Many spiritualist or esoteric traditions have mapped out the idea that people’s consciousness could exist at different levels. The below system proposes 10 distinct levels of consciousness:

1. The physical level of consciousness

On the first level, you identify with the physical and material realm completely. You are an embodiment your external environment, with all its positive and negative aspects.

You’ve internalized the values of society at large, and you define yourself in terms of your material successes and status. If you’re unsuccessful and poor, you accept things as they are and believe that efforts for success will be fruitless.

2. The rumblings from beneath

As you transcend to the second level of consciousness, you feel disillusionment with living entirely in the material realm. You start to identify less with external and material reality and begin to look inwards.

You spend more time alone and start to feel unmoved by the lifestyle that can be got with money and consumerism. You become attracted to learning about yourself. You begin to distinguish between sex and love, and between superficial power and real power.

3. Emerging

On the third level, you become more sensitive. You feel things more deeply. You start allowing yourself to cry and experience painful states. You begin to ask philosophical questions and develop artistic sensibilities.

Then, you come to understand your relation to life, your physical being, your sexual energy, your creativity. You start to empathize with people, sensing what they feel. It starts to become clear what it is to be a human being and a true friend and neighbor, and you start to act on your own values.

4. From passive to active

As you move onto the fourth level of consciousness, you’ve emerged as an individual and begin to take an active role in life. You make your own decisions about what your life should be. You choose friends and situations according to your own values, of which you are now sure.

Also, you begin to wield influence over your own thoughts and emotions, manipulating them to fit your values and what you want for yourself. You practice mindfulness and begin to achieve self-mastery, knowing that every thought and deed defines you.

5. Inner balance

By the time you’ve reached the 5th level of consciousness, you’ve changed your lifestyle in accordance with what’s best for you. You’ve given up destructive habits. You treat your body and mind with respect and maintain harmony and balance through your daily regimen.

At the same time, you’ve stopped living for the admiration and acceptance of others, and you’ve started to live for yourself. Instead, you begin to offer service to others based on your own desire to give.

Also, you devote time to meditation, creating, and celebrating existence. You make compromises with others and your ego concerns diminish. You begin to manifest your spiritual being in the physical world and in your relationships.

6. Bridging the gap

At the 6th stage of consciousness, the split between the external world and the spiritual realm has become clear to you. You live almost a double life. You are in the world but you no longer feel part of it.

Thus, you become adept at passing between spiritual and physical realities and you begin to transfer knowledge from the one to the other. You become able to adapt to different situations, adopting personas to fit requirements of circumstances, but holding fast to a higher self.

At the same time, you meditate often and become someone who can resolve conflicts and offer others guidance.

7. Manifesting spirit

When you’ve reached the 7th level of consciousness, you’ve begun to live from spirit. You feel a deep emotional connection with all living creatures. You understand what lies in the hearts of people, you feel their pain and know how to heal them.

Then, you express your spirit physically, uninhibited by negative feelings or judgments of yourself or others. You show affection to people with overwhelming warmth and connect with others emotionally.

8. Beginnings of fusion

At the 8th level of consciousness, the barriers between your ego and the collective are beginning to crumble. There’s no longer merely a recognition of your sameness with all those around you, you begin to feel the symbiotic connection that you have with all of creation.

You become aware of energies and realize that all feeling, thought, and action is based on vibrations or frequencies of energy. You learn how to master the energy that you’re channelling and begin to see that you can influence the actions of others with your energy.

9. Presence

When you pass onto the 9th level of consciousness, you wield such power over your thoughts and feelings that their strength and purity begin to transform the people you meet. When you enter a room, people feel pure love for you. Your presence becomes so tangible and powerful that it influences others.

Your mind, heart, spirit, body, and soul are one. Thus, you no longer identify yourself as an individual being with any ego concerns. You have become fused with the universe. At this point, you’re able to lead others en masse.

10. Dissolution of self and ascendance

At the 10th and final level of consciousness, your sense of self has almost entirely disappeared. You have no ego boundaries left standing, and you live in your own spiritual reality.

Your connection to the rest of creation becomes coordinated. You move and everyone moves with you. You have become fused with the collective.

Also, you’re able to communicate with all beings in one pure language. Your being absorbs the universe around it and is absorbed by it. You are able to channel divine power.

Which of the above levels of consciousness have you reached, and what means have you used to get there?


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This Post Has 29 Comments

  1. Phuc vu

    Hey Caroline
    I am going through a spiritual awakening and my level of consciousness I feel like I’ve experienced all levels I guess only I would know that but it’s freaking me out because I have to learn to control it while still in this physical 3 dimension universe plagued with evil money hungry greedy sons of bitch government Rothschild illuminati mother fuckers.

  2. Otto Hunt

    10 levels implies it is a lot of work/time. Not so in my experience. Simply abandon the mindset of independent existence, which is not supported by science, anyway.

    Even animals can “get there” according to Ramana Maharshi.

  3. Darc

    As you are still concerned about the world’s greed power money you are still in 2nd stage(the questioning) you have to be a communist brother.they have same idealogy like you do.As for your comment you are still dumb

  4. Er.Akshay Pasalkar-Deshmukh

    I’m 19 years old…
    I have experienced level 1,2,3,4

  5. Ed Hare

    I do have to notice, however, that the infinite and egoless self is also striving to be and become we individual consciousness. Perhaps our own feeling of self represents a higher level of awareness, too. To believe that spiritual progress can only occur in one direction is a thought that limits how much we can see of the nature of being of the Universe.

  6. Jonathan

    Idk what i would call the level i have reached……but i feel connected to the trees, the birds the dirt and i look at others with love. I understand it is the utmost powerful energy. I have trouble explaining it and can feel so much like a veil or film has been lifted and i can actually “see” now……good read.

  7. Alex

    in my experience it is not a ladder with steps. it is like a switch. it is either on or off. the moment you get impatient or frustrated, it is off again. the levels are , how long can you let it on, and go through the world, without getting pulled down. once you had your first 24 hour period, you know, you can withstand any situation or circumstances. anyone can be happy and nice, in a friendly and loving situation. but if you can stay calm and loving in unpleasant circumstances, then you are on the other side. nothing can bother you any more. you are not a slave anymore, you are free!

  8. Eric

    I’m not sure how high but probably to 8, and that was not even what I would say my own presence, but one planted into me. I was very involved in astrology at the time, namely horoscopes, which told me who I was, how I could act, and what would happen to me. Great spiritual boost as I was told constantly everyday that how special I was, I suffered multiple heart problems and a lot of stressful situations determining the correct path. In the end, I learned that the influence I had was superficial, wrong, and not permanent. Days later after I abandoned the practice, my influence left me.

  9. Lee Han

    I’m 15 and I experienced up to level 7 and I feel I’m transitioning into level 8

  10. Kim

    I’m am certainly level 6 and moving up as a dream led me to this site. I was shopping and had to continuously walk up flights of stairs to get to the next level. I was stuck on level 6 and there were ten levels to reach. I believed I had reached all ten in a previous time or lifetime and was shopping and moving up the stairs/ levels again.

  11. Susan

    From what I’ve learned this is not a linear process… two steps forward, one step back. I can’t state a level based on this model but have lived in the Witness state for quite a few years now. Am more inclined to use the We than the i. Longtime reader of Ken Wilber’s earlier books.

  12. Lin

    1,2,3,4,5,6 and 7 are done…still in Nr. 8, i think ☺️

  13. Joe Average

    Stupid question from me, a hypocrit – but if you write that you are level 7 or higher – are you really that…???

  14. Kishore Kannan

    Mine is 10th!
    Absolutely Guys!! Thnk you so much for this knowledge!!

  15. Igor

    As a practitioner for over 25 years, I can assure you that there are many more levels above the tenth level mentioned here. Just like a martial artist who gets a black belt as soon as the basic level is completed and then goes out on a long-term path of learning, ‘dissolution of self and ascendance’ 10th level is just the beginning of your journey.

  16. Rayne

    10th Level here, sure it’s nice and all…but it comes with heavy responsibilities and a sense of duty towards yourself and the world based on the “Task” assigned by the “Higher Self”.

    1. Alphonse

      Rayne something you said here hit me like a brick. I would like to speak with you to make sure I understand what I am thinking. Please email me at [email protected]

  17. oscar

    nothing in life goes to waste , its truly a learning experience ,one just needs to pay attention and implement even a subtle action by self or by others ,in this attention we acquire wisdom ,compassion, tolerance ,and self freedom. even though we suffer greatly while in this transition knowing so many others still wear the veil of deceit , sorting through all the obstacles life puts in front of us is how we propel our selves into magnificence equilibrium with the universe,,, a universe welling to listen and wait till we excel to the levels we were created to be… Godspeed is out there ,and also is within us ,pushing the accelerator will require great maneuvering in our world.. lets be gentle in the curves so we don’t lose the ones that follow behind. WeR1 remember that.

  18. Arnold Leeflang

    stage 9
    i see miracles hapen and whit my energy my atensions i see other people act like im there family people wanne hug me stay near me
    my naborhood tinks i lost my mind wile i took the other stages and became aware of the present moment
    some days when im far gone in meditation and psygedelics i feal like i can controlling my boddy whit my soul i know how it sounds but feal stuf more intence its like you eat a ice cream and didnt had suger al weak and the furst bite crumbles in your mouth you feal the structure the smel tast evryting get more intence on moments like that i start exploring and doing stuff

    aswel came from truth seaker a gamer to non gamer ditching my tv and be more in nature
    my boddy startet to get lighter and i got extreemly creative i went vegen
    got of the suger compleetly dont consume coffie annymore no darry eathere
    got aware of the world where we heading whats going on

    1. Luke

      I loved your comment! Perhaps our paths have crossed in life.

  19. Pure Love

    Spirit sees a lot of psychic pain expressed in this comment section and she wants me to offer clarity and relief. She does not feel sorry for those who are lost…just pure love…it is infinite.

    While the author of this list is right about there being 10 levels, it is possible to move towards level 11. When someone reaches that level the multiverse collapses to a singularity to start the cycle of rebirth again…again…and again.

    Mostly spirit sees both the author and all people in the comments are exploring level one. Humble bragging and implying that one has reached level ten by writing about level 10 is the indicator of spiritual immaturity. Understanding that you are at level one is the first step to starting your journey towards level two. At level ten people do not feel love for you. You feel love for them. At level ten you do not influence people, or masses of people, you just share spirit’s love. The descriptions of each level in this article is corrupt with impulses of level one. Be careful on your journey to avoid getting caught in level one cycles of suffering.

    Namaste

    1. Grant

      Pure Love, I really appreciated the light, love, clarity, and relief in your comment. Truth manifests with love and freedom, and where I am at right now, I especially enjoy the relief and freedom that came with your “At level ten you do not influence people, or masses of people, you just share spirit’s love”. I do not influence masses, nor am I aware that I actually influence anyone at all, I can only assume I do here and there a little, because I know I do feel love, compassion* and value for people, so I am aware that is usually felt by them, and therefore influential, but neither am I seeing that as any prerequisite for my being at any “level”. It just IS! Peace, love, joy, and freedom to YOU my lovely being!!..and thank you!!

      *not to be confused with pity.

  20. Shaunak Agastya Vyas

    10

  21. Stefan

    I see alot of ego in these comments. I dont think that anybody would be here if they were truly at level 10. I believe that the people thinking they have reached these levels believe so through temporary experiences. To have reached the higher levels I believe that those temporary experiences would be the norm. The everyday. No ego’s, no competition, just purity. If you are here, you and I are still questioning and looking for answers, still thinking of ours selves as individuals and not just apart of the collective. I feel like I go up and down the levels and believe it takes alot of time in each level before you have fully reached it without stepping back down.

  22. M.A.

    It’s rarely that linear. Although, it may be helpful to break it down and describe it as being so.

  23. Timothy Flagler

    My experience with spiritual awakening is that I became enlightened all at once after three days of a deep depression I woke from a vision where the One asked me to surrender to unconditional love and I was given the gift of a mirror held up to my soul and I was terrified at what I saw. When I woke I was catapulted from my depression into the present moment which was like being at the peak of the tallest mountain. I wondered if anyone else had my experience and in my internet search found The Mirror of Simple Souls written by a mystic that was burned at the stake in the 1500’s because of her book describing how a soul can become One with God through divine love. I was now One with God. I gave away 95% of my possessions, hugged hobos, and no longer had desire for animal flesh leading to my currently being vegan. I called on angels to come down from heaven and saw angels decend from the sky. I saw burning bushes on mountain tops and followed the sign to the look out point and heard what sounded like tubas hitting high notes while seeing huge bunnies with angel wings in the sky. I looked to the moon and it had become the eye of an Eagles head. I ultimately was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder but science cannot distinguish between a fully realized mistic and a schizophrenic. Thanks to medication I have come back from that plane of existence and now exist in the ego realm but I will never forget what it is like to walk One with God.

  24. Dennis Pickering

    There is only ONE thing to learn to handle these situations and that thing is LOVE. Easy as that! GIVE and RECEIVE LOVE to/from other HUmans. Dennis

  25. arnold

    state 8/9

  26. Luke

    Timothy Flagler………why would you want to return to a life of duality once you have experienced the awakening? I feel we need to fully understand where we are and how we achieved this enlightenment. Only you can figure this out once you allow yourself to go deeper into your consciousness. The medical community has no better understanding of this then you! Best to you.

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