Here are five different ways to relate to time. These categories of time, which are not mutually exclusive, help you to move away from thinking of time as only a linear dynamic measured by that mechanism on your wrist or wall to thinking of time by how you relate to it. I hope that the categories will also help you to let go of the feeling of being controlled by linear time.

Time as a Linear Structure. Time by the clock is linear, even though usually presented in a round face or a calendar that recycles its months and seasons. It is a method devised by and agreed to by humanity which allows you to sort out the complexities of the Universe while you are operating from your limited ability of the human awareness (as compared to spiritual awareness, which is unlimited). Many people tell me that they feel "controlled" by this kind of time. While this time is considered to be "accurate," you must admit it is rather comical that every four or eight years we insert an extra day.

Concurrent Time Fields. This includes time as you know it by your clock. In addition, it includes an awareness that several linear time frames are functioning concurrently. Here are several examples: past/present/future and their relationship to each other; other or past lives; other or parallel worlds; other dimensions of reality. Of course, not everyone believes in these time frames, but these are important concepts to many.

Continuity and Connectivity of Time. Again, this includes time by the clock. In addition, it includes an awareness of ancestors as a continuous flow of creation, backward from the present to the beginning of time (which is a very long time) as well as forward from the present to eternity (which is a very long time).

Time as Perception. Surely you have experienced the passage of time as dependent on your mood, activities, or the people you are with. In other words, you perceive time by where you position yourself and how you are relating to yourself and the world around you.

Eternal Time. This is time that has no relationship to the clock. While many use the phrase "no-time" and consider time does not exist, I view Eternal Time as containing all time. It is the constant now, eternality, the Divine Present. This is similar to a common experience that many meditators call "altered states of consciousness." This is the type of time that accompanies enlightenment. The moment of a realization (aha!) is an example of this type of time, as your life can change completely in an instant by the clock that is a quantum leap in consciousness that might be compared to years or even lifetimes of learning.

Consciousness and Time

In this age of awakening, consciousness is changing swiftly. With this swift change in consciousness comes the sensation that time is speeding up. Time distortions of many types also occur. Creativity is greatly enhanced by the changing consciousness, which means that more and more ideas, our own and others', come to you in possibilities and paper and phone calls and, well, just plain more stuff. More, more, more. Everything is expanding. Everything expands in time.