Meditation and the Six Paths of Consciousness Expansion

by Matthew Webb

In meditation we learn that our concept of self and what the true self actually is, are very often two completely different things. We are taught that our identity is based upon thought, memory, occupation, social position, feeling and possibly inspiration. All of these things however, compose only a concept of the self, an idea about something that exists but which is not the thing itself. We have an idea about the "moon" for instance, yet this concept cannot adequately encompass what an actual exploration of that celestial body would reveal. Likewise, we have an idea about our selves, yet this concept cannot encompass what meditation reveals introspectively.

The practice of meditation is a means to get beyond images, memories, ideas and feelings, to a point in the self where the creator of all these things resides. This creator within is consciousness, or soul, if you prefer. This is the true self, the Watcher behind all thoughts and feelings, as well as the Knower who possesses Cosmic Wisdom. The Knower, soul or true self, has a durability which exceeds that of the physical body or personality. When we get beyond thought and image to contact this true self in introspection, the realization occurs that we are much more than memory and concepts. We realize in fact that thoughts, feelings and memories are something we do, not something we are. The same is true of occupation and social status. The builder is not the things they build, and the maker is more than the objects they make. Our souls or true selves, are the makers of every thought, feeling and image we will ever generate, and yet are still much more than all of these combined.

The actual composition of the soul or consciousness is threefold. Meditation reveals each of these as,

1) Intent

2) Awareness 

3) Energy

We feel energy as that aspect and degree of vitality within. This is our "chi" or "prana" as it has been called. We focus through that medium known as awareness, in a manner that resembles the pointing of a flashlight at night. In this analogy the focused light is awareness, the battery power upon which it runs is energy, and the actual holder or "pointer" of the flashlight is intent. Whatever we focus upon is illuminated for the mind and body to perceive, be it a physical object, idea, state of being or paradigm. In the case of intent, it is through this agency of self that all decisions are made. Intent is the catalyst for all change and all action. Without intent there is no action, and every action implies a corresponding intent, without exception.

The trinity of consciousness that we are, and which all other life is, function as a seamless whole. At all times do intent, awareness and energy take action within us to sustain life, and to create all the conventions of society. Energy sustains our endeavors, allowing creative manifestation. Awareness focuses energy into cohesive patterns, and these patterns provide the basis for spiritual and material forms. Thus the thoughts we create focus our energy into concrete forms, (inventions) or in other words, stabilized patterns of energy, and yet thought is only the bi-product of awareness/intent. Wherever awareness is focused, activity within the subtle, (psychic) realms begins to occur. The more awareness that is focused on a given idea or paradigm, the stronger it becomes, and the more readily it manifests on the material plane. Thus the phrase, "that which is focused upon is that which is done" reflects an occult principle and important natural law. Of the three components of our true selves or souls, (consciousness) intent is the most causal. That is to say, from our intent all occurrences, circumstances and life conditions we experience, (individually and collectively) are self-shaped. To intend a thing is to create a thing. When intent is put into motion, it directs awareness to form a corresponding pattern, (as visualized). That pattern organizes energy or chi, both inside and outside of the physical body. A simple example of intent in action, is the creation of a blueprint or floor plan by a draftsman. Before ink or graphite ever touches paper, the intent to create the pattern of the house to be built is first conceived. The intent to create in this way is thus manifested first, through a visualized pattern seen in the minds�?eye, as to how the house should look. Awareness is then focused upon the project, and as soon as this happens, energy begins to be patterned according to the visualization of, "new house". Finally a physical plane manifestation of the original intent occurs, in the form of blueprints, and ultimately, brick and wood. The process of intent-to-manifestation is the means through which personal creation and in fact, All Creation occurs, and has occurred. Based upon this fact, we can see why an investigation and progressively greater mastery of consciousness, is the most relevant study that can be undertaken.

With the above in mind, the phrase, "expansion of consciousness" takes on new meaning. When we expand our consciousness, we are increasing the abilities and parameters of the creator within. Another way of putting this is to say that the act of intentionally evolving our state of being in body, mind and particularly soul, is the act of supreme self improvement. Self improvement in this context has a much broader scope and range of implications than the mere refining of a given valuable skill. It is in fact the refining of all skills simultaneously, because everything we do as well as the way in which we do it, is directly dependent upon our state of consciousness at the time. The expansion of consciousness is therefore a physical, mental and spiritual transformation into progressively higher states of being. Through such means we may literally construct or intend into place a new and more evolved self. Achieving high(er) states of being implies that one is closer to God, Nature and the essence of Natural Law(s), with each step that is taken. With each higher level of being, (state of consciousness) comes a correspondingly higher level of physical, mental and spiritual manifestation in everyday life. Writings become clearer, speech more truthful, action more profound and our lifestyle more Divine. We become creators of increasingly more sophisticated and spiritually effective designs. As this gradually occurs via spiritual practice(s), we are enabled and even compelled to build a higher self, and a higher collective consciousness for all of humanity. In this way we follow the Will of God. The greatest design of all we eventually learn, (and the highest Intent that exists) is that of God and Natural Laws, (Nature). We learn through meditation and self improvement, that the most effective form of personal creation can be had by living in accord with the Intent, (design) of God/Natural Law. To dedicate ones�?self entirely to this purpose, is to become what has been traditionally known as a spiritual "Master". According to natural law, or Divine Will if one prefers to use such words, there are specific routes or Paths that facilitate the expansion of consciousness. These paths are 6 in number.

The six elements of consciousness expansion are as follows; Energy, Vibration, Clarity, Right Intent/Action, Expansion and Right Alignment.

ENERGY or chi is the "building block" of the universe and the self alike. Chi or, (life) energy is a subatomic medium, composed primarily of electrons, protons and even smaller particles described by physics. Such particles surround and compose our being at all levels of body, mind and soul. They are highly reactive to intent and awareness, and are the means by which all psychic and electromagnetic actions occur. Systems of charged particles in our environment form a collective unity that Einstein called, "the unified field".

VIBRATION, or the rate of resonation, (cycles per second) of any system, commonly known by the term "frequency", has been previously described in the GM series. What we call "emotion" is actually our vibrational pitch or frequency. All of the named emotions of love, anger, elation, fear, depression, and joy, are but a spectrum of frequencies with which the human form is capable of resonating. The higher vibrations or feelings we experience are those of love and joy. In the practice of Intending into Place greater states of love, (see GM series) we are in effect raising our vibration, and therefore our consciousness to some degree.

CLARITY is that quality of consciousness which involves the refinement of awareness. In the advanced form of the Chakra Meditation as well as the Mantra Meditation, awareness is consistently focused upon itself for at least 20-30 minutes. What then results is a state of being known as "awareness of awareness" which generates clarity. Stated mathematically, this may be represented by the equation; A/A=C, whereas, "A" is awareness and "C" is clarity

RIGHT INTENT/ACTION; Literally anything may be intended into place by a given mind. The results of such an occult action will be variable, and will manifest both on the material and non-material realms, (physical and psychic planes of existence). The variability of any intents�?manifestation is due primarily to one single factor, which is the degree to which that intent is in alignment with Natural Law. The greater that alignment is, the more potency a given intent will possess, as a general principle. Therefore, the term "right intent", upon which right action is correspondingly based, is defined as that intent which exists in accord with Natural and Divine designs.

EXPANSION, as the word suggests, is that tendency of consciousness to flow and spread itself into the environment in a self-replicating fashion. Any state of consciousness can be expanded out into the environment, much like the smoke from a fire expands into the surrounding atmosphere. This happens automatically to some degree, but when it is done intentionally by the occultist, the scope and degree of effect are multiplied many times over. Love for instance, can be expanded out into our immediate environment to the ones we care for. All of our emotions in fact, rise out of us as a form of "psychic smoke" which gives color and new characteristics to our surroundings, (thus the term "space" denoting the subtle characteristics of a room full of people). As this occurs in proximity to others, a group mind is automatically formed to some degree. This is the simple result of the "rising of our psychic smoke, together" as a function of the natural law of the unified field.

Finally, RIGHT ALIGNMENT refers to that quality of consciousness which naturally, "tunes in", or resonates with, other centers of consciousness, (such as an animal, person or tree). As we get to know a person and exchange positive feelings, energy, awareness and intent, we also become more aligned with their consciousness. When this happens it is called "friendship", at which point we begin taking on the effects of the intent held by this newfound friend. Alignment is the end result of resonance; a natural law. Our consciousness can literally align, (psychically) with anything. This is an act which establishes a two-way connection of energy, awareness and intent between the self and the object of focus. That which is aligned with, be it a person, place or thing, tends to induce by means of the principle of resonance, a similar state of consciousness and intent in the person doing the aligning. As practitioners of natural law, our need is to align ourselves in a manner which is conducive to greater self mastery and spiritual revelation. Our need for "right alignment" then, is psychically self evident, in that any psychic connection made should be with only those centers of consciousness which are of a good influence. Right alignment is established by cultivating strong psychic connections with the Earth Mind, and Nature in general. It is found in connection with That which is called "God", higher spiritual planes and entities, as well as with ones�?own soul. Because, "that which is focused upon is that which is done", we need only focus upon these source of high consciousness, to establish a resonance with their spiritual qualities.