Big Rowan Ackison (greensh) wrote,
Big Rowan Ackison
greensh
  • Mood: contemplative

Altered States of Consciousness - Part 1

The purpose of this series of blog entries is to review the concept of what consciousness is, how consciousness is altered, and how the shaman uses the shift.

What Is Consciousness?

For purposes of this blog, consciousness can be loosely defined as:

The waking perception of objects, events, and time.
 
Contrasted with consciousness is the subconscious. Our subconscious is a hidden mind just as perceptive of things. Our awaking mind struggles for a language to share information. This gap is bridged during dreams, hypnosis and meditation and other methods of achieving altered consciousness.

Altered consciousness is very much awake and real. The altered perception is shifted from the “norm”. This is an interesting thought. When the new and unusual becomes a normal day of life, it becomes part of the everyday reality of the consciousness. So, it would be beneficial to further explore the definition of altered consciousness. However, at its root, altered consciousness defies fixed definition. It is instead something that is experienced. The triggers for this experience are what we will explore further.

Altered consciousness is very strong when the conscious and subconscious minds communicate with each other. Their dialogue forms the basis of this shifted perception. The reality of the moment is derived from the conscious and the alternate reality from the subconscious. The combination is like the Temperance card in the Tarot as a new, real reality is formed.
Tags: conciousness, shaman, shamanic
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