Monday, 03 December 2012
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I am confused about the nature of consciousness and directing attention. It seems that I have understood consciousness as the ability to perceive all that is. I remember some of your prescribed exercises being an effort to perceive all information as it enters, observing it without discrimination.

I have also read that consciousness is like a laser; focused and attentive to only what it chooses to focus on. I read a quote from a theosophical text which says that one must learn to ignore all extraneous input and only focus on what one directs the attention to.

These two concepts both make sense to me, but seem to be mutually exclusive. I could see being 'in the moment' as attempting to perceive all that enters into our sphere of perception. I could also see it making sense that paying attention to all perceptions could lead to distraction and identification.

I am attempting to learn to apply consciousness throughout the day of being a busy medical practitioner. Saying mantras in my mind while I try to figure out what to focus on. 'Be here now' is fine, but there is so much going on 'now'.

Please explain how I am wrong about this.

I'm amazed by the efforts you make for us!
11 years ago
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#2633
Accepted Answer
Yes, but just to clarify, awareness is diffused like the light of a lamp, whereas focus is a matter of directed attention, like a flashlight. Both are necessary. We comprehend the ego in the manner that we utilize consciousness throughout the day. You're on the right track! :)

Joyful in hope, suffering in tribulation, be thou constant in thy prayer.

Benedictis, qui venit in nomine Domini. Osanna in excelsis.

"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!"

11 years ago
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#2560
Light and consciousness are two phenomena of the same thing: to a lesser degree of consciousness there corresponds a lesser degree of light; to a greater degree of consciousness, a greater degree of light. - Samael Aun Weor, Esoteric Treatise of Hermetic Astrology

The two uses of attention you described do not have to be mutually exclusive. They are just different ways of directing the consciousness.

The analogy of the laser you used is an excellent one. Let's carry it a little further.

Imagine a lamp, set in the middle of a room. The light from that lamp shines everywhere in the room. Now imagine taking all the light from that lamp, and directing it at a single point. That is a laser. Now, that single point is receiving a lot of light, and the rest of the room is receiving none. But it is still the same light.

It is the same with the consciousness. Sometimes that light is spread broadly, like the lamp. Other times, the light is focused, like the laser. But the brightness of that lamp, or the strength of that laser, depends on how much light is available to shine. So the development of the consciousness is partially about increasing the luminosity of our light.

Sometimes, when we are acting in the world, performing our responsibilities, we shine our light broadly. Other times, such as when we are meditating, or working on something that requires a great deal of concentration, we focus the light. But it is still the same light. Both of those are just different ways of working with the consciousness.
11 years ago
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#2561
To briefly add, the best terms for these psychological phenomena are awareness (diffusion of consciousness in a general way) and attention (directed, concentrated consciousness toward one given object). Both contribute to a fully awakened and developed human being!

Joyful in hope, suffering in tribulation, be thou constant in thy prayer.

Benedictis, qui venit in nomine Domini. Osanna in excelsis.

"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!"

11 years ago
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#2563
So I always thought that the act of awakening consciousness was due to a willful act. I also understand that transmutation is a method for increasing the available energy for consciousness. If the light of the lamp is something that is dim, is sex truly the only method of creating light? In other words, unless the light is created, it cannot be directed as either attentiveness or awareness....? Or does the act of attentiveness Increase it?
11 years ago
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#2564
by the way, I have read and listened to most of your material over the last 3 years. It's amazing how I still need to ask basic questions! The more I study though, the more simplistic my hangups seem to be. It seems the most basic issues are the hardest to grasp. I think it's because it's really beyond intellect. Please forgive us if it seems we're repetitive or don't listen. We listen and read. Our digestion process is just poor! When it seems that I grasp a topic, it turns out to be indigestion.;)
11 years ago
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#2565
Within us there are various types of energy which we must understand:

1. First, mechanical energy;

2. Second, vital energy;

3. Third, energy of the psyche;

4. Fourth, mental energy;

5. Fifth, energy of the will;

6. Sixth, energy of the Consciousness;

7. Seventh, energy of the pure Spirit.

No matter how much we might increase our strictly mechanical energy (Malkuth), we will never awaken Consciousness.

No matter how much we might increase the vital forces (Yesod) within our own organism, we will never awaken Consciousness.

Many psychological processes (Hod) take place within us without any intervention from the Consciousness.

However great the disciplines of the mind might be, mental energy (Netzach) can never achieve the awakening of the diverse functions of the Consciousness.

Even if our willpower (Tiphereth) is multiplied infinitely, it can never bring about the awakening of the Consciousness.

All these types of energy are graded into different levels and dimensions, which have nothing to do with the Consciousness (Geburah).

Consciousness can only be awakened through conscious work (through Geburah and Chesed) and upright efforts.

-Samael Aun Weor, The Great Rebellion: The Dialectic of Consciousness

There are many who, having practiced sexual magic multiplied the sexual forces of Yesod in great abundance, have transformed themselves into terrible demons. Samael Aun Weor made the horrifying prophecy that "An infamous harvest of Hasnamussen is going to appear, mainly in the South American territories of Venezuela and Colombia."

This is due the fact that these innumerable practitioners worked in alchemy but did not dissolve the ego; they did not work consciously against themselves through upright efforts, but developed their mechanical, vital, astral, mental and volitional forces, completely without the guidance and direction of the consciousness and spiritual principles.

Therefore, what is important to awaken consciousness is how you direct attention. Work with sexual energy is important and essential, since the power of the Holy Spirit is the basis for comprehension (Hebrew: Binah, "Understanding") but without proper direction through one's consciousness, that energy will be misused. If you are single, prepare for your matrimony by annihilating the ego, since the less defects one has when entering the forge of Vulcan, the better.

Pranayama or sexual magic is necessary in order to achieve change, in order to provide the fuel for spiritual experience. Yet without the proper work in one's consciousness, that light cannot be established and developed within our interior. As Samael Aun Weor wrote, "Wherever we direct attention, we expend creative energy." Yet without having creative energy through transmutation practice, we will lack the force necessary to feed and develop our consciousness. In synthesis, conscious work and transmutation must go hand in hand.

As for comprehending these teachings, even instructors and missionaries continue to develop themselves on a continuous basis and must seek to review, revise and relearn many things. Let us remember that genuine spiritual development is a process. Do not be hard on yourself, but be objectively critical; analyze what you need to work on, and do so with dilligence, serenity, patience, and upright effort.

Joyful in hope, suffering in tribulation, be thou constant in thy prayer.

Benedictis, qui venit in nomine Domini. Osanna in excelsis.

"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!"

11 years ago
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#2568
So are you saying that the anhialation of the ego is the same as awakening consciousness?

Also, when saying that geburah and chesed are the necessary components to awakening, does that mean awakening occurs primarily through the heart? It is my understanding that chesed is correlates to our deepest heart level inner conscience. Is this wrong?
11 years ago
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#2576
The path of life is formed by the prints of the hooves of the horse of death.
-Samael Aun Weor, The Perfect Matrimony

Yes, we advance in the path of spirituality by dying within our defects. Light (consciousness) emerges from darkness (when the ego is comprehended and destroyed).

Without the will of the Being, there can be no change. Awakening occurs through the silent inclinations and inquietude of the heart, which come from God. We must learn to be guided by the voice of the silence, the voice of intuitive knowledge, or "knowledge beyond the intellect." Self-observation and self-remembering are always inspired and fueled through the voice of the conscience within our very heart and soul. '

We must learn to think with the heart and to feel with the head.
-Samael Aun Weor, Igneous Rose

Joyful in hope, suffering in tribulation, be thou constant in thy prayer.

Benedictis, qui venit in nomine Domini. Osanna in excelsis.

"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!"

11 years ago
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#2590
So let me restate a desired aim of conscious direction throughout a normal day:

As we go through the day, we use mantralization in order to quiet the mind. At the same time, we spread our consciousness broadly as a lamp in order to be aware of any disturbances and influence on our psyche. When we notice these things, we use them in our retrospection and use a laser focus of conscious attention to analyze them in order to judge the ego.

Does this sound accurate?
11 years ago
·
#2633
Accepted Answer
Yes, but just to clarify, awareness is diffused like the light of a lamp, whereas focus is a matter of directed attention, like a flashlight. Both are necessary. We comprehend the ego in the manner that we utilize consciousness throughout the day. You're on the right track! :)

Joyful in hope, suffering in tribulation, be thou constant in thy prayer.

Benedictis, qui venit in nomine Domini. Osanna in excelsis.

"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!"

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