When I first was confronted with looking at my consciousness it was a pretty scary thing. After all I was convinced that I knew my consciousness. None of us like to think that we live unconscious lives.

For those of us who come from rational education and backgrounds, the idea that we can influence our consciousness may seem somewhat strange. After all science, especially the medical sciences, talk about being conscious or unconscious. My attitude was that I am conscious, when I am awake, and unconscious when I sleep. I do admit that that was quite some time ago, and that science (and my concept) has changed its concept somewhat.

But this is really the overall sentiment in the general public. The concept is also that the consciousness of humans has always been the same, that since the advent of man, man has been conscious to the level we are now (sic!).

There seems to be a contradiction here. According to the theory of evolution man evolved from some long extinct pre-historic ape as did all the great apes. I agree that modern apes, chimpanzees, gorillas, bonobos, orangutans, have a consciousness, as most likely do all mammals. It is not as developed as ours, but is existent. It is under much scientific research, in the attempt to establish levels of consciousness and maybe also development of consciousness.

In the long history of man we evolved physically, mentally, emotionally. But we take it for granted that our consciousness is the same now as it was way back then. Why should the consciousness stay the same through all these millions of years, when our physical bodies have changed?

On a physical level we have reached the highest level of evolution. Evolution is supposed to be random mutations on the physical level that eventually led to what we are today. This may also hold true for the evolution of consciousness, even though there is no scientific evidence that connects consciousness to genetic development. *

It seems rather that as we evolved physiologically our consciousness developed accordingly.

Since it is most unlikely that we will evolve further physically, the question arises whether our consciousness therefore has also stopped developing.

When we look at the known history of man, known meaning the part that is written down, we see a development of consciousness. This development can also be seen in pre-historic finds. By the time these developments took place, man had already achieved his highest level of physical evolutionary development.

* This opens up the question of what is consciousness - physical or otherwise, a subject I will not go into here.

I allow myself to conclude that consciousness most likely began its evolution back in the dawn of genetic evolution. I also allow myself to conclude that consciousness developed and continues to develop apart from genetic evolution.

In this belief I see that evolution or development of consciousness will continue. To me this - Our consciousnes, our mind - is the last true frontier for us to explore and develop.

Just like we voluntarily explore and develop all the other "last" frontiers, I believe it is the responsibility of every individual to develop consciousness. It is a choice each of us has to make. Some people will develop at a faster rate than others, but this will eventually influence all or most other people.

Will you join us in the journey to the Last True Frontier?