Margaret Newman: Theory of Expanding Consciousness

margaret newman theory expanding consciousness

Introduction

  • The theory of health as expanding consciousness stems from Rogers’ theory of unitary human beings & was stimulated by concern for those for whom health as the absence of disease or disability is not possible, (Newman, 2010).
  • The theory has progressed to include the health of all persons regardless of the presence or absence of disease, (Newman, 2010).
  • The theory asserts that every person in every situation, no matter how disordered and hopeless it may seem, is part of the universal process of expanding consciousness – a process of becoming more of oneself, of finding greater meaning in life, and of reaching new dimensions of connectedness with other people and the world, (Newman, 2010).

A Description of the Expanding Consciousness Theory

  • “The theory of health as expanding consciousness (HEC) was stimulated by concern for those for whom health as the absence of disease or disability is not possible. Nurses often relate to such people: people facing the uncertainty, debilitation, loss, and eventual death associated with chronic illness. The theory has progressed to include the health of all persons regardless of the presence or absence of disease. The theory asserts that every person in every situation, no matter how disordered and hopeless it may seem, is part of the universal process of expanding consciousness – a process of becoming more of oneself, of finding greater meaning in life, and of reaching new dimensions of connectedness with other people and the world” (Newman, 2010).
  • Humans are open to the whole energy system of the universe and constantly interacting with the energy. With this process of interaction, humans are evolving their individual patterns of the whole. According to Newman’s understanding, the pattern is essential.
  • The expanding consciousness is the pattern recognition.

Nursing Paradigms

Health: “Health and illness are synthesized as health – the fusion on one state of being (disease) with its opposite (non-disease) results in what can be regarded as health”.

Nursing:

  • Nursing is “caring in the human health experience”.
  • Nursing is seen as a partnership between the nurse and client, with both growing in the “sense of higher levels of consciousness”

Human:

  • “The human is unitary, that is cannot be divided into parts, and is inseparable from the larger unitary field”.
  • “Persons as individuals and human beings as a species are identified by their patterns of consciousness”…
  • “The person does not possess consciousness-the person is consciousness”.
  • Persons are  “centers of consciousness” within an overall pattern of expanding consciousness”.

Environment: described as a “universe of open systems”.

How Newman Viewed Everything as Patterns

Patterns have dimensions of movement and space-time. It is constantly moving unidirectionally and evolving and maybe enfolded in a larger pattern that is in the process of unfolding. Using Rogers’ (1970) conceptualization of pattern, Newman (1986) states, “Pattern is information that depicts the whole, understanding of the meaning and relationships at once. It is a fundamental attribute of all there is and gives unity in diversity” (p. 13). Patterns are also a characteristic of wholeness and reveal the meaning of life (Newman, 1999). According to Newman (1987b), “Whatever manifests itself in a person’s life is the explication of the underlying implicate pattern…the phenomenon we call health is the manifestation of that evolving pattern” (p. 37). This phenomenon also includes concepts of health and disease.

Time, as a dimension of pattern, is conceptualized as either subjective or objective and also is viewed in a holographic sense. According to Newman (1994a), “Each moment has an explicate order and also enfolds all others, meaning that each moment of our lives contains all others of all time” (p. 62). Further, time is considered an index of consciousness (Newman, 1983) because as consciousness expands, space-time transcends limitations of linear and physical boundaries to extend beyond what is the here-and-now. However, what is truly important is that one be fully present at the moment knowing that all experiences are manifestations of the process of evolution to higher consciousness (Newman, 1994a).

Time and timing are further described as a function of movement (Newman, 1983) and part of the rhythm of living (Newman, 1994a). Time has importance in revealing patterns because extending the time frame helps nurses and patients recognize patterns and reorganize activities (Newman, 1994a). Temporal pattern synchronicity between human beings and health care workers is also important to receptivity and health because these patterns are highly individualistic and influence how people respond to each other. Nurses who attempt to practice within this theoretical framework must be sensitive to synchronize their rhythms with those of clients with whom they are working. Newman refers to this as “the rhythm of relating” (1999, p. 227) and states that it is an indicator of the pattern of interacting consciousness. By attuning themselves to the rhythms of others, nurses assist individuals to identify patterns and move to higher levels of consciousness.

The dimensions of space and time are complementary and inextricably linked to each other as space-time or time-space, with time being increased as one’s life space decreases (Newman, 1979, 1983). Space has further been identified as life-space, personal space, and inner space (Newman, 1979), with personal space or territory very much involved in a person’s struggles for self-determination and status (Newman, 1990a). As consciousness expands, the distinction between the self and the world becomes blurred as one recognizes that essence extends “beyond the physical boundaries and is in effect boundarylessness, as one move to higher levels of consciousness” (Newman, 1994a, p. 47).

According to Newman (1994a), movement is a reflection of consciousness, indicates inner organization or disorganization of people, and communicates the harmony of a person’s pattern with the environment. It is integral to relationships and “is a means whereby time and space become a reality” (Newman, 1983, p. 165). The rate of movement is seen as a reflection of pattern (Newman, 1995b). Space, time, and movement are linked. In fact, “the intersection of movement-space-time represents the person as a center of consciousness and varies from person to person, place to place, and time to time” (Newman, 1986, p. 49). When natural movement is altered, space and time are also altered. When movement is restricted (physically or socially), it is necessary for one to move beyond oneself, thereby making movement an important choice point in the process of evolving human consciousness (Newman, 1994a).

The evolution of consciousness is identified by patterns of increased quality and diversity of interaction with the environment (Newman, 1994a). Wholeness is identified in patterns of dynamic relatedness with one’s environment (Newman, 1999). Expanding consciousness is seen in the evolving pattern, and episodes of pattern recognition are turning points in the process of an individual evolving to higher levels of consciousness. Newman states that an individual’s current pattern is a composite of “information enfolded from the past and information which will enfold in the future” (Newman, 1990a, p. 39). Viewing this pattern in relation to previous patterns represents an opportunity for new action and expansion of consciousness.

Margaret Newman Patterns

–Nurse Key

Strengths: the model can be applied in any setting & can “generate caring interventions”

Weaknesses: abstract, multi-dimensional, qualitative, & little discussion on environment

Additional Information & References

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