Two Levels of Consciousness

     We’ve all experienced – and vividly remember – occasions when we were fully present, totally engaged in any of a wide variety of situations: while relaxing, caring for or loving a person or activity, including work. Such experiences stick with us because they stand out as qualitatively different from everyday life. 
     During such “wisdom” experiences, we’re intimate with whomever or whatever we vividly share the present moment. Self-talk fades away - our noisy, anxious self-concern having subsided. We become unconditional friendliness, kindness, peace, gentleness, patience, acceptance, equanimity, perseverance, stillness, silence & timelessness.

     How do wonderful “wisdom” experiences come to an abrupt end? Doesn’t “self talk” predictably burst onto the scene insisting that we “don’t have time” and must get back to focusing on our fears, worries & anxieties? So our noisy ego, anxious self-concern, our stressed-out “everyday mind” quickly & easily drowns out the peace & wonder of our innate wisdom. 
     Everyday mind so dominates, that we (mistakenly & to our detriment) assume that this primitive, fear-based, survivalist level of consciousness or operating system is literally who (& all that) we are. And it’s distressingly easy for most of us to remain trapped – by default – in this distorted, unrealistic, unhelpful, unhealthy state of mind. 

     “My mind is like a bad neighborhood, I try not to go there alone.” Annie Lamott
 
     Psychotherapists describe everyday mind as a real mess: 
     “an innumerable swarm of disconnected impulses, thoughts, reactions, opinions, and sensations, which are triggered into activity by causes of which he is totally unaware.”
     “a disconnected, helpless collection of impulses and reactions, a being of disharmonized mind, feeling, and instinct." 
       John Welwood ed. “Awakening the Heart. East / West Approaches to Psychotherapy and the Healing Relationship.” Shambhala, 1983.

      Wisdom is a completely natural, inherent, accessible part of our consciousness, intelligence, or operating system. Yet sadly, we're barely aware of it, don’t know how to intentionally access it, and don’t really trust it! And since most of us feel at least somewhat stressed most of the time, our stressed-out everyday mind becomes our default identity.

     "What we experience is our state of mind projected outward." Gerald G. Jampolsky MD

     “Wellbeing is not found by calming the mind, changing our thoughts, or adjusting our attitudes, but by actually shifting into a level of mind that is already calm and alert.”
       Loch Kelly. “Shift into Freedom. The Science and Practice of Open-hearted Awareness.” Sounds True, 2015.