What Is Higher Consciousness?

People are attracted to Royal Way for many reasons: to learn meditation, to retreat from the hustle and bustle of daily life for a day or two, to learn more about themselves, to seek a more meaningful life, to enjoy better relationships. All of this and more is possible in Royal Way. But anyone who attends a Royal Way Spiritual Center retreat, or a Journey to Self workshop in Los Angeles, quickly understands that the goal of experiencing higher consciousness is at the heart of Royal Way teachings.

In fact, Royal Way was founded by a master teacher of higher consciousness, Michael Menahem Gottlieb.

So it is only reasonable to ask: What is higher consciousness? And the logical follow-up: Why should I want it?

In his teachings and writings, Michael Gottlieb makes it clear: We as humans are blessed with consciousness. It differentiates us from animals. And just as we are blessed with consciousness, we have the potential to attain higher consciousness. He writes: “Man by definition is consciousness. When an animal seeks to eat, it is purely instinctual. When man looks for food, it is instinct … plus. Man knows that if he does not eat, he will die. Man knows that he wants to live. The accent is on that conscious knowing. And the refinement of consciousness into subtler and subtler levels, into the development of a higher and higher consciousness, is the evolution of man.”

Michael continues: “Man alone has the capacity to be much more than his beginnings. Man incorporates all the instincts and behaviors of animals. But man carries an added dimension: knowledge and awareness of himself. Man is conscious of being conscious.”

Ordinary Consciousness vs. Higher Consciousness

Of course, even though man has that added dimension, we have to use our awareness of ourself to raise our consciousness. To that end, it helps to understand how higher consciousness differs from ordinary consciousness. Michael offers one very clear illustration of that difference. He explains that in ordinary consciousness, we are focused on the future. We are, he says, constantly in a state of waiting. He writes: 

“All of mankind’s normal state of consciousness is a state of waiting. You know: I have to wait till I’m married. Then I will be happy. Or, I’ll be happy when I have a child. Or, I’ll be happy when I get a better job. I will be happy when I’m elected president, when I get a new house, when I redo the house, when I have a million dollars…”

It is normal to live that way, to hope for fulfillment through the future. But the result is constant frustration, because, Michael explains—and this is obvious if we think about it—“the future does not exist. The future comes as the now. When it comes, it is the now.”

Higher consciousness—what Michael describes as the “fullness of life” and “the power of your being”—can only be found by fully embracing and experiencing the present, the here and now.

“The power of your being is felt only now, is experienced only now—right now, right now, right now, and only right now.” Through meditation and constant awareness, we can experience that state of now and feel the profound power of our being.

Higher Consciousness Is Not of the Mind

Another important way to distinguish higher consciousness versus ordinary consciousness is to understand that higher consciousness is not of the mind. It is the mind that waits for the future to happen, and it is the mind that seeks constant diversions away from the beauty of the present moment. Michael writes:

“When you are in the mind, you are disconnected from the aliveness, from the fullness and depth of aliveness of your being, and you are trapped in the mind. And the mind is not getting enough food or stimulus. So boredom sets in, because the mind needs continuous stimulus, food: What’s the next thing I can gobble up? What’s the next thing I can get my teeth into? What’s next? What’s next? You experience a constant restlessness when you are stuck in the mind.”

It’s not that anything is wrong with pleasant, fun experiences. In fact, Michael teaches that seeking higher consciousness doesn’t involve ascetic practices or deprivation. He writes:  “Embarking on the divine ship as it sails to higher consciousness is not an act of renouncing the world and its pleasures. Rather, it is an expansion of all our horizons, a lifting of limitations, and a bursting of boundaries.”

Trying to seek fulfillment through the preoccupations of the mind is a trap, because higher consciousness, where true fulfillment can be found, is beyond the mind. The mind is like the flame of a candle, while higher consciousness is like the enormity of the sun. The two are related, of course, but the sun is infinitely more vast and full of life energy. Anyone seeking higher consciousness is willing to forgo the traps laid by the mind, by ordinary consciousness, and is eager to discover what lies beyond. Royal Way is devoted to that journey, that discovery.

Why Should I Seek Higher Consciousness?

We raised the question at the outset of this article: Why should I want to seek higher consciousness? For seekers who are open and sincere, the answer is beautiful and compelling: “A vast, new array of deep, rich experiences is added to our otherwise finite existence,” Michael writes. The state of higher consciousness is the goal of seekers because it brings a state of bliss that is not dependent on any material or mental pursuit.

Finally, as we return to our original question—What is higher consciousness?—we might also ask where this state is found. Michael answers both questions: “This state is called different names and given different titles in various religions and cultures, whether it is ‘samadhi’ or ‘nirvana’ or ‘moksha’ or ‘kingdom of God’ or ‘heaven.’ Whatever you want to call it, when we reach that state, that incredible bliss, it is within ourselves. Where else would we experience it? That is the unfolding. That is the unveiling. That is the ultimate vision, and it is at the deepest core of our being.”