There are 8 levels which help us understand the meaning of who we are and
what we need to do in life. Each of these levels includes the lower ones,
and each of these levels is influenced by the higher levels. Some believe
that we are already enlightened, although most are not aware they are
enlightened, and so the higher levels have an unconscious influence. The
road is not one to attain enlightenment, but to regain awareness of our
enlightenment. The road follows these eight levels which are derived from
the seven chakras (the sixth and seventh level really refer to the sixth
chakra and the eighth level refers to the seventh chakra.)
1. THE BEING AS SELF
The first level is where the being becomes aware of themselves as a separate
being. This level is concerned with satisfying our wants, desires and
aversions. One image of this level is the baby that seeks only its own
satisfaction. Adults who are stuck at this level are probably psychopathic.
The morality of this level is to get what you want.
2. THE BEING AS INTIMATES, SEX, FAMILY (TO PROCREATE)
As a being develops it begins to take into account the need for others to
help it in its existence and the need for sensual pleasure. At this level,
shame appears and is the result of breaking the moral code ... the moral
code here is 'Don't get caught!'
3. THE BEING AS A GROUP (PATRIOTISM) (TO BELONG)
Many enlightened beings believe this is the level of humanity at the present
time (although I think that humanity is generally at the previous level!)
This is the level where the being believes that it needs groups to attain
its needs. So at this level, beings identify themselves by their group ...
their job, their country, their religion, etc. This is the practical level
of business and organization. It is the level of common sense. The being at
level eight, for example, needs to come down to this level to promote its
book!
Groups require laws and the following of laws and procedures is important at
this level. Moral codes are developed by beings at this level. As a result
of law-following, the feelings of guilt first appear at this level. Goodness
is no longer the need to avoid being caught, but the need to be
law-following. So whereas shame exists at the lower levels, guilt appears
here as being the bad feeling we get because we have failed to follow a law
(often a moral code). Moral principles are internalized so even wrong
thinking can be considered wrong!
4. THE BEING AS MANKIND (HUMANISM)
This is the level of love, the heart chakra, and the being identifies itself
with the whole of humanity. At this level, we think of Sister Teresa and the
Dalai Lama. Where the other levels have not been followed, the being at this
level may love without regard for self or other considerations and sacrifice
all they have for the needy. This is the level of giving without regard for
any reward. Many woman (and I suppose men too ... perhaps more so) who have
skipped level three, become beings that 'love too much'. Perhaps the loving
mother who buys her son a powerful sports car or powerful motorcycle or the
charity that gives large amounts of money to developing countries ... all
with tragic results.
5. THE BEING AS ALL LIFE FORMS
The stimulus to attain this level is often the failure of level four ... the
deep realization that: 'Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach
a man to fish, and you feed him for life!'
At this level the being begins to withdraw from the world of the senses and
turns to the inner worlds and the knowledge of the archetypes. This is the
level of being aware of the interconnections of all things, where we think
of Albert Einstein, Immanuel Kant, Ludwig van Beethoven, Mikhail Gorbachev
and Sigmund Freud. This is a level of synergy as opposed to analysis, where
the being perceives the multiple-causes of the way things are.
Here the beings begins to view the system from the outside and observes
without partisan biases. This is where the being sees the purpose of life
as the uplifting of humanity through spiritual development.
The being identifies with all life forms and begins to see the workings of
Nature and 'way of things'. There is contact with archetypal knowledge and
the Akashic record.
This is the highest level recognized by Western society. The upper levels
are generally unknown.
6. THE BEING AS THE PHYSICAL UNIVERSE
At this sixth level, it is not merely humanity or even all life forms that
are important, but it includes the physical universe (that is the material of
our bodies, of plant and animal bodies, and the playground where we pursue
our games). This is not materialism. It is the recognition that everything
is dependent on the material aspect of our universe. It is love, not only of
life forms, but of space, energy and matter too! Whereas earlier levels
referred to causes and interrelationships of all living things, this level
goes one step further and looks at the causes and interrelationships of the
physical universe. This is a level of spirit.
7. THE BEING AS SPIRIT (EDUCATION, LEARNING, AESTHETICS)
This is a level of intuition where direct knowing replaces logic and
reasoning. This is the level where the being identifies with spirit.
The being at this level is often a shaman or seer who can create effects
that appear marvellous to those who do not have direct and intimate
connections with the archetypes and Akashic record. Through the knowledge of
the archetypes, there is the ability to affect consciousness directly and
thereby change reality at will.
People who exhibited SOME of the qualities at this level include: the
medieval physician Paracelsus; Plato, who first described archetypal realms
of the mind; and, Socrates, who conversed with a prescient inner voice.
8. THE BEING AS ALL THAT IS (SPIRITS, GOD, RELIGION)
Whereas at lower levels their was the drive for oneness, at this level there
is the drive for unity. Here there is a state of spacelessness and
timelessness. It is a transcendence above the physical and the mental to the
state of being at one with everything. It is a level that transcends the
dimensions of our present existence. (There are probably higher levels than
this, too).
In their Earthly form, beings at this level also experience the lower
levels. In fact, this lesson was learned at level five, where the being
observes the inter-connectedness of all things. At this level, the idea of
one level being higher than another becomes somewhat meaningless, because
they are all united. The being at this level can present itself at any of
the other levels without becoming entrapped within them, and the being needs
to do this to exist in the world.
To enjoy personal pleasures, such as eating, etc, they need to drop in on
level one.
To enjoy sensuality, for example sex, they need to be at level two.
To be practical and earthly, for example to publish a book, they need to be
at level three.
To interact with others they might drop in on level four, unconditional
love, where they fill their disciples and others with the wonder of loving
and of being loved without clinging.
To understand and manipulate the things in the world, they may drop in on
levels five and six.
The higher levels can be viewed as harmonics of, and oppositions to the
lower levels. Those things that are almost the same oppose each other more
strongly than those that are quite different. So the selfishness and
isolation of level one is rather like level eight in some ways. Where
development is lopsided then people who are too involved with religion make
a mess of their personal lives.
Similarly, level seven is a harmonic of level two. The shaman or seer seeks
close relationships with the archetypes, paralleling the sensual being at
level two who seeks a sex partner and other intimates.
The level six (physical universe) being parallels the being at level three
(group). Those who are obsessed with material things have problems with
groups. Rich countries have problems with the poor!
Level five pairs with level four. Those concerned with humanity tend to have
little interest in animals and plants, and those who are into animal rights,
tend to be against humanity!
The purpose of life and the nature of beings is therefore eightfold. It is a
BALANCED development of the eight levels. As explained above, when there is
an imbalance, then certain problems arise. Where there is development and
balance, then there is a fullness of existence.
Ken Ward's site: Freeing the Mind
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