Consciousness 101 - Page One

4 March 1999, 7:30 p.m.
[ Due to the length of the material in this session, some – but certainly very little! – of the exchange has been edited. The transcript of the session is available in its entirety from the AwakeningTribe list at eGroups.com.]

This session was organized as the first of a possible series of Peter sessions on tape. It has a somewhat different "flow" as a result. If you would be interested in getting a tape of this session contact harris@awakeningtribe.org for information.

Harris:
Good evening, Peter.

Peter:
And good evening and welcome to those of you in form and to those of you not in form. We understand you have a program for us to follow. [laughter from group] Who would like to be the brave soul to explain that to us?

Harris:
You heard it, Peter, press on. Consciousness 101 is the topic for the evening. Beyond that, you're on your own.

Peter:
Umm, we appreciate your efforts and applaud them. We welcome your inputs always, not only on this occasion, but on others as well. And, if you want to speak of consciousness, we will do that. We are assuming you do not want to start on too elementary a level, lest it take months or years, we believe was the expression. [ group laughter] So, we will start, and then you may give some input if it is at an appropriate spot, so to speak. Do you see?
     Now, Harris, if you heard the concept "sentient consciousness," what would this do for you, what would it be for you?

Harris:
Well, that might differentiate between those with minds, and things like rocks that don't have a known consciousness that we're aware of scientifically.

Peter:
Umm…

Harris:
That's not an accurate description, is it?

Peter:
We were curious to see where you would be. Some of the others of you, what would this be for you, like for Harris?

Gerry:
What comes to mind for me would be what we call human consciousness that humans could relate to as opposed to a consciousness of some…trees or animals of various kinds. That's what comes to mind for me.

Lassiter:
For me, I'd say, consciousness that's aware of itself, and maybe questioning itself….exploring itself….in a "conscious" way! [laughter]

James:
Isn't all consciousness by definition sentient?

Peter:
Ummm, this is what we were testing your brain matter on, to see what you would do with such a concept if we were to use it. Where would it take you in your thought process? In using concepts without forming the foundation for them, umm, we run the risk, so to speak, of using a concept that may have your brain going off this way [gestures] when actually we are going off this way [gestures in other direction], together, do you see? Two opposite directions or perhaps two different directions. So, we were curious to see what such a concept would do with your intellect, and how it would take you, and so on.
     So, let us speak of consciousness, then. In our framework, in general, we have said: Energy Is. Energy Simply Is. You are asking for the basic concept. That's it. [laughter] Do you see? 'Nuf said, in actuality. However, human brains sometimes do not connect "energy simply is" with the day to day. It seems as if there may be "some stuff" in between those statements, those frames of reference, so to speak. And so, what develops is a look at the stuff in between, so to speak, do you see? When we say energy simply is, even that statement is limiting to what we are referring. We are categorizing in that statement all that you can think of, know and imagine, and then some. Energy simply is. Energy does not have to be conscious, energy does not have to be this, is not that. Words and descriptions are not with meaning when that statement is used.
     However, we do know some things about the stuff in between "that stuff" and you. We know that "that stuff" in between IS conscious. We know that "that stuff" in between IS free, has free will. We know lots of things about that stuff in between that may, in fact, lead you through your exploration to some notion of what energy simply is, do you see? Even in form, even in human form operating in dimensional reality systems, it is still possible to have some feeling for energy simply is. So when we look at consciousness, we are looking at patterns of the "stuff" between energy simply is and where you find yourselves now.
     Consciousness, you might think of as an awareness. To some it is a becoming aware, it is sensory perception, it is cognitive awareness, it is a system of pulling together awarenesses and forming new, and so on. So you all have notions of consciousness; you all have some basic definitions in your own mind that when your hear the term consciousness, or conscious, you have some things to latch onto, some words, some ideas, and so on.
     When we say "Consciousness 101," we are beginning to look at not so much these definitions of consciousness, but what are the patterns of consciousness? How does it work? How is it between here and here [gestures] that consciousness is such a player? And as you will see, if we have "time" this evening, consciousness is an important understanding for many of the items and ideas that are in your own realm of reality, do you see? So, if we say, to begin with, about consciousness, all is conscious. All is conscious. Conscious-ness is like, a living state. All is alive. All is conscious, do you see? So, consciousness is not something separate from energy expanding, energy free, and so on. Consciousness is very much a part of that. We might think of consciousness as the pattern developer, so to speak, do you see? As energy expands, consciousness develops patterns and pathways for what we call experience, and that is the basics for this process that we're going to speak about.

Lassiter:
Is there a difference between sentience and consciousness, in the way you originally asked the question?

Peter:
We were hoping to use "sentient consciousness" as a concept to be a little more all-encompassing, as going more to perhaps a feelingness as opposed to an awareness, which is oftentimes taken to mean intellectual, sensory based, and so on, do you see? The kind of consciousness that we are referring to in its most elementary form would be more sentient in nature, do you see? It would be a sensation of feeling, and here we're not speaking of emotion. Feeling is a different concept, and perhaps some time we could do "Feeling 101" for those who are interested in exploring that.
     Consciousness, then, could be described as the, umm, like the navigator, so to speak, of energy, like that aspect that takes on the role of wonder, and the awe-inspired one. Oh, let's go over there and see! Oh, let's go over here and see! Do you see? Consciousness, then, becomes more than what you are perceiving with your senses, or the awareness that you are developing from experiences that you may have in your particular metaphor or in your particular belief system. Check next sentence with the tape. Consciousness, then, has a character that is important to understand outside, and other than, these elements of awareness or consciousness. When you are speaking of your consciousness in your physical form, these words would apply. But remember! You are the creator of what you experience. Your experience is also coming from the inner and expressed in the outer. You create. No thing happens to you, all things happen through you. So it is in the bringing forth of what you will perceive and then deciding how you will perceive it. All of this is deliberate action in the field of dimensional consciousness, do you see?
     So just as energy takes on characteristics, adapting to where it is in its scheme of things, in its metaphor, in its chosen path, so too, do all of the elements that use this sentient consciousness. And yes, the cells of your form are conscious, the rocks have consciousness, everything, everything, be it matter or non-matter, has consciousness. As a matter of fact, when we begin to look at the diminishing impact of cause and effect, and we look at the two theories, the relativity and the quantum mechanics, the thing that pulls them together is the diminishing impact of cause and effect. And how is that accomplished? Through consciousness. Through understanding and utilization employing of consciousness. Consciousness was developed and utilized in massive ways in civilizations that you believe to be in your past. But of course there is no time, do you see? So, consciousness is, in a sense, elementary to many of the things that you will be exploring and doing.
     So when we say consciousness, we are not merely referring to awareness or sensory perception, cognitive awareness, not even intellectual "figuring out-ness." We are speaking of a feeling of knowing, a feeling of knowing, and that knowing, that feeling of knowing, is not something that is developed, it is something inherent in energy as it begins to expand. So, consciousness comes when Energy Is moves into that stuff in between Energy Is and where you are, and begins expanding, contracting, the free will of the Creator. And incidentally, Energy Is its own creator, so all of these things, then, represent a movement through consciousness. Consciousness develops just as energy develops. Consciousness develops just as experience develops, becoming develops, you develop, do you see? It would seem that you are moving through something, but actually something is moving through you. You are pulling in and then giving out through this pathway of consciousness.
     So, if we were to look at how you, in your physical form, use consciousness in this frame of reference as opposed to its more conventional meanings, we can say some things about that. First of all, in your physical form when you reach that point of awareness where you begin to question such things as consciousness. You begin to question such things as: " Is there more? How did this happen? Where is it all going?" and so on. When these questions begin to arise and you begin to seek out explanations, then you are preparing for a new turn of consciousness, so to speak. Not so much as it gets bigger, or better, but a different frame, a different shape for consciousness, do you see?
     Consciousness, then, is not like a substance that you would partake of, it is a part of you. It is a part of you that you use, or not use, that you experience, or not experience, and all of these occurring simultaneously. When you are creating, and you are creating your dimensional reality system, or you are creating the holoverse (as opposed to universe), so to speak, of your experience in this particular case, you are pulling from within you, you are pulling from the inner world of you and putting into the outer. But do not be confused by direction here. Actually, you are everything from your skin out. The body represents the generator, the generator. It is like the energy source, the contact point. You are everything outside your skin. So when you, referring to the vastness of you, create, you create with this sentient consciousness, do you see? You create with it.
     Relating-ships, we have said, is the key to understanding the functioning of things. Relating consciousness is important in understanding differences. Differences in experience. Differences in becoming. Awareness, and differences in whatever, do you see? So, consciousness, then, is a feeling state of knowing that ego identity has access to, that ego identity can us and employ, summon and call upon. Ego identity, however, usually does not experience, does not perceive outright. In other words, ego identity pulls inside from probability pools, and creates, and in looking at it perceiving the creation, ego identity often does not see the consciousness, the feeling state.
     Consciousness, then, moves in and out, moves in and out, as forms change. That is, as you abandon this form, you change forms as the air and the water and the rocks and everything changes form. So, too, does consciousness. It carries with it, it carries with it, the jewels of your experience. Those gems that you select. Not ego identity, but the essence of you selects to become part of the wave of consciousness that you are riding upon, do you see?
     Now, this all seems to imply time. Remember friends, there is no time. This is not about space-time, this is not about moving through space. You will come to know that space-time is, again, merely an element of the holoverse that you have created for yourselves, and really is not a player in your experience, unless, of course, you decided to use it as such. When you do, then it becomes a factor, just as air becomes a factor if you decide to breath air, and so on, do you see? So, consciousness, then, is that feeling state of knowing, that knowing state, that feeling state, in its most basic form. You say, well, how does expanding energy feel and know? What is it about that that feels and knows? When you think of the universe around you, begin very much to think of it as alive and having components just as you have components. It is thinking, it is feeling, it is perceiving, it is creating. It is not separate from you, it is, remember that, PART of you from skin outward, for all you can know, all you can imagine, and then some. This, Dear Ones, is you. This is ego identity's playground, do you see?
     Oftentimes, ego identity limits itself to one particular spot. Sometimes some of you live in one geographical area, sometimes in one house, all of your years in one lifetime, do you see? But even if you do that, it does not alter the fact that in essence and in truth, you are all that is outside your skin, do you see, and then some.
     Consciousness, then, provides guidance, navigation. You say: "How is this, how is this?" Your thinking mind, the mind, the intellect, the part of you that thinks, does not have at its control center all of the aspects of creation. It utilizes a linear way of creation, as it believes itself oftentimes to be linear. However, there is a knowing part, even of you as an ego identity, and that knowing part recognizes that you are not linear. That in fact, linear is merely a choice for some experiences that you have opted for, do you see? And in that knowing, the doorways open for consciousness to bring forth the wonder, the possibilities, the new feeling states of knowing upon which new creations come. Your time now seems to be so speeded up for many of you. Events, occurrences. In one lifetime, more seems to be happening now than perhaps for centuries before. You say: "why is that? Is there some anomaly in time? In the flow of time?" and yet if you ask the scientists, the linear time-keepers, they would say, of course not. Time is still time, it is still moving in the same way. And yet, consciousness, that feeling state, that knowing state, seems to be moving at a different pace. It seems to be keeping a different "track" of time than time itself. How does that happen? How does that happen?

James:
Well, doesn't consciousness have it's own sort of time to sort things out, not necessarily connected to the agreed-upon time that everybody uses?

Peter:
It could. Ego identity certainly could operate its consciousness that way.

James:
Even on other levels. Isn't there a form of "duration" just as an operating tool?

Peter:
Could be created that way. Consciousness does not have to have movement and time-space, it can create that if it wishes to, do you see? And so far, consciousness has been creating time-space, so that all of you seem to be experiencing that particular thing, do you see?

Lassiter:
So, the appearance of time speeding up, is that a reflection of an expansion in our consciousness?

Peter:
Yes, it could well be, could it not? Certainly a change in consciousness, a ripple in "The Force", so to speak, a disturbance in the Force, so to speak. Whether or not better or worse, higher or lower, such terms are evaluative when placed in the metaphor of consciousness. Consciousness itself does not require metaphor in which to function, although it can create that, do you see? So, when time begins to take on a different stance, so to speak, for ego identity, one of the areas ego identity might explore, is consciousness.
     How is ego identity tapped into consciousness? The developing consciousness of ego identity? Even that would provide some insight into a broader based consciousness. Consciousness is connected. It is not like you're here and consciousness is here [pointing in different directions] and so on, do you see? So that when ego identity begins to experience difference, difference in its perceptions, and remember that perception is chosen, so when it begins to choose different perceptions, is interesting because consciousness is taking some turns. Might be interesting to explore what consciousness is looking at, is focusing upon, do you see? Consciousness, your scientists are coming to know, is very much a player in how your universe is constructed, do you see? When the term "the observer" is used by your scientists, what does that mean? Someone who is looking? Looking at subatomic particles? Not necessarily. The change occurs when consciousness and energy dance together in their cosmic way, do you see? Consciousness, then, is energy's like, ummm……

James:
energy exchange?

Peter:
Yes. Like counterparts. They are like dancing partners, do you see? Some times they dance back to back, sometimes they dance like this [clasping hands together and moving them around]. Umm, for those listening on tape, take a moment and describe that. [laughter]
     Now, consciousness, then, and this concept of energy, are not separate concepts to be looked at differently, but in fact, they have partnerships, they have relatingships that you notice in the construction of your world. How you choose your probabilities, how you create in your process of moving through possibilities, the beginning of creative process, the feeling state of knowing, is consciousness, do you see? Is that element of consciousness. Now, is consciousness static? Is it one big thing and once you've grasped it you've have it? What do you think?

Gerry:
I think not.

Peter:
Excellent answer! You would not be so boring as to construct a universe that way. No fun in that, do you see? Consciousness is slippery like the eel. Just when you think you are ready to grab hold of it, it slips away. And the mystery continues. The mystery is not to baffle you, but to give you that sense of wonder and awe, which is the feeling state of knowing, do you see? That's why Little Ones have it. Little Ones have it. They know it. Until, of course, you teach them to move out of that, do you see? But they have that sense of wonder, that sense of awe, that feeling state of knowing, and from that consciousness and energy are like this [clasps hands together again, dancing them around] they are relating in their cosmic dance, do you see? And in that relating, creation, creation, creation, do you see?
     Now, let us look at the movement of consciousness. Some people wonder if consciousness evolves. Evolution implies linear, and we know that that would be taking you down a conceptual path that would not be accurate for your brilliant minds. {Do I detect a note of sarcasm here?} So, we will not go down that linear path, although you may play with it in your spare time if you wish. [laughter]
Consciousness, on the other hand, is not confined in this universe of yours, or even the holoverse of yours, which, by the way, is holographic universe smushed together.

James:
That's a reference to the book by Michael Talbot?

Peter:
Is it? Anyway, consciousness is constantly moving, is constantly changing, just as energy itself when it leaves Energy Is, and leaves is wrong word but we have no other, so when energy begins it's expansion and contraction and creation and free will and the mush of consciousness, all of this, then, is involved in a changing, moving process, which oftentimes you or your scientists are trying to pattern. What is the pattern of this? If we could just come to a conclusion as to how this thing works we'll have it all snockered. And just as soon as they try to do that, just like the slippery eel, it moves away, do you see? Consciousness is not a substance like the clay that you make into the bust and fire it and it stays that way forever and ever. Consciousness, the very flavor of it, the feeling, the knowing state, involves not the static but the moving, the changing, and so on. You contribute to consciousness. Yes. Consciousness is not separate from you. You are creatures of energy-consciousness in their dance. How you are having them dance is ego identity's contribution to consciousness. You have heard universal consciousness, universal mind, you have heard these terms?

[Murmurings of agreement from the group].

It is an interesting notion that some in form use, and have, do you see? So that all of your feeling-knowing states, if they were harvested at various times, and of course there is no time, the harvesting of feeling-knowing states, the harvesting of consciousness. You might think of that concept, the harvesting of consciousness. It is something that you do, all of you do, it is something that the universe does. This harvesting of consciousness provides opportunity for this universal mind concept, universal consciousness do you see? This notion of, like, the big bank in the sky, deposits and withdrawals and so on , do you see? How does this work? It works more for ego identity, perhaps, than for other things. Ego identity is familiar with such bank transactions and so ego identity is willing to participate in that particular metaphorical stance. Consciousness also does not have to be metaphorical, but it can be, do you see? Consciousness is complete and whole in and of itself as an energy form, it is whole and complete in itself, but it need not be, do you see? Consciousness then flows and moves, changes, provides to ego identities the way you can grasp onto it provides to you this feelingknowing state. Feeling-knowing state. Would you say, would you say, consciousness has a beginning and ending state?

[silence]

Lassiter:… No.

Sage: No

Gerry: No, that would imply linear handling…

Peter:
Very good. Yes, yes. Very good. Ego identities often need beginning, middle, and ends for their own reasons, do you see, or at least they have in the past, with the diminishing impact of cause and effect even that will be changing, do you see? So the notion of consciousness is rather like the notion of Energy Is. It is, do you see? Consciousness Is.

Gerry:
Quick question. I sort of go back and forth between, it sounds like what you're saying is there is, like, one consciousness, there's consciousness that is, and then sometimes it seems like there may be many consciousnesses, that ego identity may have some aspect of consciousness or something. Can you clarify that for me? Is there one consciousness or multiple consciousnesses?

Peter:
Yes and yes. [laughter]

Gerry:
I knew he was gonna say that! [laughter]

Peter:
The one consciousness, think of it like the puppeteer. Attached to the one puppet are many strings, do you see, not just one. So, if the little person is going to move, one string may be pulled to move a hand, another string to move a leg and so on, do you see? Consciousness is complete and whole, utilized however in dimensional realities or in various reality systems, consciousness has the strings, the strings of consciousness flowing into all of these various arenas, do you see? And we use the word strings as it is the word now that you are creating for it in your physics and so on. This notion of consciousness, is-ness, with the strings of consciousness being acted out ….yes, Lucette is telling us, did any of you see "The Abyss?" It was a movie?

[Sounds of agreement]

One interesting thing was the tube of water, and in front of it was the face? Do you see? Imagine that you were going to find out where it came from. And you began following the tube and you are following and following and following, what do you think you would ultimately come to?

Gerry, Sage:
The ocean. The ocean.

Peter:
Huge, huge water, would you not? So it is like this is a tentacle, a string from a source and in front of it, there is the face to see and to talk into, to look around and experience, and the connection is always to that broader, larger {water}. So, yes, and yes, do you see? That tube of water would have one consciousness developing its feeling-knowing state through its metaphors, its choices of perception, its utilization of free will, its creation. The next tube of water going off into another area would be doing the same thing, do you see? So, there could be this variety as well as the complete. Now, it is an ebb and flow, this consciousness, do you see? It is not like, well, here is the big mama, and here are the babies, the baby strings, do you see? No. It flows. It is more like this, do you see? [moving hands in circles] It is more like circles and vortices, do you see?

Lassiter:
Convection cells, is what I'm thinking of when you're moving your fingers that way.

Peter:
Yes. Yes. Very good. So, it is not that the system of consciousness is so separate, it is, in fact, very much moving in its coordinated way, do you see? And, you say, does consciousness have free will? We ask you, does consciousness have free will?

Harris:
Yes, when it's differentiated, and it has free will, it's a creation as well as a creator.

Peter:
Yes, of course. Consciousness is not separate from you. Do not think, well, consciousness is over there and we are over here, do you see? Remember, while it is a concept and we speak of it as if it were whole and complete in itself, it is very much a part of the ebb and flow of energy in the movement of energy from Energy Is through the stuff to where you are, this vast area in between is not full of separate functioning parts although you can explore separately functioning parts through your creation of perception, and for discussion, it is interesting is it not, on an evening in March, to sit and discuss such illusion. [laughter from group]

Lassiter:
But that's the way we've set it up, also, with our ego consciousness here and the other parts that seem to be separate.

Peter:
Yes.

Gerry:
That brings to mind another question, dropping back to "The Abyss" metaphor for a second, where is ego identity in that structure?

Peter:
Where do you think ego identity would be?

Harris:
Right up there in the face.

Sage:
At the perception point, between the woman and the water face.

Harris:
Yeah.

Peter:
All agree?

Lassiter:
I would say the face, yeah.

James:
Mmmm, yeah.

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