Do you know the difference between a state of consciousness and stage of consciousness? This is something that wisdom keepers differentiate very well and this example might make it clear.
A few years ago, Alberto and I were teaching at our sanctuary in Chile when we got a message from a client saying that she had been in samadhi (the experience of oneness in a meditative state) for several days and she felt it was important to share this exquisite calm with all of us. We felt touched and welcomed her as soon as she could manage to fly in from her own country.
A couple of days later she landed in Santiago and despite our instructions and warnings to ride only with our official driver she took a local taxi and got scammed. Not only she was charged three times the normal rate, but she was dropped off at a distant location half an hour away from us.
As soon as we realized what had happened, our retreat manager went to pick her up and found her so upset she didn’t want to speak with him or with us when she finally arrived. It took her two entire days to get over her disappointment and even then she was moody and downtrodden until she left earlier than planned.
In this story you can see how easy is to flip from a state of bliss or tranquility to a state of anger and irritation when the outer world doesn’t flow the way we want.
As we diligently work through our greediness, jealousy, and other shortcomings that bubble up from our instinctual nature and past traumas, we can achieve a higher stage of consciousness—our calm and equanimity are truly long lasting.
There are many paths to do the deep alchemical work of transforming our anger and frustrations into lightness and gratitude. What is important is that we choose a path and dive deep because in the end all paths meet.
The Munay-Ki is such a path, recognizing the stages of consciousness from healer to day keeper, to wisdom keeper, to earth keeper and beyond. Each stage illumines how we become more aware, more loving, and wiser.
At the first level we care for nature by caring for our own bodies and psyches and for those around us. At the second level we achieve a deeper connection with the feminine and fertile aspect of the land; our love and wisdom reaches the extended community. At the third level, we acquire the vision of someone who sees from the mountain-top and our service and dedication goes beyond the space around us. At the level of the earth keeper, our love and wisdom is large enough to embrace the entire Earth and all our relations.
To achieve the more encompassing stages of consciousness requires great dedication and courage to realize what is not pretty or agreeable within us. It is through entering our own fire of transformation that we change and endure the outer changes with deeper equanimity.
Have you said yes to your path?
Blessings!
Marcela Lobos
