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The Five Levels of Consciousness

A spiritual discourse outlining the five levels of human consciousness.

"Destiny is caused individually. Do not blame anyone for your destiny."

"The mind is like a river. You cannot block a river; if you do, it will break the dam and wash the land away. But we can give direction to the river."

The speaker systematically explains each level: unconsciousness (storehouse of karma), subconsciousness (storehouse of impressions), and waking consciousness. He describes how the mind mediates between consciousness and subconsciousness, warning against forceful control and recommending direction through mantras. The talk details how purification of these three levels leads to superconsciousness and, ultimately, merger with cosmic consciousness.

Filming location: Slovenia

We have five levels of consciousness: unconsciousness, subconsciousness, consciousness, superconsciousness, and cosmic consciousness. At present, we are pendulating through the first three levels. Unconsciousness is the level of consciousness we call deep sleep, or that which is forgotten; we know nothing about it. It is the dormant part of our consciousness. In this dormant part exist all our past deeds, which we call karma—you may term it good luck, bad luck, sin, or good deeds. Everything lies dormant there, and we have no access to that unconscious door. These elements will occasionally emerge as destiny. Destiny is caused individually. Do not blame anyone for your destiny. Why something happens to you or to another is destiny. Actions, karma, are in your hands. You have a decision, like a stone in your hand; it is under your control. If you wish to keep it, you can; if you wish to throw it, you can. But once the stone is thrown, it is no longer in your control. That is not in your hands; it is gone. You had the freedom to act, but you now have no say in how it will react or what it will cause. Thus, you have the freedom to act, to do. When you have done or are doing something, you must be ready to surrender to the reactions that will return. There is no escape. Good things will return as good, and bad things as bad. Therefore, we should not blame God, nor any friends or colleagues. There is no one to blame but oneself. All our actions lie dormant in the unconscious. Through certain techniques of meditation, some kriyās of yoga, prayers, and mantras, we can purify this unconscious level. We can purify it slowly, step by step, by doing good things. Unconsciousness is like a dark room: we can enter with a torchlight to see each object, or we need the mercy of God—what we call blessing. Blessing is like a great light; you switch it on and everything becomes visible. It is God who can forgive. It is God who can remove our sins. It is the divine blessing of enlightened souls, the enlightened masters. Their blessing can remove this. Otherwise, we will carry all these destinies throughout this life and the next. Destiny is carried in a bag, like a rucksack, by your astral being. You cannot run from it, just as you cannot run from the shadow of your body. Subconsciousness is the second level. This is the part of our consciousness that begins from our life in the embryo up until the past minute. All kinds of impressions and experiences we have had are stored in the subconscious. We have five senses to bring information to the subconscious: through sight, smell, sound, taste, and touch. These are the five senses through which we receive information from the external world; there is no sixth. The impressions that go to the subconscious are forgotten after a while, but they remain there and emerge from time to time as desires. Vices and unfulfilled desires return to the subconscious; they will emerge stronger, and if you cannot fulfill or resolve them, they become psychic problems: anxiety, restlessness, sleeplessness, fear, and even what you call hallucinations and phobias, which can lead to schizophrenia. Therefore, you should know what is in your subconscious. The subconscious must be cleaned through healthy education from parents and friends, to gain clarity in life. Consciousness is our state of being awake. We are alert; we see, hear, and are awakened. Whatever is happening around us, received by our consciousness, is immediately handed over to the subconscious. Everything is recorded there. When you find a peaceful time, such as when sleeping or concentrating—when you withdraw from the external world—the subconscious then puts out those impressions you had before. Now, the function between consciousness and subconsciousness—the power or help through which impressions go to the subconscious and through which they come out—is known as the mind. If you try to control the mind, the subconscious can become very dangerous. Here people make mistakes. Without knowing, they begin to meditate, wanting to control the mind or awaken certain energy centers, which can have a negative effect. Therefore, yoga practices and all esoteric practices should be guided by experienced masters. The mind is like a river. You cannot block a river; if you do, it will break the dam and wash the land away. But we can give direction to the river. Similarly, we should not stop the mind but give it direction. For this reason, you must use personal mantras; that is your personal way. Then you can clean your subconscious and unconscious levels. To clean the subconscious and unconscious, you must become very clear in your conscience, acting and doing everything very consciously—what some call wisely. To act wisely means to do everything alertly and consciously, without overthinking. Superconsciousness arises when your three lower levels of consciousness are cleaned. This we call holy consciousness, spiritual consciousness, or divine consciousness. When this level of consciousness is developed, then at the end of life, this individual consciousness will merge into cosmic consciousness. That is called cosmic consciousness.

This text is transcribed and grammar corrected by AI. If in doubt what was actually said in the recording, use the transcript to double click the desired cue. This will position the recording in most cases just before the sentence is uttered.

The text contains hyperlinks in bold to three authoritative books on yoga, written by humans, to clarify the context of the lecture:

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