Human incubation. An emerging state-of-mind or call it a rediscovery, that is creating new pathways for existence - for human beings to flourish, to become the "best possible versions of themselves". Human beings as "conscious containers" at a physical, intellectual and psychological level. Conscious Gems as a concept is addressing self-actualisation, reorienting our awareness and facilitating growth. Founded by Aliki Kostopoulou from Greece, based in Switzerland and having traversed many nations and cultures, Conscious Gems is best explained as "A network for the regenerative renaissance that is emerging, a culture with local roots and global sensibilities founded on healing and regeneration..." We spoke to Aliki recently about the basic tenets of Conscious Gems, leading it's flagship collective gathering in the south of France, June 2020.
Please define Conscious Gems at a basic level?
Theres a lot of attention from my side towards self-growth and self-actualisation, and how we can create a community which is loving and caring enough, to allow you to become your conscious self. So it's about lowering competition and allowing people to take their time - but also responsibility - of who they are. What they are brining in this world. This is my personal focus, as a result of which this project has started. I experienced something similar - What it means to be in a "conscious container" - What it means to have full responsibility about what you are supposed to do - without anybody telling you what you should do. Yet also be around people, who are trying to be the best version of themselves, that they can in all aspects of their lives. So, to be best person in their personal lives, to be able to grow as much as they can, to be responsible for what they say, what they eat, how they act, feel and think. And as you can imagine... is a strong personal practice, yet I feel we as humanity, we are in the right place, to be able to hold that. We have already established a level to have the basics at least. Food, shelter and the will to think, determine and act. So we are ready to start discovering the 'upper levels' of the 'emotional pyramid' - if your aware of it. So going from basic needs (food, shelter etc) we can start climbing up, into protection and safety - which is about inner peace - That safety comes about from being around people who care, part of what we are creating here. You can go up to levels of 'self-esteem' - which equates to what it means, being out there, showing yourself as the being. What you bring? Why you are here? To believe that you have a reason to be here - and that there are people who want to hear you, know who you are. This is what we are trying to establish the above as a 'default' - Once you step into Conscious Gems, this 'default' is just there! The last step being personal in nature, and stands for self-actualisation.
Your role as a guide or mentor in Conscious Gems?
There is no one fixed path for self-actualisation. It's not about the meditation I am doing, or all the shamanic work that I am doing - not the books that I am reading that will help you - to become the best version that you can. Hence, what I am supposed to do, is to help you to build the pace and capacity - that is necessary to find out what will make you 'this person'. Provide the tools which enable such a 'becoming'. So that's the outline, of what I am doing currently with Conscious Gems...
You have built a connection between natural elements (water, fire, wood, metal etc) and the emotional pyramid. What is the connection, or basic idea behind this link?
The circular elements of nature such as earth, moving to the element of metal, to water, to wood and to fire - so we complete the circle. It came as a very strong 'download' to me, on the day of the earth actually, 22nd of April - that in order to create a new way of 'being' we have to be based in the five (chinese) elements, and each one of these elements is representative of a quality, inside each one of the 'conscious gems'. But it also represents one of the conscious gems. Hence, the first one we are creating now, is of the earth. It was really strongly felt, that we need to reconnect with the element of the earth - allowing people to 'ground' themselves, before we can move unto anything else...
So in essence have we as a civilisation, lost our connection to the elements?
Oh! we have lost contact with many things... the elements also. I mean, if you remember your days, how many hours of the day do you actually pass even being close to a plant, or stepping on the ground. Like if you really put them down, you will see that maybe if your lucky, theres a few hours per week, or a saturday that you will go hiking - or goto the park. All the rest of the days, theres no contact with something that is not human made. Mostly in all the big cities... So obviously lost contact. It's not around us, and it's not in our awareness. Not even in our sight - and I realise even over here, that we have gathered with the intention to reconnect with the earth, and it still takes time for us, to start observing ...and start understanding the changes. Just so the readers know, that the system of elements is ancient, one being chinese with five elements, the other one is Greek which contains four.
About the 'rediscovery of identity' - Do you feel it is fixed? And have we lost our identity as such?
I would talk more about essence - in place of identity as such. Identity is something that can be acquired, during our lives. Essence is something we are born with. So practically, essence is what types of attributes 'make your heart sing'. It's not how you have lived your life - it's not how you behave - it's not how others see you. It's when you hear it, makes your whole system vibrate in a different way - and we have forgotten that ... For example, from the nine essential points we were talking about before, the one which is my essence - one of the strong characteristics, that one wants to do what is right for this world. Wanting to make the world a better place. This is a very strong inner drive for me. Another essence for example is the drive to make peace. But the two are not the same. They are completely different. To be in a peaceful environment is different from trying to make the world a better place. One doesn't mean that peace is not a way to make the world a better place, but it's still very different. Seeking the initial drive behind your essence. Why are you doing what you do in life? Why am I creating Conscious Gems is to let people see a better reality for themselves. Yet for this essence to come to the surface (to be able to live) we have to liberate ourselves, from the 'onion rings' that we are covered from society, from expectations, notions of power and control. We end up captivating our essence, into a shell that does not allow us to be happy - because we feel it's not us what we are living as. We have to be able to observe this shell, and be brave enough to allow 'light' to come through, and eventually let go of the shell. Changing things in everyday life, in order to become what we are supposed to become. Yet as we move towards that direction, is when we feel liberated and the 'soul starts to sing' the best songs...
As an artist, musician or even traveller it felt wonderful, exhilarating to be able to see and explore new places and countries - why does it feel that lifestyle needs to be questioned, and perhaps change?
This is a very novel question, because I am also a traveller, have always been - but lets see it like this - take for example a person, from the beginning of their life till the end of their teenage years - you need support and you have your parents and it's absolutely fine to have all the support. To be able to grow. In your 20's, your exploring, the world, everything is new! Something you should be doing. Then as you move to your 30's, all of a sudden this need for creating something different, something nicer, begins to emerge in you and you're like 'i did not have that before'. Earlier you wanted to just explore, but now it's just not good enough. It's not fulfilling the way it was before. Does that mean exploring and travelling in your 20's was bad? No, no. It's exactly how it should have been... It's exactly the same with humanity. Humanity has been growing and right now we are in the stage of early adulthood - so we are moving from this 'very fun' and 'outgoing' individual into being a more 'mature' and 'giving back' individual. Hence our whole world is changing, we are moving all together... and yes, travelling as we did feels a little bit off, right now. It is off. Because it is not the time anymore - and back then when it was amazing but we have to realise that we are still evolving... That's why we have to started travelling inwards - that's why we are addressing so many things spiritually, that we would not have even heard of 10 years ago. Now we need them... now as we ready. Now these aspects will allow us to grow... And the next step? Who knows! This is the next step for now...
What would you say to artists and the creation of artistic work?
Thank you for your sincere questions ... what makes me vibrate in this world is to explore - how we are evolving and how our consciousness can connect at various levels - about the connection to the arts as such : there was one day, maybe less than a year ago - That it came to me, about why we do art. I had never really understood why do we so, but I have always liked art and music, don't get me wrong. Yet I did not understand what does art do to us? Why is it such an important form of expression... So I was in this museum and I allowed my conscious self to just float... and then I realised, looking at the painting in front me, that I was allowing this rupture into my consciousness, so new ideas could come in...If you think our day as a rational thinking line, art can create this schism, a break, between the before and the after - and in that process different or new ideas can just drop in from our pool of consciousness. For me this was like "oh wow! this is why we do art..." That's why when someone is playing music, they are not 'there' - they are somewhere else... They are in a 'state'. When someone is painting, they are again not 'there' ... and this is the moment that your soul reconnects to consciousness. As your creating something from higher than you. It's not you, and many times you don't even know the notes, or how to make the painting, not planned... We are just the means, translating the conscious experience into a form. Point being, how do we as individuals get into this 'state' more and more often - that's when your 'soul starts singing' and you know that 'your there' ...
0 -