Consciousness is when unconscious-instinct pauses, conscious-intellect understands, and subconscious-intuition leads.

What are the Levels of Consciousness?
A circular badge with a starburst in the center that reads "BACK TO THE PRESENT" in pink and purple text. The outer ring of the badge has the words "SUBCONSCIOUS" in pink and "UNCONSCIOUS" in gray, with blue, pink, and green sections dividing the ring.

Consciousness is more than just being awake. It is your ability to notice what is happening right now, what you are doing, feeling, and thinking, and to choose how you respond instead of acting automatically.

You experience life through three connected levels of awareness:

  • The automatic survival part of your mind that reacts quickly without thinking

  • The thinking part of your mind that learns knowingly, plans, and makes sense of the world

  • The deeper guiding part of your mind that learns unknowingly, helping you sense meaning, care, and connection

Together, these three levels shape how you experience every moment.

Because of this, Consciousness is not passive. With the Unique Abilities of conscious awareness and free choice, it becomes:

  • Directional — using time and energy on purpose instead of reacting

    Moral — recognizing that actions, feelings, and thoughts affect yourself and others

  • Relational — understanding how your choices shape trust, empathy, and connection

  • Creative — choosing new responses rather than repeating the past

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Animals live mostly through unconscious-instinct. They are conscious within the present moment, responding immediately to what is happening now. Humans are different. Humans can use conscious-intellect to recognize time and energy as Limited Resources and understand that how they are spent matters. Through subconscious-intuition, humans can choose responses guided by loving intention rather than impulse.

Close-up of water ripples creating light patterns on the sandy bottom.

At its core, Consciousness is the ability to pause, notice the present moment, and guide unconscious-instinct with conscious-intellect and subconscious-intuition. When you do this, you can move beyond contentment toward happiness and eventually joyfulness—shaping your life and relationships with care, purpose, and loving intention.

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