Here at Humanity’s Team, we talk a lot about consciousness, conscious living , and taking an active role in our own evolution. To be conscious simply means to be aware. On an individual level, it is an awareness that we have a body and we have a mind. But also Who We Are is not the body or the mind. We are the consciousness – the awareness – beyond both. On a societal level, we often hear the term collective consciousness, which refers to the level of awareness of humanity as a whole. Some also refer to this as social consciousness or the Matrix. “The Matrix – the combined current energy field within any given parameter – is a powerful vibe. It can directly impact, affect, and create physical objects and events. Your popular psychology has termed this energy Matrix the ‘Collective Consciousness.’ It can, and does, affect everything on your planet: the prospects of war and the chances for peace; geophysical upheaval or a planet becalmed; widespread illness or worldwide wellness. All is the result of consciousness. So, too, the more specific events and conditions in your personal life.” – Neale Donald Walsch, Conversations with God, Book Two Another term that has surfaced recently is socially conscious . This is different from social consciousness, which is the combined level of awareness of society. Socially conscious refers to the degree to which an individual, group, or organization is aware of other people and how its actions impact them. For a company, that might mean shifting from profit-driven business practices to those that honor people and the planet equally. For an individual, socially conscious could mean contributing time or money to help eradicate poverty, hunger, homelessness, or disease. Both involve a sense of social responsibility – a realization that our choices and our actions impact everything around us. That we are interrelated and interdependent as members of one planetary family. It is the Golden Rule: do unto others as you would have them do unto you, not just because it is a good thing to be kind, but because we are all part of – and inseparable from – the One. “Whatever you do to another, you do it to yourself first, only with 100% intensity.” – Howard Martin At a fundamental level, we know this to be true. There is a reason why empathy, kindness, compassion, volunteering, and sharing feel good. They are part of our human nature. They raise both our individual and collective level of awareness. “Every thought and action coming from a place of kindness, love, and compassion plays an important role in shifting the collective programming of fear, separation, and scarcity to one of genuine kindness and generosity.” – Karin Kiser “Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” – Leo Buscaglia “The more compassion you have for others, the quicker mass consciousness will change. Make a commitment to have your heart open.” – Barbara Marciniak How might we be more socially conscious? We can consider how our words and actions affect our family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, and the “strangers” we interact with every day. We can learn how our purchases impact other people and the planet. We can explore opportunities to contribute to a social cause that holds meaning for us. “Ours is not the task of fixing the entire world at once, but of stretching out to mend the part of the world that is within our reach.” – Clarissa Pinkola. As part of our own social responsibility as an organization, we at Humanity’s Team donate a subscription to our Humanity Stream+ streaming service to an underserved person for each and every subscription purchased. It’s part of our global outreach One-for-One program available through Humanity’s Team. Our vision is that all human beings have access to life-changing knowledge and transformational practices to raise their individual and collective consciousness. Becoming Conscious .