The "diamond consciousness," responsible for the diamond perspective, is like Aurobindo's "supermind" in its capacity to look through all facets. Cosmic consciousness looks without facets so it sees everything, all points of view integrated in one perspective. The diamond consciousness can see all points of view, including the integrated point of view of cosmic consciousness, and hold all these perspectives and as equally valid.

The Diamond Consciousness is the prototype, on the level of Being, of the faculty of understanding. The ordinary capacity for understanding is only a reflection of this capacity. When an individual manifests an unusual or brilliant capacity for analysis and synthesis in his or her understanding, it is usually an indication of some degree of realization of the Diamond Consciousness.

What we call love is the same as consciousness, but it is experienced in the heart rather than in the mind, in the chest rather than in the head. It is also the same thing as will, which is experienced in the belly. Essential presence in the mind is often felt as a diamond, and in the heart is often experienced as a pearl. It is the same consciousness, seen from an objective, clear conscious level or from a personal heart level. If it is perceived at a universal, objective level it is seen as diamond consciousness. In the heart it becomes personal presence, the pearl beyond price, and rather than being seen as consciousness it will be seen as love. Here then we see that there is a deeper connection between mind and heart beyond the personality; in fact they are one. You can experience clear nectar or a clear diamond, or blue nectar or a blue diamond, or golden nectar or a golden diamond, and so on. The diamond form is experienced as consciousness or clarity. The pearl in the heart is experienced as true personal conscious presence. You can experience both at the same time, since they are one; however, within different traditions different perspectives are emphasized. In the Far East the spiritual systems emphasize looking at things in terms of the perspective of the head, of consciousness, and the result is enlightenment. In the Middle Eastern theistic tradition the perspective of the heart is emphasized so it is viewed more as a love affair. It is the same thing.

In some sense, the Diamond Consciousness is the integration of the mental faculties-intelligence, discrimination, synthesis, understanding and so on - into Being, just as the Personal Essence is the integration of another level of qualities. This aspect of Essence is the source of true insight, intuition, knowledge and understanding. It functions through a capacity of simultaneous analysis and synthesis. Its capacity for analysis is stupendous; it can move in closer and closer, its perception becoming sharper and sharper, and its understanding more and more precise, as one contemplates any subject. It synthesizes all that is available to the consciousness of the individual, making its analysis ever more precise. And it can reverse the whole process, using the insights and perceptions arising from the analysis for greater synthesis.

A more fundamental reason for our use of the term “diamond” is related to the aspect of Essence that we have mentioned which functions as inner guidance. This aspect is that of objective understanding, the understanding necessary for the realization and development of the Personal Essence. This aspect affects the consciousness in a very specific and unmistakable manner. One feels clear and objective. One’s consciousness becomes sharp, precise and luminous. There is an immediate sense of a brilliant and precise intelligence. One’s consciousness becomes crystal clear, exquisitely objective but alive. This objective consciousness, which has the function of understanding, we refer to sometimes as the Diamond Consciousness, because its experiential qualities resemble those of a clear and sharply-cut diamond.

As our investigations unfolded, it became apparent that this vehicle of wisdom had been implicitly guiding our process all along; it was the wizard behind the curtain, revealing the understanding and knowledge that was arising. We had used the mind’s capacity for discrimination, clarity and synthesis in our search for truth but didn't recognise that there was a presence that was the source of it all. The diamond-structured consciousness made its debut to teach us how this vehicle, which uses the capacities of the mind for inner investigation and knowing, effectively expands our usual mental operations to include more dimensions of the human psyche. We also found that remaining open is fundamental to the operation of this new kind of intellect, which can traverse and function within any level of experience, information, or knowledge. Unless one has an open mind and a love for and knowing the truth, this diamond consciousness will not operate. It will remain only an experience of presence. On the usual level of thinking if we take the position that we know with certainty that something is true, then we won't let in any new or conflicting information that might shift or deepen our understanding. This doesn't mean that what we know is wrong, but it might be incomplete, and we won't find out either way unless we are willing to consider new or different data. The love for the truth liberates our natural curiosity and leads the way into deeper levels of discovery.

The Diamond Approach is the result of the perception and understanding, by the Diamond Consciousness, of the realization and development of the human potential. This aspect is experienced in the work of inner realization as a guidance, specifically a guidance for the realization and development of the Personal Essence. It is the inner guide, on the Being level, for the essential person. The Jungian archetype of the wise old man, the guide for the journey of individuation, is an image that symbolizes some of the functions of the Diamond Consciousness. This aspect of Essence, however, is not an image and not merely an archetype; it is an actual state of Being.

Concepts enable us to reach understanding. Understanding is nothing but the understanding of concepts. But ultimately, everything is concepts, and hence understanding is the true revelation of everything. The essential aspect that functions as understanding, which we sometimes called the "Diamond Consciousness", is a manifestation of the absolute reality. Out of Being arises the capacity for understanding, for the encounter between absolute reality and the conceptual reality of the mind.

This Diamond Consciousness is a certain integration of all essential aspects, which can exist in a dimension that is more refined and more objective than the usual, most recognizable one. This dimension is that of the existence of all aspects of Essence as aspects of understanding. All aspects of Essence function in this dimension in the service of understanding. For instance, the aspect of compassion does not exist in this dimension only as the presence of the state of compassion, but also as the precise understanding of compassion and its relation to objective understanding.