7 Levels of Consciousness

7 Levels of Consciousness​

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Note: 85%-90% of humanity lives their entire life cycling between the lower three levels of consciousness, unaware of and unable to tap into the higher levels.

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1. Survival Consciousness

2. Ego Consciousness

3. Social Consciousness

4. Self Awareness Consciousness

5. Witness Consciousness

6. Unity Consciousness

7. Source Consciousness

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1). Survival Consciousness  

• Dr. Hawkins Map Levels: shame (20), guilt (30), apathy (50), grief (75), fear (100)

• Emotions: apathy, regret, despair, blame, humiliation, anxiety

• Perspective of life: miserable, evil, hopeless, I’m a loser, Life sucks and I can't do anything to change it

• Chakra: (1)

The Victim. This is the first level, Survival Consciousness, where one’s primary focus is on avoiding pain, and pursuit of safety and security. They are largely controlled by memories from the past, and often blame themselves and others for what has happened to them. They usually feel nervous, miserable and hopeless and focus much of their attention on what they need to do in order to be safe and survive and are constantly on the lookout for the worst thing that can happen. They may live with “the rug got pulled out from under me syndrome”, and see life mostly from the perspective of a victim or potential victim, unknowingly perpetuating experiences that literally feel the same as the uncomfortable experiences in the past which they are still holding onto within their bodies, beliefs, judgements, energetic field, and nervous system. They may fear losing their partner, their money, their job, their security etc., and in doing so, they bring chaos, and an end to that which they hoped for, repeatedly.

In Survival Consciousness, one lives much of their lives daydreaming, dissociating, procrastinating, judging, blaming, and replaying what hurt them, and recreating past trauma and chaos due to uncertainty, and anxiety. Often their attachment to shame, guilt, and self-loathing leads them to addictive behaviors and substances, and contributes to an inability to create long term plans and take positive action to change their lives. They react compulsively, aggressively and/or childishly when they feel their security is being threatened. The amygdala, the reptilian fear center of the brain is dominant, leaving them more reactive instead of creative. This state of being is predictable and controllable.

2). Ego Consciousness

• Dr. Hawkins Map Levels: fear (100), desire (125), anger (150), pride (175)

• Emotions: jealousy, hate, scorn, judgement, craving, arrogance, entitlement, pride

• Perspective of life: frightening, disappointing, insecure, I want to be better, I am better, I am successful, I will fight to win and they will lose, they are losers.

• Chakra: (2 &3)

The Identity Prison: At this level, one’s awareness, their sense of self-worth is tied to external validation and perceived attainment. Their attention is primarily focused on “becoming somebody” or “becoming successful” or “getting better”. They may be working hard, and have bought a house, created a career and a family. They may be climbing the corporate ladder, or in an executive level position, while feeling empty inside, and out alignment with their true passion, purpose, and dreams.

At this level of consciousness, one loses themselves in the things and experiences they self-identify with such as their job, family, partner, looks, and wealth, often without realizing that what is really driving them is insecurity, low self-esteem, and maladaptive programming from societal, educational, media and family influences. They strive to be better, or better than others based upon what they've bought, accomplished, or become. They may self-identify with their vocation, or what they have unknowingly become deeply attached to and say things like “I am a lawyer; I am successful, I am a millionaire, I am a CEO, I am in finance, I am a minister.” They may be in the midst of a deferred life program until they achieve what or who they aspire to become. They often put a lot of focus on social media following and groups that give them a perceived sense of self-worth. They talk about what they do, judge others by what they do, and define their value and others value based upon accomplishments, educational, religious, spiritual, social, family and financial status, and symbols of perceived success. They compare their clothes, cars, body, romantic partners and conquests to others in a futile attempt to fill a hole which contains an inner sense of insecurity, and a low level of self-awareness and intrinsic self-worth.

In Ego Consciousness, one secretly believes themselves to be inadequate. They've been programmed with a false belief that “I’ve never been good enough and never will be”. Often, they unconsciously sabotage positive progression in life to validate this deeply held lie. Or, after earning or inheriting some symbols of value they may say out loud or to themselves, “I am more successful, I am better looking, I am smarter, I am more powerful, I am entitled, I am special, I am more spiritually evolved, I am a winner”. At this level of consciousness one is still fighting their way through life even though they may believe they are free. Spiritual seekers often find themselves at this level of consciousness, and believe they have arrived after a peak experience, becoming more conscious, more advanced, more enlightened, or more anything. From the 6th and 7th levels of consciousness, it is obvious that the absolute has no boundary, no higher, no lower, no better or worse. It simply is… absolutely.

3). Social Consciousness

• Dr. Hawkins Map Levels: anger (150), pride (175), courage (200)

• Emotions: hate, scorn, judgement, desire, togetherness  

• Perspective of life: antagonistic, demanding, divisive, confrontational, my group and I will win and it’s ok if they lose

• Chakra: (3)

The Group Thinker: This level of consciousness is higher in frequency than the “me only” focus of level one and level two. In Social Consciousness, one’s attention and identity expand into social groups, structures, friends, family, country, church, race, activism work, etc. Someone living in a level three dominant state of consciousness may be desperately seeking to find or hold onto the love of their life, whether that be a person, a cause, a career, or a group where they feel accepted and a sense of belonging. They may see the world as us vs. them, and seek security and self-worth in the groups and people they spend time with which they “become a part of”. If one is focused on external enemies, they are not focused on internal reason and truth. If they believe they need a person, group, or cause to feel whole, they do not truly know themselves. Cognitive dissonance, and the momentum of unconscious addiction to the lower states of consciousness stand in the way of softening rigidly defined judgements and beliefs such as white vs. black, rich vs. poor, good vs. evil, believers vs. non-believers, better vs. worse etc.

The energetic signature of Social Consciousness is is one of pride, superiority, group thinking, tribalism, moral or religious superiority, righteous anger, fighting the good fight and proud to be on the right side of things and with those they love. This energy level leads to wars, religious battles, cultural upheaval, political and social movements.   

4) Self Awareness Consciousness

• Dr. Hawkins Map Levels: courage (200), neutrality (250), willingness (310), acceptance (350), reason (400)

• Emotions: humility, trust, optimism, forgiveness, understanding

• Perspective of life: feasible, satisfactory, hopeful, harmonious, meaningful, I will win and it is better if others win too.

• Chakra: (3-4)

The Seeker: This is the portal through which reason and deeper levels of awareness begin to make themself known. Instead of habitually and unconsciously cycling through the three lower states of being, one begins to ask questions about the nature of reality and what they are experiencing in life, and why. The self-awareness considered here is spelled with a lower case “s” self and refers to the “me” as opposed to the upper-case “S” in Self-Realization which is another way of saying God or Source (all of creation), a realization which is experienced at the 6th Level, Unity Consciousness. Awareness of self, and taking time to analyze one’s life and intentions is a critical step in the process towards Self-Realization although at this stage of awareness, there may not be any spiritual aspiration or inquiry. Someone perceiving from this level of consciousness may ask themselves questions like: Why do I keep experiencing suffering? Why am I still not happy? What makes life meaningful? What do I really want to accomplish before I die?  Who am I?  

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Often, self-awareness consciousness is only reached, or even considered, after a long period of suffering, significant loss, or a major life-threatening event. This is a state where someone may finally have the courage and humility to ask for help and seek out self-help courses and books, coaching, counseling or mentorship. A good coach or teacher may ask some life-changing and mind-changing questions. Over time through practices of awareness, self-inquiry and self-help, one begins to realize the destructive power of identifying with thoughts and emotions. As their consciousness evolves higher, they naturally conclude that they are not the thoughts, emotions, or personality which is appearing within their perceived reality. They begin to open-up to the idea that it is awareness, consciousness, and imagination that gives birth to reality, and to all change and structure within perceived phenomenon. Someone actively participating in self-awareness and personal growth may learn about the double slit experiment in quantum physics which proves the fact that nothing exists or potentiates into matter unless attention is directed towards it by an observer, and that the perspective or level of consciousness they perceive things from combined with their dominant state of being (frequency) affects what appears and how it feels and responds. This informs a greater level of discernment with respect to where to choose to direct one's energy, attention and intention. Their process of self-inquiry will bring awareness to how they have been seeing things, and how to change limiting and destructive beliefs and perspectives, to others which are more true, constructive, and expansive. As a result, their dominant state of being, how they feel, moves closer towards harmony and their lives change remarkably.

At Self-Awareness Consciousness Level 4, media manipulation is seen as emotional manipulation designed to keep people in survival or Ego Consciousness. The learn to unplug from the connections that are siphoning their life force and restricting their capacity for creation, curiosity, peace, sovereignty, and freedom. As one begins to assimilate this state of being, the gravity of the lower Levels 1-3 will seemingly magically provide tests or initiations which can pull them back into the comfortable and normalized states of apathy, victimization, survival, fear, and egoic desire unless they remain very aware, vigilant, and committed to creating and stabilizing a new way of being.

Each test is an opportunity to move into higher states of being and perception, to hold a higher frequency, and become more powerful in the true sense of the word, or to fall back into old patterns and the lower states of consciousness. These tests will continue over and over appearing as circumstances, beings and things to offer the opportunity to take a pause, breathe, and to consciously choose the highest perspective, path, and action, or to react and regress into lower states of being. Each passing initiation is like moving up a notch in the vibratory spectrum. With advancement on the path, one begins to see how life in a world of make believe actually works, passing the tests becomes fun and almost like a game. Some examples of these tests could be a job loss, potentially triggering a survival and fear response, or friends who no longer relate and are out of touch, potentially triggering a feeling of abandonment, or family members and various groups who voice their judgment and beliefs, potentially triggering inner judgements and compulsive reactions from feelings of spite, anger, and longing for approval from those living in the lower states of consciousness who want to pull them back to where they remain. The tests can also be seen as divine grace, offering a choice to follow one's heart and Soul and not the Ego.

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While integrating Level 4 Self-Awareness consciousness, one may feel like they are losing their mind as the structures of their reality are challenged, and in many cases, dissolved and transmuted in the light of higher perception. They are not losing their mind; they are identifying and replacing their maladaptive programming. A skillful coach or teacher can efficiently guide and support this process. This process of alchemical separation, purification, and transformation is profound, and often catalyzes what is described as The Dark Night of the Soul, which can last for months or even years as a new level of consciousness is gestating. Self-Awareness Consciousness can offer a peek into the liminal realm, between the worlds of being asleep and waking up. At this stage one is becoming aware, no longer asleep, and yet not fully awake. After repeatedly passing the tests described above, purifying the body and mind, and regulating the nervous system, one is ready to experience higher levels of awareness and perception which reveal themselves at Level 5.

Level 5 Witness Consciousness

• Dr. Hawkins Map Levels: acceptance (350), reason (400), love (500)

• Emotions: humility, openness, trust, reverence, harmony  

• Perspective of life: meaningful, benign, everything happened for me not to me.

• Chakra: (4-6)

The Seer: At this stage, the aspirant achieves stable observation and begins to start connecting with and trusting their dreams and intuition because the inner noise in their mind and bodies has calmed down enough to allow for listening and humility, and an openness to receive divine guidance and inspiration. They learn to trust, and to follow the guidance of their Soul, their inner compass, and their heart. They are no longer governable by the influences that had such a strong hold upon them in the past. They can witness the past, all the experiences in life, and their dreams, without becoming emotionally involved with the drama. One way of looking at this stage is the beginning of wisdom and healing, wholeness, and integration, where one sees challenging experiences in the past without anger or judgement, and with a new level of acceptance, understanding, reason, and even appreciation. The past no longer holds a dense energetic charge, or even the intrigue or relevance it once did. One becomes more present and comfortable within their own selves, their highest truth, and their body. They find peace in stillness, and the gap between a circumstance that appears in life and the choice they have as to how they will respond to it. They are no longer unconsciously triggered by thoughts, compelled by unconscious emotional reactions or addictions, or identified with things, beings and feelings. Feelings like anger may arise. They are allowed to be fully felt and yet, there is no identification with the feeling, or compulsion to hold onto or resist it. There is an inner stillness which nothing can touch. This is the peace that passes understanding and allows the nervous system to relax and grow such that it can allow for higher frequencies, perception, creative flow, and inspiration. At this level, one may see that there is a character they are playing in this life, and there is also what they truly are, and they are beginning to know the difference.

As this level of consciousness deepens, reality starts responding differently, synchronicities and opportunities appear at just the right time with ease and grace. Life is beginning to feel magical and wonderfully guided by that which speaks to them in their dreams and intuition.  This is a significant progression in the spiritual journey, where one has awakened within the dream and yet, they are still in it. Major crisis may still arise, and people around you may elevate their drama in an attempt to pull you back into their frequency, and when this occurs, it is seen as a test to see if you will react to the drama unconsciously, or choose a state of being and way of seeing which is more elevated, coherent, and true.

Level 6 Unity Consciousness

• Dr. Hawkins Map Levels: reason (400), love (500), joy (540), peace (600)

• Emotions: devotion, reverence, serenity, bliss

• Perspective of life: wonderful, complete, perfect. There are no others, all is divine creation, like a dream.

• Chakra: (4-6)

The One: At this level there begins a dissolution of separation, and recognition of the oneness of Source, Consciousness, or God. The witness is seen to include everything. The boundaries dissolve. The sense of being a separate self, looking out at everything else, is revealed to be a grand illusion. The aspirant becomes aware that there is only one consciousness experiencing itself through infinite perspectives, as awareness. They begin to deeply feel and know what is going on with others who come into their awareness because there is a knowing and recognition that they are a part of the same body, an aspect of the one-Self, as are all beings and things. The person they are talking to is them in another form, having an experience relative to their level of awareness and perception. It is truly known that the way one sees things changes the way they appear. When someone is lashing out at others it is known that it is themselves who they are causing harm to. It becomes obvious that harming another is harming oneself.  When someone is seen to be deeply suffering, it is recognized as one’s own suffering as true compassion arises, allowing one to be with suffering without resistance. The strong polarities which once bound the aspirant to beliefs in good or bad, us vs. them, and future and past lose their hold within the presence of being, the middle point, or zero-point, infinite awareness, infinite potential. The program that used to enslave them no longer functions because everything they thought they knew, who they were, the belief in separation, and egoic desire has been removed. Competition, and the idea of loving one being or thing or experience more than another doesn’t make sense anymore; cooperation replaces former attempts of control which is seen to have always been futile and illusory. A new depth of love, sat-chit-ananda is experienced as the love of God, of creation itself, all of it equally, as an expression of the divine, through which they have come to see and know themselves. This is Self-realization.

At this stage, one cannot be manipulated by fear because they see that there is nothing separate from them to fear. Egoic desire is nullified in the recognition that one already is everything. One’s state of being is seen as more important than circumstances and phenomenon. The essence of being is seen to contain within it the awareness of everything, and a settled presence begins to dissolve what used to appear as the seeker and seeking. Reality becomes malleable as the understanding of what quantum physics has discovered, that consciousness creates physical reality, not the other way around. It becomes obvious that the observer affects the observed, matter is condensed consciousness, and consciousness is what we are. An unintegrated aspect of this level of consciousness presents itself in the absence of desire because one already is everything and the essence of everything is seen as illusory and perfectly divine as it is. As this state matures and integrates, love is seen as the answer to everything, and out of that love and divine inspiration, one chooses to create and to participate in the world of form, to dance a joyful dance of life, and to share and deepen their love with other people, and all of creation on planet Earth.

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Level 7 Source Consciousness

• Dr. Hawkins Map Levels: Self-Realization, gnosis, enlightenment, (700-1000)

• Emotions: ineffable

• Perspective of life: Is

• Chakra: (7-12)

I AM: At its highest expression this is ineffable, impossible to describe. It simply is. Language requires duality, there must be a subject and object, a speaker and a listener. At this level, there is no other. This is what Gnostics called gnosis, the direct unmediated knowledge of the divine, what Buddhists call nirvana, Hindus call moksha, Sufis call fauna, the annihilation of the separate self. This is a direct experience of being the Source itself. There is no longer anyone to have an experience, only experiencing itself, happening spontaneously with no one doing it. Time collapses, past, future, and present collapse into the infinite eternal now. True knowing is perceived at this density, along with a realization that all along, what one's human belief system once operated from, was actually everything, everyone, all time, all potentials, densities and expressions, and... that for a time, the divine play included  experiences of suffering, a choice of forgetting, and an opportunity to remember, and to live the greatest love story of all time as it is seen to be, in the ecstasy of awakening from the dream.  ​​

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Note: In the summary notes above, an approximate correlation to the Dr. David Hawkins Map of Consciousness, levels, emotions" and view of life are provided. See below for detail: .