The Galactic Federation's message..is an excellent explanation of these concepts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKew28kuPlE
Your consciousness is the awareness you hold, the light ray you travel on which attracts other lights that vibrate at its frequency. You may believe that your consciousness is a fixed point in your soul's evolution but your soul, like all else in the Universe, is on an expanding path of ascension. At each level of completion it is ready to attract a new level of consciousness that you can attract when the ego is partnered with Spirit and you allow your divinity to lead your understanding.
The soul is the ego's reminder of its potential which is why your journey moves as you become aware of a different levels of consciousness that require you to heal and release all that limits you. The soul's gift to the ego is closure and release as each phase of healing is completed. You have created this paradigm within the third dimension to help you release the layers of consciousness whose density hold you imprisoned by and limited in fear.
As you move into higher dimensions you attract new levels of consciousness. The soul brings their energies to your awareness by revealing them as beacons of hope to keep you moving forward on your journey. Then as you achieve these new levels, you are made aware of the next one and so the path continues, each level of ascension leading to another. This is not a punishment or burden you have undertaken in this lifetime, it has been the path all of your lifetimes have taken. It is in this lifetime that humanity has the ability to complete all cycles, close all connections to fear and release all dense energies to the light of understanding and truth.
Open your awareness to a new light ray to attract a new consciousness, a new vibration with all of its blessings, learning and healing. With Spirit as your guide, expand your light and human bodies to ground this consciousness and allow a new potential to become your energetic vibration. Draw upon your soul's desire for wholeness and integrity of spirit and human to be the light which guides you to fulfillment of your contract with Source to become spiritual humans and bring heaven on earth.