Why Conscious Awareness Is The Next Big Thing.

Fate and Acceptance

As fate would have it, this particular day finds me at the laptop, with a gentle drumbeat of February rain pattering away on the cabin’s metal roof, warning me of bone-chilling conditions outdoors. As often is the case, my mind looks for diversions out on the land, sending me puttering off into the arms of nature. But in the moment, I’m taking the weather as a sign that I need to document some of my latest insights in working with non-ordinary states of consciousness.

And about fate…she has a pretty amazing way of not being random at all, if we just give her our full attention. Everything DOES happen for a reason and those reasons become very clear if we give ourselves the space to tune into the present moment and learn through whatever fateful experience is unfolding before us.

Enter the Present

Which brings me to the present moment. Me, this human experience that other humans call Guy, Mr. Borgford, Dad, Daddy, shithead — the list goes on…I’m here propped up in bed next to my snoring dogs, the rainforest around me, air in my lungs, heart beating, alive. While I type this, my mind jumps ahead to the next word to effectively emote expressions, articulate ideas, and adorn with metaphor and alliteration, while trying to maintain a semblance of coherent narrative. Writing isn’t exactly conducive to being entirely present, however the need to focus does pull one into a conscious stream — at least that’s the goal, and easier said than done.

And from the present moment, Conscious Awareness flows. Our true self — our higher self, becomes aware and opens our ability to experience the compassionate observer versus the fearful victim. This state, enabling the embodiment of gratitude, humility, and grace rather than being the unwitting passenger on the rollercoaster ride of an overzealous ego and a fearful mind in endless monologue.

Defining the Ineffable.

But what exactly is Conscious Awareness? Current definitions of Conscious Awareness tend to be sticky, stretching our senses through eternity, revealing the illusion of egoic self, and effectively befuddling our tiny monkey brains with the simultaneous enormity and simplicity of it all:

“Conscious awareness is the state of being aware that we are aware, or, consciously aware. In other words, once these two states (consciousness and awareness) combine, the mind can also reach the ability to be aware of awareness, resulting in what we call conscious awareness, or true consciousness.”

If you’re confused by this definition, you’re not alone. Part of me thinks there’s some kind of conspiracy to keep this truth secret by keeping the simple, mind-numbingly confusing. But the cat’s out of the bag, and modern physics, ancient spiritual practices, and non-ordinary states of consciousness all support the truth behind the very nature of everything — that everything is energy, that everything is consciousness, and that everything is in a constant state of creation and change.

Through my personal practice I’ve landed on my own simplistic definition of conscious awareness that fits well within the limits of my cognitive functioning and comprehension:

“Conscious Awareness is the conscious present moment between stimulus and response.”

On first reading this, my sense is that the message is a crystal clear distillation of the birth, evolution, and transmutation of any one moment, then the time paradox surfaces and away we go down the rabbit hole! Human materialist logic descends into madness in attempts to strike down paradoxes, yet our evolutionary purpose of becoming consciously aware Beings, depends on us surrendering to, and accepting paradoxes, managing our egoic selves, staying humble, and remembering who we truly are.

Breaking it Down with Bruce Lee.

“The present moment between stimulus and response.”

Let’s break that down — granted, oftentimes the best response is no response, but we’ve already broached the topic of paradoxical rabbit holes. The reason I’ve gravitated to this definition is that it’s action-oriented, and brings insights from meditation, mindfulness, yoga, breathwork, plant medicine practices, and other consciousness work, into our everyday lives, positively affecting the energy and lives of self and of those around us. Words have energy, and none so powerful than the combination of the words “conscious” and “awareness” and the intentional attention to the unlimited creative potential between stimulus and response.

Years ago, before I got into meditation, I would often recite the following words of wisdom. I think I picked them up from a childhood hero of mine, the otherworldly, and amazing action film star and all-round badass, zen philosopher, Bruce Lee.

“We have no control over our external world, but we have 100% control how we respond to it.”

Regardless of its origins, it’s a beautifully simple truth of the one, tiny part of our lives that we actually DO have control over and this micro slice of time can end relationships, save lives, and lead nations to war — and everything in between. This is the game-changing space between stimulus and response, where each and every one of us has the opportunity to consciously choose love over fear and in the process, fundamentally shift our consciousness, the trajectory of our lives, and the world around us.

Big Thing is an Understatement.

To be clear, conscious awareness is both a state of consciousness and a practice. And it’s also fair to say that the expression of conscious awareness is on a continuum. As we practice various activities that build these ‘muscles’ around conscious awareness, our ability to express and maintain this higher state in our everyday lives also grows. None of this is new, and various texts, teachers, gurus, and explorers of consciousness have been beating this drum since humans first gazed into a pool of still water and saw God staring back. So, why is this NOW the next big thing?

In case you’ve been effectively avoiding all media [and if you have, congratulations!] our beautiful world as we know it, and this curious, confused, and slumbering beast we call humanity, are nearing an impasse. The planetary biosphere is showing every indication of pending collapse, human mental health crises have rapidly escalated globally, and the disparity between rich and poor continues to widen and accelerate with every passing day. Threaded throughout our suffering, a spiritual void, a disconnection from our natural world and self, and a narrative of fear at every turn.

Yet building on the horizon, communities of consciously aware human beings are growing, and with the awareness, springs forth new ways of living and the adoption and elevation of indigenous voices, regenerative systems design, and circular economies, all built around the wisdom and balance of Nature. As the frequency of conscious awareness rises, so too does our connection and symbiosis with all lifeforms, and our true, innate state of perfect balance within the healthy, natural systems of which we’re an integral part.

As our practice of Conscious Awareness sharpens in attunement, our conscious interactions with the stimuli in our world positively impacts the energy around us, and each loving response to whatever stimuli crosses our path is a notch toward the global shift in consciousness our species so desperately needs.

This shift is happening. And it’s the story of the ages, foretold in tongues of the ancients, mathematically predicted and verified via quantum formulas and experiments, and experienced by everyday people like you and I, through meditation and mindfulness practices, intentional plant and fungi medicine use, experiences in nature, and other transcendental and non-ordinary states of consciousness. Unfolding from these states, eternal wisdom through conscious awareness is intentionally woven into our everyday lives, into the decisions we make, the interactions we have, and into the present moment, through billions of daily responses to stimuli, from every corner of human culture.

With shifts and changes comes opportunities and challenges — and all are drivers of economic impact. Thinking outside the box ain’t gonna cut it, when our future world will be one without boxes. Human beings need to drastically change how we operate and Conscious Awareness is the human operating system of the not-too-distant future — and we’re going to need this upgrade to redefine life on planet Earth.

Preparing for the Shift.

Organizations and commercial interests need to prepare for these seismic shifts by investing in training and experiences that explore the boundless opportunities of Conscious Awareness, while supporting and socializing these initiatives with grace, openness, inclusiveness, acceptance, humility, understanding, and a focused energy on a regenerative future.

Conscious Awareness is the next evolutionary leap for humanity, but our collective clock is ticking, as our insatiable need for more is pushing the limits of our planet. Without a collective shift in Conscious Awareness, we’ll continue embracing duality and the battle against our Sisters, Brothers, and Mother Nature. We’ll continue to compete, compare, pose and postulate as to why we’re better than the human next to us, and we certainly won’t have the collective mindset to turn this beautiful ship around. It’s time for us humans to remember our Truth. And it’s a Truth not found in any deposition, scientific paper, or blaring from a pulpit — it’s a Truth that’s inside each and every one of you. Yes, you.

Closing Thoughts.

With my eyes tiring and my mind begging to close the book on the subject for the evening, I refer to a quote to add a semblance of credibility to my rambling rant:

“A human being is a part of the whole, called by us Universe, a part limited in time and space. They experience themself, their thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest — a kind of optical delusion of their consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to break free from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.”

— Albert Einstein

I’m grateful for the read. And much gratitude for the eternal wisdom of Brother Albert. ❤

P.S. Please meditate.