A recent post reminded me of a question: Can the consciousness we are recognize itself (be awake to itself) while still holding onto fixed views?
I can only speak from my own noticing and experience and it’s all provisional.
To me, as so often, the answer seems to be yes, no, it depends, and it’s complicated.
YES
Yes, it seems it can recognize itself in a general sense, while many parts of our psyche still hold onto fixed views. Consciously, our psyche may also hold onto fixed views in some areas of life.
The consciousness we are recognizes itself, and different parts of our psyche holds onto fixed views that may or may not match our conscious view.
Our psyche may hold any kind of fixed view: political views, worldviews, ideas about how life should be and how people – ourselves and others – should behave, identities of being a victim or unlovable or anything else, and much more. Any thought can become a fixed view.
This seems to happen out of habit and to protect this human self. It’s from confused love. It comes from and creates a wound.
These are parts of us that are not yet onboard and aligned with the awakening. They live in and create their own world, and will inevitably color the perception and life of this human self.
NO
We can also say no, it’s not possible for both to be true at the same time.
If parts of our psyche operate from fixed views, they are not aligned with the awakening.
If we consciously adopt those fixed views, we are not aligned with the awakening.
The consciousness we are identifies with the viewpoint of the fixed story. It takes itself to fundamentally be something within the field of experience. (It pretends, for a while, it is.)
When that happens, the consciousness we are is mistaken about its nature. It doesn’t clearly recognize itself as what it all happens within and as.
It may fluctuate between (a) recognizing itself more clearly while the fixed views goes into the background, and (b) getting caught up in the fixed views and not recognize itself so clearly.
IT DEPENDS & IT’S COMPLICATED
A lot of this depends on definitions, and it’s nuanced.
In my experience, both of the views above are valid in their own way and neither is the full picture.
The yes above seems accurate in a general sense. Over some time, both are true, and they can even be true at the same time if there is not such a strong conscious identification with the fixed view.
The no is also accurate in that there tends to be a fluctuation between the two, with one in the foreground at a time.
IT’S A PROCESS
The consciousness we are noticing itself is not a process. It’s either here or not.
Just about everything else is a process.
To keep noticing through the day, and independent of changing experiences and states, is a process. It’s a new habit that forms and deepens over time.
To notice the different parts of our psyche holding onto fixed views is a process. Recognizing the signs, identifying them, inquiring into them, and so on, is a process.
To invite them to heal and align with our nature recognizing itself is a process. It involves learning to relate to them in a more conscious and intentional way, with more kindness, understanding, and support.
In short, for all the different parts of us to come onboard with the awakening is a process. It’s ongoing. It likely doesn’t have a finishing line. (At least not in this life.)