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THE POWER OF THE PARACONSCIOUS

ICELT

Different levels of consciousness

described in the article
TERMINOLOGY

Conscious

normal state of being awake and aware

Pre-conscious

Term used by Norman Dixon to describe the state of the mind and body in the fraction of second
before we start to act or think consciously.

Subconscious

Those things just below the surface of our conscious awareness.

Unconscious

Much deeper, less accessible memories and influences (I avoid this term because of its associations
with certain schools of psychotherapy, and with being knocked out)

Paraconscious

Term used by Georgi Lozanov to describe the state of normal awareness which does not require
careful thought (for example, the relaxed unfocused state of listening to music while were ironing)
when we are most receptive to learning; this is the state most of the suggestions in this article are
attempting to access.

Nonconscious

General term used here to describe other than conscious, rather than trying to differentiate
between any of the specific states mentioned above.

Taken adapted from ETP magazine, issue 29, October 2003 by Gilberto Maldonado.

THE POWER OF THE PARACONSCIOUS

ICELT

CONSCIOUS

NON- CONSCIOUS

Active & controlling,

Receptive, spontaneous, participatory

Whole comes first; from whole to part
(interconnection, patterns, fields)
High Volume
Ambiguity
Incorporates new material
Errors are learning material

Part analysis; built from part to whole (focus on

separate units)
Low volume, reductive
Specifics, exactness
Interpretation, consistency
Right/wrong; obsession with correctness
Machine-like fixed approach; attachment to the
status quo
Analytical, going deeper into detail
Does it make sense?
High focus, concentration
Competitive (separating/raking)
Mental dominant
Objective
Serial function

Organic plasticity; let it emerge

Creative, looking for new relationships
Does it give pleasure?
Relaxation
Cooperation; bonding is first impulse
Holistic feeling, sensation, intuition dominant
Subjective
Parallel function

Taken adapted from ETP magazine, issue 29, October 2003 by Gilberto Maldonado.