Relative and Non-Relative Consciousness

25th April 2015

Through all of the distractions and pressures that come with living on earth today, many of us struggle to tap into the innate essence that we require to elevate our consciousness and live up to our spiritual potential. But just because we haven’t tapped into it yet doesn’t mean that all hope is lost.

We have more potential and greater perceptions to explore than we realize. Beyond our surface consciousness exists an infinite reality of love, bliss and pure awareness. But, if we want to find it, we have to be willing to transcend the constant mental chatter that vies for our attention, and learn to quiet the cloudy thought-forms that keep us from connecting with spirit and from enjoying the bliss it creates.

So, if we want to connect with our omnipotent inner consciousness, we should routinely clear our minds – something that gets easier with meditation and dedication. Everything gets easier with dedicated practice, and this includes the transcendence of our surface consciousness and the exploration of the much deeper existence we can now tap into.

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Franklin Merrell-Wolff describes relative (dualistic) consciousness and non-relative (transcendent) consciousness:

“The relative forms of consciousness inevitably distort non-relative Consciousness. Not only can I not tell this to others, I cannot even contain it within my own relative consciousness, whether of sensation, feeling, or thought. Every metaphysical thinker will see this impossibility at once… I was even prepared not to have the personal consciousness share in this Recognition in any way. But in this I was happily disappointed.” (1)

Once we become aware, we can still employ our surface consciousness (and the knowledge that comes with it) by using it to awaken others.

“If the thought-current remains active it can reflect, in some measure, the inner Reality, and thus the personal man has a share in the Awakening. In addition, this correlation is necessary if any of the value of the Illumination is to be conveyed to the intelligence of other individuals.” (2)

While we can use our relative consciousness to spread knowledge once we become aware, we can’t fathom the depth of our non-relative consciousness until we transcend the senses and explore our deeper awareness. Merrell-Wolff continues:

“Recognition of the SELF in its purity is Realization of Identity with absolute Emptiness, Darkness, and Silence, when viewed from the standpoint of relative consciousness. In point of fact this Emptiness is Absolute Fullness but, as such, never can be comprehended from the perspective of egoistic consciousness…” (3)

This is why I always recommend meditation; it helps us transcend our surface perception and explore ourselves in a deeper way. Our surface consciousness is helpful when it comes to conveying spiritual knowledge, but in order to gain that knowledge, we have to open up, transcend the disconnected mind’s limited awareness and use tools like meditation and creativity to make spirit a consistent part of our life.

Understanding the difference between relative and non-relative consciousness is important for anyone who wants to raise their vibration, and while the ‘veil’ is pretty thin right now, there are plenty of ways we can get the most out of the intensified energies — so dedication is still important. A much greater, more refined spiritual reality waits for us to explore it, but we have to willingly transcend the mind-centered obstacles that hold us back if we want to know it in a real and pure way.

We’ll be ‘rewarded’ for our dedication in the form of a sustained connection with All That Is, but we have to apply that dedication before we can experience any rewards. Non-relative consciousness is within our grasp, especially right now, but when we initially find it we might have trouble sustaining the experience, and this makes dedication even more important. It will get easier with every dedicated effort we make and every action we take to uplift others and apply the knowledge we gain.

In order to gain this knowledge in the first place, we’ll have to transcend the overbearing influence of the instrument that helps us express what we know – the mind – and open ourselves to spirit and the perceptual wonders it offers. As long as we’re willing and we persevere when things don’t go our way, there’s no reason we can’t attain this non-relative consciousness. Remember, it’s only impossible if we convince ourselves it is.

Footnotes:

Franklin Merrell-Wolff, Pathways Through to Space. A Personal Record of Transformation in Consciousness. New York: Julian Press, 1973, 5.
Ibid., 11.
Ibid., 13.

About the author:

Wes Annac: I’m a twenty-something writer & blogger with an interest in spirituality, revolution, music and the transformative creative force known as love. I run Openhearted Rebel, a daily news blog dedicated to igniting a revolution of love by raising social and spiritual awareness.

I also have a personal blog, Wes Annac’s Personal Blog, in which I share writings related to spiritual philosophy, creativity, heart consciousness and revolution (among other topics).

I write from the heart and try to share informative and enlightening reading material with the rest of the conscious community. When I’m not writing or exploring nature, I’m usually making music.

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