International Society for Krishna Consciousness

(See ISKCON)

(See also: International Society for Krishna Consciousness , New Age Spirituality, Body Mind and Soul)

RITUAL CONSCIOUSNESS: A specific, alternate state of awareness necessary to the successful practice of magick. This state is achieved through the use of visualization and ritual. The conscious mind becomes attuned with the psychic mind, a state in which the magician senses energies, gives them purpose, and releases them toward a specific goal. It is a heightening of senses, an expanded awareness of the nonphysical world, a linking with nature and with Deity.

(See also: RITUAL CONSCIOUSNESS , Paganism, Pagan, Pagan Dictionary)

A Theosophical definition of Consciousness :

Consciousness

In all its forms and protean manifestations, consciousness is spirit-matter  - force and matter, or spirit and substance, are one  - hence consciousness is the finest and loftiest form of energy, is the root of all things, and is coextensive with kosmic space. It is, therefore, the foundation and the essence of gods, of monads, and of atoms  - the three generalized degrees, kosmically speaking, of the universe.

A natural corollary from this is that the universe therefore is imbodied consciousness, or much more correctly we should call it a quasi-infinite aggregate of imbodied consciousnesses.

See also: Consciousness , Mysticism, Body Mind and Soul

Christ Consciousness

The spiritual and mystical experience of the unity of all the universe. To attain cosmic consciousness is to see the universe as God and God as the universe, and everything as part of this whole.

(See also: Christ Consciousness , New Age Spirituality, Body Mind and Soul)

MIND

Mind very much resembles matter, both in its degrees of density and in its peculiarity of design. That's not surprising since the one derives from the other. We might also say that they are mirror images of one another. Just as matter varies in the size of its conglomerations, from the circumferences of giant stars and galaxies to the infinitely small subatomic world of its constituents, so mind ranges through the levels of experience infinitely above and below consciousness. There is no Not-Mind - not ever - except within the Ultimate Void itself.

Hypnosis sheds a faint light on certain levels of consciousness beneath the ordinary. By means of the intense concentration and focusing of attention that hypnosis evokes, we are able to accomplish feats of mind and body that otherwise only yogis know. Hypnosis works by forcing a thread of memory awareness deep into the mind labyrinth, which, however deeply it may penetrate the darkness, is always tied tightly to the ordinary consciousness at the top. Without that Ariadne's thread, the more deeply we were to concentrate on something, the more we would be lost to the world. The more attention we bring to bear on anything, the deeper into a simulacrum of sleep we proceed, as our surroundings and the outside world disappear into this darkness and outer sensations are walled off - presumably to prevent distraction. Since this state of concentration so much resembles sleep, in fact, the slightest lapse of the will sends us drifting towards unconsciousness. Ordinary sleep is a mirror-like repetition of the fragmentation of superconsciousness that we shall see results in abandonment of the self. However, as concentration proceeds ever more inward, the more the inner landscape is illuminated and narrowed. This "inner light" of laser-like consciousness is shared by the vegetable kingdom. (Its character can be recognized in psychedelic intoxication of various kinds). Finally, as we proceed into the unconscious itself we enter a quantum universe of our own. Here we find ourselves in the very "consciousness" of matter itself, with its links to everything in the universe. Presumably, death is but a deeper descent still, a proceeding into the actual heart of Mind, leading into the Void, which is the womb of all manifestations. Ordinary consciousness is obviously the link between higher and lower planes. It is a delicate balance between retreat into self-absorption and abandonment of the self to the sensory experience. It is maintained with great difficulty, for we have a tendency to drift out of it into one or the other of the two diametrically opposed realms of experience that it separates. These realms, of course, are infinitely more attractive than boring, old, routine mind. Within this narrow water-hole of ordinary consciousness, however, lie all the accomplishments and discoveries of human history. Indeed, it is this narrow and unreliable bridge that human society has learned to exploit as "civilization". Unfortunately, it has been examined but superficially and little has been done to stretch its dimensions or protect it from disintegration. Consequently we know almost nothing either of its limitations or its potential powers.

Heightened awareness is the opposed of focused attention or concentration. Attention becomes more and more generalized and cognizant of every petal on every flower in the garden, then every vein in every leaf. . . But now, as attention fans out, mind loses its coherency and begins to fragment. Under the influence of psychedelic drugs the attention is so fragmented that it merges altogether with the outer world and the inner self is abandoned to the chaos of the interface. The loss of the inner self, however, is usually accompanied by extreme panic as it attempts to jump from scintilla to scintilla.

For a time, the fragmentation of expanding mind can be kept under control by the use of amphetamines or cocaine in ever-increasing dosages. By means of these substances, alertness and intelligence are increased because attention is spread infinitely thin across a wider and wider spectrum of sensory experience coming in from the outer world. The "outer world" includes, of course, the consciousness of one's own body, as well as reflexive self-observation. At the same time, the inner self is being supplied with increased energy and speed too, so that it can maintain consciousness of itself and stave off chaos by racing back and forth around the ever-enlarging periphery of experience. As we are all very well aware, however, this path quickly comes to an end.

Fortunately, the heightening of externalized consciousness can be achieved without drugs, through mysticism. The sensory awareness can either be bypassed or used as the vehicle of its own transcendence. If the inner self is voluntarily released to heightened consciousness, which we sometimes refer to as leaving the ego behind in order to enter Nirvana, peace descends at once and chaos is transformed into the so-called "mystical experience." This process, once begun, can continue into such total absorption that the individual consciousness ceases to exist at any point and we could refer to that as a more or less permanent trance.

(See also: MIND , Magick, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul,)

A Theosophical definition of Lipika (Lipikas) :

Lipika (Lipikas)

(Sanskrit) This word comes from the verb-root lip, meaning "to write"; hence the word lipikas means the "scribes." Mystically, they are the celestial recorders, and are intimately connected with the working of karma, of which they are the agents. They are the karmic "Recorders or Annalists, who impress on the (to us) invisible tablets of the Astral Light, 'the great picture-gallery of eternity,' a faithful record of every act, and even thought, of man [and indeed of all other entities and things], of all that was, is, or ever will be, in the phenomenal Universe" (The Secret Doctrine 1:104).

Their action although governed strictly by kosmic consciousness is nevertheless rigidly automatic, for their work is as automatic as is the action of karma itself. They are entities as a matter of fact, but entities which work and act with the rigid automatism of the kosmic machinery, rather than like the engineer who supervises and changes the running of his engines. In one sense they may perhaps better be called kosmic energies  - a most difficult matter to describe.

See also: Lipika (Lipikas) , Mysticism, Body Mind and Soul

IIP Consciousness Development Program: System developed by author Waldo Vierra, M.D., who founded the International Institute of Projectiology (IIP) in 1988 in Brazil. IIP defines projectiology as the science that studies the out-of-body experience as a tool for achieving self-awareness.

The program involves training in the management of bioenergy. potential benefits include: access to other planes of reality, amplification of the intellect, elimination of the fear of death, increase of psychic abilities, recall of past life experiences, and self-healing.

(See also: Consciousness Development Program , Body Mind and Soul, Alternative Health, Alternative Health Dictionary)

Altered States of Consciousness

Trances entered through hypnosis, meditation, drugs (including hallucinogenics), visualization, etc. State of being in which one allows the subconscious to take control and guide. May heighten oneÕs vulnerability to suggestion or susceptibility to deception.

(See also: Altered States of Consciousness , New Age Spirituality, Body Mind and Soul)

Actualized Consciousness

Awakened, functioning consciousness. Actualized consciousness goes through different degrees of activation: passive, active, self-active.

(See also: Actualized Consciousness , New Age Spirituality, Body Mind and Soul)

Sanskrit dictionary. From Advaita to Yoga.

Please note that all words in grey, like "enlightenment" or "kundalini" are hyperlinked to archives further explaining the term. At the corresponding archive you will also find articles related to the term.

Alaya Consciousness

The fundamental consciousness of all sentient beings.

As defined by the Yogacara School, Alaya means the "storehouse", implying that this consciousness contains and preserves all past memories and potential psychic energy within its fold; it is the reservoir of all ideas, memories and desires and is also the fundamental cause of both Samsara and Nirvana.

 (See also: Alaya Consciousness , Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

A dictionary of Parapsycology. Please note that words in grey are hyperlinked to a corresponding archive with articles related to that particular topic.

Cosmic Consciousness

Attunement to the infinite

(See also: Cosmic Consciousness , Body Mind and Soul)

Falling : Dream Interpretation Dictionary - Falling symbolizes the action of returning to awake consciousness

Falling symbolizes the action of returning to awake consciousness.

There is an old wive's tale which says if you dream you are falling and you hit the bottom you will die. This is not true. Falling symbolizes the mental action of returning to awake consciousness therefore at the time the dreamer would "hit bottom" he/she usually wakes and the dream images are no longer present.

Source: The Dreamer's Dictionary

(See also: Dream Interpretation, Dream Dictionary, Meaning of Dreams, Dream Interpretation Falling , Dream Dictionary Falling )

Active Consciousness

The ability of consciousness to let dynamis act through it. The self-active consciousness that becomes possible through evolution.

Having active consciousness the monads themselves initiate their consciousness expressions. In the vegetable and animal kingdoms this activation occurs in groups (through group-souls). In the human kingdom consciousness becomes more and more self-active

(See also: Active Consciousness , New Age Spirituality, Body Mind and Soul)

A Theosophical definition of Ego :

Ego

(Latin) A word meaning "I." In theosophical writings the ego is that which says "I am I"  - indirect or reflected consciousness, consciousness reflected back upon itself as it were, and thus recognizing its own mayavi existence as a "separate" entity. On this fact is based the one genuine "heresy" that occultism recognizes: the heresy of separateness.

The seat of the human ego is the intermediate duad  - manas-kama: part aspiring upwards, which is the reincarnating ego; and part attracted below, which is the ordinary or astral human ego. The consciousness is immortal in the reincarnating ego, and temporary or mortal in the lower or astral human ego.

Consider the hierarchy of the human being's constitution to grow from the immanent Self: this last is the seed of egoity on the seven (or perhaps better, six) planes of matter or manifestation. On each one of these seven planes (or six), the immanent Self or paramatman develops or evolves a sheath or garment, the upper ones spun of spirit, and the lower ones spun of "shadow" or matter. Now each such sheath or garment is a "soul"; and between the self and such a soul  - any soul  - is the ego.

Thus atman is the divine monad, giving birth to the divine ego, which latter evolves forth the monadic envelope or divine soul; jivatman, the spiritual monad, has its child which is the spiritual ego, which in turn evolves forth the spiritual soul or individual; and the combination of these three considered as a unit is buddhi; bhutatman, the human ego  - the higher human soul, including the lower buddhi and higher manas; pranatman, the personal ego  - the lower human soul, or man. It includes manas, kama, and prana; and finally the beast ego  - the vital-astral soul: kama and prana.

See also: Ego , Mysticism, Body Mind and Soul

consciousness and thought diagnosis: Mode of Natural and Macrobiotic Medicine that is a variation of so-called mind reading.

(See also: Consciousness and thought diagnosis , Body Mind and Soul, Alternative Health, Alternative Health Dictionary)

consciousness therapy: A logical multi-dimensional tool whose theory posits chakras (energetic centers), a psychosoma (a nonphysical body that includes an energetic body, an emotional body, and a mental body), and thosenes (informational energetic fields that constitute a collective unconscious). Consciousness therapy is related to projectiology (see IIP Consciousness Development Program).

(See also: Consciousness therapy , Body Mind and Soul, Alternative Health, Alternative Health Dictionary)

A Dictionary of Spiritual Terms. From Acupuncture to Zoroaster.

Please note that all words in grey, like "yoga", "enlightenment" or "kundalini" are hyperlinked to archives further explaining the term. At the corresponding archive you will also find articles related to the term.

field of consciousness

In ESP experiences there are many potential combinations of seeing, hearing, sensing. When the medium is under a proper self-disciplined conscious control, he can be aware of the major thought-flow focus and simultaneously know of fringe or marginal awareness and impressions impinging into the periphery of consciousness

(See also: Field of consciousness , Body Mind and Soul)

Consciousness-Life-Substance The unitary source of consciousness, life, and substance, which are its vehicles in manifestation; the one reality or essence lying behind all manifestation. This fundamental essence is the basis of universal oneness or brotherhood. (GdeP)

(See also: Consciousness-Life-Substance , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)