In the later years of the 20th century scientists finally managed to figure out that the basis of all existence is consciousness, that consciousness is essentially information, and information is primary. This was an important breakthrough, because previously it was thought that energy and physicality was the basis of all existence. However this does not change the fact that energy is the basis of all physical existence.
This brings us to the five dimensions of living existence or life.
Please keep in mind that the central human reference point for life is language - words, concepts, beliefs, culture, images and so on. These five dimensions serve as a reference point to enable us to understand what scientists refer to as 'levels of being' but which mystics refer to as levels of reality and planes of consciousness. These five dimensions include three physical dimensions and two meta-physical dimensions.
- Physical form
- This is the dimension of physical mass and physical (biological) matter, for example our physical bodies.
- Physical sensation
- Then we come to the next physical dimension, which is that of senses, feelings, emotions, thoughts, and so on.
- Relationship energies
- Then we come to the final physical dimension, which is that of the different energies found in relationship, for example light energy, sound energy, heat energy, and energies connected with physical senses, e.g. smell and taste.
- Consciousness and space
- Then we come to the first of two meta-physical dimensions, which is that of consciousness and space.
- Spirit (Akasha)
- Then we come to the final (meta-physical) dimension, which is spirit or Akasha. Akasha is a Sanskrit word which can mean either 'sky' or 'spirit'.
Life or living existence is made up of all these five basic dimensions which all come together.
Actual reality v. conceptual reality
Reality comes in two forms. You have actual reality, that what is really real - the universe, the sky, this planet, Nature, our physical bodies and biological processes and so on. Then you have conceptual reality, i.e. the reality which comes from human imagination and human thinking. Examples of conceptual reality includes language (words), ideas, beliefs, nations, money, time, culture, and so on.
It's very important not to confuse these two basic forms of reality and what is really real as opposed to what is relatively real.
This is where developing a meta-physic or some existential dimension to your life existence becomes important. We have all been put through a process of socialization and education where all too often these two basic forms of reality have become merged and blended, and so many people confuse what is really real and what is only relatively real or conceptually real. Please keep in mind that a little more than a century ago many people believed that there really was an old man somewhere in the sky controlling the universe known as God.
Who is the real you?
You see part of the issue or the predicament is trying to find out or determine who you really are. Understanding who you are is fundamental to understanding what is going on around you and also understanding who other people are. Let's look at an (arbitrary) example of how these different dimensions create those different levels of being or planes of consciousness.
- The physical body
- At the most basic level you have a physical body and such characteristics as height, weight, sex, gender identity, body size, age and personal appearance.
- The psychological level
- This is the level of emotions, feelings, thoughts, perceptions and moods. Are you happy or depressed? Self-confident or lacking in self-esteem? This is the level where psychologists and psychotherapists are most concerned with.
- The social role level
- This is the level of functioning and what you do in life. What work do you do? What are your skills, abilities, aptitudes? What do you know? What can you do?
- The worldview level
- Then you have another level which relates to your worldview, personal belief system, religious and philosophical beliefs, intellect, how you see yourself relative to the world and the universe.
- The meta-physical level
- Then you have a deeper level which cannot be defined in physical terms but relates far more to the meta-physical, and your relationship to such things as love, truth, beauty and appreciation. It is on this level that you connect to other people through affinity, connections, empathy, and you start to see yourself in other people and recognize characteristics and features of other people which are the same as you.
- The reflection level
- This is perhaps the deepest level (or highest level depending on how you see this) and this is the level where you understand that another person is essentially another version or incarnation of you. The only thing which makes you different from another person is trauma, death and the fact that you and them are born into different incarnations. If we are going to get into actual reality and what it is then it is important to understand that we are all different, unique manifestations of the same collective consciousness which can be defined as human consciousness. This means that essentially we are all part of the same awareness.
So the question here is on what level do you decide is the 'real' you? Keep in mind that out there society places a very heavy emphasis on just the psychological, the intellectual, and the social role planes. Without that existential awareness or understanding, or a meta-physic, and some awareness of those deeper meta-physical planes, you will define yourself just in terms of three or four levels. As you can see this is insufficient to get a proper or deep understanding of life.
Please keep in mind that the above levels are arbitrary so you don't need to define yourself according to these levels. This is just an example of the different levels of your being. You may feel that there are different aspects or levels to your being, and you may define yourself differently. This is fine. But all these different levels arise out of the same five dimensions of living existence and without some kind of understanding of the meta-physical levels of reality or being your perspective on life is always going to be limited to just the physical, and much of what life is all about is going to be mysterious.