Perhaps you have heard the word consciousness work several times, but don't really know what it means? Or you are confused by all the terms such as consciousness, mind, ego, trance, expansion of consciousness, etc.? Then you've come to the right place! First of all, here you can find out more about what consciousness work actually is or can be.
In this glossary, however, you will find explanations and explanatory approaches to many terms relating to consciousness work. The terms and concepts that play a role in consciousness work are often not so easy to explain and are sometimes understood differently - depending on who you ask and from which perspective they look at it.
For example, a scientist usually has a slightly different idea of what consciousness is than a yogi or spiritual practitioner. Also, different words are often used that actually mean something very similar. And who can claim to have really understood our consciousness? In this sense, we are all seekers and learners. Of course, none of this makes it any easier to explain a concept that is already difficult to understand. Perhaps this glossary can be of some help to you in finding your way through the jungle of methods and offers for consciousness work.
Of course, there are many more terms on this topic than you can find here, but I'll just start with the most important ones and will certainly add to them from time to time in the future. If there is a term that you are missing here or that you would like an explanation for - feel free to comment below this post or write me a message and I'll see what my expanded consciousness has to say about it 😉. Here we go!
Consciousness
Consciousness is generally defined as that which constitutes our experience and perception. This means that only with our consciousness can we perceive or experience anything at all. However, consciousness is also understood very differently, depending on whether you look at it from a psychological, neuroscientific, philosophical or spiritual perspective. From a neuroscientific perspective, for example, it is assumed that consciousness is the result of neuronal activity in the brain. In a spiritual sense, however, this is called into question: Here, consciousness is understood as something that existed before matter, that exists independently of the body and beyond death - in other words, it is also infinite and immortal. Pure consciousness is also often spoken of here, which can be experienced in meditative states and which no longer knows any boundaries. When working with consciousness, I personally find it important that the term “being aware” is included in the very similar word "awareness" - in other words, it is more about a somewhat superordinate role of an observer who can be aware of something (their own thoughts, for example, or of themselves). Or who can consciously think about something or control their own experience and behavior. And this is what consciousness work is all about.
Consciousness expansion/development
Individual states of expanded consciousnessthat can be achieved in the short term through consciousness work often have a lasting effect: they ensure that you can no longer see the world in the same way after such experiences. Of course, this also has an effect on the image you have of yourself, your own experience and behavior. You can become more open, more accepting or more loving in the process, for example, because you have learned that you are more than your own body in this particular lifetime. Often those around a person whose consciousness is expanding will also clearly notice the changes in them. And the person themselves is also very likely to change their own life. This can affect where they live, their habits, their job, their relationships and much more. When a world view slowly opens up to new perspectives on the self and reality, we can speak of an expansion or development of consciousness.
State of Consciousness
Our Consciousness can assume different states, for example all states between full waking consciousness and sleep, including all kinds of trance states. Also, this may include specific kinds of expanded states of consciousness, during which, for example there can be experiences of a state of Oneness . Consciousness Work can be used to induce specific states of consciousness in a targeted way so that new perspectives and changes can be made possible.
Channelling
I personally believe that you can only really understand channelling once you have looked a little more into how consciousness “works” in a spiritual sense. You may have heard someone claim to be “channeling” something or someone, a deceased or famous person for example, or a Consciousness. This means that the channeller "connects" with the Mind of this person or this consciousness and can then embody them in such a way that he or she can give answers from their perspective. That sounds exotic at first. But if we can open ourselves to the idea that our consciousness is infinite, exists beyond death and that we are all connected to each other in a spiritual sense, from the same unified essence or field, the state of Oneness , that we are actually “one”, then it is no longer so far-fetched. In the moment of channeling, you simply connect with the expanded consciousness of this common essence with something or someone that we experience in our world as “separate from us”. In Constellation Work , in principle, we are doing exactly this, and the common essence is called the (unified) “field”. During a Trance journey you are in fact channelling your expanded consciousness. Even in everyday life, it can easily happen that your expanded consciousness “comes through”, e.g. during so-called flow states.
Ego
This is the part of our consciousness that is often regarded as the “opponent” to our expanded consciousness, our higher self or our Soul and which entails our identification with the Self. In contrast to this, our expanded consciousness is no longer identified with our body, our individual personality, so it encompasses more than the ego. In spirituality or consciousness work, it is often said that we need to “overcome” the ego so that we can fully embody our spiritual or divine nature. Without the ego, however, individuality and therefore our very own creative expression would not be possible. So the ego is certainly not a bad thing or something we need to 'get rid of'. In consciousness work, however, it is often about working with the ego because it often hinders us in our necessary changes. For example, it often tells us that we should be afraid of change. It is also the part of us that tries to protect us from mistakes, disappointments and dangers based on past experiences. The term can also be found in psychoanalysis, in Sigmund Freud's “structural model of the psyche”, although it has a slightly different meaning here.
state of Oneness
The idea that we are all connected to each other through a common essence. And that this common essence is the unified field from which we all come and to which we will ultimately return. Through our expanded consciousness we can have such experiences of unity. This means that with the help of consciousness work, unity consciousness can actually be experienced as a reality.
Expanded Consciousness
A state that can (usually only) be achieved for a short amount of time using various techniques of consciousness work or spiritual practice. The word “expanded” is so appropriate because it can be experienced in exactly the same way: as if a camera lens were to widen and allow you to see a much wider section of reality than you have in everyday consciousness. In this state, you can briefly experience a connection to something greater, regardless of whether you call it Soul, Spirit, Unity Consciousness or similar. It can also be used synonymously with the term Soul. During Trance Journeys , for example, the aim is to come into contact with one's own expanded consciousness in order to look at an issue from a “wiser” perspective and find solutions and healing impulses.
flow states
Maybe you know the feeling: you get so lost in an activity that you completely forget about time and space. At the same time, you are highly focussed and efficient, have a lot of energy to stay on a task for hours, and are so completely absorbed that you don't notice much around you. You may almost feel as if you are being "externally" controlled. Flow is an extremely productive state in which you can get a lot done in a very short time, and have fun doing it. It is a state that has therefore also received a lot of attention in academic psychology. The psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi founded the research on the subject and calls flow the secret to happiness. I have included this term in this glossary on consciousness work because, in my opinion, flow is an expanded state of consciousness, a state in which you are in such harmony with your expanded consciousness, your Soul that you can almost become a little genius. You could also say that flow is a state in which you are channelling your Soul.
Mind
s. Mind
Higher Self
The part of our consciousnesswhich one tries to access with the help of techniques of consciousness work, or with which one tries to connect. The higher self is usually understood as a part of consciousness that is wiser and more knowledgeable than oneself (as long as one is still primarily identified with the Ego ), or like a kind of loving parent who guides you through life. I don't like using the term so much because I have learned to feel what the term actually implies: namely a hierarchy of “better” or “worse”. This in turn promotes the separation with which we view everything. According to the concept of an underlying principle of Oneness it makes no sense at all to speak of a separate higher (better?) self, as this means that there must also be a lower (worse??) self. And then we artificially separate everything that actually belongs together and at the same time also judge it. I also do not find this particularly helpful in my work with Trance Journeys - you are always connected to your expanded consciousness and this is what you can experience during a trance journey!
Soul
I'm not even going to try to define it 😉. But it is often used synonymously with the terms expanded consciousness or higher self.
Trance
Trance is a generic term for altered states of Consciousness between full waking consciousness and deep sleep. A trance can therefore be experienced in very different ways. It is therefore not simply a state, but a very dynamic experience. This means that a trance can also change over time and become deeper, for example. This is also the goal during, for example a longer Trance journey Lighter trance-like states can also be achieved in everyday life, for example when doing something very monotonous or when entering a so-called flow states The state between waking consciousness and sleep, which you can experience when you are about to fall asleep, can also be trance-like. A trance state can often be characterized by an altered emotional or physical experience (state of peace or relaxation), an altered experience of time (time can “fly by”, for example, so that you think only a few minutes have passed when in fact several hours have already passed) or a high level of focused attention and concentration.
Infinite Consciousness
see state of Oneness
Subconscious
In psychology, the subconscious is understood to be a level, a “place” of our consciousnesswhere there is content (e.g. beliefs, memories, etc.) that we are not aware of in our everyday State of Consciousness The term stems from psychoanalysis. through techniques of consciousness work e.g., trance journeys, hypnosis) we can gain access to this content, i.e. to remember it. Dolores Cannon's trance work also speaks of the subconscious, which you can then talk to in one of her trance sessions. However, many people (myself included) no longer talk about the subconscious during trance sessions, but about the expanded consciousness or our Soul, some also speak of the higher self.
Mind
Some people equate the mind with the Ego and call it the “ego mind”, for example. However, the English word “mind” can also mean spirit. And in the more spiritual sense, the spirit or mind goes far beyond pure brain functions. And also beyond the identification with the self that is inherent in our ego. This is why we have the concept of the universal mind. In his book “The missing link. Reflections on Philosophy and Spirit”, Sydney Banks explains that the personal mind and the universal mind are actually just two different ways of using our mind. And that our mind actually knows no boundaries. In that sense, it is our tool, and we can use it to think purely rationally about our shopping list, to philosophize about our identity, or even to open it up to a whole new reality beyond the reality we have known so far. Our mind is therefore our tool with which we can think thoughts, for example. Our consciousness, on the other hand, is what allows us to become aware, our awareness, like a kind of observer that stands behind everything. At least that's how I understand it. As I said, these concepts are not so easy to understand or distinguish from each other! However, I can highly recommend Sydney Banks' book if you would like to dig deeper.