Onions, Ogres & The 6 Layers of Consciousness

Being a father is one of the most rewarding privileges in the world, but let’s be honest: it’s also one of the most challenging. Some days, the sensory overwhelm and the constant demands leave you feeling less like a spiritual master and more like a grumpy ogre.

It was during one of these moments, accepting my son’s numerous requests to watch a movie to gain some relief time, that I got hit with a profound realisation whilst watching Shrek.

Shrek tries to explain his complexity to Donkey:

“Ogres are like onions! Onions have layers. Ogres have layers... You get it? We both have layers”.

Donkey suggests cake instead (“Everybody loves cake!”).

But Shrek is right. We aren't cakes. We aren't sweet, simple, single-textured things. We are Onions. We have layers. And if you try to fix the outside skin without looking at the core, you’re just going to cry.

The Architect’s Onion

In the Conscious Architect framework, we don't just look at the 'Self', or consciousness, as one big thing. We map the Onion. We understand that consciousness is a layered system.

Most of us are trying to fix our lives at the surface layer (our thoughts), wondering why the smell of the onion hasn't changed. To truly shift our experiential reality, we have to peel back the layers.

Mapping Your 6 Layers

The Skin (Layer 5: Identity)

The conscious "I", your story, your personality, your intentions, and your daily thoughts.

  • The Insight: Most people live entirely here, unaware that this is just the superficial layer covering the depths below. The Architect learns to leave this layer to work on the foundations.

The Flesh (Layer 4: Somatic)

The felt experience of the body, the breath, tension, heart rate, and interoception.

  • The Insight: This is the concrete foundation of your daily experience. You cannot build a stable high-frequency structure on a nervous system that is stuck in "survival mode". The body is the hardware.

The Pungency (Layer 3: Symbolic)

The layer of meaning encoded in images, rituals, sigils, and metaphors.

  • The Insight: This is the "User Interface" of your reality. Your deep mind doesn't speak English; it speaks Symbol. This is why tools like crystals, sigils, and Reiki symbols work—they are code input for this specific layer.

The Core (Layer 2: Archetypal)

The realm of patterned intelligence. This is where universal roles live: the Guardian, the Healer, the Teacher, the Shadow.

  • The Insight: These patterns shape your emotional experience before you even have a thought about it. They are the "subconscious personnel" of your internal world.

The Sprout (Layer 1: Higher Self / Primary Signature)

The individualised expression of Unity. It acts as the bridge between the infinite (Oneness) and the finite (Identity).

  • The Insight: This is the "Regulating Intelligence". It is not an archetype; it is the compass that organises your intuition and alignment. (Note: In my previous article “Spirituality Without the Noise”, I refer to this as the “Primary Signature”).

The Earth (Layer 0: Oneness)

The soil we all grow from. The universal field of Being. The infinite backdrop from which all things arise.

The Insight: This is not a "state" you achieve; it is the canvas upon which the other layers are painted. It is undifferentiated Unity.

The Cascade Mechanism: Why Knowing Your Layers Matters

This onion of ours is exceptionally intelligent. Our realities are based upon a harmonious synchronisation where the layers support the manifested outcome. This underpins the premise of “manifestation” or “healing” (as grand as fantasy magic is, it just isn’t it).

The relay race I’ve come to observe through my own life works like this:

  1. 1. Identity (Layer 5) sets an intention ("I am safe").

  2. 2. Somatic (Layer 4) must agree. If the breath is shallow (fear), the signal stops here.

  3. 3. Symbolic (Layer 3) anchors it. A sigil or ritual encodes that safety into a visual/felt experience.

  4. 4. Archetypal (Layer 2) activates the form. The "Guardian" or "Healer" pattern wakes up to hold that structure.

  5. 5. Higher Self (Layer 1) aligns it with your unique "Complete Code" / Primary Signature.

  6. 6. Oneness (Layer 0) provides the infinite energy to fuel it.

In essence, most people fail at change because they only work on Layer 5 (Narrative) ("I'm going to change") but ignore Layer 4 (Somatic) ("My body is terrified") or Layer 2 (Archetypal) ("My inner Victim is driving the bus"). The Architect builds on all levels.

Donkey wanted cake because cake is easy (even then, he was settling on the dazzling Parfait), but the Onion is real. Being a Conscious Architect means being brave enough to peel back the layers, even when it stings, to find the sweetness at the centre.

For the remembrance of sovereignty (even when looking in the pantry or watching a family movie).

Damian | BilanciaAetheralis

Damian Carli is a distance Reiki practitioner trading as BilanciaAetheralis, ABN 22 364 277 217.

Reiki is offered as a complementary practice and is not a substitute for medical or psychological care. Always consult a qualified professional for health concerns.

The Conscious Architect is a personal development framework offered by Damian Carli, separate from the Reiki practice. It is for informational and self-development purposes only and is not affiliated with the architectural profession.

© 2026 BilanciaAetheralis. All rights reserved.