We Are The Solution

If only ...

If you’re a regular reader, you’ve grown accustomed to my writing style, matching problems to solutions and emphasizing personal responsibility. Today, we dive under the hood to discover a pivotal secret for improving our personal life experience while effecting positive change in others, hidden in a magical word: “solution.”

The standard meaning relates to fixing problems. But a solution is also a medium, like water, with specific properties. A solvent will dissolve grease. An acid can break down metals. A beaker in the lab may contain infectious bacteria.

Imagine that consciousness itself is a solution and that we’re all in that soup together, contributing to the chemistry of mass consciousness.

David Hawkins championed this concept in his ground breaking book, “Power vs. Force.” He emphasized the power of the positive vs the force of the negative and wrote: “love is more powerful than hatred; truth sets us free; forgiveness liberates both sides; unconditional love heals; courage empowers; and the essence of Divinity/Reality is peace.”

Hawkins calibrated levels of consciousness mathematically, associating specific emotional qualities with each level:

Lower Levels of Consciousness (0-200)

• Shame (20)

• Guilt (80)

• Apathy (100)

• Grief (120)

• Fear (150)

• Desire (180)

• Anger (200)

Middle Levels of Consciousness (200-500)

• Willingness (250)

• Acceptance (310)

• Reason (400)

• Courage (500)

Higher Levels of Consciousness (500-1000)

• Neutrality (540)

• Will (610)

• Love (620)

• Joy (640)

• Peace (650)

• Enlightenment (700)

• Illumination (900)

• Union with the Divine (1000)

Here’s how one of his students summarized these computations, in terms of personal impact:

* 85% of the human race calibrates below the critical level of 200.

* The power of the few individuals at the top counterbalances the weakness of the masses.

1 individual at level 300 counterbalances 90,000 individuals below level 200

1 individual at level 400 counterbalances 400,000 individuals below level 200

1 individual at level 500 counterbalances 750,000 individuals below level 200

1 individual at level 600 counterbalances 10 million individuals below level 200

1 individual at level 700 counterbalances 70 million individuals below level 200

12 individuals at level 700 equal one Avatar (eg. Buddha, Jesus, Krishna) at level 1,000

Where do you imagine yourself to be on this scale? It all depends on the qualities that you consistently express. So, if we genuinely seek to make a positive difference in the world, we will prioritize raising our own personal frequency.

Without Hawkin’s permission, but exercising my right to create, I’ve made one alteration to his list. He lists “will” as the quality at 610. I’m replacing that with “gratitude.” My experience is that gratitude arises from what he calls neutrality, the level before, what I call equanimity. At this level we have come to terms with the world. It is as it is. We are no longer fighting injustice or trying to save anyone or anything. We are present, aware, open to receive and give, ready to contribute.

This is where I believe that I am, and hopefully moving up!

There’s plenty of evidence that gratitude is powerful. Dr. Sonal Shah, a general practitioner from the National Health Service in the U.K., wrote in her book "A Prescription for Healthy Living:"

“The field of positive psychology has been developing over the past three decades and has found that the practice of gratitude has benefits in five key areas: emotional, social, personality, career and health.

“There is evidence that those who are naturally more ‘grateful’ are happier, healthier, have better overall wellbeing, are more satisfied with life and sleep better … The potential health benefits of gratitude lead to the possibility that it could be used as an intervention in healthcare or as adjunct to support traditional medical management in a variety of clinical settings.”

Wonderful! Gratitude is medicine.

I hope this brief exploration inspires you to increase your diligence about the qualities that you express. The personal benefits are obvious and if Hawkins is right, we’re all affecting each other all the time, either positively or negatively. What kind of effect will it be from me and from you?

Choosing to be more grateful is a perfect starting point.