Being consciousness is the state of being aware. There are many levels of consciousness as they exist within the universe. Each level has its own natural laws and operates from its unique place within the whole. What you understand in a particular way from one level of consciousness might look entirely different from another perspective. To be conscious is to know what is going on around you and in you and to see it for what it is. To be spiritually conscious is to be aware of the Truth, the Reality, and to know the falseness of the state of Existence, both internally and externally. It is to become liberated from the confines of the mind.
A shift of consciousness occurs obviously when we move from one level of experience to another. As we do that, we say ah-ha, I get it, or now I understand. We can then describe our new insight from that level of reality. As we make this shift in consciousness, the structure that holds the previous level in place must fall away so that new structure can take its place. When this happens, we go through what could be called a death and rebirth experience. You probably have gone through this process many times so far in this lifetime.
Since September 11th, many of us are aware that there is more than a usual shift in consciousness going on; maybe even a quantum leap. It has surprised even those of us who have been preparing for this shift for a long time. Astrology is helpful in explaining this phenomenon, as is Mayan, Egyptian, and Native American tradition.
We are indeed going through a huge shift in consciousness. We are moving from a state of self consciousness to one of unity consciousness. And we are going there whether we like it or not. What does this mean? It means the false structure of the third dimension is falling away as what is real is taking its place. This is happening in our external world at the transpersonal level, as well as at a personal level within us. Why? Because the time during which we are to learn from the third-dimensional level is finished. It is time for the false structure of our world to dissolve both inside and out, as our real nature takes its place. We are going through changes through which we are beginning to understand consciously that there is no separate self but only unity in all things. The implications of this shift in consciousness are mind-boggling.
You see it happening in the outside world as the stock market falters, as businesses fail, and as layoffs occur. The same type of breakdown is occurring inside our bodies, as old form dissolves so that new form can take its place. These changes may result in symptoms, which at first seem like illness, but which are not. They are signs that you are going through a metamorphosis; you are changing from one form to another. The old form that you have identified as yourself is dissolving as a new level of understanding or perception is taking its place. This perception allows you, even demands you, to consider the good of the whole in making your decisions and in living your life. Through this new perception, you no longer experience yourself as a separate person, but as a part of a greater whole. And from this perception, you no longer are able to ignore what is going on in the world as though it is separate from you, because it isn’t. However, you may also experience a number of disturbing symptoms while you are going through this process. It is important to know this because you may become frightened or not get the help that is available to you if you don’t understand what is really going on. As the old form that you have identified as yourself is dissolving, you may experience the sense of a loss of self, which can be terrifying. A strong sense of self is certainly something we all aspire to and that is greatly revered in our culture. If it is not achieved through the normal growth and development process, then it may be reached through psychotherapy, self-help, or other means of personal development. During the process that I am describing, this very same “self ” dissolves and falls away. You may be depressed, feel disoriented, and experience lapses in time. You may have difficulty concentrating or remembering things. You may have crying spells for no apparent reason or find yourself reviewing issues you thought you had dealt with long ago. As your body cleanses, you may experience a variety of physical symptoms that are not only uncomfortable, but may mimic a disease process. Hormonal changes are common, but unexplainable. You may have menopausal symptoms before you could possibly be in menopause, or feel like you have PMS long after you are having periods. Diagnostic testing may be negative; or it may be positive, but there is no obvious explanation for what is causing the irregularity. You may wonder if you are losing it, developing a serious disease such as Alzheimer’s Disease or Multiple Sclerosis, or if you are going to die.
Well, during a shift in consciousness, that is exactly what is happening: a part of you is dying. It is the false structure within you, the ego that is dying. The good news is that right underneath what is falling away is something else; it is your Real Self. And it will emerge after you have dealt with all of your fears and have surrendered to this greater consciousness that is You. To assist and to accelerate that process, there are some things that will help.
First be reassured by knowing what really is happening and reframe your experience. You are not sickly, you are transforming. You are not losing yourself; you are gaining more of yourself. Second, surrender to the process and get help in dealing with the symptoms from practitioners who also understand this process that is going on. You may need support on the physical level to release the toxins or the byproducts of catabolism that are building up, with herbs, minerals, vitamins, or structured water. You may need to change your diet or to take different supplements that support your new energy level. You may need to do energy work or psychotherapy to deal with the emotional or spiritual issues that have surfaced.
In my practice as a spiritual healer, I work energetically on many different levels to assist this process. As each change occurs universally, we must integrate it personally through the different levels of our energy fields or the process becomes difficult and we experience suffering. By working from the unitive state, all levels can heal simultaneously. Restructuring and releasing of cellular debris on the physical level can facilitate immediate relief and balance in the body as more room is made for your new form. Exaggerated emotional states can be released quite quickly and easily by finding the root and healing it across time. On the mental level, there may be thoughtforms that can be released and replaced with more positive thinking. As the older pattern of consciousness is replaced with the new, an element of ease and of peace comes into the process of transformation.
But in the process, the ego doesn’t want to die because it thinks it is real. So it will “fight to the death” to stay alive. But the truth is, “it” is only who we think we are, and it is now time to live from our Real Selves. The ego self is the false structure that must die or transform into what is real.
Many spiritual traditions talk about this process. “Die before you die,” they say. Then you will know that there is no death. Of course, this is the truth. But you will not know it from believing it; you must experience it directly. “You are That,” as Gangagi says. Until you know your real nature, you are not finished here. And it is happening, like it or not. [This article is excerpted from the author’s book, Kicking and Screaming to Enlightenment, A Journey to the Real Self. ISBN 978-1-60494-320-7
Mary Bell is a spiritual healer, author, teacher, and channel who has been in private practice for almost 20 years. She has been a forerunner in the teaching of Ascension work, specializing in understanding and integrating the current shift in consciousness that is occurring, as we ascend in consciousness on the earth plane. Mary led the Nirvana School of Enlightenment in the 1990’s and is currently offering both online and in person seminars through The Foundation for Unity Consciousness. Mary offers a unique blend of new age and traditional spiritual tradition in her approach to healing, which makes her work appealing to many different people. Her seminars are sponsored by the Association for Humanistic Psychology.
Mary specialized in O.B. nursing for many years and developed her understanding of mind-body psychology through years of personal work and training in Bioenergetic Analysis. She graduated from the Barbara Brennan School of Healing, taught Awakening Your Light Body skills, as developed by Sonia Roman and Dwayne Packer, and began channeling and teaching her own work in 1995. Her passion has been to bring ease and grace into the transformational process. Mary specializes in finding the root cause of any issue and healing it across time. See her website at www.foundationforunity.com for more information.
Contact her at (808) 651.2045 or marybell@foundationforunity.com.
Cover Story
First published in AHP Perspectives Magazine April/May 2006