Chapter 20 - The Experience of Human Consciousness

Question 1

Normal waking consciousness

Answer 1

Presence of witness or observer who has access to my inner self
Experience witness as distinct and independent that talks to me but is connected to my mind and body
Consciousness always focused on what is important at the moment

Question 2

Subconscious mind

Answer 2

Unconscious influences perceptions, interests, ‘rational’ thoughts, openness, and judgement
Repress unacceptable or traumatic characteristics and events

Question 3

Collective unconscious

Answer 3

Psychological inheritance determining worldviews, evidence in dreams and myths from around the world of universal themes and symbols

Question 4

Archetypes

Answer 4

Not precise images, but motifs that vary without losing basic pattern and significance

Question 5

Transpersonal consciousness

Answer 5

Individual consciousness connects us with our immediate environment, past, and other times and places, species, and cosmos
Altered state of consciousness

Question 6

Synchronicities

Answer 6

two or more events which occur around same time and having meaningful relationship to each other despite being unconnected by cause and effect

Question 7

Unity consciousness

Answer 7

Sense of awareness of all that is
ultimate reality can’t be understood intellectually, complementary
Because reality is all that exists, there is no other object or idea to compare it to, can only be experienced directly as a whole