Types of Consciousness
Mackinley Howard
Knowing what Consciousness really is.
Consciousness is a person's awareness of everything that is going on around him or her at any given time.
Subconscious
The first level of consciousness, the subconscious is relatively dim in awareness,it is the stuff of which dreams are made. Every experience we've made, though, impression of loss or gain, resides in subconscious mind and determines patterns of though and behavior. The subconscious mind can easily intrude on our conscious awareness, tricking us into thinking were getting intuitive guidance, when actually we're merely being influenced by past impressions and unfulfilled desires. The subconscious mind is in some way close to the supersonscious, where real intuition resides. They both represent a flow of awareness without logical obstructions. The subconscious is therefore more open to the intuitions of the superconscious, and sometimes receives them, though usually mixed with confusing imagery.
Conscious
The next level of consciousness from which we receive guidance is the conscious state, the rational awareness that usually guides our daily decision. When we receive input from the senses, analyze the facts, and make decisions based on this information we use the conscious level of guidance. This process is strongly affected by the opinions of others, which can cloud our ability to draw true guidance. Dividing and separating the world into either/or categories, the conscious level of awareness is problem oriented. It's difficult to be certain of decisions drawn from this level, because the analytical mind can see all the possible solution. But ultimately it doesn't have the ability to distinguish which one is best. If we rely on our conscious mind, we will see ourselves lacking in certainty and slipping into the state of perpetual indecision.
Superconscious
Intuition and heightened mental clarity flow from superconscious awareness. The conscious mind is limited by its analytical nature, and therefore sees all things as separate and distinct. We may be puzzled by a certain situation, but because it seems unrelated to other events, it is difficult to draw a clear course of action. By contrast, because the superconsious level of conscious is punitive and sees all thing as part of a whole, it can readily draw solution. In superconsciousness the problem and the solution are seen as one, as though the solution was a natural outgrowth from the problem.