By Dr. Katie Eastman & Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino Every human being has basic needs—food, water, safety, and shelter. These needs keep us alive and functioning, but they don’t explain why we get up in the morning, what keeps us striving, or what gives us joy. Beyond survival, there is always a search for meaning. It is in this search that spirituality reveals itself. Think of the times in life when survival was enough. A crisis happens and you do what you need to do: pay the

Now, we arrive at the widest horizon of all — transcendent consciousness. This is the awareness that goes beyond the individual or the collective, reaching into the spiritual and universal dimensions of life.

True awareness widens our lens — linking us to family, community, culture, and even the planet itself. This is what I call collective consciousness.