DC40: What is the Map of Consciousness?
from David Hawkins work
What is the map of consciousness?
The map of consciousness is a calibrated list of the human spectrum of available consciousness levels. The map provides a way to align with higher states, enabling greater happiness, freedom, and the ability to effect change.
It is the first and, to my knowledge, the only calibration of consciousness. David Hawkins created it, and you can learn more from his books.
The map has 17 levels, from Shame at the lowest to Enlightenment at the highest. Each level has several properties, including an energetic log providing a numerical scale that can be used as an absolute measure of the power of consciousness.
Other properties include how one sees life, experiences or expresses God, and, importantly, how much influence one has as a change-maker, expressed as the number of people impacted.
This drawing shows some of the properties of each level.
Why is the map of consciousness important?
Navigating wicked problems is a complex and often daunting task, especially when leadership approval is crucial. However, the Map of Consciousness offers a unique perspective, shedding light on how we and others perceive the world. This insight is invaluable, enhancing our ability to tackle these challenges and make the desired impact.
In addition to greater insight into our and other’s perspectives, it also provides a super linear leverage as we move up the map and shows how we can make a difference even when others cannot change.
Finally, it puts a tangible scale against something previously uncalibrated and, therefore, very difficult to discuss.
Important places on the map of consciousness
Below 200
There are two very important crossing points on the map. The first is at 200 on the log scale, which is the point of courage. Before this increase in power, a person will experience their situation as if the world were being done to them.
Below 200, a person will use force to get what they want and exist in a survival paradigm. What you have and own is important to people in this range. 85% of the human population tests below 200.
Above 200
200 is the first level of empowerment. It is the level of courage.
Above the 200 level and below 500, the human experience is one of reason and integrity. In this range of consciousness, a person will value what they do. Moving from what you own to what you do is a rise in power and freedom. It provides a more effective approach to change, and in fact, it would be very hard for someone below the 200 level to make a positive and wholesome change, as change below 200 is done via force, whereas change above 200 is done through power.
Courage implies the willingness to try new things. Leaders' courage is essential in the business of change. As 85% of people have a consciousness below 200, it is not surprising that many agile initiatives stalled due to a lack of leadership understanding and support.
At 200, people put as much back into the world as they take. It is the balance point for positive change. Over 200, change becomes self-reinforcing, resulting in positive feedback loops of reward and higher self-esteem.
Neutrality - 250
Although 250 is not a significant graduation, it's worth mentioning here because the coaching approach that we have both encouraged and pioneered (in the case of systems and organisational change) exists at this level. It is the stance of having no agenda for your client.
At the energy level of 310 of willingness, there is once again a greater level of participation, creating rapid growth. It is worth noting that participation happens very differently at lower energy levels, below neutrality, and above. Therefore, it is not neutrality or participation that is more or less effective; it is knowing when to be neutral and how to use the right type of participation.
Above 500
500 is another significant leap. This leap is the jump from mind to heart. In the Indian Chakra system, this is awareness and operation of the heart chakra. It moves us away from individualistic identification with the self as the primary consciousness to identification with interdependency and being part of something greater than ourselves.
The love described here is not the love depicted in the media and is not what we might consider a feeling between one person and another. The word LOVE is often used to describe a state of physical attraction, addiction, eroticism, and novelty. It comes and goes with the turning of the relationship tide. When frustrated this emotion often reveals an underlying anger and dependency it masked.
The word love here, in the map of consciousness, is used to describe a universal love that is wholly unconditional and unwavering. It is a state of being that does not fluctuate and is not dependent on external conditions. Most importantly, this love does not emanate from the mind. Therefore, it cannot be generated by the mind.
This is a significant step in one’s evolution as a human and is rare. It is the source of the meaning behind the Agile (now thinking about calling this Complexity) mindset. The second belief of the Agile Mindset states:
Individuals are both independent from and dependent on their teams and organisations. Human beings are interdependent. Given the right environment (safety, respect, diversity and inclusion) and a motivating purpose, it is possible for trust and self-organisation to arise. For this to happen, it is necessary to treat everyone with unconditional positive regard.
The bold words indicate the sentences from this state of consciousness.
Examples of different levels on the map of consciousness
Example 1: The current debate about whether people “should” return to the office to work
Over the last few years, there has been a rich debate about whether knowledge workers should or should not have to work from a centralised office location. Different people have different views, and there is now considerable poll data to show the range and number of opinions present.
Many people use social media to shame and blame bosses who ask their employees to return to the office for X number of days per week. This approach to getting employers more flexible operates from below the 100 mark. It utilises blame and guilt consciousness and is a form of FORCE, not power. It might come from fear of doing something they don’t want, such as a 2-hour commute.
However, using a measured approach with data to examine what people want and providing flexibility to allow it, comes from between 200 and 250. It is a reasoned stance, stemming from the courage to allow others to do what they want and accepting that it may not be what we want. It can be a form of neutrality.
Example 2 – Adoption of Agility
The adoption of agility is not a linear problem. It is a wicked problem that requires more than a simple project plan. It is hard to define agile adoption and what it will look like in the end—there is not even an end.
Much of the adoption of agility is based on openness, collaboration, and iterative innovation. These values turn into activities that build up the agile methodologies and ways of working.
However, many organisational leaders are uncomfortable with large-room facilitation or the working alliances required for systems coaching and thinking work.
When leaders operate below the level of 200 or below the level of courage, it is unlikely that their worldview will embrace these values. Therefore, it is doubtful that these activities will be allowed to take place, and if they do, they will have significant checks and balances to stifle any descent or ideas that could threaten the status quo.
When a workforce operates below the 200 level, it looks to other leaders who seem to have conquered fear. This is demonstrated by clear objectives and bold statements that seem to show a certain and unwavering direction. The attributes of always having to be right are a symptom of a workforce operating from a fear consciousness.
When this is present, the values required to solve large complex problems, such as an agile transformation, will not take hold, and therefore, iterative discovery is not possible.
When a leadership team steps beyond the 200 level and steps into courage, they are genuinely unafraid to look at themselves and their behaviour and are willing to adapt and grow. This is a prerequisite for agility.
Anyone trained as a professional coach knows you cannot force coaching on anyone else. If you try, it doesn’t work. Coaching comes from a paradigm of neutrality, which is around 250 on the map.
Correlation between Action Logics and the Map of Consciousness.
Data collected from the Global Leadership Associates (GLA), the organisation behind action logics, and Bill Torbert’s work shows that leaders who operate from the Expert Action Logic and almost all leaders from the Achiever action logic do not seek or use feedback.
This correlates to those who experience life below the courage level in the map of consciousness. This does not mean that you cannot be an expert operating from a higher level of consciousness; however, it does correlate to the less conscious aspects prevalent in expert—and achiever-led organisational cultures.
It reminds me of Architect teams that design wonderful paper drawings that rarely find their way into code. This pretence that the architecture on paper will represent the actual code results from this level of consciousness. Code reviews come too late to change any significant architectural design, so developers and architects are frustrated. Both blame the other or enter a silent agreement, hiding the core problem.
No one wants to face the fact that silo architecture teams are a result of a deeply ingrained individualistic and Expert mindset that is operating from a level of fear of change. It is necessary to look at the whole delivery system and focus on outcomes to address this. This is impossible until the Independent (now called Redefiner) Action Logic appears (prevalent in most Agile Coaches) and the underlying culture grows above the 200 level of courage.
According to the data collected by David Hawkins and his researchers, around 85% of the world’s population operates below 200, and according to data from the GLA only 10% of leaders operate from the transforming action logic needed to grow agility.
It is easy to see why so many coaches become frustrated with leaders and vice versa. They operate mostly from two different levels of consciousness and Action logics.
Vertical development
I am bringing an exciting new retreat to those who want to experience tools and techniques to elevate their consciousness to and above the 500 level of unconditional positive regard. This retreat is for change agents who want to go beyond rational mentality and experience the superpowers of love and how this can guide and empower your work.
https://www.spiralbutterfly.com/
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