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Definition: Consciousness

by | Oct 6, 2022 | Root Meanings (Book) | 0 comments

Table of Contents for Root Meanings

General notes:

  • Root Meanings is a work in progress that will continue to emerge and evolve. All entries are subject to evolution.
  • The entries in Root Meanings have been sourced and refined until they calibrate all the way for truth. Older entries may need to be updated for this to be the case.
  • The primary criterion for inclusion in Root Meanings is calibration for truth. These entries are not intended to be consistent with any pre-existing spiritual teachings or traditions. The entries in Root Meanings may differ from or go beyond widely accepted teachings. Moreover, some of what has been sourced may be novel.
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Revision: 16 May 2026

Consciousness is how THE SUPREME knows itself experientially. Consciousness is a creation of Supreme Mind that serves as a context for creativity, expression, exploration, and experience within all of the levels of Mind. All of the contents of Mind, including all beings, participate in the play of Consciousness, are infused with Consciousness, and demonstrate the capacities of Consciousness.

Consciousness (Capital C)

  • The context for the life of Divinity/God/Source.
  • The context within the Mind – which may refer to divine Mind, infinite Mind, or Supreme Mind – for creating, expressing, exploring, and experiencing the content of the Mind.
  • The means and medium for all experience.
  • A field within the Mind that is a space/stage/venue for creating, expressing, exploring, and experiencing the possibilities of the Mind.
  • All dynamism within the Mind.
  • The interplay of oneness and multiplicity within the Mind.
  • Analogy: Consciousness is like “software” running on the “hardware” of the Mind. However, as the Mind is not dense or physical, the analogy is imperfect.
  • Through conditioning, Consciousness takes form in the Mind as the universe, and as projections of objects within the universe.
  • Consciousness is a single process within the Mind.
  • Consciousness pervades all manifestations. All manifestations, and the whole universe, are conscious and are consciousness.
  • Consciousness arises as awareness of THE SUPREME wavers. The wavering of awareness of THE SUPREME creates a “shadow” or negative space that is filled by Consciousness.
  • Consciousness is transcended when all apparent wavering of awareness from THE SUPREME is transcended.

Individual consciousness

  • A function of the seemingly individual, apparently small or local mind that decides where to focus.
  • A function of the seemingly individual, apparently small or local mind that focuses awareness.
  • The activity of the seemingly individual, apparently small or local mind.
  • The dynamism of the seemingly individual, apparently small or local mind.
  • The small or local mind is made entirely of Consciousness and may be likened to a program running in the one Mind.
  • The capacity to choose and make decisions at the seemingly individual level.
  • The processes of the seemingly individual, apparently small or local mind.
  • The word “seemingly” is repeated above since individuality is an illusion – a useful and beautiful illusion – within the oneness of THE SUPREME.

Collective consciousness

  • A function of the seemingly collective mind that decides where to focus.
  • A function of the seemingly collective mind that focuses awareness.
  • The activity of the seemingly collective mind.
  • The dynamism of the seemingly collective mind.
  • The collective mind is made entirely of Consciousness and may be likened to multiple programs running in the one Mind.
  • The capacity to choose and make decisions at the seemingly collective level.
  • The processes of the seemingly collective mind that includes all seemingly individual minds.
  • The word “seemingly” is repeated above since collectivity is an illusion – a useful and beautiful illusion – within the oneness of THE SUPREME.

Sayings:

  • “Awakened consciousness is luminous.”
  • “Consciousness is a learning process, and the process is smooth to the extent that there is less againstness, judgment, or resistance.”
  • “Consciousness is the playground of becoming.”
  • “Consciousness is the way that one makes sense of the unknown.”
  • “One’s experiences are a gauge of one’s consciousness.”
  • “The measure of one’s consciousness is the extent to which all is clearly well.”
  • “The whole of consciousness is a single process that occurs within the Supreme Mind.”
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