How to operate ones mind, or consciousness to achieve enlightenment, mindfulness, joy, and love is to produce one's Personal Tao and is the goal of Western Wisdom. Everyone believes that they are conscious when they are awake. And that is true. Being conscious for humans is being conscious AND being self aware. It is being self aware that makes us human.
All life is consciousness.
Every one celled plant or animal moves toward food and away from a life threatening situation. That is making a choice, consciousness. Humans add to that the ability of being aware of being aware, of have an Identity as a unique expression of Existence, of Life, and of being human. Human consciousness is the ability to be aware and exercise the choice of where we place our attention and the appropriate emotion to accompany that Attention. Love is the ethic to guide our choices into being appropriate, compassionate, and just.