We are always shaping the flow, character and activity of our consciousness, but most of the time we are not doing this intentionally. We simply react. And we learn to want to be put in situations where these reactions are pleasurable. You can see how passive this is; were we aware of this we would rarely allow it. Yet our cultures systematically ‘refresh’ the inhibitive forces and descriptions that help to maintain this state in most of the people.

It is possible to actively shape consciousness, and arts are examples of this — as are activities like reading, writing, study, close observation, physical intimacy and intentional visualization. The point is, we do not have to live as passive recipients of options provided by reactive consciousness. We can learn to shape it in ourselves and others, actively. And we can do this in simple, coherent ways that neither require nor establish religions.