Consciousness in the Face of Unconsciousness Part 3
July 15, 2025
Consciousness in the Face of Unconsciousness Part 3
As we become conscious, we become aware of what we do, and then we become aware of why we are doing those things. If we remain unconscious, we simply go through the motions, and even if we enjoy or suffer through what we are doing, we do not know the primary reasons why. We may only know secondary reasons why we do something.
I used to ask a question of people— “What is the purpose of your life?” I will never forget an answer given by many people: “To have fun. To enjoy life.” But these were secondary answers— answers on the surface of awareness. Underneath, each person had another more fundamental answer even if they were unaware of it. But it took many inquiries and much exploration to unearth the fundamental purpose of one’s life. It also took consciousness to want to know the primary answer which was usually found in realizing that our true purpose comes to us after we know our soul and align with the universe.
The road to knowing our purpose begins with knowing what we do and why we do it. After exploring why we do what we do, if we know in our heart that the answer we produce is only superficial, it is time to journey deeper into the soul. This is a serious journey which calls for commitment to our deepest purpose. This journey also takes curiosity.
With age our purpose deepens. Many other aspects of our purpose appear, and we understand that many other people experience the same.
We also become curious about others’ purposes. We become aware that there are many other purposes, and that to run, the world requires a plethora of purposes. So, we gain a healthy respect for these purposes and their various aspects. We realize that instead of being the center of the world, we are a tiny star in a vast and ever- expanding universe. But we also realize that without that one star, the universe is not the same.
There is a primitive instinct to consider ourselves the center of the universe, and on the collective level to consider our tribe, our culture, and our way of life the number one thing that everything else revolves around. The scientist Galileo ran into this problem on a large scale.
His scientific discoveries about the heavens revealed that the earth revolves around the sun, a contradiction to the church’s then-current cosmology that held the sun revolves around the earth. Galileo was found guilty of heresy in the Roman Inquisition initiated by Pope Paul III. In 1633, Galileo was placed under house arrest for life. He was also forced to recant his views publicly. Why would the church, government or any institution, be more invested in its narrative than in science?
Spiritual practice: Look at the heavens through a telescope. After experiencing infinity, journal your spiritual response.
Self-inquiry: Drop into your heart and say what deep purpose underlies all aspects of your life.
Dear God,
I pray for understanding all the aspects of my purpose. Amen
