what does it mean to 'expand your consciousness'?

Question

I was having a look at this book: http://www.amazon.com/Cleansing-Doors-Perception-Significance-Entheogenic/dp/1585420344


And I was left thinking - what exactly does it mean to expand your consciousness. Is it something only to be experienced, because I view my mind as being in a state of 'awareness' flux. By awareness I mean a content understanding of that which cannot be easily articulated using words - it feels expansive but in terms of finding the words to describe the experience it's certainly a contraction.

Is that a cop-out? Am I tricking myself into thinking that in these moments I am 'aware'? It certainly feels peaceful, as though I'm entering into a secret warm and familiar passage-way in my mind, but is this false?

Does dissociation lead to associations? I feel so connected to my life and others, but it seems to result from a disconnection with certain aspects of my mind - worries about day-to-day living etc.

I'm curious.

Answer 1

In all simplicity, think outside the box and consider everything.

Answer 2

Interesting question, Glor.

I actually define 'awareness' as just the perceived presence of not being "alone." If something may not be expressed articulatly through words, it is either not well known or not of this world.

With that said, I assert that one should never feel completely secure, though probability might be good. There is /always/ that slight chance of a tragedy/failure, for 'feelings of peace,' though sometimes true, are based on the current perception(s) rather than Truth.

Finally, dissociations CAN or CANNOT lead to associations. It just depends on what you dissociate with. At times, a lifestyle of dissociation /may/ be an associating factor (e.g. dissociation from fads).

Answer 3

One of my favorite quotes, and forgive me, I may not have it exactly,is from the autobiography of Carl Jung, Memories, Dreams, Reflections.
He said, there is no such thing as luck or fate. There is only that part of the unconscious which has yet to become conscious. It is that which always appears in life as fate or luck.
To me, to answer your question, to expand consciousness is to "allow" the unconscious to become conscious. There is always real growth involved. And one begins to truly understand that no experiences what you experience, past, present or future. Their experience is of YOU. You are their experience. To become conscious and without judgement as much as possible is to see the world as broadly as possible. To look without expectation and receive what is there as it is. To be in the moment. To be the moment. And understand the falsity of time. And ultimately realize that energy and change are everpresent, and that the difference between life and death is a mere nanosecond, and what is that?
Don't forget to get out and feel the sunshine and do something nice for someone else today, and every day if possible. Overcontemplating this heady stuff simply reinforces an unhealthy introversion, but good for you for being willing to take a hard look.
If you haven't yet read Hegel......god bless and good luck.

Answer 4

Try to listen and look at the world around you, rather than the world of your thoughts. Be aware of the outside environment and then you will live in the outside world, and not inside your head. The only place that the outside world exists is in the present moment. So just stop thinking for a moment, look and listen to what is around you (right now), even if there is only silence and a window in front of you.

Expanding means to stop looking inside the circle of your thoughts and feelings, but look outside to the world around you, and appreciate how vast the world really is, and how you only make it seem small by thinking about it too much, instead of just directly experiencing it.

Answer 5

i am not-so-sure about all the big words that you are using.

I can say this; some of the questioners/answerer's here use
another language(french).
Now i know a bit about french philosophy,(henri Bergson
chiefly);although they are "into" the Awareness-thing,or
used-to be, somehow its not enough for me.
I now like to stick with the metaphysical and non-metaphysical facts,for example, what is our Universe like.
(virtually Empty and extremely hostile).
And the beauty is that this factual metaphysical world-of
ours-CAN be added to;usually by experts i know.But not
always and not necessarily. I wont go into details here.
But suffice it to say;you and i came from apes/monkeys;
we use our tools,but we also help each other,care for each
other and care about each other's facts and reasonings;we
look to "experts" who do Not need wealth or praise to
investigate and explore not only the outter universe but also
our inner one of searching for better facts,more interesting
and encompassing facts;more theories and useful ideas-
especially those that will combat directly Poverty and violence.
And we,not monkeys,have chosen to endeavor to work with
peoples different from ourselve;different languages,different
cultures,different ways-of-life,different religions and differing
abilities.Both physical AND non-physical.
We can learn and grow using the past(heros,icons,teachers
etc)but we can also look-to and be aware-of the future.
A bright and happy future,one which our ancestors would have been proud of.

Answer 6

My personal belief is that it's not a dissociation at all - not a letting go of one in order to be receptive to the other, but rather a deeper, more spiritual encounter or experience with the here & now and your interconnectedness with something larger than the mundane, self-centered, fear-based little ego which usually defines us. Expansion of consciousness is just that; it allows us to see ourselves in this context, a much larger, cosmic and timeless context, one that presupposes we are spirit-based souls, not earth-bound bodies having an exclusively physical reality - but timeless souls learning, evolving, growing.

Answer 7

"Expanding your consciousness" is a term stolen in the 1960's by the drug culture, to try to give them stability and credibility to use their drugs. It meant to not be afraid to take the drugs or their consequences.

Generically, to expand your consciousness can mean to learn anything new. To try new things. Reading new books or subjects; traveling to new areas, even in your own neighborhood; joining new clubs; donating your time to good organizations. These are just a few simple ways of expanding your consciousness.

Drugs can expand your consciousness, but expanding your consciousness means to not have disastrous effects from the experience. You could kill someone to "expand your consciousness", but the experience wouldn't be beneficial to your existence, even if it was to learn not to kill, because you've already caused a disastrous effect by killing someone.

So expanding your consciousness means to experience new things, do new things, without hazardous results to yourself or others. Sky diving and bungee jumping are authentic "expanders", because there is safety generally involved.

Answer 8

You're curious, good for you!

If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear … as it is, infinite...William Blake.

Good luck!

Answer 9

By listening to the spiritual wisdom of Ke$ha music.