Techniques for expanding awareness and consciousness are powerful tools for growth. Consciousness expansion techniques are one of the four pillars of spiritual exploration. They are methods to create your path. Find out how to use them to your full potential.
The spiritual awaking continuum gives a range of possibilities from asleep to enlightened. The greater the bandwidth of awareness and consciousness, the greater our mind’s potential. When we increase awareness, we also increase other things, like empathy and conscience. As we increase the awareness of our empathy and conscience, we see the inequities in the world. The awareness and empathy for the pain and suffering of others changes our thinking on a fundamental level.
Consciousness Expansion Techniques
The techniques for expanding awareness and consciousness increase the capacity of the mind. This skill set helps us to concentrate, to problem-solve, and multi-task while it enhances memory. These techniques often include meditation, yoga, and breathing exercises. Some methods help you understand your thoughts and feelings better. Others focus on spiritual growth and self-discovery.
Knowing your own darkness is the best method for dealing with the darkness of other people. One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious. The most terrifying thing is to accept oneself completely. Your visions will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes. — Carl Jung
Awakening is not a state but a process: an ethical way of life and commitment that enables human flourishing. As such, it is no longer the exclusive preserve of enlightened teachers or accomplished yogis. Likewise, nirvana-the stopping of craving-is not the goal of the path but its very source. For human flourishing first stirs in that clear, bright, empty space where neurotic self-centredness realizes it has no ground at all to stand on. One is then freed to pour forth like sunlight. — Stephen Batchelor
The spiritual awakening continuum is a way to categorize humanity. People who are asleep are on one side and enlightened sages are on the other. Everyone falls somewhere on this graph.
Some people are born awake and aware, and others need some maturing to move along. Joseph Campbell (1) did considerable research into this process. He showed how our inborn desire to seek the unknown is universal. He calls the path to unveil the inner world of consciousness, The Hero’s Journey. It’s a pattern that we find in philosophies and spiritual practices of many ancient cultures.
Philosophy is not to think deep, but simply speak life’s basics that arise, aware and awaken people who are knowingly or unknowingly in the state of sleep. — Anuj
Some people answer the call to seek their spiritual path; others do not. Many people stay asleep psychologically and spiritually. Some people get sidetracked by religion. But, more and more are moving from awake to aware.
Tapped in a continuum of your own making. Awareness is the key that unlocks your opportunity for change. — Truth Devour
Spiritual Awakening Continuum
The graph above describes the contrast between those asleep and those fully enlightened. On the left side are those who are asleep, which contains narcissists, religious extremists and psychopaths. They are the most destructive, especially when in places of power. Narcissists rarely awaken.
The largest part of the population is asleep but not destructive. This group fixates on religion and material possessions. They are consumer-driven and follow trends and cultural traditions. Some awaken only to fall back to sleep and succumb to the negative programming prevalent in many cultures.
Those who are awake are on the right side of the spiritual awakening continuum. These people are walking their path and becoming aware and enlightened individuals. The most enlightened individuals are on the far right, the Sages and Siddhas.
Wakefulness involves both the heart and the mind. We think more clearly and we empathize more dearly. When one expands awareness, this has some unintended consequences. It makes us a better and more caring person. — Guru Tua
Free Online Courses for Consciousness Expansion
We offer several courses online for free. Some courses help you understand your thoughts and feelings better. Others focus on spiritual growth and self-discovery. You can learn at your own pace and from the comfort of your home. We want everyone to enjoy the journey of spiritual exploration. Although we walk the path alone, but we don’t have to walk by ourselves.
We learn and get guidance from others, and we help others. There will be roadblocks, challenges, and opportunities. Our friends and partners are there to help us. In the end, the rewards are worth the inner work necessary.
Learn how to use these tools to develop your potential. You’ll find all four categories of techniques work together to help you grow and access your spiritual gifts.
Exploring Techniques for Expanding Awareness and Consciousness
Awareness is an attribute and expression of our consciousness. The bandwidth of awareness controls our level of perception. This is why it is important to practice consciousness expansion techniques.
These techniques increase the bandwidth of our awareness. The methods are listed in alphabetical order, not in their order of importance.
1. Beginning Grounding Meditation
Nothing expands awareness more than silence. The tranquility of silence calms the mind and releves stress. Here’s a synopsis of this simple life-changing process.
1. Find a Quiet Space where you won’t be disturbed. This helps you focus better. Sometimes, this is the hardest part of the process.
2. Sit comfortably either on a chair with your feet flat on the ground or on the floor with your legs crossed. Keep your back straight but relaxed.
3. Close your eyes to reduce distractions and turn your attention inward, and take a few deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. This will help you relax and settle into your meditation. You can meditate for anywhere from 30 seconds to 20 minutes depending upon your need and the time available.
4. Observe posture and your breath. Breathe naturally and focus on your breath. Notice the sensation of the air entering and leaving your nostrils or the rise and fall of your chest or belly. Don’t worry, your mind will want to wander. When this happens, return your focus to your body and your breath.
5. To stop, open your eyes slowly. Notice how you feel before getting up.
2. Automatic Writing or Automatic Handwriting
Automatic handwriting refers to a technique in which we allow the hand to move on paper without giving conscious thought to what we are writing. It’s one of the most valuable tools for accessing our subconscious mind. It became popular when paper and pencil became a common commodity.
The pioneers of psychology discussed various forms of automatic handwriting. Carl Jung, Sigmund Freud, and George Gurdjieff (3) all used this method. The Modern Spiritualist Movement adopted this technique in the late 1800s. Sadly, its association with this movement keeps the procedure out of the mainstream. It is a helpful method for accessing the subconscious mind.
3. The Emotional Regulation and Check-In Process
The emotional check-in process is incorporated into many other inner work tools. This process helps us keep our focus from being diverted by our emotions. Powerful emotions like fear and anger can sidetrack our thinking. They trigger our fight, flight or freeze mechanism which shuts off higher thinking areas in the brain.
Not only can our emotions thwart our research, but they can also keep us asleep. We can spend hours in research only to find we have made no progress. We cannot see or reject those things that threaten our current point of view.
Fear and anger override our critical thinking abilities. So, stopping to assess our feelings is a way to get the most out of the time you spend. No matter what stage, you are on the spiritual awakening continuum. This is one of the online courses for consciousness expansion we recommend everyone learn and use.
4. Delving into Memories
Delving into our memories is an important exercise that complement other inner work tools. It can expedite inner healing. Our formative time in childhood holds some interesting values and thought scripts in our daily lives. Learning about them helps us identify which ones are healthy and which ones are not. This gives us the opportunity to change them.
Exploring our memories puts things in perspective and so can move us from awake to aware. This is one of the techniques for expanding awareness and consciousness that yields hidden treasures.
5. Holotropic Breathing
These exercises produce an altered state through rapid breathing. Rapid breathing can expose our deepest emotions, so those who practice emotional healing use it often. This is one of the consciousness expansion techniques that we recommend being done under the supervision of a knowledgeable coach or facilitator.
This method elevates respiration and heart rate, so it is not suitable for individuals with heart conditions or taking mood stabilizer medications. Consult with your physician before using it. It’s one of the “awareness tools and techniques” that’s not for everyone. Some people classify this as a form of meditation because it alters awareness.
6. Creating a Memory Palace Learning How To Learn
One of the first tools we teach in our blended learning process is the tactics for optimal learning. We are the accumulation of our memory. Everything about who we are is within the mysterious compartment of the mind we call memory.
It involves creating a memory framework known as a memory palace. These practical frameworks aren’t new. Everyone can use them. We wonder why these tactics are not a part of every child’s learning curriculum. No matter where you are on the spiritual awakening continuum, this tool will supercharge your learning ability.
The tactics of optimal learning open up the power of your memory and increase your overall potential to gain and use knowledge. Your memory is like a muscle; the more you learn to use it correctly, the stronger it becomes.
7. Lucid Dreaming
Lucid dreaming techniques give you the ability to be aware that you are dreaming and to control your dreams. You can use a simple script before you go to sleep, which prompts the subconscious mind. This is one of the easiest consciousness expansion techniques to use. Sages tell us this is also the key to recognizing synchronistic events.
It is by far the most practical spiritual technology you can employ to expedite your growth. You have the opportunity every night when you go to bed. Expanding your awareness and consciousness couldn’t be easier.
8. External and Internal Self-Observation Tools
These are strategies to increase both internal and external observational skills. These skills help us perceive and value the world without interference from the negative aspects of culture. For example, our sixth sense is one ability we share with many living things. It’s the ability to sense danger when the threat is outside of the parameters of our five senses. We can regain this basic observational sense by removing the cultural clutter from the programming within the mind.
9. Shamanic Journey
The Shamanic Journey is man’s first techniques for expanding awareness and consciousness. It is a universal gateway to a separate state of awareness found around the world. Michael Harner (2) calls this state The Shamanic State of Consciousness (SCC). While in SCC, the brainwaves are in the theta-wavelength 4 to 7Hz. So, this partition of awareness differs from waking, sleeping, and dreaming. It is also different from the 4th state of pure consciousness. This method is at the core of many indigenous cultures. It serves as evidence of the historical importance of the inner quest.
There are many variations on this theme, but it has the same formula. Rhythm is a crucial element that regulates heart rate and breathing. Then, the mind projects an inner world, providing a lucid journey.
A Shaman guides people through this journey in the spirit world. However, you can also take this inward journey by yourself. This tool for changing awareness uses a range of seated and moving forms.
10. Spiritual Journal or Book of Shadows
If you are looking for a place to start your spiritual practice, this should be your first tool. Your collection of spiritual journals is your best friend. It is a “must-have” tool because it will be your spiritual life coach.
Our handwriting contains a lot of information that we can use to spot trends and roadblocks in our growth and progress. Most progress comes in small incremental steps, so we miss these small steps of progress unless we record them in a journal.
11. Third-Eye Awakening Process
The third-eye awakening process is an advanced technique. It changes your perception of reality by increasing your observational and perception abilities. It opens the heart chakra to do this. When most people think of improving their observational skills, they think of the five senses. However, perception and observation are inside jobs. They deal with removing the harmful boundaries and beliefs that get in the way.
You must be sure before you open this portal. Many of the effects are irreversible. Once your heart and conscience are open, you cannot “unsee” the existing inequities and challenges.
In Conclusion
The above list of techniques for expanding awareness and consciousness have tested in workshops for nearly 30 years. We find them to be safe and effective. These tools are at the core of our blended learning process.
You will notice the conspicuous absence of any religious dogma in these techniques. This is because mythology and superstition erodes awareness. When you mistake myths for facts, you create a slippery slope that blinds your mind. Mythology sets up barriers to common sense.
The path from awake to aware is a lifelong adventure. We are all on the continuum of awareness, each facing unique challenges. Find freethinkers who have the same goal for self-development, and you’ll go a long way. If you stumble and fall, it’s all part of “the great spiritual experiment” we call life. Practice consciousness expansion techniques every day.
References
(1) Joseph Campbell: Wikipedia
(2) Michael Harner: Wikipedia
(3) George Ivanovich Gurdjieff: Wikipedia