Levels of Consciousness, Part 4

Levels of Consciousness, Part 4

“The key to growth is the introduction of higher dimensions of consciousness into our awareness.”[1]

Lao Tzu

In order to better understand how consciousness may exist in levels of awareness, only some of which are perceptible to us, it can be helpful to consider other, more familiar aspects of reality that exist in similar types of levels. The range of sounds our human ears can detect exist on frequencies between about 20 and 20,000 Hz. One hertz (Hz) is the measure for the frequency of a sound wave where the wave crests (hits its highest point) once every second, or one cycle per second. The lowest sound most of us can hear vibrates at 20 Hz. Anything below 20 Hz will not be heard, but it may be felt in the body like a rumble of thunder penetrating our bones and tissues, often in the abdominal and pelvic regions.

Vibrations above 20,000 Hz are also inaudible to the human ear, but we know they exist because other types of beings react to them. We tend to hear or feel higher notes in the upper body, particularly in the head. I remember someone in grade school having a dog whistle, which usually vibrates in a range above 23,000 Hz. When someone blew on it, we could not hear anything but a nearby dog would respond to it, usually painfully.

On a piano, the note identified as a middle C vibrates at 261.63 Hz. Middle C is part of the fourth of seven full octaves on a piano, the fourth octave of notes located in the middle of the keyboard. Middle C is referred to as C4. C3, the C note one octave lower, vibrates at 130.81 Hz. C7, the C note three octaves higher than middle C, vibrates at 2093 Hz. And so it goes with the musical scale. We perceive notes with slower frequencies as low notes and those with faster frequencies as high notes. One more thought about the frequency levels existing in the range of sound: There are not only infinite frequencies of sound waves below and above what our human ears can perceive, but there are also infinite ranges of frequencies between one detectable sound and the next. In other words, the frequency for C4 is 261.62 Hz. The frequency for the next note higher (on the piano), C#4, is 277.18 Hz. Between 261.62 and 277.18 Hz are an infinite number of other frequencies, only a handful of which our ears can distinguish between – but the differences still exist.

The point, as all this relates to levels of consciousness, is that consciousness (as with everything in creation) exists on a vibratory spectrum that extends infinitely in all directions, only a small portion of which is detectable by our physical senses. On the Cross Consciousness Model, anything outside of the oval labeled as “Our Reality” will seem unusual, and the farther something vibrates outside of the oval the stranger it will seem to us, assuming we can detect it at all.

Another familiar vibratory spectrum occurs in the ranges we perceive as light and color, where our physical senses only detect a small portion of the light spectrum. Light is a different type energy wave than is sound. Light waves are known as electromagnetic waves where sound waves are called mechanical. Sound waves travel considerably slower than light, which is why we see lightening before we hear its accompanying thunder. There is a related joke that says some people look smart (light waves) until you hear them speak (sound waves). But I digress…

My purpose is not to get into the technical science of vibratory waves (which I am incapable of anyway) but to point out that the waves of energy that we perceive as sound or light are but a tiny fraction of the possible energy waves contained within the sound and light spectrums. Everything else is inaudible or invisible to us, but no less real. And so it is with consciousness. The vibratory range of the universal consciousness that we can be consciously aware of is but a tiny fraction of the possibilities of the universal consciousness. The rest is unconscious to our normal perception. It is by using instruments that detect vibratory ranges undetectable to our human senses that scientists discovered wave ranges like microwaves, x-rays, infrared, ultraviolet, and others that we cannot see or hear but that are impactful nonetheless.

As Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu taught nearly 3000 years ago, exploring the realms of consciousness beyond that of our normal conscious awareness is the key to growth. Contrary to what the television and movie series Star Trek postulated, the final frontier is not the exploration of outer space but the exploration of consciousness. And scientific instruments will be of limited assistance in our quest. The exploration into levels of consciousness is much more of an internal quest than an external one.

This is the 6^thin a series titled The Perplexities of Consciousness. Life Notes are my explorations into mysteries that interest me. They are invitations for readers to explore more deeply into life’s mysteries. Engage with me or explore contemplative spiritual direction at ghildenbrand@outlook.com.

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[1] Lao Tzu, Chinese philosopher, born 571 BCE.