by Synthia Andrews, PhD: The world is changing. Old forms are being challenged and new directions are needed across all spectrums of life;
economically, socially, politically, ecologically and spiritually. When many structures of culture are called to change simultaneously, a paradigm shift is underway; a change in the way we see the world and our place within it. Paradigm shifts can be initiated by scientific discovery, as when we learned that the Earth revolves around the Sun, or when we understood that time is relative. The current shift is caused by an awakening of the human spirit and the reflection that the old ways of doing things, the old ways of seeing the world are no longer sustainable.
This shift has been predicted since ancient times by many different cultures and traditions. It is a shift in consciousness, an expanded awareness of reality. If advances in quantum physics are indicators, we are acknowledging that there is no separation between the seen and the unseen domains, between the material world and the here-to-fore hidden forces that guide it. Ultimately, it is an awakening to spiritual reality, although what spiritual reality is must be defined individually. It is up to each person to determine his or her own spiritual source and connection.
Change is never easy and the challenges we face are great. Personal conflict, health issues, financial strain and Earth changes are impacting everyone in one way or another. Not only do we need new ways of looking at reality, we also need new abilities to negotiate the terrain ahead. The change in consciousness is awakening the inner resources we need for the journey. These resources are not new; they have always been there. They are part of the innate energy awareness each of us is equipped with.
Everything we see, feel and hear is a vibration within a sea of energy from which the circumstances and events of life unfold. Einstein’s groundbreaking equation E = MC2 (energy equals matter times the speed of light squared) declares that energy and matter are the same substance separated only by the speed of their movement, or rate of vibration. Energy and matter live in a perpetual dance of transformation; energy entrained in matter, matter released back to energy. As ancient cultures have taught, the world is alive; all parts of it, animate and inanimate. The energy of life has been called life force, or subtle energy, and exists outside the range of our current technology’s ability to measure, as radio waves and microwaves once were. However, subtle energy can be felt and perceived.
The body, both physically and energetically, is the vehicle for our consciousness; the means for us to explore reality. We are wired for the journey. Just as the physical senses are geared to receive information along a range of frequencies, our energy body receives information across the frequencies of subtle energy. The eyes receive information in the spectrum of visible light frequency; ears receive information in the spectrum of audible sound frequency, and the energy body receives information from the spiritual side of reality.
Changes in consciousness occur with a corresponding change in frequency. You may have heard the phrase “time is speeding up.” This is another way of saying that the vibration of the universe is quickening. The result is change; change in our society, our psyches and our bodies. One result of the quickening is that the amount of time between what we think and what our thoughts create is becoming very short, teaching us to discipline our minds and consciously create the world. Another result is that submerged issues that hinder our growth are being brought to the surface requiring that we heal them. It is a challenging time for many.
A change in consciousness also precipitates a change in perceptive ability. The mystics have long held that the universe is made of many dimensions and that we are multi-dimensional beings. Attainment of multi-dimensional awareness is part of the change underway, a concept made more plausible with the advent of quantum physics and the seemingly paranormal nature of subatomic particles.
Right now, inner senses are stirring as people awaken to the energy matrix of life. Perhaps you are having experiences you haven’t had before and don’t completely understand. Do you feel energy moving in your body? Do you know who is on the phone when it rings? Do you think of people only to have them appear around the next corner? Are you seeing lights in the sky and auras around people? Learning how to access energy awareness will help you engage these experiences more fully.
Descriptions of human energy systems are constructs, ways of organizing information to be able to observe patterns. Constructs change as information and awareness changes. The popular construct used presently to describe the human energy system comes from the Vedic tradition of India, brought into Western thought through the Theosophists at the turn of the 20th century. As our consciousness changes and we attain higher levels of awareness, this construct might also change.
Let’s review this system and how it impacts us:
- There are seven dimensional planes or levels of reality.
- Each plane vibrates at a specific rate.
- The human energy field, called the aura, has seven layers, each vibrating at a different rate.
- Each dimensional plane corresponds to a layer of the human aura through which the information is received from these planes of reality.
- The chakras are the interface between the aura and the physical body.
- Each layer of the aura has a corresponding chakra, or energy center, that takes the information from the aura and steps it down to a lower level where it is fed into the body.
- The body/mind receives and translates energy information.
- Subtle energy is received via the aura, metabolized in the chakras and distributed through channels in the body called meridians.
- The essence of energy awareness means becoming aware of the information the body is receiving from the energy realms and how we are interacting with it.
- We are sensing energy all the time; it’s just happening below the level of conscious attention.
- The body tells us about energy information through physical sensations, perceptions, moods, emotions, gut feelings and intuition.
Since each layer of the aura corresponds to a different level or dimension of reality, to experience different dimensions, all we have to do is awaken our inner energy senses. In the past, expanding consciousness was viewed as rising through the chakras from the lower, more physical levels, into the higher, more spiritual levels. Growth was a step-by-step progression with the assumption of a basic duality where spirit is good and material is not. Spiritual growth required transcending the lower physical planes, which were considered traps.
However, being truly multi-dimensional is having the ability to encompass and inhabit all levels of reality simultaneously. Rather than trapping us in the material, the body is an anchor for us as spiritual, multi-dimensional beings to interact in the physical plane. We often overlook the gift of a physical body, identifying this plane with pain, suffering and ego. Some seek to escape through ascension into higher consciousness. In truth, we would not be in physical form if it didn’t have meaning and purpose. What if we are not here to escape matter, but to spiritualize matter; to open the doors between the realms, bringing the gifts of each to bear on the other?
Spiritualizing matter is often mischaracterized as bringing spirit into matter. Matter is already imbued with spirit; all life has spirit: human spirit, nature spirits and so on. We can say that matter is the infusion of spirit into form. What is meant by spiritualizing matter, is the raising of frequency such that matter loses its hold on our consciousness and we are free to come and go at will.
Paying attention to the body is our first lesson in energy awareness. As we learn to pay attention, we begin to notice that certain sensations correlate to certain changes in our internal energy flow. We notice that when our energy shifts, we are open to experiencing different states of mind and perception. Life flows better and synchronicity increases as life enriching events and situations manifest.
As the shift in consciousness progresses, inner resources are being activated. However, old patterns are also being stimulated and exposed to change. Consequently, people are experiencing many levels of personal challenge, physically and emotionally, as well as through intense life challenges. This includes feeling strange sensations in the body: experiencing body jolts, inner vibration and tingling sensations as energy is moving. Many are finding that old, dysfunctional patterns are re-emerging in relationships, creating stress and conflict. Financial struggle and material loss are challenges many are facing.
The list is long, covering a wide range of experiences and, as difficult as it is, this is a golden opportunity for growth. It is a call to engage the fullness of yourself and incorporate energy awareness to create new outcomes. We have all the tools necessary. Our body/mind is equipped with everything we need; we simply need to remember how.
Accepting our place as spiritual beings co-creating this reality is the essence of the transformation underway. Activating new energy patterns and shifting awareness allows us to fully participate in the path and purpose of life. As we remember our essence, we will awaken to the realization that humans are magnificent beings with unlimited potential.
In this moment, we are creating the direction of the future. What that direction will be depends on the awareness with which we make our choices. How each of us behaves in the trials of this transition will determine the future we are creating. What we do depends on what we hold precious, what we believe about reality and what we decide to treasure. It is time to clear the past, engage the largest part of who we are and align our actions accordingly.
Synthia Andrews is the author of “The Path of Energy”, published by New Page.
