My Spiritual Trainer

Transcending the Levels of Consciousness

Kevin@MySpiritualTrainer.com (Kevin B. Burk) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 18:03:00 +0000

Consider for a moment, the nature of reality. Almost by definition, we assume that reality is “real,” and yet in truth, reality is an entirely subjective experience. It may help to consider the difference between the “Big R” Reality and the “little r” reality. The “Big R” Reality is the Truth that God is All That Is, and therefore we are One with God. The “little r” reality is that we are separate individuals, living in a world of other separate individuals. As much as we can intellectually appreciate the objective and eternal Truth of the “Big R” Reality, our subjective experience, what we know (as opposed to what we knows about) is separation and limitation. The ultimate goal of any spiritual path is for our “little r” reality to align with the “Big R” Reality. Our experience of reality is determined by our dominant level of consciousness.

The Universe includes everything. Our options are unlimited, and we have access to the full range of human experiences. We select a miniscule subset of experience from the infinite potential, and that is what forms our experience of reality. The Law of Attraction works like a search engine, where the dominant vibration of our level of consciousness sets the search parameters, and the Law of Attraction returns results and experiences that match. This means that an individual living at the dominant vibration of Anger will experience a world filled with anger, and things to be angry at and about. On the other hand, an individual living at the dominant vibration of Love will experience a world filled with love. Anger still exists in this world of love, but because it’s not attracted to the dominant vibration, it shows up as fleeting experiences. Put another way, just because things exist in the world, doesn’t mean that they exist in your world.

Transcending the levels of consciousness through spiritual work is the only reliable path to happiness. The closer one’s “little r” reality is to the “Big R” Reality, the happier one is. For example, according to Dr. David R. Hawkins, the foremost researcher into human consciousness, only 12% of the individuals living at the level of consciousness of Anger consider themselves to be happy, while 89% of the individuals at the level of consciousness of Love consider themselves happy. At the level of Unconditional Love, this percentage jumps to 96%, and once an individual reaches the levels of consciousness known as Enlightenment, happiness is a 100% certainty.¹

When taking any journey, it’s always helpful to have a map to help navigate the terrain. The journey to enlightenment is no exception. We’ll begin to develop our map with the broadest strokes, and then gradually fill in the details that will enable us to make increasingly subtle distinctions.

Power vs. Force

Our initial map of consciousness consists of a single line: the Line of Integrity. This line represents the most critical boundary line in the evolution of consciousness. Dr. David R. Hawkins, the foremost researcher into human consciousness describes this line as the boundary between Power and Force. Everything below this line represents Force, which is lacking integrity, life consuming, negative, and false. Everything above this line represents increasing levels of Power, which is in integrity, is life enhancing/life supporting, positive, and true.

Hawkins describes other important differences between Power and Force. Power ennobles and uplifts, while Force must be justified. Power is associated with the whole, while Force is associated with the partial. Power is at the still point, like gravity, a field; Force is movement from here to there. Power stands, while Force moves against something. Power requires nothing beyond itself and is complete; Force demands. Power gives life and energy, while Force takes them away. Power does not require defense, while Force requires constant defense.

Put another way, Power radiates from God, the Ultimate Source, while Force is an illusion of the ego.

Power creates a positive (strong) response in the body’s acupuncture system, while Force creates a negative (weak) response. In truth, all we need do in order to achieve enlightenment is to avoid things that make us go weak (Force) and stay aligned with things that make us go strong (Power). Because the energy of Power is life-affirming, and always increasing, the pull is always upwards. The challenge is that we must learn how to avoid thoughts and experiences that fall below the critical Line of Integrity. All we need to do in order to cultivate this awareness is to pay attention to how we feel. Thoughts and experiences that are out of integrity feel bad, while thoughts and experiences that are in integrity feel good. The better we feel, the more Power we have available.

While this process is simple, it’s not necessarily easy. Most individuals spend so much time thinking stressful thoughts and living out of integrity that the pain and discomfort of these experiences no longer registers. We can use a simple process of self-inquiry to become aware of whether we are in or out of integrity at any given moment.

Kingdoms of Consciousness

Rev. Michael Beckwith created a model of four stages, or kingdoms of consciousness that function as a high-level map of the levels of consciousness. The First Kingdom is Victim Consciousness. In the First Kingdom, things are done to me. The levels of consciousness that comprise the First Kingdom represent Force, as opposed to Power. Force lacks integrity, is life-consuming, negative and false. In the First Kingdom, the ego or the “little s” self is in absolute control. Once we step out of First Kingdom, we cross into levels of consciousness that represent increasing amounts of Power, integrity and Truth.

In the Second Kingdom, which Beckwith calls Manifestation, things are done by me. When we cross over the critical line of integrity that divides the First and Second Kingdoms, we become accountable for our actions, our choices and our intentions. In the Second Kingdom, the “Big S” self begins to exert influence over the “little s” self.

The Third Kingdom represents another critical shift in consciousness from the linear to the non-linear. When we step into the Third Kingdom, Love becomes the dominant energy and motivator in our lives. In the Third Kingdom, things are done through me, and for the first time, the “Big S” Self takes charge, and the “little s” self and the ego begin to relinquish control.

Finally, the Fourth Kingdom contains the levels of consciousness collectively known as Enlightenment. In the Fourth Kingdom, t0hings are done as me, because the ego, the “little s” self and all sense of separation disappear completely and we begin to experience the Truth of Unity with All That Is.

Whose Business Am I In?

Byron Katie, author of Loving What Is and creator of “The Work of Byron Katie” suggests that there are three types of business. There is my business, there is your business, and there is God’s business. The only business I have any business being in is my business. Any time I’m in your business (someone else’s business) or God’s business, I’m going to feel stress. The reason that we feel stress when we think thoughts or tell stories that take us into someone else’s business or God’s business is that if we’re outside of our own business, we have no Power. In other words, as soon as we step out of our own business, we step into Victim Consciousness.

Spiritual Muscles

We transcend the levels of consciousness, moving out of Victim Consciousness and progressing towards Enlightenment through daily spiritual practice. It’s helpful to consider that along with our physical muscles, we also have spiritual muscles. In order to maintain a balanced level of spiritual fitness, it’s important that we exercise all of our spiritual muscle groups on a regular basis.

The two most fundamental spiritual muscle groups are Awareness and Accountability. The stronger these core spiritual muscles are, the easier the more advanced exercises will be. Awareness includes both becoming conscious of the stories we tell ourselves and whether those stories make us feel strong (Power) or weak (Force, Victim Consciousness), and also cultivating an Awareness of the Present Moment. The Accountability muscles are essential to getting into right relationship with the ego. The ego is fundamentally terrified of being held accountable, and each time we avoid accountability, we step into Victim Consciousness.

By training our Awareness and Accountability muscle groups, we will spend less and less time in Victim Consciousness. This creates the opportunity to develop the more advanced (and powerful) spiritual muscles of Gratitude, Forgiveness and Compassion.

¹Hawkins, David R., Transcending the Levels of Consciousness: The Stairway to Enlightenment. Sedona: Veritas Publishing, 2006. p. 30.

Chakra Guided Meditation

Kevin@MySpiritualTrainer.com (Kevin B. Burk) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 03:09:00 +0000

Bonus Guided Meditation Audio Podcast!

I'm still working on the series of video podcasts on the Kingdoms of Consciousness. They're taking a little longer than I anticipated. So, in the meantime, here's a new guided meditation on the chakras.

If you enjoy this, you can download this and other guided meditations for free by joining the MySpiritualTrainer.com eMail list.

Namaste,

Kevin B. Burk

Coming Attractions and Audio Podcasts!

Kevin@MySpiritualTrainer.com (Kevin B. Burk) — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 15:23:00 +0000

Welcome! Well, I've finally got the MySpiritualTrainer.com website up and running, and the introductory video talks up this blog, I suppose I'd better get some actual content up here!

Easier said than done, I'm afraid.

In fact, if you've been a REALLY early adopter, you've seen (and possibly even heard) this message before. I'm just now working out the last few bugs in the system.

I've got some wonderful content planned, and most of it will be video clips, so I'm very excited about that. The challenge, however, is that producing a video clip takes a lot longer than just writing an article. Personally, I think watching video clips is much more interesting than reading an article, so I think it's worth the extra effort. That does mean, though, that it may be a little while before I start getting regular content posted here.

Still, I'd like to have something up here for all of you early adopters. So I'll set some intentions and share a bit about what I plan to be talking about here for the next month or so.

Lately, I've been having a lot of fun exploring and playing with the model of the Four Kingdoms of Consciousness. This is a model that I believe Rev. Michael Beckwith (Agape in Los Angeles, and The Secret) developed many years ago. The first video will be an introduction to the Four Kingdoms, but here's a low-tech run-down.

The First Kingdom is Victim Consciousness. When we view the world from the First Kingdom, things are done TO me.

The Second Kingdom is Manifestation Consciousness. When we view the world from the Second Kingdom, things are done BY me. The Second Kingdom is where we encounter our ego. It's also where we create Princes, Parking Places and Palaces.

The Third Kingdom is Surrendered Consciousness. In the Third Kingdom, things are done THROUGH me. This is the consciousness of co-creation.

The Fourth Kingdom is Unity Consciousness. The Fourth Kingdom is true Enlightenment. In the Fourth Kingdom, things are done AS me. This is where all sense of separation from Spirit disappears, and we have an absolute experience of Unity with All That Is.

If you've been around the New Thought movement for any length of time, you may have encountered this model before. My take on it is a little different. I've seen it presented in a number of fashions, and over the past few years, as I've worked with it myself, I've evolved my own, individual approach to it.

For one thing, I don't believe that it's nearly as easy to experience Unity Consciousness as most people seem to think it is. The Fourth Kingdom is an experience of actual Enlightenment. The ego is totally surrendered and any sense of individual identity is gone. Only a handful of people on the planet have actually experienced this Kingdom of Consciousness, and fewer still are able to truly make it their base of operations. I believe it's possible to have glimpses of this Kingdom through meditation or spiritual practice.

Personally, I think that most of the people that I've met who claim to be in the Fourth Kingdom are demonstrating what is known as "Spiritual Bypass" and they're actually very much in the First Kingdom of Victim Consciousness. Most of them seem to be in the suburb of "Martyr Heights" which is a very popular neighborhood for people on a Spiritual Path. Geographically, it's very close to the Fourth Kingdom. You can look out your window and see all of the lovely property in the Fourth Kingdom just across the tracks. But the zip code is still very much First Kingdom, and no amount of self-delusion and spiritual bypass is ever going to change that.

And there's nothing wrong with that.

One of my first objectives as a Spiritual Trainer when I work with a client is to help them to consider that there is absolutely no judgment associated with these Kingdoms of Consciousness. Being in the Fourth Kingdom is not the ultimate objective. The Third Kingdom is not "better" than the Second Kingdom. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with being in the First Kingdom of Victim Consciousness.

When we picture the First Kingdom, we so often assume that it's a terrible place to be. It must resemble the poorest, most dangerous, run-down slums in the world. It must be a place you wouldn't want to drive through in an armored car during the day, let alone walk through alone at night. And yes, there are definitely parts of the First Kingdom that fit this description. However, there are also some stunningly attractive luxury communities in the First Kingdom. There is some choice real estate there, with lush landscapes, and opulent furnishings. The First Kingdom can be a very attractive place to live.

That's why most of us spend most of our lives there.

While there's no judgment about choosing to stay in the First Kingdom, there is an objective cost. As comfortable and luxurious as some of our properties are in the First Kingdom, the cost of living there is steep—much steeper than we often realize.

So, in future posts, this is what I plan to explore. How can we recognize when we're in the First Kingdom? What is the true cost of living there? And when we're ready, how do we go about divesting ourselves of our First Kingdom properties?

It's a wide, wonderful, and very exciting reality out there. I hope you'll choose to explore some of it with me.

Namaste.

Whoops! You're a bit early, but welcome anyway.

Kevin@MySpiritualTrainer.com (Kevin B. Burk) — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 04:16:00 +0000

Hi there…thanks for stopping by. You're actually a few days early. I'm still getting things set up here. If you navigated here from the MySpiritualTrainer.com site, you know I'll be officially launching on July 1, 2007. If you found your way here from some other source, I promise you there will be some wonderful content here in the coming weeks.

For now, here's a peek at my totally awesome counseling space, which I'm including here because I'm entirely new with this blog thing and I want to see how the layout works and what it takes to include images.

…still a few bugs in the system, I see, but there you go.

And here's a test of my welcome video:

Thanks for stopping by.