A practical approach to Consciousness

We humans are looking for certainty and then prefer to set things down in all kinds of rules. Books are filled with theories, whether in science or religion. Even a document like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is not limited to one A4 sheet, and governments write hundreds of meters of law books full of what is not allowed and what should be. At least the Ten Commandments is a short manageable list. Nice and practical.

But what bothers me are commandments. By emphasizing what not to do (but just as much on what to do), there is less emphasis on self-actualization. What does man learn if he must follow rules that are not internalized. We learn most and best by experiencing things for ourselves. By coming to the understanding ourselves. The more we hand people, the less they seek the insights and the truths themselves. So what is a helpful guide?

In 2011, I thought about what universal values run through everything. What could everyone relate to, regardless of what they believe. What qualities are important for developing human beings. I came up with a model with nine concepts and wrote it down in a small 12-page booklet. A publisher rejected it because it was not comprehensive. I didn’t want to put more words into it, because I felt that, on the contrary, people should be allowed to explore it for themselves.

Given the time of year and the situation in the world, I want to share my thoughts once again. But even shorter than it already was. The approach is mainly practical, because we can only become aware by doing it and not by reading it. It is a start, an opening, nothing more than that. Maybe you will get something out of it. Would it still be relevant a thousand years from now? Actually, you might come up with your own set of universal values and act on them.

1. Be Curious

Everything young is curious and there is a reason for that. By being curious, you are open to the world. You are open to everything, including everything that is different from what you are used to. With age, we lose this extremely important trait. We become closed and no longer open to the lessons that life offers us daily. Everything starts with Openness and the trait we need for that is being and staying curious.

2. Moderate

We live in a consumer society and still collect stuff. Of course there are huge differences between rich and poor people, but even poor people can have a materialistic mindset. When we get attached to stuff, we seek happiness outside of ourselves. The great process of detachment begins with detachment from matter. By moderating we get a better Balance in our lives. This universal value is important for every individual.

3. Take Responsibility

Improve the world and start with yourself. Your life revolves around you and you will only move forward by taking responsibility for yourself. Anything happens to us until we become aware of the life that belongs to us. Only when we evaluate our life and especially ourselves can we learn from it. We thus gain Insight into ourselves and with this expanded awareness we can move forward on our life path. We cannot change others and already have enough trouble with ourselves.

4. Listen

When dealing and communicating with others, we want to be understood and we tend to convey our thinking and beliefs. What we see in today’s world are monologues rather than dialogues. We talk past each other. What we ignore is that understanding the other person is more important than to be understood. Understanding is important to you, so focus on understanding the other person. Listening is the trait that can really help us tremendously.

5. Give

When we get something we are happy, but when we give something we are delighted. Giving is incredibly important in our lives because it helps us detach from matter and learn to detach from relationships. Unconditional giving makes us independent of others. By giving, the whole universe flows through you. When we give something from our heart to another, we experience great Fulfillment. Do not expect anything in return, but merely be happy for that other person.

6. Relate

Too often we take life too seriously. We expect a lot and are regularly disappointed. When you learn to put everything into perspective, life becomes so much easier. A war of words is generally forgotten within a week, so it wasn’t that important, was it? How quickly can you get over a layoff or divorce, that is a choice after all. Relativization gives Clarity. Everything is only so relative and time heals all wounds. Why not now?

7. Respect

The first three concepts were about the individual and the fourth through sixth about all people. The last three are about all of life. Reverence for life, in all its facets. We may live in surrender to life because we are part of it and not above it. Capital punishment is not a way forward, eventually man will be vegetarian again and plants also have a certain consciousness. Love is what we are when we have reverence for all of life.

8. Accept

Two big pillars for an easier life are relativization and acceptance, of what happens to us in the turbulent life on this planet. Of course we may set our limits, but many things are not in our control at all, and then only acceptance remains. Even death and therefore life must be accepted, the third step in the great detachment. We experience Freedom by being able to accept what we cannot change. That is much and much required.

9. Meditate

Where it begins with Curiosity, the mental adventure ends with Meditation. If we really want to become more conscious in our lives, we will have to do more than just think and consequently act. To begin with, we are unaware of all the insights we are given. We can become aware of this and the Connection with the world beyond our sight. Meditation is a millennia-old life path we can walk on.

Nine possible very practical things to be able to become more aware. Take out what is relevant, useful and enjoyable for you. Stick the desired words on the refrigerator, mirror or calendar to remind you. Experience what it brings you. Feel free. It is not my words that are important; it is your own words. Your own intentions, perceptions and evaluations. It is your awareness, whether unconsciously or consciously. It is your life. Live!

By Nico Cost for GlobalSouth.co