DAMAYAN-BULUSEÑO GAZETTE ONLINE EDITION

This page is originally located at the following URL:

https://dbgazette.tripod.com/printables/vol15no10_page3_lighthouse.html


lighthouse

by Starbhen

"Body-Consciousness and Soul-Consciousness"

In the last issue of this Gazette, I presented the three faculties of the soul: Mind, Intellect and Sanskaras or Sub-conscious Mind and that the joint functioning of these three produces what is known as consciousness.

Basically, there are two levels of consciousness: “I am a body” or body- consciousness and “I am a soul” or soul-consciousness. When one believes to be a body, the thought process is trapped in the limitation, problem and vision of the physical identity. Below is a typical father-son relationship that illustrates the difference between body-consciousness and soul-consciousness.

 

 

Body-consciousness

(&  Soul-consciousness)

 

Awareness:      

I am the father. I know the most.   

(I am a soul. My natural state is lovve and peace)

                     

Thought:          

My son should listen to me as he is my own flesh and blood.

(My son is a soul too. As a soul, he is my brother.)

 

Decision:          

I will teach him a lesson.

(I will respect his idea also.)

 

Action:             

Father argues with son.

(Father and son discuss with respect.)

 

Result:             

Ill feeling between father and son.     

(Respect maintained.)

 

The example clearly shows the benefits of having soul-consciousness relationship, i.e. seeing the other as a soul and not as a body.

             In body-consciousness, the soul believing itself to be a body, becomes insecure. It tries to compensate with material things, status, profession, relationship, which while appearing to give comfort and safety, in reality becomes a source of worry and depression. The insecurity then manifests as lust, greed, ego, anger and attachment. Lust is the search for security through possessions or selfish relationships. Greed is the search for security through the accumulation of things, money, status, etc. and keeping one’s stomach always full. Ego is the search for security through the wearing of many masks related to the roles that one has to play. Anger is the guard which tries to protect the false sense of security when any of the other four are threatened. It manifests in the form of harsh words and violent actions.

              In soul-consciousness, the soul is in its rightful place as a ruler of the body, sitting on its throne between the eyebrows. Soul-consciousness is also the awareness of its original state of peace, love, purity, power and happiness. In truth, each person is a brother to one another and we are all visitors to this earth. We are all actors/players in this eternal world drama. The soul has  no sex, nationality or race, nor does it age. Knowing these, we see not only our true value, but the value of others and the true value of the world around us. 

 

(Source: Teachings of the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University)  

Vol. XV No.10 (November - December 2003)

Copyright © 2003 - 2004 Damayan-Buluseño Gazette Online Edition  |  All Rights Reserved