathy,
hatred50 Despair Abdication
VindictiveEvil Guilt 30 Blame Destruction
Despising Hateful Shame20 HumiliationElimination
O c e a n o f P D F . c o mAPPENDIX C
HOW TO CALIBRATE THE LEVELS OF CONSCIOUSNESS
General Information
The energy field of consciousness is infinite in dimension. Specific
levels correlate with human consciousness, and these have been calibrated
from “1” to “1,000.” (See Appendix B: Map of the Scale of Consciousness.) These energy fields reflect and dominate human consciousness. Everything in the universe radiates a specific frequency or minute
energy field that remains in the field of consciousness permanently. Thus,
every person or being whoever lived and anything about them, including
any event, thought, deed, feeling, or attitude, is recorded forever and can be
retrieved at any time in the present or the future. Technique
The kinesiological response (muscle testing) is a simple “yes” or “not
yes” (no) response to a specific stimulus. It is usually done by the subject’s
holding out an extended arm and the tester pressing down on the wrist of
the extended arm, using two fingers and light pressure. Usually the subject
holds a substance to be tested over their solar plexus with the other hand. The tester says to the test subject, “Resist,” and if the substance being tested
is beneficial to the subject, the arm will be strong. If it is not beneficial or
has an adverse effect, the arm will go weak. The response is very quick and
brief. It is important to note that the intention, as well as both the tester and
the one being tested, must calibrate over 200 in order to obtain accurate
responses. The higher the levels of consciousness of the test team, the more
accurate are the results. The best attitude is one of clinical detachment,
posing a statement with the prefix statement, “In the name of the highest
good, _______ calibrates as true. Over 100. Over 200,” etc. The
contextualization “in the highest good” increases accuracy because it
transcends self-serving personal interest and motives. For many years, the test was thought to be a local response of the body’s
acupuncture or immune system. Later research, however, has revealed thatthe response is not a local response to the body at all, but instead is a
general response of consciousness itself to the energy of a substance or a
statement. That which is true, beneficial, or pro-life gives a positive
response that stems from the impersonal field of consciousness, which is
present in everyone living. This positive response is indicated by the body’s
musculature going strong. For convenience, the deltoid muscle is usually
the one best used as an indicator muscle; however, any of the muscles of the
body can be used, such as the gastrocnemias, which are often used by
practitioners such as chiropractors. Before a question (in the form of a statement) is presented, it is
necessary to qualify ‘permission’; that is, state “I have permission to ask
about what I am holding in mind.” (Yes/No) Or, “This calibration serves the
highest good.”
If a statement is false or a substance is injurious, the muscles go weak
quickly in response to the command “Resist.” This indicates the stimulus is
negative, untrue, anti-life, or the answer is “no.” The response is fast and
brief in duration. The body will then rapidly recover and return to normal
muscle tension. There are three ways of doing the testing. The one that is used in
research and also most generally used requires two people: the tester and
the test subject. A quiet setting is preferred, with no background music. The
test subject closes their eyes. The tester must phrase the ‘question’ to be
asked in the form of a statement. The statement can then be answered as
“yes” or “not yes” (no) by the kinesiological response. For instance, the
incorrect form would be to ask, “Is this a healthy horse?” rather than make
the statement, “This horse is healthy,” or its corollary, “This horse is sick.”
After making the statement, the tester says “Resist” to the test subject
who is holding the extended arm parallel to the ground. The tester presses
down with two fingers on the wrist of the extended arm sharply, with mild
force. The test subject’s arm will either stay strong, indicating a “yes,” or go
weak, indicating a “not yes” (no). The response is short and immediate. A second method is the “O-ring” method, which can be done alone. The
thumb and middle finger of the same hand are held tightly in an “O”
configuration, and the hooked forefinger of the opposite hand is used to try
to pull them apart. There is a noticeable difference of the strength between a
“yes” and a “no” response. (Rose, 2001).The third method is the simplest, yet, like the others, requires some
practice. Simply lift a heavy object, such as a large dictionary or merely a
couple of bricks, from a table about waist high. Hold in mind an image or
true statement to be calibrated and lift. Then, for contrast, hold in mind that
which is known to be false. Note the ease of lifting when truth is held in
mind and the greater effort necessary to lift the load when the issue is false
(not true). The results can be verified using the other two methods. Calibration of Specific Levels
The critical point between positive and negative, between true and false,
or between that which is constructive or destructive, is at the calibrated
level of 200 (see Map). Anything above 200, or true, makes the subject go
strong; anything below 200, or false, allows the arm to go weak. Anything past or present, including images or statements, historical
events, or personages, can be tested. They need not be verbalized. Numerical Calibration
Example: “Ramana Maharshi’s teachings calibrate over 700.” (Y/N)
Or, “Hitler calibrated over 200.”(Y/N) “When he was in his 20s.”(Y/N)
“His 30s.”(Y/N) “His 40s.”(Y/N) “At the time of his death.” (Y/N)
Applications
The kinesiological test cannot be used to foretell the future; otherwise,
there are no limits as to what can be asked. Consciousness has no limits in
time or space; however, permission may be denied. All current or historical
events are available for questioning. The answers are impersonal and do not
depend on the belief systems of either the tester or the test subject. For
example, protoplasm recoils to noxious stimuli and flesh bleeds. Those are
the qualities of these test materials and are impersonal. Consciousness
actually knows only truth because only truth has actual existence. It does
not respond to falsehood because falsehood does not have existence in
Reality. It will also not respond accurately to nonintegrous or egoistic
questions, such as should one buy a certain stock. Accurately speaking, the kinesiological response is either an “on”
response or it is merely “not on.” Like the electrical switch, we say the
electricity is “on,” and when we use the term “off,” we just mean that it is
not there. In reality, there is no such thing as “off-ness.” This is a subtle
statement but crucial to the understanding of the nature of consciousness.Consciousness is capable of recognizing only Truth. It merely fails to
respond to falsehood. Similarly, a mirror reflects an image only if there is
an object to reflect. If no object is present to the mirror, there is no reflected
image. To Calibrate A Level
Calibrated levels are relative to a specific reference scale. To arrive at
the same figures as in the chart in Appendix A, reference must be made to
that table or by a statement such as, “On a scale of human consciousness
from 1 to 1,000, where 600 indicates Enlightenment, this _____ calibrates
over _____ (a number).” Or, “On a scale of consciousness where 200 is the
level of Truth and 500 is the level of Love, this statement calibrates over
_____.” (State a specific number.) General Information
People generally want to determine truth from falsehood. Therefore, the
statement has to be made very specifically. Avoid using general terms such
as a “good” job to apply for. “Good” in what way? Pay scale? Working
conditions? Promotional opportunities? Fairness of the boss? Expertise
Familiarity with the test brings progressive expertise. The “right”
questions to ask begin to spring forth and can become almost uncannily
accurate. If the same tester and test subject work together for a period of
time, one or both of them will develop what can become an amazing
accuracy and capability of pinpointing just what specific questions to ask,
even though the subject is totally unknown by either one. For instance, the
tester has lost an object and begins by saying, “I left it in my office.”
(Answer: No.) “I left it in the car.” (Answer: No.) All of a sudden, the test
subject almost ‘sees’ the object and says, “Ask, ‘On the back of the
bathroom door.’” The test subject says, “The object is hanging on the back
of the bathroom door.” (Answer: Yes.) In this actual case, the test subject
did not even know that the tester had stopped for gas and left the jacket in
the restroom of a gasoline station. Any information can be obtained about anything anywhere in current or
past time or space, depending on receiving prior permission. (Sometimes
one gets a ‘no’, perhaps for karmic or other unknown reasons.) By cross-
checking, accuracy can be easily confirmed. For anyone who learns thetechnique, more information is available instantaneously than can be held in
all the computers and libraries of the world. The possibilities are therefore
obviously unlimited, and the prospects breathtaking. Limitations
Approximately ten percent of the population is not able to use the
kinesiological testing technique for as yet unknown reasons. The test is
accurate only if the test subjects themselves calibrate over 200 and the
intention of the use of the test is integrous and also calibrates over 200. The
requirement is one of detached objectivity and alignment with truth rather
than subjective opinion. Thus, to try to ‘prove a point’ negates accuracy. Sometimes married couples, also for reasons as yet undiscovered, are
unable to use each other as test subjects and may have to find a third person
to be a test partner. A suitable test subject is a person whose arm goes strong when a love
object or person is held in mind, and it goes weak if that which is negative
(fear, hate, guilt, etc.) is held in mind (e.g., Winston Churchill makes one go
strong and bin Laden makes one go weak). Occasionally, a suitable test subject gives paradoxical responses. This
can usually be cleared by doing the “thymic thump,” as was discovered by
Dr. John Diamond. (With a closed fist, thump three times over the upper
breastbone, smile, and say “ha-ha-ha” with each thump and mentally picture
someone or something that is loved.) The imbalance may be the result of recently having been with negative
people, listening to heavy metal rock music, watching violent television
programs, playing violent video games, etc. Negative music energy has a
deleterious effect on the energy system of the body for up to one-half hour
after it is turned off. Television commercials or background are also a
common source of negative energy. As previously noted, the kinesiological method of discerning truth from
falsehood and the calibrated levels of truth has strict requirements. Because
of the limitations, calibrated levels are supplied for ready reference in prior
books, and extensively in Truth vs. Falsehood. Explanation
The kinesiological test is independent of personal opinion or beliefs and
is an impersonal response of the field of consciousness, just as protoplasm
is impersonal in its responses. This can be demonstrated by the observationthat the test responses are the same whether verbalized or held silently in
mind. Thus, the test subject is not influenced by the question, as they do not
even know what it is. To demonstrate this, do the following exercise:
The tester holds in mind an image unknown to the test subject and
states, “The image I am holding in mind is positive” (or “true,” or
“calibrates over 200,” etc.). On direction, the test subject then resists the
downward pressure on the wrist. If the tester holds a positive image in mind
(e.g., Abraham Lincoln, Jesus, Mother Teresa, etc. ), the test subject’s arm
muscle will go strong. If the tester holds a false statement or negative image
in mind (e.g., bin Laden, Hitler, etc. ), the arm will go weak. Inasmuch as
the test subject does not know what the tester has in mind, the results are
not influenced by personal beliefs. Correct Kinesiological Technique
Just as Galileo’s interest was in astronomy and not in making
telescopes, the Institute for Advanced Spiritual Research is devoted to
Consciousness research and not specifically to kinesiology. The DVD,
Power vs. Force (Veritas Publishing, [1995], 2006), demonstrates the basic
technique. More detailed information about kinesiology can be found on the
Internet by searching for ‘kinesiology’. Numerous references are provided,
such as the College of Applied Kinesiology (www.icak.com), and other
educational institutions. Disqualification
Both skepticism (cal. 160) and cynicism calibrate below 200 because
they reflect negative prejudgment. In contrast, true inquiry requires an open
mind and honesty devoid of intellectual vanity. Negative studies of
behavioral kinesiology all calibrate below 200 (usually at 160), as do the
investigators themselves. That even famous professors can and do calibrate below 200 may seem
surprising to the average person. Thus, negative studies are a consequence
of negative bias. As an example, Francis Crick’s research design that led to
the discovery of the double helix pattern of DNA calibrated at 440. His last
research design, which was intended to prove that consciousness was just a
product of neuronal activity, calibrated at only 135. The failure of investigators who themselves, or by faulty research
design, calibrate below 200 (all calibrate at approximately 160), confirms
the truth of the very methodology they claim to disprove. They ‘should’ getnegative results, and so they do, which paradoxically proves the accuracy of
the test to detect the difference between unbiased integrity and nonintegrity. Any new discovery may upset the apple cart and be viewed as a threat
to the status quo of prevailing belief systems. That a clinical science of
consciousness has emerged that validates spiritual Reality is, of course,
going to precipitate resistance, as it is actually a direct confrontation to the
dominion of the narcissistic core of the ego itself, which is innately
presumptuous and opinionated. Below consciousness level 200, comprehension is limited by the
dominance of Lower Mind, which is capable of recognizing facts but not
yet able to grasp what is meant by the term ‘truth’ (it confuses res interna
with res externa), and that truth has physiological accompaniments which
are different from falsehood. Additionally, truth is intuited as evidenced by
the use of voice analysis, the study of body language, papillary-response
EEG changes in the brain, fluctuations in breathing and blood pressure,
galvanic skin response, dowsing, and even the Huna technique of measuring
the distance that the aura radiates from the body. Some people have a very
simple technique that utilizes the standing body like a pendulum (fall
forward with truth and backward with falsehood). From a more advanced contextualization, the principles that prevail are
that Truth cannot be disproved by falsehood any more than light can be
disproved by darkness. The nonlinear is not subject to the limitations of the
linear. Truth is of a different paradigm from logic and thus is not ‘provable’,
as that which is provable calibrates only in the 400s. Consciousness
research kinesiology operates at level 600, which is at the interface of the
linear and the nonlinear dimensions. Discrepancies
Differing calibrations may be obtained over time or by different
investigators for a variety of reasons:
1. Situations, people, politics, policies, and attitudes change over time. 2. People tend to use different sensory modalities when they hold
something in mind, i.e., visual, sensory, auditory, or feeling. “Your
mother” could therefore be how she looked, felt, sounded, etc., or Henry
Ford could be calibrated as a father, as an industrialist, for his impact on
America, his anti-Semitism, etc.One can specify context and stick to a prevailing modality. The same
team using the same technique will get results that are internally consistent. Expertise develops with practice. There are some people, however, who are
incapable of a scientific, detached attitude and unable to be objective, and
for whom the kinesiological method will therefore not be accurate. Dedication and intention to the truth have to be given priority over personal
opinions and trying to prove them as being “right.”
OceanofPDF.comAPPENDIX D
REFERENCES
Adler, J.,V. Juarez, et al. (and editorial staff). 2005. “Spirituality in America.” Special Report. Newsweek, August-September, 46-66. Anderson, S., and P. Ray. 2000. The Cultural Creatives: How 50 Million People Are Changing the
World. New York: Harmony Books. Armandariz, Y. 2005. “Dalai Lama’s Message: Compassion for Others.” Arizona Republic, 16
September. (Address to Garvin School of International Management on individual responsibility.) Bailey,A. 1950. Glamour: A World Problem. New York: Lucis Press. Benoit, H. [1955] 1990. Zen and the Psychology of Transformation: The Supreme Doctrine.Rochester,
Vt.: Inner Traditions – Bear & Company. Bletzer, J. G. 1986 Donning International Encyclopedic Psychic Dictionary. Virginia Beach,Va. :
Donning Publishing Co.
Bristow, D., et al. 2005. “Blinking suppresses the neural response to unchanging retinal stimulation.”
University College London, Institute of Neurology, as published in Current Biology 15, 1296-
1300, 26 July. Crick, C., and C. Koch. 1992.“The Problem of Consciousness.” Scientific American, 267, September,
152-159. Descartes, R. 1952. In Great Books of the Western World, vol. 31. Chicago: Encyclopedia Britannica. Diamond, J. 1979. Behavioral Kinesiology. New York: Harper & Rowe. —. 1979. Your Body Doesn’t Lie. New York: Warner Books. Few, B. 2005. “What We Know and What We Don’t Know about Consciousness Science.” Journal of
Consciousness Studies 12:7, July, 74-87. Gladwell, M. 2002. The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference.Boston: Back
Bay Books. Godman, D., ed. 1985. Be As You Are: The Teachings of Ramana Maharshi. Boston: Arkana. Goodheart, G. 1976. Applied Kinesiology: 12th ed. Detroit: Goodheart. (Out of print). James,W. [1902] 1987. The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature. Reprint. Cambridge, Mass. : Harvard University Press. Jung, C. J. 1979. Collected Works. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. Keller, H..and R. Shattuck, Ed.2004. The World I Live in/Helen Keller. New York: New York Review
Books Classics. Hayakawa, S. 1971. Our Language and Our World; Selections from Etc. : A Review of General
Semantics, 1953-1958. New York: Harper Collins. Henderson, R. 2005. Sermon, May 1. Science of Mind Center, Prescott, Arizona. Lamsa, G. 1957. Holy Bible from Ancient Eastern Manuscripts. Philadelphia: A. J. Holmes Co.
Lewis, J., Ed. 2001. Odd Gods: New Religions and the Cult Controversy. Amherst, NY: Prometheus
Books. Mackay, C. [1841] 2003. Extraordinary Popular Delusions & the Madness of Crowds. Hampshire, U.
K.: Harriman House. Maharaj, N. [1973] 1999. I Am That: Talks with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj. (4th Rev. ed.) Bombay:
Chetana Private, Ltd.
Maharshi, R. [1972] 2004. The Spiritual Teaching of Ramana Maharshi. Boulder, Col.: Shambhala
Maslow, A. 1971. The Farther Reaches of Human Nature. New York: Viking Press. Monroe, R. 1992. Journeys Out of the Body. (Rev.) New York: Main Street Books.Partridge, C., Ed. 2003. UFO Religions. London: Routledge. (Unarius, Aetherius Society, Heaven’s
Gate, Scientology, Unification Church, Family of God, etc.) Po, Huang, 1958. The Zen Teaching of Huang Po: On Transmission of Mind. (J. Blofield, trans.) New
York: Grove Press. Powell, R. 1999. Discovering the Realm Beyond Appearance: Pointers to the Inexpressible. San
Diego: Blue Dove Press. Rose, G. 2001. When You Reach the End of Your Rope…Let Go.Los Angeles: Awareness Press. (“O-
Ring” kinesiological test method.) Ruell, D. 1989. Chaotic Evolution and Strange Attractors: The Statistical Analysis of Time Series for
Deterministic Nonlinear Systems.New York: Cambridge University Press. —. 1980. “Strange Attractors.” Mathematical Intelligence 2, 126-137. (Nonlinear dynamics, attractor
fields.) Sadlier, S. 2000. Looking for God: A Seeker’s Guide to Religious and Spiritual Groups of the
World.New York: Berkeley Publishing Group, Penguin Putnam. Simpson, L. 1999. The Book of Chakra Healing. New York: Sterling Publishing. Suzuki,D.T. 1991. The Zen Doctrine of No-Mind: The Significance of the Sutra of Hui-Neng. Boston:
Weiser Books. Thompson, J., and H.B. Stewart. 2002. (2nd ed.) Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos.New York: John
Wiley & Sons. Tolson, J. 2005. “Divided We Stand.” US News & World Report, 42-48. 8 August. (God and country.) Walsh, M. 1991. Butler’s Lives of the Saints: Concise Edition, Revised and Updated. San Francisco:
HarperSanFrancisco. Watts, A. [1957] 1999. The Way of Zen. New York: Vintage
—. [1955] 1972. The Way of Liberation in Zen Buddhism. Society for Comparative Philosophy,Alan
Watts Journal; 2nd ed. OceanofPDF.comABOUT THE AUTHOR
Biographical and Autobiographical Notes
Dr. Hawkins is an internationally known spiritual teacher, author, and
speaker on the subject of advanced spiritual states, consciousness research,
and the Realization of the Presence of God as Self. His published works, as well as recorded lectures, have been widely
recognized as unique in that a very advanced state of spiritual awareness
occurred in an individual with a scientific and clinical background who was
later able to verbalize and explain the unusual phenomenon in a manner that
is clear and comprehensible. The transition from the normal ego-state of mind to its elimination by
the Presence is described in the trilogy Power vs. Force (1995) which won
praise even from Mother Teresa, The Eye of the I (2001), and I: Reality and
Subjectivity (2003), which have been translated into the major languages of
the world. Truth vs. Falsehood: How to Tell the Difference (2005) and
Transcending the Levels of Consciousness (2006) continue the exploration
of the ego’s expressions and inherent limitations and how to transcend
them. The trilogy was preceded by research on the Nature of Consciousness
and published as the doctoral dissertation, Qualitative and Quantitative
Analysis and Calibration of the Levels of Human Consciousness (1995),
which correlated the seemingly disparate domains of science and
spirituality. This was accomplished by the major discovery of a technique
that, for the first time in human history, demonstrated a means to discern
truth from falsehood. The importance of the initial work was given recognition by its very
favorable and extensive review in Brain/Mind Bulletin and at later
presentations such as the International Conference on Science and
Consciousness. Many presentations were given to a variety of
organizations, spiritual conferences, church groups, nuns, and monks, both
nationally and in foreign countries, including the Oxford Forum. In the Far
East, Dr. Hawkins is a recognized “Teacher of the Way to Enlightenment”
(Tae Ryoung Sun Kak Dosa).In response to his observation that much spiritual truth has been
misunderstood over the ages due to lack of explanation, Dr. Hawkins
presented monthly seminars that provided detailed explanations which are
too lengthy to describe in book format. Recordings are available, along with
questions and answers that provide additional clarification. The overall design of this lifetime work is to recontextualize the human
experience in terms of the evolution of consciousness and to integrate a
comprehension of both mind and spirit as expressions of the innate Divinity
that is the substrate and ongoing source of life and Existence. This
dedication is signified by the statement “Gloria in Excelsis Deo!” with
which his published works begin and end. Biographic Summary
Dr. Hawkins has practiced psychiatry since 1952 and is a life member of
the American Psychiatric Association and numerous other professional
organizations. His national television appearance schedule has included The
McNeil/Leher News Hour, The Barbara Walters Show, The Today Show,
science documentaries, and many others. He is the author of numerous scientific and spiritual publications,
books, videotapes, and lecture series. Nobelist Linus Pauling coauthored his
landmark book, Orthomolecular Psychiatry. Dr. Hawkins’s diverse
background as researcher and teacher is noted in his biographical listings in
Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in the World. He was a consultant
for many years to Episcopal and Catholic Dioceses, The Monastery,
monastic orders, and the Zen Monastery. Dr. Hawkins has lectured widely, with appearances at Westminster
Abbey, the Universities of Argentina, Notre Dame, and Michigan, Fordham
and Harvard Universities, and the Oxford Forum. He gave the annual
Landsberg Lecture at the University of California Medical School at San
Francisco. He is also a consultant to foreign governments on international
diplomacy and was instrumental in resolving long-standing conflicts that
were major threats to world peace. In recognition of his contributions to humanity, in 1995, Dr. Hawkins
became a knight of the Sovereign Order of the Hospitaliers of St. John of
Jerusalem, which was founded in 1077. Autobiographic NoteWhile the truths reported in this book were scientifically derived and
objectively organized, like all truths, they were first experienced personally. A lifelong sequence of intense states of awareness beginning at a young age
first inspired and then gave direction to the process of subjective realization
that has finally taken form in this book. At age three, there occurred a sudden full consciousness of existence, a
nonverbal but complete understanding of the meaning of “I Am,” followed
immediately by the frightening realization that “I” might not have come
into existence at all. This was an instant awakening from oblivion into a
conscious awareness, and in that moment, the personal self was born and
the duality of “Is” and “Is Not” entered my subjective awareness. Throughout childhood and early adolescence, the paradox of existence
and the question of the reality of the self remained a repeated concern. The
personal self would sometimes begin slipping back into a greater
impersonal Self, and the initial fear of non-existence, the fundamental fear
of nothingness, would recur. In 1939, as a paperboy with a seventeen-mile bicycle route in rural
Wisconsin, on a dark winter’s night I was caught miles from home in a
twenty-below-zero blizzard. The bicycle fell over on the ice and the fierce
wind ripped the newspapers out of the handlebar basket, blowing them
across the ice-covered, snowy field. There were tears of frustration and
exhaustion and my clothes were frozen stiff. To get out of the wind, I broke
through the icy crust of a high snow bank, dug out a space, and crawled into
it. Soon the shivering stopped and there was a delicious warmth, and then a
state of peace beyond all description. This was accompanied by a suffusion
of light and a presence of infinite love that had no beginning and no end and
was undifferentiated from my own essence. The physical body and
surroundings faded as my awareness was fused with this all-present,
illuminated state. The mind grew silent; all thought stopped. An infinite
Presence was all that was or could be, beyond all time or description. After that timelessness, there was suddenly an awareness of someone
shaking my knee; then my father’s anxious face appeared. There was great
reluctance to return to the body and all that that entailed, but because of my
father’s love and anguish, the Spirit nurtured and reactivated the body. There was compassion for his fear of death, although, at the same time, the
concept of death seemed absurd.This subjective experience was not discussed with anyone since there
was no context available from which to describe it. It was not common to
hear of spiritual experiences other than those reported in the lives of the
saints. But after this experience, the accepted reality of the world began to
seem only provisional; traditional religious teachings lost significance and,
paradoxically, I became an agnostic. Compared to the light of Divinity that
had illuminated all existence, the god of traditional religion shone dully
indeed; thus spirituality replaced religion. During World War II, hazardous duty on a minesweeper often brought
close brushes with death but there was no fear of it. It was as though death
had lost its authenticity. After the war, fascinated by the complexities of the
mind and wanting to study psychiatry, I worked my way through medical
school. My training psychoanalyst, a professor at Columbia University, was
also an agnostic; we both took a dim view of religion. The analysis went
well, as did my career, and success followed. I did not, however, settle quietly into professional life. I fell ill with a
progressive, fatal illness that did not respond to any treatments available. By age thirty-eight, I was in extremis and knew I was about to die. I didn’t
care about the body but my spirit was in a state of extreme anguish and
despair. As the final moment approached, the thought flashed through my
mind, “What if there is a God?” So I called out in prayer, “If there is a God,
I ask him to help me now.” I surrendered to whatever God there might be
and went into oblivion. When I awoke, a transformation of such enormity
had taken place that I was struck dumb with awe.
_OceanofPDF.com_Discovery_of_the_Presence_of_God_Devotional_Nonduality_-_David_R_Hawkins.txt
Summarize the following text section accurately and concisely. Maintain specific details and numerical information, and use anti-repetition mechanisms:

        Fulfillment: The Actualization of Potentiality
The student asks how realistic or practical is it to set the realization of
the Self, or Enlightenment, as it has been called, as a goal, considering its
rarity. Over history, it has indeed been extremely rare. However, because of
the progression of the overall evolution of consciousness within the last
century, the likelihood of a committed student’s reaching Enlightenment has
increased by more than one thousand percent. Each advancement in
consciousness is already an enlightened state by comparison to that which
preceded it. To move from below calibration level 200 to above 200 is
already a primary and very major step. The next major transition is to move
from the dominance of emotionality to the capacities of reason and the
intellect, and then to transcend them at level 499 and realize that Reality is
not linear or descriptive but instead subjective. The emergence of Love at
500 announces the dominance of a new paradigm. Consciousness level 540
signals the emergence of Unconditional Love, which progresses on through
joy and ecstasy. Enlightenment classically calibrates at level 600 and then
on up to 1,000 with the disappearance of linearity as the presumed reality. Identification with limitation ceases, and the process then becomes one
of transcending limiting contextualizations that are related to the emergence
of the qualities or levels of consciousness by which the unmanifest becomes
Manifest. Thus, the most advanced levels of consciousness have to do withexpansion and dominion of nonlinear context and paradigms that are
beyond precise linear description or definition. Q: The final blocks to Enlightenment itself sound rather formidable or
at least difficult. A: They do so to the ego itself but not to the inner Truth and Knowingness
of the Self. It is true that the final core of the ego is incapable of
relinquishing its seeming sovereignty as the illusory source of life and
existence. The strength is provided by the power of the Self that is at
one with the Truth of Divinity. This knowingness is radiated as a
consequence of Identity with the Absolute. Divinity is the Source of all
Existence, including one’s own. Fear arises from the ego/self which is
dissolved into the Self. Thus, the very source of fear is eliminated and
transcended. The fear that is found at the end of the journey is unlike any fear that
was faced previously. Its quality is existential and nonlinear rather than
limited or discrete. Experientially, the fear was indeed very strong but
not really stronger in intensity than prior fears that were overcome. What gave this fear a unique quality similar to dread was its
identification as being equated with the source of existence and life
itself. The ego equates survival of life with control. In a final surrender of
control, the underlying primordial fear arises. Life is a consequence of
the Divinity of its Source, which is the ultimate confrontation to the
very core of the ego. Q: Without instruction, the spiritual pathway would be more difficult,
if not impossible. Enlightenment has been very rare. A: The consciousness level of humanity has been progressively rising,
which collectively supports spiritual evolution and the availability of
more advanced information about the qualities and nature of
consciousness itself. Historical literature about very advanced states
often described the states themselves but did not provide details of the
incremental steps necessary to reach them. Q: The spiritual process itself seems like it must have been of lengthy
duration. A: In this lifetime, the duration of the process was thirty-eight years. The
onset itself was startling and dramatic at age three and has been
described elsewhere. The presentation was a confrontation with
voidness/nonexistence versus Allness as the Ultimate Reality. Thus, the
way back to the Realization of Divinity as Infinite Love had to be
rediscovered and transcended. The strong inflowing of kundalini energy,
which is exquisite, gave confirmation that the pathway was provided by
God. That had originally been experienced in this lifetime during early
adolescence. Q: Was that a ‘near-death’ experience. A: No, it was not. Refuge was sought from icy winds in a remote area but
the physical condition was strong and healthy. What was sought was
merely the comfort of refuge. Then spontaneously occurred a subjective
state that was transcendent, everlasting, primordial, and all
encompassing. The Radiance of the Self as Infinite Love dissolved all
fear of personal self or limitation. The duration was beyond time and
even ‘before all universes and after all universes have disappeared’. The
Self replaced all limitations of personal self, including location,
duration, or identification. Subsequently, all fear of death disappeared. Q: It seems a strange paradox that years later you became an agnostic
for some time. A: That again was the consequence of an unanticipated revelation. It
marked the end of belief in God as a belief system. It was subsequent to
a sudden revelation of the total suffering of all mankind throughout all
of human existence. It was a staggering confrontation. Up until that time, religiosity had prevailed, but in shock and dismay
at the revelation, the belief in a God who could allow or be the cause of
all that suffering was unsustainable. At that time, the common
prevailing belief was that God was the cause and creator of everything. What was being witnessed was the suffering that is the consequence of
the ungodliness of the ego from which humanity needs a Savior. Despite the collapse of religious belief in God, there persisted a drive
to get to the core and source of Truth itself. That led to searching within
during four years of deep classical clinical psychoanalysis, followed by
three more years of depth analysis focused on uncovering the roots ofthe ego itself. The inner search then continued into reaching the very
depths of the ego and the lower levels of Hell that, too, are
experientially beyond the limitations of time. It was from the pits of
eternal spiritual darkness that the call to God was answered for it took
that extreme of agony and despair to crack the ego’s tenacious hold. Subsequently, there was a period of oblivion, and then the shining forth
of Divinity and the Glory of God was made Known and Revealed in all
its stunning Beauty and Perfection. Creation shone forth as God
Manifest as Creation. Q: That was like a termination or end point to the unfoldment of the
potential of Consciousness itself. A: There had been prior advances as well as challenges. There was a very
advanced state of consciousness that was accompanied by the
Knowingness of now being beyond the limitations of personal karma. There emerged a nonlinear state best described as a condition
consequent to a greatly expanded context of Reality. In the silence,
unasked, there was heard and recognized a silent message that said,
“Now that you are beyond all karmic answerability or accountability,
even the limitations of personal love, all power is yours over others—
own it—take it—use it, for there are no consequences. ” 
   Few in number had passed through these rarified gates, and it could be
seen who had said yes to the temptation and who had refused power for
its own sake and gain. I saw that Jesus had refused it and passed
through, as had the great Avatars and Enlightened sages. While it is
termed the ‘Luciferic temptation’, there was no entity present as a
source of the temptation. It was presented as a silent temptation:“ All
power over others is yours—claim it. ” 
   The temptation was refused by the Higher Knowingness that the
temptation was a false promise because the Ultimate Reality is the
Source of all Power. The Self is innately the Power and has no need to
claim it as an acquisition. Power for its own sake as gain had no appeal. Frankly, it would have been a burden. Subsequent to its refusal, the last
doorway opened up, and with the death of the ego, the Glory of God
shone forth and all went silent. Q: Thus temptations persist and reappear almost to the end of the
spiritual journey. A: That was the sequence. Subsequently, it was recalled that Jesus Christ
and the Buddha described similar confrontive temptations. Q: What of the physical systems. A: Each major advance seemed to trigger a transitory inner agony localized
to the aura, or etheric body. These were made more bearable by
recalling that both the Buddha and Jesus Christ had described them. Jesus ‘sweat blood’ in the Garden of Gethsemane; the Buddha was beset
by attacks of demons and felt as though his bones were broken. This occurs from consciousness level 800 and up and was recurrent at
the passing of the high gates. The reason is that from consciousness
level 800 and up, negative regions from the collective consciousness of
mankind are being challenged and transcended. One is aware that the
positionalities being challenged are not those of personal karma per se,
that is, not that of the individual but the individual as reflective of the
overall karmic inheritance of mankind itself. Q: This kind of information is very rare indeed. Does an ‘ordinary’
seeker need to know it. A: Yes, indeed, for today’s beginner or mid-way seeker is tomorrow’s
enlightened sage. That others have crossed these barriers makes it easier
for the next to break through them. This has been termed the ‘Roger
Bannister effect’. Each crossing leaves a vibrational track available for
the next runner to ‘know’ that it can be done. Breaking through a major
barrier requires an inner Knowingness that it is possible because it is
based on the power and the invincible strength of Truth. Those who seek Enlightenment deserve all the useful confirmed truth,
knowledge, and encouragement that is available. Spiritual endeavor can
result in major unexpected leaps without prior warning. It is the better part of wisdom to have such information beforehand. OceanofPDF. comCHAPTER 15
Progressive States of Consciousness
Introduction
Exposition thus far has been for the purpose of providing clarity to
information that is somewhat difficult to put into language. The
information, however, is comforting by providing some degree of
familiarity through describing the subjective, evolutionary stages of
consciousness that occur at the various levels. It is also reassuring to hear
that seeming obstacles along the way are normal and not actually
intrinsically personal as such but instead are consequent to the
characteristics of a particular level of consciousness. Evolutionary emergence of potential occurs as transitions that are
rewarding and confirmatory overall. However, there are also transitory
periods that are discomforting, and they are also to be expected. There may
be periods of feeling estranged, depersonalized, or ‘not like myself’. There
may also be times of confusion or feeling ‘spacey’ or disorganized. These
are due to the adjustments resulting from shifts of context and their
experiential familiarity and customary sense of subjectivity. The sense of
‘realness’ or self-identity progressively expands and alters prior belief
systems of ‘who I am’, as they transform into ‘what I am’. Therefore, there
may be progressive changes in values, goals, and prioritization of time and
effort. These transitional periods are temporary, and ease of transition is
aided by prayer, spiritual practices, and especially, a contemplative lifestyle. While the self may occasionally feel confused or discordant, the Self
always knows exactly where ‘you’ are because the reality is always within
the Province of God. It is not possible to be lost, although on occasion a
devotee may feel lost. The problem is not the condition itself but the fear of
losing control and familiarity. The infinite field of consciousness is all inclusive and in accord with all
possible experiential ranges or states. The field is innately in harmonic
balance and thereby inclusive of all transitional states. The overall field
could be described as self-correcting, and consequently, it realigns itself in a
compensatory manner. All alterations are time limited and temporary. Analogously, weather changes, but the atmospheric balance of the
stratosphere is unaffected. Subjectively, all that is needed to progress are patience, prayer, faith in
the process, and the surrendering of resistances. Confusion, like the changes
in the weather, is a transitional condition that clears with patience and also
with emergence into the next stage, whereby the confusing condition is
transcended. Divine harmony restores equilibrium in time. All is actually in
Divine Order. It is not possible to get ‘lost’ to God anymore than a tennis
ball gets lost to gravity just because it is temporarily bouncing. Transitions or changes are consequent to the unfolding of evolution,
which is the actualized expression of Creation. The process is both within
and without, and every moment represents the emergence of the new. Life is
lived on the advancing edge of the evolution of consciousness, and thus, all
experiencing is evanescent and transitory. Transcending the Attraction of Form
The evolution of consciousness may proceed in a variety of ways. It
may be slow and sudden, or it may proceed in an orderly fashion but then
take sudden leaps. The major transitions occur when conceptual thought is
abandoned along with interest in ‘experiencing’ or identification with the
experiencer ‘edge’ of the ego/self and its processing functions. Beyond
linear concepts and images, there is nothing that requires processing. Thus,
the mind/self becomes silent, and instead, the nonlinear context prevails. It
could be summarized as follows: Ego/mind thinks, field (consciousness)
knows, and Self is. It is really not difficult to become aware of the ‘experiencer’ aspect of
the self that constantly processes input irrespective of the nature or qualities
of the data, such as thoughts, memories, images, sensations, and emotions. With practice, one can stay focused on that quality of consciousness as a
process without actually getting involved in the ‘what’ that is being
processed or experienced. This experiential edge watchfully processes
every second. It is like a listener/feeler/
anticipator/rememberer/recognizer/multiprocessor unit. The ‘experiencer’ is
the perceptual edge of consciousness awareness that is independent of the
nature of the data being processed. It is this quality that one identifies with as ‘me’ or ‘I’. With observation,
it will be recognized that this function is autonomous and impersonal,
although the self claims it is identity. The experiencer is not a ‘who’ but an‘it’. It is an autonomous functionality. It is comparable to a multifunctional
processing-probe faculty. The ego/self thrives on that ‘experiencer’ quality
and is actually addicted to it. By attention and volition, the seductive attraction of the experiencer can
be refused. Succumbing to its entertainment is only a habit. It is not ‘you’
but only an activity with which the self becomes identified. The mind thinks
that it will ‘go blank’ and become void without the constant linear input of
information and focus on ‘what is going on’. Yet, at night, sleep is a
welcome relief from the experiencer’s endless chatter. Thus, the mind
thinks there are only three possibilities: (1) experiencing, (2) sleep
(oblivion), or perhaps, (3) sleep with dreaming. But relatively unknown to
ordinary mind is a fourth state, which is one of awareness itself and
independent of content, experiencing, or even participating, analyzing, or
recording. The underlying quality is effortless, peaceful, and compatible
with a contemplative lifestyle. It leads to the states classically termed
Samadhi. Alignment with the Field of Consciousness/Awareness
With inner fixity of purpose, diligence, and discipline, the attraction of
the data-processing experiencer function can be refused as a focus of
interest, importance, or even identification. Beneath the emotionalized
experiencer is the subtle silence of Awareness. Because it is devoid of the
limitations of linear content or form, it is like a blank screen or the
reflecting surface of a pool. It is the a priori condition without which there
would be no knowingness of what the experiencer is experiencing, nor of
what the witness/observer is perceiving. This basic subtle state is a fundamental constant. It is akin to an overall
space or field within which all other phenomena and conditions are
encompassed. The silent, subtle field is a quality of the Self. This field,
state, or condition of consciousness is all inclusive, yet devoid of
identification with content. Awareness is aware of itself. As such, it is a
fundamental, everexistent quality. This ‘fourth state’ of consciousness was described by Ramana Maharshi
by its Sanskrit term, turiya. From this condition, all appears equal by virtue
of the reality that meaning and existence are one and the same thing, that is,
what things mean is fulfilled by what they are, and what they are is exactly
the fulfillment of what they mean. Their existence is their meaning. (This
awareness occurs at consciousness calibration level 750. )This state is also discernible as the silent substrate out of which
thoughts spontaneously emerge. It can be detected as the a priori condition
which is the field or matrix that, in a split instant, precedes the emergence
of thinkingness. Its ‘location’ is analogous to that of the ocean, just prior to
the emergence of a flying fish. Each thought spontaneously arises and is not
recognized until it has become fully formed. As it emerges, the thought is
like a vague stirring of energy that quickly moves from indistinct form to
more detailed and identifiable completion. The process is very rapid. To
discern the silent field itself requires sharp attention and perspicacity. The
technique is to refuse interest in the specificity of thoughts and stop trying
to recognize or read them. Unless intended by volition, thoughts are just
endless babble, and it is only the vanity of the ego that cherishes them as
being entertaining or deserving of interest. To bypass and transcend the seductive attraction of the content of
stream-of-consciousness thinkingness, humility about its importance
quickly reveals that without the projection of value, ninety-nine percent of
thoughts are just plain boring and platitudinous. Disenchantment with them
diminishes their attraction by withdrawal of interest. The other illusion is
that attention to thoughts is necessary to survival, whereas in reality,
survival is up to the Self. With sharp focus, it becomes apparent that
thoughts can be relinquished earlier and earlier in the process of their
emergence and formation. With continued focus and relinquishment of their
entertainment value, they will slowly disappear as recognizable form and
subside to just being a transitory urge to think. The gratification of this
impulse can be refused. By doing this, it becomes amazingly apparent that
one thinks only as a consequence of desiring to do so, and that thoughts and
images only have an imaginary value. Intrinsically, they are not really
stunningly marvelous. This discovery that one is really the source of
thinkingness reveals that one is not the victim of the mind but the originator
of the phenomenon by virtue of intention and desire. Freedom is a
consequence of the deep humility which reveals that the only reason one
thinks is because one wants to in order to derive an experiential benefit or
payoff. The ego/mind is afraid that if it doesn’t think, it will (1) get bored, and
(2) cease to exist. The problem of boredom is relatively easy to transcend
simply by seeing that boredom is just the frustration of not being amused by
‘interesting’ thoughts. To transcend the thinkingness, interest should reallybe refocused on searching for the substrate out of which thinkingness arises. One can choose to be bored with thoughts, and upon examination, it will be
clear that they are primarily just the constant reworking, over and over, of
familiar concepts, images, and ideas. The Self is quite capable of choosing and being in charge without the
necessity of concepts. It is also easy to observe that the linearity of
thinkingness merely leads to further linearity as a parade of ideas, images,
memories, imaginings, and more. Curiosity can be shifted from the form
and content of thoughts in order to become aware of the silent nascent field
of consciousness awareness itself. Silence is of the Self; thoughts are of the
self. The Self does not need encouragement by the investment of the energy
of interest. The silent state can be intuited by both contemplation and
meditation. One can merely assume the attitude of being too lazy to bother
to think. Spiritual Practice
The ego/mind is attracted to novelty and therefore searches frantically
for interesting form and sensation. This can be refused and replaced by
interest in the silent, formless substrate that is always present and merely
has to be noticed. It is comparable to the silent background without which
sound could not be discerned. The phenomenal world is like a giant Rorschach card—the figure
‘means’ whatever one wishes it to. Sound is discernible only because it is
superimposed against the background of silence, and thus form can only be
recognized because it is superimposed within formless space. Likewise, the
content of mind is only identifiable because of its formless, silent
background screen. The experiencer can thus be directed to focus on the
silent, formless backdrop. The substrate, because of its silence, has an
innate feeling of peace. Silence and peace can be chosen, appreciated,
valued, and welcomed as relief from the constant tension of the ever-
watchful expectancy of the experiencer function. When peace is more
valued than the entertainment of the insatiable ego, it will be discovered to
be ever present and available. That one even has such an option is unknown
by 99. 7 percent of the population. Thus, there is an unknown freedom
available: one can choose merely to refuse the ego investment in the world
and one’s thoughts about it (i. e. , surrender it to God). RenunciationTraditionally, many serious spiritual devotees renounce the world and
withdraw from it by retreat to environments that have low sensory input and
do not require specific activity. For some students, that is very helpful and
even necessary at different times, if even for only short periods, such as
provided by formal retreats. As mentioned earlier, true renunciation is
internal and is the consequence of a decision and an act of the will. On a
practical level, actual physical withdrawal and renunciation are a
declaration and a shift of social roles. Inner renunciation may also result in
withdrawal from the world but not for the same reasons. From the calibration levels of the high 500s on up, participation in the
world is problematic. Major alterations of lifestyle may be mandatory as
well as preferred. Rural simplicity and peacefulness, as well as
environmental beauty, become more concordant with one’s inner state. Some devotees in the high 500s manage to continue to teach or write. At the
levels of the 600s and 700s, all participation may stop, and statistically,
many who reach these levels choose the option to leave the body; however,
some remain for the fulfillment of karmic propensities. In the high levels,
function is the consequence of Divine Ordinance, as the personal will has
been surrendered to God. ‘Motivation’, ‘intention’, or ‘goals’ no longer
exist. Actions are autonomous, spontaneous, and consequent to the Presence
as Self. Awareness of the overall silent contextual field is facilitated by a
contemplative lifestyle that could be likened to shifting interest from details
to ‘the big picture’. It ‘gets’ overall qualities of atmosphere without going
into specifics and therefore intuits generalities rather than thinking or
analyzing details. The resistance of the ego/mind is that it is afraid it might
‘miss’ something, as it is addicted to processing the details of the content of
form, which is the attraction and lure of the world. To ‘renounce the world’
means to withdraw energy from it and decline activities that require
attention to specifics, thereby abiding in the Self rather than in the
amusements of the self. As a result of the withdrawal from interest in the world, it may be
abandoned. Many devotees cease following the news via newspapers or
television. It is quickly discovered that it never was the world that was
interesting but the projections by one’s ego of its values and the specifics of
its sensations. The brain is the sense organ of the experiencer, and one
realizes that it is destined for physical death. Therefore, the importance ofthe Self rather than the self is realized by accepting the inevitability of
mortality. It is only necessary to shift from devotion to the world to
devotion to God and the Spirit. One’s life span is already determined at the very moment of birth
(verified repeatedly by consciousness research). The devotee is thus one
who surrenders one’s life to God rather than to the ego/mind experiencer’s
projected values of the world. While abandoning the world may sound drastic in the early stages of the
spiritual quest, it occurs quite naturally and is welcomed with relief later on. At advanced stages, some functioning in the world may return but is of a
different nature as there is no longer anything to ‘get’ from the world. It is
primarily the scene of evolution/creation in which all is of equal value by
virtue of its existence. Q: The emphasis has been on de-energizing the ego and its illusions. What about the identification of the self with the body. A: It is true that many traditional spiritual practices and teachings often
start with and emphasize the body as well as attempts to control the
energies of the chakra system. However, their meaning, importance, and
value are the consequence of mental/emotional processes by the ego. It
seems to be of greater pragmatic value to emphasize the deconstruction
of the ego/self to begin with. The body itself is actually not experienced; instead, only the
sensations of the body are experienced. For example, one experiences
the whereabouts, position, comfort, etc. , of the arm but not the arm
itself. This is easily verified if sensation is prevented by the cutting of a
nerve. Therefore, awareness of the body is merely composite sensation
by which the somatic sensory area of the brain records input, and by
neuronal function, replicates the body image. The ‘phantom limb’
phenomenon that is sometimes seen clinically is a neurological anomaly
whereby the brain produces, out of habit, a false image of a nonexistent
limb that has been lost due to amputation. This is classified as a sensory
hallucination. During sleep, sensory input is discontinued and the body passes out of
conscious subjective awareness. Thus, the experience of the body is
conditional. The attachment to the body is to sensation and the superimposition ofthe concept of ‘mine’; and what is ‘mine’ and is controlled by ‘me’
must therefore be ‘who I am’. Identification with the body is consequent
to the ego’s positionalities. To detach from identification of self as the
body, it is necessary only to see the body as an ‘it’ rather than a ‘me’. Even when characterized as ‘me’, it becomes obvious that one does not
have real dominion over probably ninety-nine percent of its overall
functions (biochemical, digestive, cardiovascular, neuronal, metabolic,
etc. ) Thus, even control of the body is only in its grossest functions. Now imagine that a limb has been lost in an accident. The person still
calls the body ‘me’. This continues even if more physical attributes are
lost—limbs, facial characteristics, or sensory loss (e. g. , Helen Keller). Thus, the ‘body’ as ‘me’ is a mentalization. There is the fictional story
of Donovan’s Brain in which only his brain survives and is kept alive
via artificial means. Relentlessly, the ‘brain’ kept right on with its ego
positions, such as the desire to control others and survive. Helen Keller,
on the other hand—deaf, mute, and blind—calibrated in the high 500s. Joseph Merrick, the “Elephant Man,” so-called due to severe facial
disfigurement, calibrated at the level of a high saint (590). The sense of ‘who’ we are is primarily an identification with the body,
the personality, and its mentalization, with accompanying emotional
investment. One can do an internal mental imaging process to see how
much of the body or its sensations could actually be lost and yet the self
retain a sense of ‘I’. It becomes clear that the experiential ‘I’ has a body
but is not a body. The classic approach to detachment from identification of self with
the body is to detach from the sensory dependence on physicality for
pleasure and gratification. These have to do with desire and the
searching for pleasure as an external acquisition. Asceticism decreases
the sovereignty of the illusion that the source of happiness, pleasure,
and gratification is external, for even if its locus is external, the sense of
pleasure and gratification is an internal function. The body is a
functional utility mechanism, and pleasure is not the consequence of
bodily function but the gratification of desire itself. Similar gratification
can be obtained in a hypnotic state wherein the body itself is not given a
reward but only the image is suggested. The body is therefore a
mechanism and not a source. With spiritual practice focused directly on the ego and its experiencerfunction, the importance and identification of self with the body
automatically diminishes of its own accord. When meaning,
significance, and value are withdrawn from it, the body-image sense
recedes and only recurs when actually necessary (e.
It has indeed been extremely rare, but due to the progression of the overall evolution of consciousness, the likelihood of a committed student's reaching Enlightenment has increased by more than one thousand percent.
How realistic is it to set the realization of the Self, or Enlightenment, as a goal?
The final block is the ego itself, but not to the inner Truth and Knowingness of the Self. The strength is provided by the power of the Self, which is at one with the Truth of Divinity.
What is the final block to Enlightenment, and how is it overcome?
One can detach from the body by recognizing that it is not the source of life and existence, and by surrendering to the Self. It is not possible to identify with the body, as it is not the source of one's existence.
How can one overcome the attachment to the body?
Yes, it is essential for the individual to know this information, as it facilitates the process and makes it easier for others to break through the barriers that have been overcome.
Is it necessary for an individual to know the information about the spiritual journey and the levels of consciousness?
The kinesiological method is a technique that can be used to determine truth from falsehood and is a powerful tool in spiritual growth, as it allows one to bypass the limitations of the ego and access higher levels of consciousness.
What is the significance of the kinesiological method in spiritual growth?