The document discusses various theories of layered or tiered consciousness from cultures around the world throughout history. It describes models from ancient Mayan and Incan civilizations that defined multiple levels of consciousness, as well as perspectives from Eastern traditions like Hinduism. Modern psychological, medical, and New Age theories are also outlined that propose stages of awareness. The document attempts to draw connections between these different frameworks and find commonalities in their conceptualization of consciousness as progressive mental states.

1. level of consciousness (esotericism)
self-actualization.
Most theories map consciousness in a series of levels, some stages of which are more
continuous or complex than others. Movement between stages is often bidirectional depending
on internal and external conditions, with each mental ascension precipitating a change in
reactivity. In the most basic sense, this alteration might lead to a reduced responsiveness as
seen in understanding.
First appearing in the historical records of the ancient hypotheses, there have recently been
attempts to combine perspectives to form new models that integrate components of separate
viewpoints.
History
Pyramid of Kulkucan (found at the center of the Chichen Itza)
Although many cultures have incorporated theories of the layered consciousness into their
belief structure, particularly for spiritual means before the separation of church and state within
any given civilization, the Ancient Mayans were among the first to propose an organized sense
of each level, its purpose, and its temporal connection to humankind.
Mayans
The pyramid of consciousness has defined Mayan thought since the dawn of its civilization
around 2000 BCE. Shamans and priests defined consciousness as an awareness of being
aware, commonly referred to as a branch of metacognition. Because consciousness
incorporates stimuli from the environment as well as internally, the Mayans believed it to be the
most basic form of existence.
This existence, which they referred to as a loose translation of Cosmos, was made up of nine
underworlds, depicted concretely through the nine-storied Pyramid of the Plumed Serpent in
Chichen Itza, the Temple of the Jaguar in Tikal, and the Temple of the Inscriptions in Palenque.
Within these nine underworlds are a specified "day" and "night", symbolizing periods of
enlightenment, increased consciousness, and a heightened ability to interact with the universe.
Cycle First Year Consciousness Description
Developed
Cellular 16.4 billion years ago Action/Reaction Developed all physical
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2. laws, chemical
compounds, star fields,
solar systems, and
planets
Mammalian 820 million years ago Stimulus/Response Individual cells from the
Cellular cycle began to
develop a survival
mechanism with
increased
consciousness toward
stimuli and responses
Familial 41 million years ago Stimulus/Individual Recognition of
Response individuals and
establishment of the
family relationship as
opposed to herd,
school, or flock
mentalities
Tribal 2 million years ago Similarities/Differences Development of "the
mind" to detect
similarities and
differences in our
experience
Cultural 102,000 years ago (Shared) Reasons Search for reasons for
everything, as a basis
of all cultural
understanding
National 3115 BCE Law Concept of right and
wrong
Planetary 1755 CE Power Understanding and
derivation of power
from natural laws
Galactic January 5, 1999 Ethics Understanding of
ethical matters
Universal February 10, 2011 Conscious Co-Creation Achievement of godlike
status of all-knowing
consciousness
A common cause for debate is the exponentially accelerating dates separating each level of
consciousness, where each stage occurs roughly 20 times faster than the previous one.
Incas
Inca Civilization
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3. Whereas the Ancient Mayans defined consciousness in almost evolutionary terms, the Inca
civilization considered it a progression of awareness and concern for others, similar to the
teachings of Siddhartha Gautama.
Level ("Attention") External Change Internal Change Notes
First Perception of space Awareness of physical
and time body; focus on
individual survival
Second Separate good from evilDistinguish the self
from others
Third Capable of Choice to align with Level of most people
discrimination goodness rather than
evil
Fourth Reverence toward Decreased attachment
nature; oneness; to material possessions
against harming others
Fifth Ability to heal others in Physical, mental, Signals the taripay
certain circumstances emotional, and spiritual pacha (Incan Day of
restoration Judgment)
Sixth Ability to heal others in No value in
any condition individuality;
importance of
community contribution
Seventh Teachers of all others Exemplify four Revered examples:
principles of honesty, Jesus of Nazareth,
faithfulness, service, Siddhartha Buddha
and truthfulness
Theories
The Heart Chakra (also referred to as the fourth chakra)
Although historical views of the separation of consciousness into various layers do not exactly
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4. mirror modern-day perspectives, many parallels can be gathered from the overarching themes
found in Western cultures.
Eastern perspectives
Many specific similarities have been drawn between Ancient Incan and historical Eastern views
of tiered consciousness.
Historical beliefs
The majority of Eastern perspectives assert that while consciousness originates from the sound
of AUM, it has incorporated itself into flesh, which therefore gives humankind the goal of
attaining oneness with the universe once more. Unlike Incan tradition, this oneness eliminates
the separation of external and internal changes into one general indication of movement from
stage to stage, commonly known as the Seven Shamanic Levels of Consciousness.
Consciousness Description Notes
Personal Knowledge of the self and of
personality
Mankind Knowledge of human evolution
and its experiences
Amphibious Sense of separate identity "Water" and "land" are symbolic
between water and land of man and earth
Spherical Perceive using the five bodily
senses
Crystal Perceive using emotions, First inorganic level undistorted
thoughts, and purity by bodily senses
Light Attained only by near-death First level above the human
experiences; "tunnel effect" world
Sound Only heard when the mind From the primeval vibration
attunes itself to the world AUM
Modern-day beliefs
Like the Seven Shamanic Levels of Consciousness, Humanistic Psychology.
Advaita Vedanta
Aum (Om) Mantra
Row Level Realm Description
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5. 1: "A" Waking Conscious External, active
conscious
2: "U" Dreaming Unconscious Subtle images and
impressions
3: "M" Deep Sleep Subconscious Focus on latent or
inactive thought
patterns
4: "AUM" Absolute Consciousness Equal permeation of all
three levels
OM Mantra
Similarly, the seven levels of consciousness defined by modern-day OM mantras strive to reach
Absolute Reality through the same four realms described in the Advaita Vedanta, with three
transitional tiers in between each.
Between the first ("A") and second ("U") levels is the Unmani, similar to the Western
concept of hypnagogia, or the movement from full alertness into stage 1 sleep
Between the second ("U") and third ("M") levels is the Aladani, mirroring ideas of REM
sleep
Between the third ("M") and fourth ("AUM") levels is the Samadhi, or the attainment of
deep absorption
The Veda
The ancient Indian Vedas texts have lent a comparable view of unified consciousness, with a
key difference in the purpose of human ascension from stage to stage. Instead of oneness with
the universe, the Vedic vision of consciousness emphasizes the importance of attaining
knowledge and pure intelligence.
Ananda Sangha
Statue of Shiva
The Ananda Sangha movement has evolved following the teachings of the late yogi and guru
Paramhansa Yogananda. Compared to the multi-dimensional theories of consciousness in
shamanic and OM mantra perspectives, this particular ideological faction stresses simplicity
rather than detail.
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6. Subconscious: relatively dim awareness; repository of remembered experiences and
consequent mental impressions
Conscious: rational awareness; guides daily decisions and can be influenced by others;
input from the bodily senses
Superconscious Awareness: intuition and heightened mental clarity; problem and
solution are seen as one entity
Western perspectives
Fluctuations in consciousness theories are not particular to Eastern cultures. A surprising
degree of overlap can be found within the field of health and social sciences with regard to
dulled, standard, and heightened intensities of awareness, both naturally and as a result of
injury or disorder.
Psychological views
Like many psychological theories within the particular field of psychoanalysis, one of the most
popular theories of consciousness was proposed by Sigmund Freud, who described three
facets of the psychic apparatus: the unconscious (id) or instinctual facet, the preconscious (ego)
or rational facet, and the conscious (superego) or moral facet.
Although not unlike the Vedic vision of consciousness as a form of intelligence, Jean Piaget's
theory of cognitive development is not commonly considered a form of knowledge awareness
but instead as the evolution of the brain's capacity for thought throughout the human lifespan.
Medical and pathological views
Similar to previously mentioned psychological views, medical and pathological perspectives
often hypothesize tiered consciousness as a result of disease or disorders. The Altered Levels
of Consciousness (ALC) theory is one such measure, in which a person's arousability and
responsiveness to environmental stimuli are classified by their behavioral response.
Glasgow Coma Scale
Comatose Patient (most extreme level on the Glasgow Coma Scale)
Although many such ALC tests take place in hospital settings, the primary evaluation of patient
alertness is the Glasgow Coma Scale, which separates levels of consciousness from standard
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7. conscious awareness to a comatose state.
Conscious: normal, attentive; oriented to self, place, and mind
Confused: impaired or slowed thinking; disoriented
Delirious: disoriented, restless, clear deficit in attention; possible incidence of
hallucinations and delusions
Somnolent: excessive drowsiness; little response to external stimuli
Obtunded: decreased alertness, slowed motor responses; sleepiness
Stuporous: conscious but sleep-like state associated with little or no activity; only
responsiveness is in reaction to pain
Comatose: no response to stimuli, cannot be aroused; no gag reflex or pupil response
to light
Relationship to schizophrenia
Recent hypotheses have incorporated these ALC theories into the psychopathological study of
schizophrenia, suggesting that each altered level of awareness is connected to a degree of
suffering or shock experienced by the patient. As the situation increases in seriousness,
patients will descend to lower levels of consciousness and consequentially lose the capacity to
cry, to smile, or to exhibit a wide range of emotions when reacting to the environment.
Modern-day perspectives
Although many of the previously mentioned theories are still widely held today in various
groups, beliefs, and areas of study, a majority of commonly accepted perspectives stem from
just the past decade. These hypothesized structures of awareness draw from many historical
and early eighteenth- or nineteenth-century theories to form an integrated and overarching
generalization of consciousness as a means of determining inner and outer recognition of
stimuli.
Holder's three levels of consciousness
Derived loosely from his philosophy of the
Level Definition
Spontaneous The mind can react to the progression of life
and does not account for future or past events;
therefore, the mind develops an optimistic
outlook
Calculated This state reacts to events based on the
perception of right and wrong and attempts to
direct others accordingly; the mind is focused
on achieving what it thinks should happen
Imposed The mind is short sighted and clashes with the
opposition; lack of awareness for surroundings
amounts to failure in the long term
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8. Barrett's seven levels of personal consciousness
Self-concept
Similarly, Richard Barrett proposes seven stages of consciousness that progress in a logical
order. The progression focuses on “existential” needs directly connected to and dependent on
the human condition, all of which are motivating factors for daily interactions.
Reference Drive
Survival Feel protected or unprotected
Relationship Feel in or out of a group
Self-esteem Feel positive or negative about yourself
Transformation Act out of your true self
Internal Cohesion Find similarities between your views and goals
Making a Difference Align your views with others to make a greater
impact
Service Live through voluntary service to meet your
personal goals
Hawkins's Power vs. Force
Shame is one level of consciousness noted by David R. Hawkins
In his book Power vs. Force: The Hidden Determinants of Human Behavior, David R. Hawkins
offers numerous levels of consciousness, which arguably maintain a more specific and
psychologically driven perspective of internal awareness than the modern views previously
mentioned. The features of each level are explicit enough that individuals can most likely place
themselves in a stage depending on their perceived state.
Shame: Close to 'rock bottom'; possibly caused by a life-threatening or traumatizing
event
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9. Guilt: Questioning oneself; difficulty letting go of unfortunate past events
Apathy: Defenselessness and weakness; minimal power to change the current situation
Grief: Sadness, deep loss
Fear: Uneasiness; feeling pressured or sensing a need to act quickly to change the
current situation
Desire: Greed; the need to acquire things; can lead to addictions
Anger: Anxiety; typically a result of not meeting expectations while at lower levels
Pride: False positive; happiness in high statuses or other superficial benefits; leads to
defensiveness and rebellion
Courage: Able to rationalize choices and control vision
Neutrality: 'No strings attached'; content with current situation and no effort to change
Willingness: Moving forward; openness to embark on new adventures
Acceptance: Reactive; stepping out of comfort zones; putting goals and values to action
after discovering them in lower levels
Reason: Separating objectives and tackling tasks that align with strengths
Love: Empathy; making decisions from true values
Joy: Optimism, possibly caused by a life-changing event
Peace: Completeness
Enlightenment: Large impact; vision of progress
The applicability of this tiered system can be generalized to rank objects, events, and entire
societies rather than just individual people. Barrett hypothesizes that the average human being
can fluctuate naturally between levels due to environmental effects, including media, people,
places, material objects, food, and awareness of world events.[22]
Gibson's four states of consciousness
Dr. Bob Rhondell Gibson, author of Notes on Personal Integration and Health and often
recognized as a psychic healer, hypothesized the existence of four tiers of extrasensory
awareness. Beyond being more applicable to internal states rather than reactions to the
external environment, these stages contrast markedly with the previously mentioned modern
theories through their emphasis on humankind's immediate interactions. Gibson does not focus
on life progression or individual power to move between levels, but rather on momentary
instances of personal experience.
State Description
Sleep Unaware of all surroundings; dreams may or
may not occur
Waking Sleep Sleepwalking; normal tasks can be performed
but the individual is not receptive to what is
taking place
Self-awareness Able to identify surroundings and observe what
is taking place
Objective awareness Identify surrounding events without opinions or
input
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10. Attempts to combine theories
Leary's 8-Circuit Model of Consciousness
Deep in Thought
Timothy Leary and Robert Anton Wilson proposed the altered levels of consciousness defined
in medical fields are products of eight differing brain structures within the human nervous
system.
This concept not only connects psychology and the more medically focused studies of
neurology and biology, but also incorporates elements of sociology, anthropology, physics,
chemistry, and advanced mathematical formulas. Furthermore, critics argue that the inspiration
for his theory stems at least indirectly from the Hindu chakra system.
Circuit Title Imprinting Stage Description
Biosurvival The Breath of Infancy Suckling, nourishment,
Consciousness cuddling, trust versus
suspicion
Emotional-Territorial Freud's Ego Toddling Emotions, domination,
submission strategies,
territory
Symbolic (Neuro-Sema The Rational Mind From human artifacts Handling the
ntic-Dexterity) and symbol systems environment, invention,
calculation, prediction
Domestic The "Adult" Personality First mating Pleasure, reproduction,
(Socio-Sexual) experiences nurture
Neurosomatic Zen-Yoga Mind-Body Neurological-somatic Consciousness of the
Connection feedback and body
reprogramming
Neuroelectric Psionic Re-imprinting and Perceived "realities",
(Metaprogramming) Electronic-Interface reprogramming earlier cybernetic
Mind circuits consciousness
Neurogenetic Buddha-Monad "Mind" Consciousness Evolutionary
(Morphogenetic) maturation consciousness,
DNA-RNA brain
feedbacks
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11. Psychoatomic Overmind Consciousness maturityOut-of-body
(Quantum Non-Local) experiences involving
information beyond
normal space-time
awareness
Morin's integration
Similar to Dr. Rondell Gibson's view of a simplified hierarchy of conscious states, Alain Morin
describes a four-tiered integration of nine past awareness models, focusing explicitly on the two
common aspects underlying each belief structure: the perception of the self in time and the
complexity of those self-representations.
Level Description Alternative titles in past theories
Unconsciousness Non-responsive to self and Consciousness,
environment non-consciousness, arousal,
limbic stage, sensorimotor
cognition
Consciousness Focusing attention on Non-conscious mind, ecological
environment; processing and interpersonal self,
incoming external stimuli neocortical level,
consciousness, sensorimotor
awareness; core, peripheral,
primary and minimal
consciousness
Self-awareness Focusing attention on self; Consciousness, extended and
processing private and public private self, symbolic level,
self-information meta-representational
self-consciousness, conceptual
self-consciousness,
self-concept; reflective,
recursive, self and
meta-consciousness
Meta-self-awareness Aware that one is self-aware Consciousness, extended self
In summary, Morin concludes that from the many concepts discussed above it is near
impossible to settle for only one theory without accepting at least a fraction of another. Although
each hypothesis has been debated either in scientific or more spiritually focused literature, she
states that consciousness is related most directly to the subjective perception of self-recognition
and language, both of which are determined by culture and our external environment as a
whole.
Robert Monroe
out-of-body experience". His book 1985 "Far Journeys" showed numerous levels of
consciousness and infinite expansion of consciousness.
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12. “The plants exist on levels of consciousness from one through seven. They are on a vibrational
rate on the levels one through seven. It is the same pattern.
Animals exist on the levels of consciousness from eight through fourteen, and when a person
attains, when a consciousness attains level fourteen, it can no longer go any higher unless it is
willing to change its form of consciousness.
Levels of consciousness from fifteen through twenty-one are what you call human life on this
earth.
When a person progresses to level of consciousness twenty one, he then has the choice of
going higher or staying within the realm of human form, but he cannot go higher unless he is
willing to give up human form.”
This article uses material from the Wikipedia article level of consciousness (esotericism), which
is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.
your vibration Healing modalities.
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