Ken Wilber (2000a) has undertaken the project to map the spectrum of human consciousness. He has identified the core concepts that show up in all cultures, which he calls the perennial philosophy. These core concepts reflect the movement of the history of humankind. Central to this philosophy is the notion of the Great Chain of Being that reflects how consciousness exists in grades or levels of density or vibration. At the densest end is matter, and at the least dense end is Spirit. The claim is that people can grow or evolve up the hierarchy of the Great Chain. Each stage transcends but also contains the lower levels, much like any developmental theory. Each stage contains all the past stages and also adds something extra that makes the new stage wider, more expansive, and more integrative. Additionally, each development or expansion represents an increase in unity.

Wilber’s (2000a) model of consciousness is quite complex, and he identifies the structure, function, and states of consciousness. Wilber says that the trouble with psychology is that a school or sect, such as humanism or cognitive behavioral psychology, will take one or two of these aspects and declare that the rest are not worthy of study. Wilber’s goal is to look at consciousness in its entirety, which includes body, mind, Soul, and Spirit. We see these structures across all philosophies of humankind, and we see them in the chakra system and in most models of spiritual growth and development.

1. Functions - the functions of consciousness include perceiving, desiring, willing, and acting. Functions are generally the mental processes that we use to interact with the world. They include how the mind gathers and acts on incoming information.
2. States - the states of consciousness include waking, dreaming, sleeping, nonordinary, and meditative, to name a few. States are the different energy levels that the mind assumes as it thinks, sleeps, and dreams. The brain vibrates at different speeds in different energy levels, and thus we may find the brain vibrating at beta, alpha, delta, or theta levels, depending on the state of consciousness.
3. Modes - modes of consciousness include aesthetic, moral, and scientific. Modes are approaches to information. We take a different approach to information when we use a moral versus a scientific approach or a scientific versus aesthetic approach.
4. Developmental levels - development includes prepersonal, personal, and transpersonal. These are the levels of development that a person will pass through as he matures. Please refer to Appendix A to see how Wilber’s stages match our prior discussed stage theories. Additionally, Appendix E gives a brief overview of Wilber’s consciousness model.

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