Your levels of consciousness

In day-to-day life and in the vocabulary of Mindfulness, awareness and consciousness are often used interchangeably to mean full attention—complete awareness of oneself and our surroundings.

However, to understand it better, here’s the etymological difference:

• Consciousness : The capacity we have as humans to perceive our existence, reality, and environment. Consciousness is a mental state.

• Awareness: The moral knowledge that allows us to distinguish between right and wrong, depending on personal experiences and societal norms.

  
  

In the article on my blog “What You Didn’t Know About Mindfulness”, I discussed the benefits of living in states of full attention and trying to bring your consciousness to the here and now. Today, I’ll talk about three levels of consciousness to help you enhance your mindfulness and start enjoying life from a more conscious perspective.

We could say there are more levels of consciousness, and there are many theories and information on the subject. However, for simplicity, I’ve decided to reduce it to three levels based on my own experience and methodology, just as I work on them with my coaching clients.

Level of Unconscious Thoughts

Ninety-nine percent of a person’s daily thoughts—if they do not practice mindfulness or full awareness—are unconscious thoughts, meaning our mind thinks on its own. Our unconscious mind operates out of habit, based on experiences. For example: we make breakfast automatically while our brain is preoccupied with how oil prices have risen in recent months, as mentioned on the radio. You’re not paying attention to that thought; your mind is thinking on its own.

Unconscious thoughts can also include negative looping thoughts that lead to negative emotions. For instance: since waking up, I’ve been dwelling on the fact that I need to talk to my son because his grades are unacceptable. It’s tough for me to bring up this conversation. Just thinking about it makes me feel bad.

Level of Conscious Thoughts

This is where the veil of reality comes in, meaning we are aware of what we’re thinking or can detect unconscious thoughts. It’s a thought you know you’re having—your mind is not operating on its own; there’s a rational intention to think or do something.

These thoughts represent a very small percentage of the total daily thoughts. The more you practice these moments of awareness, the more you’ll live in the present. You’ll notice improved attention, reduced anxiety levels, and a different approach to life’s challenges.

WOW Moments

I call these WOW moments because they are experiences of absolute and conscious happiness. These are moments when you think with your mind, feel with your heart, and want to shout with fullness: “I couldn’t be happier.” For example, when you see your child’s face for the first time, or you’re with family and friends, and suddenly you feel a special energy that brings you to tears of joy.

The more we live in full consciousness, the more open and predisposed we are to experiencing these WOW moments.

How to Practice Full Consciousness?

Through mindfulness. You can find some examples in my article “What You Didn’t Know About Mindfulness.”

People with well-trained minds who practice mindfulness in one way or another can significantly reduce the percentage of unconscious thoughts. This helps them avoid falling into negative thought loops, downplay problems, discover small things about themselves they’d like to change, and ultimately improve their quality of life.

The quality of your thoughts depends on your levels of consciousness, and your levels of consciousness depend on you. Are you ready?

Image by Freepik

Melinda Sánchez Coach

www.melindasanchezcoach.com