What is Consciousness?

Had the question posed of what I consider "consciousness" to be.  Great question, and when asked it always helps me sharpen my own ideas about it!

To me, consciousness is the ever-evolving awareness of what we, as humans, are all about-- as well as how we fit into the grander scheme of the Universe.  Because I see everything through spiritual eyes, I apply meaning to just about everything that crosses my awareness.  It might be the contentment I perceive with the sound of my dog snoring next to me on the couch (as he is right now), or the meaning I place on the appearance of a hawk overhead, or the connection I feel with clients when they have an "aha" moment.  If we were capable of being conscious of all of the cues around us at all times, we would be overwhelmed with the infinite amount of information we might receive.  But just taking the time to tune into just one or two of these cues at a time can exponentially heighten our awareness of the world around us and give us the many wonderful affirmations that we are heading in the right direction as humans--- and more importantly as Souls.

Consciousness is the awareness of the "meta-moment"--- the moment within the moment, per se.  It is the 3-D view of the world-- the popping out of meaning that we can receive only when we choose to be conscious.  Consciousness goes beyond awareness.

Mindfulness is a big thing in our society right now-- the moment-to-moment awareness of the good, the bad and the ugly (Jon Kabot-Zinn).  However, I think mindfulness is necessary but insufficient when it comes to gleaning full meaning from those moments.  Being aware of them is not enough.  Extracting the meaning behind them is consciousness. 

The evolving consciousness of the world right now shows that we are no longer satisfied with the status quo.  We want more out of life-- more out of the moment.  And as we evolve as Souls, we become less and less tolerant of the human condition-- we want to live in spirit, not just as humans.

Thanks for the question....  I'll be curious how I respond in another few years as my own consciousness evolves!   (For more ongoing info--- consider adding your name to my E-newsletter list.  Go to http://www.drkatherinetkelly.com/ and sign up!)