This is an updated version of my "Dimensions of Consciousness" model. There are 5 dimensions.   1: Illumination Dimension  I previously called it pure consciousness dimension.  When people say "increase consciousness" they are basically saying "increase the illumination dimension of consciousness". The higher your illumination dimension the more awake you are. Illumination is about recognition and clarity of non-duality/awakening truths.  It's not about mental clarity or conceptual recognition, but about actually becoming directly conscious of that awakening truth. It's about actual awakening.  For an awakening It is not always enough to just increase the Illumination dimension. Sometimes it is also necessary to actively try to grasp/recognize something with your mind using contemplation. Low Illumination dimension + contemplation = conceptual awakening  High illumination dimension + contemplation = actual awakening   - Practices that target the illumination dimension: psychedelics advanced lucid dreaming/OBEs To a lesser extend: RASA or Light Transmissions (Ramaji, Gareth, Imogen,...) long dark room retreats advanced Invocations Intense concentration and jhanas self inquiry  To an even lesser extend: all other spiritual practices.      2: Void Dimension  The void dimension is about form vs formlessness. The higher the void dimension, the more formless and spacious your consciousness becomes. When you increase the void dimension high enough, you are in the Void, in complete formlessness: no body sensations and maybe not even thoughts. In order to be conscious of Love, God and Infinity plus having a formless consciousness (=being in the Void), you need to increase both Illumination and void dimension.     Very profound Oneness experiences usually need a high void dimension. Because the void dimension is very good in dissolving seperation/boundaries.   Lowering your brainwaves causes the void dimension to increase. - Practices that target the void dimension by decreasing your brainwaves: Sleep Yoga SAT transmissions trance, tiredness, sleep deprivation dark room retreat float tank And to a smaller extend: kriya/kundalini yoga meditation physical exhaustion  being sick brainwave entrainment (binaural beats, Lumenate,...)   - Practices that target the void dimension as well: Psychedelics  OBEs Shamanic breathing  SAT transmissions  Long fasting And to a smaller extend: Invocations  Weed and alcohol Shaktipat transmissions  These practices might increase the void dimension also through decreasing your brainwaves, or they increase the void dimension through a different way. Idk. Anyways, it seems that these practices (for the most part) don't increase your tiredness. What I want to say with all that, an increase in the void dimension doesn't necessarily correlate with an increase in tirednes. That means it is possible to have a high void dimension (thus a very formless consciousness) while working out in the gym or even while taking a cold shower.   3:  Intensity Dimension  In the past I basically included the intensity dimension in the void dimension. The intensity dimension intensifies your recognition (of non-dual truths). But it doesn't increase your recognition (and state of consciousness) It for example intensifies your awareness of: Love, God, no-self, not knowing, ... - Example 1: not knowing High illumination and low intensity: You recognize that you actually know nothing (except for what is in your direct experience right now) High illumination and high intensity: actual not knowing (for anything beyond your direct experiences). The scenario of what your memory tells you what happened 1 minutes ago is just as likely as the scenario that you were a frog on a different planet 1 minute ago and then shifted here with fake memories. - Example 2: Different love awakenings High Illumination and low Intensity: you recognize that you are love in this moment. This love is not overwhelming.  High Illumination and high Intensity: you recognize that you are love in this moment. This love is very intense and overwhelming. You might be crying. Extremely high Illumination and low Intensity: you recognize that you and everything else is love. You have always been love. Existence is love, there is nothing but love. (So that is the increase in Illumination dimension). This love is not overwhelming (because of low intensity).   - Correlation between Illumination and intensity dimension: Sometimes the Illumination and intensity dimensions have a high correlation. For example, pyschedelics tend to increase both Illumination dimension and intensity dimension proportionally. But other practices, like for example light transmissions (and RASA), and self inquiry tend to increase the Illumination dimension and hardly affect the intensity dimension at all.   - Correlation between void and intensity dimension: Increasing the void dimension seems to increase the intensity dimension too. For example if you are conscious of Love, and then increase the void dimension, then the intensity dimension usually also increases proportionally. That means, your state of consciousness becomes more formless (due to higher void) and the love recognition and immersion becomes more intense (higher intensity dimension). But increasing the intensity dimension doesn't cause the void dimension to increase too. So it's possible to have a high intensity dimension and low void dimension.    - Practices that target the intensity dimension: Psychedelics  Advanced OBEs And all Illumination and void practices which can indirectly increase the intensity dimension        4: Magnitude Dimension  The magnitude of consciousness in a human is far higher than in a mouse. And it is far higher in a god (astral entity like Zeus) than in a human. - Practices that target the magnitude dimension: Psychedelics Advanced OBEs And to a lesser extend: Advanced invocations (I think that's the most realistic practice to increase your baseline magnitude dimension)     5: Alertness Dimension  During deep sleep your alertness dimension is at cero. When you wake up and are conscious, you have a good degree of alertness. When you take a cold shower or drink coffee, your alertness dimension increases even more.       Sometimes there is a correlation between these dimensions, but from a broader perspective they can be independent of each other and any combination is possible.   Here are my posts of the older versions, they contain more details on some points: