Consciousness Is an Ecosystem (v2)

The One Thing

Be slow and deliberate about introducing and using new terms.

• You do a good job at defining concepts, but don’t assume that the definition explains how one concept relates to another. For instance, I was confused at first about the relationship between awareness and the consciousness ecosystem.
• Go one step at a time as you introduce new concepts. Step 1 is to define the term, but step 2 is to integrate the term into the conceptual framework you’re building throughout the book.

Feedback

• The second of these sentences is clear, but the first is not. This whole chapter is about the three-part ecosystem of consciousness, made up of the reference system, the heart, and the true Self. By adding this list here (awareness, system, a set of functions), it confuses your message. Try to relate everything back to the three-part ecosystem framework. This is already complicated stuff, so you want to try to keep it simple.

Your consciousness includes your awareness, a reference system, and a set of functions that helps everything work together. From this perspective, your consciousness encompasses both what you're consciously aware of, and the information in your subconscious.

• Watch out for vague language, especially when you’re discussing multiple (big and challenging) concepts at once. It’s integral that the relationships between concepts are always clear.

Original: “Even when this represents a distortion, your capacity to feel positive emotions will be affected by your patterns.”

My edit: “Your patterns distort your perception and cause your heart to close, which limits your capacity to feel positive emotions.”

• Is there a difference between “the true Self” and “my true Self’? It seems like you’re hesitant to say “my true Self” or “my heart.” Is there a reason why?
• Love this — there may be an opportunity for more sports/football metaphors in the book, if they come to you. This feels very apt but also personal.

It was as if some intelligence inside of me knew I would run into this person and was coaching me in my ear like an offensive coordinator sitting at a higher vantage point.

• The distinction between natural and normal definitely has a place in the book but not in this chapter. I suggest cutting this:

Unification creates the conditions for the natural qualities and power of your heart and true Self to lead your life instead of just your patterns. Moving through life this way is your natural state, before your patterns took over and you become identified with them. Many of the ideas described here describing your natural state might feel different than what you consider normal. It can be helpful to make the distinction between natural and normal. Natural reflects nature, and nature reflects truth. Normal reflects the predominant conditioning in a given culture. Currently, there are many things that are considered normal which do not reflect the natural way of things. This includes ideas on human functioning.