Divine consciousness gives us cognizance of our very egos. Inwardness is, in this sense, a direction, not a static condition. It is a process of tracing every thought and feeling back to its source. This inward journey is the secret key to spiritual development. The more conscious we are of the light within, the more aware we become of the reality of life itself.
True life is much more than existence, however aware and self-directed, though it is that also.
True life is intense awareness of our existence. When expressed outwardly, it manifests as enthusiasm, whereas a merely aware existence manifests only as apathy, half-hearted reactions, or indifference. When experienced in the inner Self, life reveals itself as divine joy and bliss. Divine consciousness is the true life which enlightens human minds. That consciousness is only dimly manifested in people of little spiritual awareness.