David Hawkins map of consciousness

Love

This level is about unconditional love, a constant awareness of your interconnectedness with all that exists. Consider compassion. At the level of love, you now serve your heart (not your emotions, but your deeper sense of good and wrong — your conscience) with your head and all of your other talents and abilities.

At this level, your goals are clean and untainted by the ego’s demands. This is the pinnacle of human service across a lifetime. Gandhi, Mother Teresa, and Dr. Albert Schweitzer are just a few examples.

You will also begin to be guided by a force larger than yourself at this level. It’s a sensation of surrender. Your intuition sharpens dramatically. According to Hawkins, only 1 in 250 persons attain this level in their lives.

Reason

At this level, you begin to think clearly and rationally, transcending the emotive components of the lower levels. This, according to David Hawkins, is the level of medicine and science. Once you achieve this level, you will be able to use your thinking abilities to their maximum potential. You now possess the discipline and initiative necessary to effectively use your natural gifts.

You’ve arrived at the stage where you feel that you can accomplish everything, and you know you need to put your natural talents to good use.

What’s the greatest way to put my skills to use? Look around the world and begin to make significant contributions. This is the level of Einstein and Freud at the very top of the scale. Most people will never achieve this level in their lives.

Acceptance

A significant shift occurs now, and you become aware of the possibilities of a proactive life. You’ve achieved competence at the level of willingness, and now you want to put your skills to good use. This is the level at which you set and achieve goals. 

You specify your intended outcome and adjust it if something in your life isn’t working (your career, your health, your relationship). You begin to see more clearly the big picture of your existence. Many people are motivated to change occupations, start a new business, or modify their diets as a result of this level.

Willingness

You start using your energy more effectively now that you’re largely safe and comfortable. It’s no longer enough to just get by. You start to care about doing a decent job, maybe even your best. You start thinking about time management, productivity, and organization, things that weren’t so essential to you when you were neutral.

Consider this level to be the growth of willpower and self-discipline. These people are society’s “troopers”; they get the job done and don’t grumble much. If you’re still in school, you’re a great student who takes his or her studies seriously and puts in the effort necessary to succeed. Your consciousness gets more ordered and disciplined at this time.

Neutrality

The expression “live and let live” encapsulates this level. It’s unattached, flexible, and relaxed. Whatever happens, you just roll with it. You don’t need to prove anything. You have a good sense of security and get along well with others. This is where a lot of self-employed folks are. It’s a very relaxing environment. It’s the level of laziness and complacency–you’re taking care of yourself, but you’re not overworking yourself.

Courage

This is the first level of genuine power. This is the point at which you begin to see life as challenging and fascinating rather than overwhelming. You start to show an interest in personal development, though you’ll probably refer to it as skill-building, job advancement, education, etc. You begin to perceive your future as an advancement over the past, rather than a repeat of it.

Pride

This is the first level is when you begin to feel good, but this is a false feeling because it is dependent on  external circumstances like status, money, approval, prestige, etc.  Nationalism, racism, bigotry, and religious wars can all stem from pride. Consider the Nazis, with defensiveness and irrational denial. Fundamentalism in religion is likewise stuck at this level. You become so involved in your views that you attack those who do not have the same beliefs.

Anger

The level of frustration, which is typically caused by not being able to fulfill your desires at a lesser level. This level can either motivate you to take more action or keep you stuck in hatred. In an abusive relationship, an angry person is frequently paired with a fear person.

Desire

This is the level of addiction, yearning, and lust for money, fame, approval, power, status, and so on. It is not to be confused with making and completing goals. It is more about consumerism, materialism, etc.

Fear

You see the world as unsafe, perilous, and dangerous. You are feeling paranoid. You’ll almost always require help to get above this point, or you’ll be trapped for a long time. An example of this is being in an abusive relationship.

Grief

This is a state of melancholy and loss that never goes away. You may find yourself here following the death of a loved one. You are experiencing depression. 

Apathy

You are feeling hopeless, despondent or victimized. This is a state of learned helplessness and powerlessness. Many homeless folks are stranded in this area.

Guilt

You may be a step above shame, but you may still be considering suicide. You see yourself as a sinner who is unable to forgive yourself for previous mistakes.

Shame

Shame is just a step above death. At this point, you may be thinking of suicide. Consider this stage to be self-directed hatred.