Transcending The Levels Of Consciousness: The Stairway to Enlightenment

by David R. Hawkins

Another nonspiritual but strong program devoted to recovering and improving one’s life by strictly accepting responsibility was demonstrated by “est” (Erhard Seminars Training) at calibration level 400. The technique was one of constant confrontation with irresponsibility and the canceling of all excuses, rationalizations, and evasions of

In what is seen as apathy, there is actually a strong internal resistance as a subtly disguised pride and egotism described as “I can’t” or “I don’t want to.”

Inasmuch as the infinite field of consciousness is unlimited in dimension, nothing

can happen outside of it. All that occurs within it is under its influence, and therefore, nothing ‘accidental’ is possible in Reality.

Almost any resistance, aversion, or illusion can be dissolved by complete and total surrender and the willingness to relinquish illusory goals. Operationally, this can be described as surrendering the linear (the ego) to the nonlinear (Divinity).

Shame, apathy, and guilt are all forms of aggression against the self by attack with self-hatred, accusation, and negative judgmentalism.

The alternate sides of these mechanisms are used in the defensive maneuver of projected, externalized hate and blame. Apathy is also a form of resistance to the maturation process and is a way of negation and refusal, i.e., concealed stubbornness.

The progressive downward spiral often eventually leads to a confrontational social crisis, such as arrest, divorce, losing one’s job, bankruptcy, hospitalization, and homelessness. Therefore, confrontation is one of the positive consequences that arise from seeming calamities that are frequently lifesaving and rescues in disguise.

The underlying and deep-seated self-hatred requires a therapy of a very high consciousness calibration level, such as that of Unconditional Love at 540. Psychological measures that calibrate in the 400s have insufficient power to actually bring about an inner healing. The healing process requires an advisor, sponsor, or counselor to provide guidance and serve as an example to identify with, love, and respect. In the decades-long experience of such groups, only a recovered member has the requisite authority that instills respect and therefore a therapeutic transference or identification. Through this mechanism, love returns in an acceptable form, and its acceptance is facilitated by realistic, spiritually integrous humility.

Paradoxically, the spiritually humble cannot be humiliated, and therefore, faults can be accepted without loss of self-esteem. Owning one’s own inner flaws allows for nonjudgmental respect for others and opens the door to compassion for all humanity.

The building of self-confidence is usually best done step-wise in small increments, aided by motivational encouragement. A negative self-image may be compounded by past failures or criticism by peers or parental figures, resulting in attitudes of “I can’t” or “I’m not worth it.” The old adage, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again,” falls on deaf ears as apathy is usually defended with many rationalized excuses and justifications in order to avoid shame.

In spiritual work also, group participation remotivates as a consequence of the group’s intrinsic spiritual energy. Thus, ministerial organizations serve a great purpose, as do mentors, trainers, motivational speakers, humanitarian organizations, the clergy, and inspirational teachers. The average person usually has some limited areas of apathy, at least for periods of time, that are areas of neglect due to economy of available time and energy or interest.

Apathy is indicative of the absence of love, which is its most powerful antidote.

To choose love for God activates the love of God by

prayer and worship.

The ego is so strong that sometimes only severe ‘hitting bottom’ is a strong enough stimulus to activate the willingness to surrender allegiance to the ego’s domination. When activated, the spirit within is renewed, and apathy is replaced by hope. To ‘pray ceaselessly’ may be the only option available to work through some severe or prolonged periods of karmic debt. It is sometimes referred to as a ‘test of faith’, which is best traversed by conviction that ‘this too shall pass’, and “They also serve who stand and wait.”

Transient apathy can indicate resistance to facing some inner personal defect, which is most rapidly overcome by direct admission and acceptance. This reactivates spiritual movement instead of being stultified.

The Dualities of Apathy. As with other levels, positionalities express as dualities of attraction and aversion that have to be worked through, assisted by prayer and often the assistance of others.

Grief. (Calibration Level 75).

The universality of the experience is due to the structure and nature of the ego, which misperceives the source of happiness as external or emotional and imbues it with specialness.

In reality, the only source of happiness is from within, and its mechanism is intrapsychic and internal. When a desired object, situation, or relationship is obtained, the internal mechanism goes into operation with the satisfaction of that desire because the object, person, or condition has been imbued with special qualities. The value is in the eyes of the beholder or of the

perceived and is not intrinsic to the desired object or person itself. Therefore, grief is linked to ...

The more specialness projected onto the relationship with the desired object or person, the greater the potential for grief and loss. Fear of loss contributes to dependent attachments as well as materiality or social attributes, such as money and fame.

spiritual research indicates that all suffering and emotional pain result from resistance. Its cure is via surrender and acceptance,

which relieve the pain.

A basic truth to be realized in the process is that there is no possible, actual source of happiness outside one’s self. Loss really brings long-standing illusions to the surface, along with opportunities to lessen its dominance in the psyche.

Paradoxically, loss is simultaneously freedom and the opening of new options.

Change may be a source of anticipatory pleasure if it is chosen and a source of resentment if it is resisted. Attachments are to the present and the anticipated future, as well as a clinging to the past. All these positions are illusory for there is never a time other than the present moment, and no one experiences either the past or the future, except in their imaginings and memories.

The only source of happiness that is realistically based is in the present, and that which is in the present is not subject to loss. All forms of loss are a confrontation to the ego and its survival mechanisms. All aspects of human life are transient; therefore, to cling to any aspect eventually brings grief and loss. Each incident, however, is an opportunity to search within for the source of life, which is ever present, unchanging, and not subject to loss or the ravages of time. Grief or loss, like any stressful situation in life, can be seen as a valuable growth opportunity and a time for reassessment of values and goals. If this is followed, eventually it is possible to let go of all attachments, including belief systems, and experience the source of happiness that emanates from within.

The ego perpetuates itself by its elaborate network of values, belief systems, and programs. Needs thus arise that gain more energy as they become embellished and elaborated, sometimes to the point of fixation. The source of pain is not the belief system itself but one’s attachment to it and the inflation of its imaginary value.

It is difficult at first to surrender attachments and belief systems that have been reinforced socially by agreement, such as wealth, success, fame, beauty, and others. All these represent the same concept

that some kind of an ‘add-on’ to what ‘is’ will bring greater happiness. Aside from the process of attachment, the other concomitant to the ego’s mechanism is its belief in ‘having’.

All sociological/psychological studies of happiness confirm that religious or spiritually-oriented people are generally happier all the time, no matter what the circumstances.

The technique of processing out involves very simple steps that all depend on willingness and the capacity to surrender. Stay with the feeling and stay focused on it unswervingly. Realize that all pain is due to resistance. The suffering of loss stems from the attachment and specialness. Be willing to become immersed in and surrender to the feelings without avoiding them. Notice that they come in waves and that surrendering to the most intense waves tends to decrease their emotional severity. Ask God’s help and surrender the personal will to God. (It is helpful to read the Ninety-first Psalm or other favorite spiritual passages.) Be willing to endure and suffer out the process. If not resisted, it will process itself out and come to an end. Although the suffering of loss is triggered by a specific event, the painful emotions of attachment have actually arisen from multiple sources over time, and there may be more of it below the surface than was first suspected. Thus, each loss actually represents all loss, for the experience is of loss itself and not just the specific event that brought it up to awareness. A helpful source of strength during the processing out of painful emotions is to identify with all of humanity and realize that suffering is universal and innate to the phenomenon of being human and the evolution of the ego.

There are misunderstandings of spirituality that teach that even love is an attachment, which is a misconception, for love is an aspect of God; possessiveness is an aspect of ego.

See all ownerships and relationships as stewardships only. The obligation is to responsibility of alignment rather than attachment or involvement.

Cling to principles rather than people, objects, conditions, and transitory situations.

Disassembly of Grief (and also of Desire). The value or worth of desires reflects what they represent symbolically or as a class. To see through the particulars to their perceived essence facilitates withdrawal of attachment and therefore diffuses both intensity of wantingness and importance of loss. Each ‘thing’, person, or item that is considered to be important is only valued by virtue of its representation of a more abstract quality. The grief at loss is thus not due to the particular but to an attractor field of consciousness of which it is a symbolic representation. Each ‘thing’ reflects abstract qualities that can be classified at progressive levels of abstraction

Surrender of attachment is facilitated by appreciating that ‘value’ is a superimposition that depends on abstract significance and what a thing or attribute symbolizes. Thus, it will be found that a specific loss or gain can be compensated for by substituting an equivalent in the same or a higher class.

The Dualities of Grief. While some degrees of grief are inevitable in the course of life, chronic Grief requires relinquishment of dualistic positionalities upon which it is based as a long-term attitude or prevailing state of consciousness.

The Dualities of Fear. Fear is a basic survival mechanism and intrinsic to the evolution of the ego from the earliest primitive animal life forms. There is short-term realistic fear that is in contrast to fear as a prevailing, dominant level of consciousness. Fears have an early onset in the young child and proliferate throughout life unless countered by an overall feeling of security. To feel adequate in response to life requires surmounting the irrational fears that emerge as a result of the ego’s numerous positionalities.

Blockages. As with other levels, positionalities result in conflicting dualities that require the surrender of the transitory pleasure of indulgence of the attractions and the resistance to the aversions. Willingness enables the surrender of short-term self-indulgence for long-term spiritual growth.