Series 2 - Lesson 4 - Annotation 3
What is the conscious phase of mind? What other names are given to this phase of mind?
3. The conscious phase of mind is the thinking faculty, the reasoning phase, the realm of conscious knowing in the individual soul. It is often termed "the intellect." In this phase, man chooses, examines, judges, analyzes, wills, selects, decides, forms, deducts, rejects, accepts, and concludes, as he deals with the ideas received from the Superconscious.
As the realm of choice, the conscious phase of mind declares "I am I" and "You are you"; "I will" or "I will not." It is in this phase of consciousness that man may be conscious of himself as an individual identity, even thinking himself to be separate from God, from other human beings, and from other forms of life. But quite the reverse of this belief in separation is also possible, for the conscious phase of mind is capable of realizing that although man is a unit in himself, he is always one with his Creator, God, Divine Mind. Thus, he comes to the realization that he is also one with all human beings as his spiritual brothers, and one with all other forms of life. "One God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all" (Eph. 4:6).
It is the function of the conscious phase of mind, or intellect, to discriminate between the general and the specific; to note differences as well as similarities in persons, religions, sciences, things, circumstances, and conditions. This phase of mind makes man a rational human being, enabling him to do rational thinking. It is this phase that allows man ultimately to know himself to be the son of God. Through this function man may look out on the world of appearances, but he may also focus his attention on the divine Presence, Spirit, within himself. As he consciously handles the ideas to which he is heir, he may examine the how and why of life.
It is in this realm that concrete thinking is done, based upon the abstract ideas of the Superconscious. The conscious phase deals mostly with the present outlook, and because of free choice very often its judging is done from appearances instead of "righteous judgment" (John 7:24).
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Preceding Entry: What is the Superconscious phase of mind?
Following Entry: What is the subconscious phase of mind? What other names are given to this phase of mind?
