Levels of Mind Tool

“The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.“ Matthew 6:22

Introductory

The Levels of Mind diagram and example dialogue symbolises the levels of mind. While the mind experiences itself as split, conflicted, this tool is designed to bring one back to the level of mind, through the Help of the Holy Spirit. The purpose of this tool is to look upon the seeming blocks to the experience of the Peace and Love of God in mind, that have been projected out onto the world, events and people.

Eventually bringing everything back to what one values on the mind level, the Voice of the Holy Spirit or the voice of the ego, as a stepping-stone, to experience the grace that the voice of the Holy Spirit is the only valuable Voice, awaiting only your surrender and acceptance.

In reality, there are no levels of mind as the Mind in Christ is whole and unified (nondual). This diagram is shown from a non-absolute point or as if the mind is split (duality).

Clarification of Terms

DESIRE CIRCLE:

  • Desire is on the level of cause—the mind level—as this is the level of valuing the voice of the ego. Desire, as a stepping-stone, is either singular (for the Peace or God) or split (for something other than peace or for something other than God, such as some worldly outcome).
  • Separation or split refers to a split desire for something other than the singular desire for peace of mind: to value and misidentify with the ego and its split desires for things in the world to be different than they are for peace, happiness, and fulfilment. Example: I will be happy or peaceful when I get more/less money in the bank, when the body is bigger/smaller, when I know more intellectually (self-improvement). At its core, separation is the belief in the reality of multiplicity or duality.
  • Single refers to one’s singular desire for peace of mind or God.

MIRACLE: is defined here as a shift in perception from fear to love, from valuing the voice of the ego to valuing the voice of the Holy Spirit. This inner shift from valuing the voice that speaks against God to the Voice that Speaks for your Peace and Love in Him is, indeed, a Miracle.

FORGIVENESS: refers to the inward act of overlooking the voice of the ego, which occurs through seeing the falsity of the ego and its unreal effects with the Holy Spirit.

To truly desire present peace—the present experience of the Peace of God—one first has to get in touch with the darkness in mind. To start to see all of the split desires of the ego that are valued more than the consistent Peace in God: I will be happy or peaceful when I get more/less money in the bank, when the body is bigger/smaller, when I know more intellectually (self-improvement) etc.

The singular desire for the present experience of the Peace of God is a desirelessness for a particular condition, worldly outcome, or for more of anything in the world. The body still moves around, still speaks, still eats but the Peace of God is not conditional—not circumstance dependent—and it is not even dependent on an improvement of a sinful self. It is a surrender of self. It is an experience of knowing that the peace, love and contentment sought for in the world has already been given by God, through Grace. Therefore, the experience of Peace and Fulfilment in Him is available this moment yet, simply overlooked when sought in intellectual understanding or the world.

Levels of Mind Metaphoric Diagram

Level of Mind
Levels of Mind diagram by our friend David Hoffmeister

Looking at the diagram we can see that there are four concentric circles, starting with desire and outward to perception.

Each level is an effect of the previous level: perception is an effect of emotion, emotion is an effect of thought, thought is an effect of belief and belief is an effect of desire.

Remembering that each circle is only an effect of the previous level, if you are experiencing an upset on the level of perception—where the mind often thinks the cause of upset is—you have to trace the upset back to emotion, to thought, to what is being believed and then to the core desire. 

Trying to have a change in the world for peace is to delay peace, as the level of perception is only an effect. Only by going to the level of cause, being in mind where the starting point of value in the ego is, allows true correction and will provide an immediate result of peace right now. 

When an upset occurs, tracing the upset back to the mind can allow you to see that your current desire is for something other than [the Peace of] God (termed separation). Example: you are desiring wanting to get that parking spot to be peaceful, worthy or happy more than you are desiring God and His Peace regardless of getting the parking spot, onsetting lack of peace.

  1. In this split desire, the overlooking of the Peace of God/single goal of Peace seems to occur;
  2. where the value in the voice of the ego [second ring] appears to enter in;
  3. the mind now experiences and misidentifies with its unloving thoughts [third circle];
  4. experiences its emotions and variations of fear [fourth circle];
  5. and its fearful and fragmented perceptions (where the mind thinks the cause of the fear, upset, annoyance is) [outer ring of perception].

This tool is designed to bring one back to the core desire or level of cause each time an upset is experienced.

The “miracle” (shown with red lines) is the shift in perception from lack of peace (misidentification with the ego) to Peace (of God), which seems to occur at first through prayerful inquiry and following the Holy Spirit’s Guidance—the how.

  1. You have the singular desire for Peace/God regardless of worldly outcome [first circle];
  2. you have overlooked the ego and its split desires (termed forgiveness) [second and third circle];
  3. the emotions that are sourced from God are those of Love, Peace, Joy or Inspiration [the fourth circle];
  4. and one experiences a loving or unified perception of the world in peace no matter what may be occurring in the world [the outer ring of perception].

Example Dialogues Using Levels of Mind

Dialogues with Dylan discussing arising upsets and how to apply the levels of mind process for peace of mind.