9 Key Components of the Shift Towards

Higher Consciousness

Dylan Charles, Editor

Waking Times

Facing considerable political, economic, social and ecological crises, the human race is desperate for a

transformation and a new direction. Business as usual ensures that we are doomed to run a course of

half-conscious self-destruction, as man-made catastrophes multiply and stress mounts in every aspect of

life. We must overthrow our ignorance, as it has become a fearful master, goading us into war,

pollution, waste and exploitation

The social problems and entrenched patterns at the source of global issues are too vast and

complex to be solved at the personal level, yet, paradoxically, the personal transformation of the

individual offers a lonesome opportunity to avert the catastrophes we are engineering for

ourselves. Human consciousness has a critical role to play in our collective destiny and there is a

seismic shift occurring here that is creating a rising class of conscious people better equipped

than ever to deal with such a chaotic environment.

The shift. It is the dramatic re-ordering of one’s psyche, producing changes that greatly benefit

the body, mind and spirit. It is marked by considerable expansion of awareness of the inner

spaces of mind and heart, and of the inter-dependent nature of all things. It is a reconstruction of

one’s life and purpose rebuilt on a foundation of truth, peace, strength and flexibility, and it is

brought about by a laborious and sufferable process of reflection and self-realization. The end

result of the shift is the experience of a new, world-centric perspective on life, the reclamation of

mental and physical health, and the discovery of the strength, courage and fearlessness needed to

wade through these interesting times.

Personal evolution is both the great duty and the great joy of all human beings and is a process of

divine significance, frequently unfolding in overlapping stages and related developments. Here

are 9 key components of the shift commonly experienced by evolving people, not necessarily

occurring in a particular order.

1. Contemporary Consciousness – The mass consciousness of production, consumption,

submission and nihilism is where the shift begins. This is the consensus trance that we have been

programmed to accept as real life, while obediently serving our worst interests without

examination or question. Contemporary consciousness is acquiescence to insanity for the sake of

convenience. Breaking through contemporary consciousness is to strike the very root of our

global dilemma. Numb, drugged, and senseless, this level of consciousness is a psychic plague

blotting out our potential.

2. A Disturbance in the Force – Like a canary in a coal mine, a warning appears from

somewhere, grabbing our attention, rattling our confidence, pulling us out of our tunnel vision.

Some small piece of information gathered from the alternative press or from a documentary film

eats at our understanding of how the world is set up, and the shift begins. This sets the stage for a

deep and serious personal crises to erupt, and often engages a ferocious drive for knowledge and

truth.

3. An Introspective Quest for Knowledge & Truth - Knowledge and information are the fuel

for personal transformation. Once awakened, our natural draw towards truth and justice calls us

to consider new ideas and outside perspectives as we search for a new bearing in a crumbling

understanding of the world. Introspection reveals answers to never-before asked questions and

the accompanying interest in ‘alternative’ information and ideas provides answers that

profoundly contradict contemporary consciousness. Once this quest is initiated the world never

again looks the same.

4. The Dark Night of the Soul – The disturbance begins to conflict with contemporary

consciousness so severely that the amount of cognitive dissonance required to adhere to the

status quo life manifests materially as serious personal mental and physical health crises. The

foundation for this catastrophic and catalyzing series of events has been under construction for

most of life up to this point, and as such, the mind, body and spirit can be forced to endure

unimaginable lows as the entire sum and meaning of one’s existence is smashed and broken to

pieces under the weight of one’s denial about their complicity in their own self-destruction.

This is the ultimate test. To pass it one must endure the pain to the ultimate degree, and simply

not give up. For many, the dark night of the soul lasts for years, marking the most serious,

frightening and life-changing phase of life. Succumbing to the suffering here means giving in to

total annihilation and choosing the path of serious self-deceit, total submission to ego and to false

authority, addiction, reckless endangerment of the self, suicide, overdose, etc.

5. Discovery of Real Medicine – Something helps us through this crisis by easing the pain of

our suffering, gently re-building positive energy and providing sufficient distraction while the

body and spirit begin to reclaim health. Medicine here is not pharmaceutical, but therapeutical,

and can come in the form of an artistic endeavor or exercise, or better yet, an intense study of an

esoteric healing physical art like Qi Gong, Yoga, Kung Fu, meditation, and so on. Medicine may

also be found amongst healers, therapists, shaman, or even plant medicines like Ayahuasca and

Iboga. Finding the activity or experience that nudges you away from the brink of destruction and

towards healing is a critical component of the shift.

6. Purification and Detox – Along the quest for knowledge we discover the toxic nature of our

processed and sedentary lifestyle and realize the need for detox and purification. Learning about

fluoride, heavy metals, GMO’s and the poisons in our food reveals the link between our

emotional state, stress levels, well-being and conscious awareness. A new relationship with food

is developed and taking care of the body and health gradually becomes easier.

Our toxic environment also includes our social atmosphere and here we are compelled to tune

out of mainstream media, conversation and logic, purging ourselves of the garbage that so many

people consider important. Our consumption of mainline ideas is reduced and our mind regains a

footing of independence in a sea of sensationalized conformity.

7. Re-thinking of Authority, Dependence and Liberty – As the detox pushes older versions of

the self out of the way, rejuvenating the psyche, a new picture of the self emerges in a world that

no longer looks anything like it did before. The designs of control and manipulation governing

our social institutions and traditions are rightfully exposed as farcical constructs that deter our

evolution, while modern politics and government are understood to be laughable traps of

dependence and deceit and therefore no longer beneficial to positive growth. The people that

invest their lives and identities in these schemes seem desperate and needy of purpose, fanatical

and outrageously too certain and too serious about life.

Non-conformity and non-compliance become moral obligations and liberty is revalued to include

freedom from living in the fear-based consciousness offered as the default way of life. Ordinary

people seem strange now in how they self-organize into ridiculous pecking orders, squabbling

for position at work and submitting to any ‘authority figure’ with a badge and cheap uniform. It

becomes clear that freedom has less to do with laws and more to do with voluntary submission,

and liberty becomes a constant struggle to decrease dependence on the systems that complicate

life.

8. Letting Go of and Discarding that Which Does Not Serve – In order to move through the

process of transformation, it is absolutely necessary to jettison the things, people, relationships,

habits, and ideas which no longer serve and support us. Human beings energetically interact with

the objects and people in our environment, and eliminating and purging sources of stagnant

energy and negativity creates space for new experience and inspiration to enter and flow into life.

This is one of the most renewing components in this transformation.

9. Initiation into Mystery - Material science and mainstream thought exclude forms of mystery

and paranormal activity from consideration in our culture, therefore making an initiation into the

world of the unexplainable a common feature of the shift. For some reason, as a person changes

in this fashion, strange and fascinating events occur that chip away at the certainties that support

consensus material reality. Synchronicities emerge and moments of clarity give greater meaning

to the mundane. Awareness of the subtle life force energy, Qi or Prana, develops, and ancient

modalities of thought and concentration elicit strangely powerful revelations. Once the veil of the

rigid scientific mindset is pierced, intuition and curiosity flourish and one re-assesses the

potential in all things and in all circumstances, abandoning certainty in favor of wonder. Life

becomes at sacred, as it should be.

Conclusion

The shift is nothing short of total personal revolution, and signals the re-organization of the mind

and psyche for the benefit of the individual and the collective. It is about remembering who we

are and overcoming the momentous inertia of the self-destructive programming in our modern

world.Coming to extra-ordinary consciousness and awareness from the depths of the

contemporary trance that sickens so many people is a process compelled by both natural forces

and personal will and is part of our unique journey towards individuation, freedom, and

happiness in this amazing world, at this incredible time.

If you have anything of value to add to this list, please do so in the comments section below.

About the Author

Dylan Charles is a student and teacher of Shaolin Kung Fu, Tai Chi and Qi Gong, a practitioner

of Yoga and Taoist esoteric arts, and an activist and idealist passionately engaged in the struggle

for a more sustainable and just world for future generations. He is the editor

of WakingTimes.com, the proprietor of OffgridOutpost.com, a grateful father and a man who

seeks to enlighten others with the power of inspiring information and action. His remarkable

journey of self-transformation is a testament to the power of the will and the persistence of the

human spirit. He may be contacted at wakingtimes@gmail.com.