“All differences in this world are of degree, and not of kind, because oneness is the secret of everything.”
― Swami Vivekananda
Many years ago, when I first began seeking to expand my consciousness and grow in Spirit, I discovered the power of meditation. I needed a healing connection, and meditation appeared. It was the key to my spiritual growth—the one true constant in my life—and has brought me more of everything I could ever have wanted. Did I know in the beginning all the gifts that expanding consciousness could bring? I knew that I was looking for something and Spirit knew the way.
I began doing everything I could to cultivate an expanded consciousness, and here’s what I found. Besides the fact that it feels really good, it’s also the best state from which to get guidance and direction for your life, to have your energy field recharged (resulting in better health), and to get the information and instructions you need for transformation. All of the concerns that your “small self” doesn’t know how to address, as well as all of your bigger life questions, can be answered by tapping into the universal energy field shared by all, the unified field, your connection to Spirit.
In an expanded state of awareness, you perceive beyond the limitations of your body and mind and feel that you are part of the vast universe around you, connected to All That Is. You might experience the unified field while hiking in the mountains or watching the waves roll in at the beach—nature can certainly ease you into an expanded state of awareness. Or maybe you’ve reached it through exercise or prayer or music, or through making love or being present at the birth or death of a loved one—events where you feel deeply connected to another person. Oftentimes, an expanded state has come upon me while mountain climbing or cross-country skiing in the wilderness. But the surest route to heightened consciousness is meditation.