Expand Consciousness for an Enriched Life

How to Expand Consciousness for an Enriched Life

How to Expand Consciousness for an Enriched Life

Expand Consciousness for an Enriched Life

How to Expand Consciousness for an Enriched Life

Since before the common era, mystics, poets, yogis, monks, prophets, and priests have all shared something in common. They spoke of the ultimate Supreme Being that exists all around and within you. It is existence itself. It is everything that has and ever will be. Thus, all that you can see is a manifestation of it. Call it divine intelligence, Brahman, God, higher power. It is everything you experience and the one experiencing it.

What is consciousness?
There is a distinct difference between consciousness and Consciousness. The capital ‘C’ points to the great Awareness, or God. The lower-case ‘c’ refers to our waking mind. Spiritual teacher, Ram Dass, taught that we are Awareness constricted into a soul with a body. We are the divine intelligence having a human experience. Which means the power of the universe rests within you.

A poem on Awareness by Sufi mystic and poet, Hafiz.

The Divine manifests itself into life for a reason unknown other than simply to express itself. Far from simple, though, it expresses. Think of the trillions of cells in your body in constant motion. Birds singing to each other across the forest. Majestic mountains and erupting volcanoes. Oceans and tsunamis. Falling in love and starting a family. It goes on and on and on, always creating while also being the stillness that permeates everything.

Who Am I?
“Neither this body am I, nor soul, Nor these fleeting images passing by, Nor concepts and thoughts, mental images… Who then am I? A consciousness without origin, Not born in time, nor begotten here below. I that which was, is and ever shall be, A jewel in the crown of the Divine Self, A star in the firmament of the luminous One.” ~ Rumi.

You are “I AM.” And the soul purposefully disguises who it IS to experience the illusion of separation on earth. The suffering that comes from forgetting and feeling separate from the whole is perfectly set up for your soul to gather lessons. To finely tune itself.

We are empathy and love. When we prioritize these natural traits, we expand our consciousness. We see how connected we truly are. Separation melts away and life becomes incredibly fulfilling.

What does it mean to expand consciousness?
Elevating consciousness simply means you are coming closer to your True Nature. The goal is to remember who you Are. There are layers on top of layers blocking us from seeing it. These are the stories you tell yourself every day. It’s our ego and its role in society and family.

Think about the last time you went live on instagram or danced knowing others were watching. Remember that feeling in your belly? The big balloon in your chest. How amazing would it be to do this freely – totally unencumbered by fear of judgement? When we realize we are all One then we see the only person judging is ourselves.

All the little surface differences like our jobs, homes, or physical appearances are the layers that block us from seeing our connectedness. We get wrapped up in our identity.

Alan Watts said, “We do not ‘come into’ this world; we come out of it, as leaves from a tree. As the ocean ‘waves,’ the universe ‘peoples.’ Every individual is an expression of the whole realm of nature, a unique action of the total universe. This fact is rarely if ever, experienced by most individuals. Even those who know it to be true in theory do not sense or feel it, but continue to be aware of themselves as isolated ‘egos’ inside bags of skin.”

Tantra philosophy teaches that it isn’t necessary to try to abandon the ego. We can connect to the Divinity inside of us through our everyday experiences. It requires developing intimacy with yourself and with life. Which comes from opening the heart and living through the lens of loving presence. You can be fully invested in your life roles while maintaining a steady loving awareness.

What is it like to be more conscious?
It is a soft, steady awareness of who you Are. You begin to fall in love. With everything. “Being in love means seeing the Beloved all around me,” said Ram Dass. We fall in love with ourselves, our work, our friends. We fall in love with the earth and all of its animals, plants, and magnificent elements. And we do it unconditionally. It is a state of being we begin to embody. The state of being love.

We also start to feel more creative. As we tap into pure Consciousness, we access divine creative energy. Little gifts you may have never known you had will be available to you. Some of us may be inspired to make music or build something new for our home. We may journal, garden, or explore new recipes. Our natural state is to be creators. God is always creating and expanding, as are we.

We feel more love and peace throughout the day. We are reminded of our Oneness, and we drop the illusion of separation. Even if just for a few minutes, it makes a huge difference over time. It’s less of “a practice,” and more of a state of being – or an awareness – to move into.

How to be more conscious every day?

  • Meditation – meditation is the art of coming closer to Consciousness over and over again. There are many apps, such as Insight Timer, Headspace, or even YouTube. A favorite for realizing your true nature is called “Who am I?” by meditation teacher, Sally Kempton.
  • Walking in nature – connecting with the earth every chance we get is also fantastic. We can allow ourselves to be wooed and in awe with the diverse creations all around. The more we tap in, the more we begin to see how truly connected it all is. Try walking barefoot, going on a hike, laying in the grass, or sitting next to a body of water. Feel the life of the earth pulsate all around you.
  • Journaling – taking time to write down what’s on your mind can reveal so many delicate truths. Truths about our identity and desires. And also how we see the world and our place in it. A great method to use is freewriting. Pick a topic, start writing, and keep going until you have nothing left to say. The question, “Who am I?” is a great one as well as “What matters to me?” or “What do I want out of this life?”

We celebrate this at Wanderlust Utopia, our health and wellness retreat center in Nicaragua. Pachavega Living Foods Education is also infused with the same wisdom talked above. We get creative with plant-based culinary arts, honoring the earth and our bodies. It’s one big harmonious relationship, and we believe the highest state of health comes from honoring what earth gave us in the most natural, bioavailable forms. And seeing our food as an expression of Consciousness that can be a vehicle to elevate our state of Being.

We’re all here to tap in as often as we can, fall in love with life, and feel peace in our hearts. No matter the amount of suffering, pain, or confusion is thrown your way, the power of God consciousness resides within you. Your life can be exactly what you want it to be.

And remember: You hold the power of the universe; it is under your control to expand into Consciousness in any moment.