A Journey to Consciousness: The Awareness that Witnesses

What is consciousness and the presence beyond ourselves?

What is consciousness and a feeling of interconnectedness?

“We are more connected than we think.” There is a spectrum of consciousness available to human beings. At one end is material consciousness. At the other end is what we call 'field' consciousness, where a person is at one with the universe, perceiving the universe. Just by looking at our planet on the way back, I saw or felt a field consciousness state. - Dr. Edgar Mitchell, Apollo 14 Astronaut.

The Morning That Changed Everything

A gust of cool morning summer’s breeze sent goosebumps up my legs, to my core, extending out to my arms, right, then left, now awake but waiting to listen. I lay in bed, eyes closed for a few seconds, listening to the morning songs, chicka-dee-dee-dee and a distant soft hoot, hoo-h'HOO-hoo-hoo.

I loved it here, away from it all, free to be wild and free, and free to be me.

I opened my eyes, wiping away the morning sleep, excited for the day’s adventure and what it had in store. I slipped out of bed, grabbed the clothes I’d left on the floor from last night, and began to tiptoe across the floor of pressboard to the nearest door. I reached for the doorknob, turning it ever so slightly, praying the squeaks of the floorboards wouldn’t wake my brother, who might steal the morning from me. I reached for the door knob, pushing the door open just a crack to slip through, mindful of the door mechanism that slammed it shut.

I began the tip-toe dance across the deck, like the Grinch on Christmas morning, with the lake dock in sight. I could already see the water action from the fish feeding on mosquitoes and the ripples that danced across the surface as if I threw a dozen pebbles into the water.

I stepped down the staircase at the far end of the deck to the ground, where my cold feet met the warmth of the ground covered in pine needles. Tree sap was sure to stick to the soles of my feet. I didn’t care much for shoes, preferring to walk wild and free.

I counted the steps all the way to the dock in my head: one, two, three, to ten, excited for what the lake had in store for me today. I walked across the main dock to the two adjoining floating docks. I sat on the edge, extending my legs to dip my right big toe into the lake water to test the water temperature, waited for the minnows to nibble and tickle my toes, and noticed the water striders skate across the water’s surface. I was waiting for the main event, the first call of the morning loons. Just when I couldn’t wait any longer, it happened. My friendly loons answered, one wail to the other, coincidence, perhaps, or maybe I was somehow connected to them.

They started their song, one call to another, fading as the distance between them grew. Then, the pair appeared right in front of the dock. I called out, “Hello” to have my return echo, a “hello” back, trying to replicate the loons. I’d pause to listen for my echo, amazed each time, I knew the science behind it. I got the full definition from my mom weeks ago from a book she pulled off the shelf from our cottage library. I couldn’t help but wonder if something in the beyond was talking back to me. Just as I was deep in thought, the loons replied, a tremolo wail, perhaps their version of hello to me, saying, “yes” to that idea. I don’t remember when I first discovered the concept of calling out to my echo. It seemed odd to hear a response from myself from out of nowhere, but the idea that I wasn’t alone or that there was a presence beyond the physical wasn’t my echo.

There was a great still moment, with nothing around to tell me. I didn't call it a name. I just knew there was something beyond myself.

Then suddenly the day sputtered to life as I heard my brother calling out from the deck above, wondering if I had started to fish without him.

Have you ever felt the presence of something beyond yourself before?

---

Now, pause for just a moment with me.

Who or what is aware that you are reading this page right now?

Can you define the "you" within you precisely?

And what is it that is observing you? Can you even imagine what it is?

That, my friend, is what we call Consciousness—a feeling of something beyond us that is undefinable yet has a quality that feels quite big and profound.

Today, I'm sharing a chapter from a book I'm working on that explores the nature of consciousness: what it is, how it's been understood by some and misunderstood by others across time. I hope to rekindle the idea that we are more connected than we think.

Here's what we'll explore together:

• What consciousness feels like from the inside

• Consciousness as something greater than ourselves and the world.

• How science and ancient wisdom view this mystery

• Why an astronaut's space experience changed everything

• Simple practices to experience consciousness yourself

  
  

What Science Says (And Why It's Not Enough)

Neurology tells us that consciousness arises from complex brain activity patterns involving interactions between different brain regions. It's described as being aware of and able to perceive our surroundings, thoughts, and emotions.

It's the 'felt sense' of being alive and present.

While the mind thinks and the body acts, consciousness is where all these activities appear. It includes everything from the taste of morning coffee to the awareness of being aware.

But here's the challenge: Science tries to understand this concept by measuring it. However, measuring consciousness and its awareness proves to be what researchers call a "hard problem."

How can 'awareness' itself be measured?

"It's not about breaking it down—but allowing it to reveal itself through personal experience." — Christie Flynn

Beyond Personal Awareness: The Bigger Picture

A quiet truth lives in each of us—so simple and immediate that we often overlook it. It is the awareness behind every thought, sensation, moment of joy, sorrow, love, loss, aloneness, and the peaceful presence of something beyond ourselves.

What is this 'awareness' of something that sees, knows, feels, and remembers?

Where does it begin? Where does it go when we sleep? Does it end? Can it be measured—or is it beyond measurement entirely?

The Ancient Understanding

In my studies, I happened to come across the Hindu philosophy of Advaita Vedanta, which emphasizes connectedness, unity, or nonduality (not two but one). This means there's no fixed placement of consciousness.

It can't be defined because there isn't enough information to state precisely what it is, yet it persists with unconditional, pure loving awareness.

Ancient sages spoke of an eternal, boundless awareness that underlies all reality, considering it part of a constantly changing flow with no fixed self at its center.

"Pure consciousness is where everything with structure fades away like fog on a morning day, transforming the landscape and our perceptions of it." — Christie Flynn

The Astronaut Who Saw Truth From Space

I also discovered a profound story by astronaut Dr. Edgar Mitchell and an old voice recording of an interview with The Monroe Institute that was quite captivating.

Upon returning from the Apollo 14 mission, he experienced something that science couldn't explain.

As he looked at Earth suspended in the vastness of space, he was overcome with a deep, undeniable sense of interconnectedness—a moment of expanded consciousness unlike anything he'd ever felt.

This single experience was so significant to him that it changed the trajectory of his life. For the next 30 years, he studied consciousness, founding the Institute of Noetic Sciences to explore the bridge between science and spirituality.

His story reminds me: The truth is felt even from space—we are all deeply connected.

When Heartbreak Becomes a Teacher

Consciousness, the Forgotten Friend

To me, consciousness is more than a concept—it's personal. I've explored it in many forms: sitting quietly on a dock as a child, through meditation and writing, and in the deep stillness that follows loss. Having experienced it through the perception of my own conscious beingness and the feeling of a presence beyond myself as a form of unconditional support and guidance.

Sometimes, it takes heartache or heartbreak—a catalyst to cultivate a change in perspective, a call to remember.

It was there in moments of heartbreak:

• During the loss of my mother

• Through my divorce

• The fading of a friendship

• A health crisis in 2021 that brought me to my knees

  
  

When I felt utterly alone and disoriented, something remained in the background, like background music. A silent awareness—like a forgotten friend—reminded me I was never truly alone. I felt loved, cared for, and embraced by pure love.

Consciousness wasn't just a feeling. It goes beyond feeling to knowing.

It was a presence, a witness, a feeling of home—an ever-expanding concept of home. As breath is to life, so is the experience and existence of consciousness.

Consciousness is always there, waiting to be remembered.

The Day My Mother Showed Me

Looking back, I understand now—those moments surrounding my mother's passing were her way of showing me and reminding me of that interconnectedness of pure Consciousness.

On the day my mother passed, while our family was driving down a local road, I felt the nudge to look up at the sun. In a moment of interconnectedness, I saw my mother's image in the sunshine and witnessed energy around everything. At the deepest level, I knew I was experiencing something quite profound.

And she showed me:

• In the sunlight

• In the pulse of light and love that suddenly surrounded me

• In the dance of energy moving through everything

  
  

It was her. Her consciousness… streamed through light, and 'the light' was Consciousness.

Have you experienced this feeling or knowing within yourself?

What were you doing?

Where were you?

Understanding Consciousness: Helpful Analogies

"You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop." — Rumi

Here are analogies that help grasp this concept:

The Sky and Clouds: Thoughts and emotions are the clouds, while consciousness is the unmistakable, vast skyline. (Similar to what my mother showed me the day of her passing.)

The Ocean and Waves: Your experience is the wave; the ocean is the single, boundless awareness.

A Movie Screen: Life's events are the movie playing on the screen—consciousness remains unchanged as the backdrop.

The Spider's Web: One example that collective consciousness has repeatedly shown me is the example of the spider's web. Using your imagination, the spider represents you, the person, and the web means the infiniteness of consciousness.

How to Experience Consciousness Yourself

The Foundation: It's a Practice

Awakening to consciousness isn't something that can be fully grasped through reading alone—it must be experienced to be truly understood.

I can't promise a quick method. It takes time to evolve. Any method of self-inquiry, quiet time, or even repetitive tasks can help cultivate moments of connectedness.

Please note the word "practice"—this is a continuous journey requiring patience.

Simple Ways to Begin

Connect with Nature:

• Look at the stars or a rainbow.

• Visit a favorite place: forest, water, sunshine, mountains.

• Sit next to or hug a tree. My son Jacob recently mentioned how this actually worked and his realization of its profound impact on reducing anxiety and overwhelm and connecting to a great perspective.

  
  

Daily Awareness Practices:

• Watch a sunset with full presence.

• Listen without needing to respond.

• Notice your breath cycling in and out of your heart space.

  
  

Water Connection: I find it easy to 'tap into consciousness' while connected to water—in the shower, by the lake, ocean, running stream, or waterfall. (I've noted this pattern across every teaching I've shared.)

Deepening Your Practice

What activities do you love to do?

It takes time to reach a state of awareness where we notice the quiet presence underlying all activity.

Try this: During any activity you enjoy, ask yourself:

• Where does my mind go?

• Can I watch myself doing this activity?

• Can I sense something bigger than myself, something around me?

  
  

You can't pinpoint it exactly. It is loving, light, supportive, and wise beyond our world.

Meditation and Journaling: Learning meditation (such as Transcendental Meditation) and channeled journaling have supported my ability to tune into these experiences.

Keep in mind—it doesn't take much for me to find a way to go inward because I've been practicing for years. Go easy on yourself as you open to these experiences. It feels like an ever-expanding flow.

The Deeper Truth: We Are Not Separate

Consciousness as personal experience is the ever-shifting awareness we each carry—the thoughts we think, emotions we feel, dreams we drift through, and sensations we take in. It's how we experience ourselves and the world, moment by moment.

But beyond personal awareness lies a deeper truth echoed in ancient teachings and mystical moments:

We are not isolated minds—we are part of a greater field of consciousness.

Like waves on the same ocean, we arise from and return to a shared, living intelligence that holds us all.

Consciousness—pure consciousness as something beyond ourselves (the observer of us)—isn't fixed. It flows.

To explore consciousness is to explore both the self and the soul of the universe.

It's an invitation to be awake, aware, and remember:

You are not separate. You are part of the whole.

Pure consciousness... oneness. It is loving, light, and supportive. It may even convey a feeling of home.

Your Journey Starts Here

Key Takeaways

• Consciousness is the ever-present field in which all experience occurs.

• It bridges science and spirituality through direct personal experience.

• You can access it through simple daily practices of presence and awareness.

• We are more connected than we think—part of a greater whole.

  
  

Journal Prompts for Your Exploration

I recommend keeping a dedicated journal for reflection, insights, and moments of feeling connected to consciousness.

• What is it that is aware of my thoughts right now?

• Can I find a boundary to this awareness?

• When do I feel most connected to this pure presence?

• What activities help me feel most "at home" in myself?

  
  

A Simple Meditation to Explore

Sit quietly and close your eyes. Bring awareness to your breath as it flows in and out for a few cycles.

Let thoughts come and go. Instead of focusing on any single idea, notice the space where all thoughts appear.

Ask gently: "Who is aware?"

Allow the question to rest in stillness.

Feel free to write down anything that flows through during or after your meditation.

Let's Continue This Conversation

Consciousness is not just a topic to study—it is what we are.

Thank you for taking this journey with me today. I hope this exploration has sparked something within you, perhaps awakened a remembering of what you already know deep down.

Did you have a story or realization while reading today? I'd love to hear about your experiences with consciousness, those moments when you felt connected to something greater.

Share your thoughts with me here or email me at christie@christieflynn.com.

Remember: You don't exist in the way you think you do. You exist as something far more beautiful, connected, and infinite than you might imagine.

The awareness that's around you? That's the same awareness watching through every conscious being.

We are waves in the same ocean, stars in the same sky.

Welcome home.

Christie

Evidential Medium (Psychic), Executive Coach, Teacher, and Writer

christie@christieflynn.com

Listen to my interview on the Follow Your Joy Podcast hosted by Marla Diann.

Christie Flynn, Follow Your Joy Podcast