What is "Conscious"

[Barry]

In another thread, Mad Miles asked:

What exactly is the definition of "conscious" as it is used on this board?

There is no "exact definition". First, I don't claim to be fully "conscious" and I don't expect the users of this system to be either. However, I do strongly embrace the following values and practices and I aspire to embody them as much as I can. My hope/intention is that our members do so as well. Like the Storyteller, my "job is to shed light, and not to master".

Below are some thoughts on what it is to be "conscious". I don't have the time, or the the expertise, to write a definitive piece on this. I invite you to add your comments. The support of community, or Sangha, is very helpful in becoming more conscious, and that's part of the reason why I created this service!


Presence
This is the fundamental practice. To "Be Here Now" and not in your head, reliving some past childhood trauma, projecting fears or dreams.

Witness
Cultivating an awareness that is separate from your ego that can just observe exactly "what is".

Truth
Again, this goes to "what is" and is the basis of being authentic.

Open hearted/Undefended
To be emotionally available and compassionate while not easily going into a defensive/resistive posture.

Respect
To honor everybody and their truths, even if you disagree with them. This is that attribute that I most staunchly try to uphold here. Without respecting each other, then its not safe. And if it's not safe, it's more difficult to be open and compassionate.

In addition to being "conscious", this service is also intended for the "progressive" community.

Here's my take on "progressive", briefly: All there is is Love! And from that non-dual point, arises a duality of not-love; let's call that fear. And from here arises the political expression of the Right /Conservative(greed, rugged individualism, militaristic) and Left/Progressive (compassionate, environmental awareness, individual liberty, social justice).

OK, that's enough for now. What do you think?

[Diablo]

If we ALL were practicing what we were preaching, there wouldn't be a need to control others..................................

[nurturetruth]

WE ARE THE GENERATION WITH A CHOICE!

We live in an unprecedented time in the evolutionary history on planet Earth. The human species has gained powers great enough to destroy our world, or to co-create a vastly better future for all Earth life. Through science and technology, we are probing into the invisible processes of creation—the atom, the gene, the brain. We are learning to place human intent into matter. We are participating in the evolution of evolution from unconscious to conscious choice, from natural selection to selection according to human purpose.

Those of us alive today are the first generation born with the choice of learning conscious, ethical evolution, or suffering devolution and the destruction of our life-support systems with unimaginably more tragedy than the world has yet experienced.

We do not have much time. Within the next 30 to 50 years, we must change our fundamental behavior to be more in alignment with our natural systems and our visions of a positive future. Never before has the human species had to change this quickly in order to survive.

We are the generation of the gap between “here”—a highly technological, over-populating, polluting, brilliant species on the brink of social and environmental chaos, and “there”—a compassionate, spiritually awakened humanity, capable of transcending the limits of our past human existence and moving toward the unknown. This “unknown” has been surfacing in human imagination for thousands of years as a species-wide yearning for—and intuition of— a higher state of being. “Cosmic consciousness, species immortality and universal life,” in the words of astrophysicist Eric Chaisson.