Yesterday I talked about how consciousness can effect reality, but what is this thing called consciousness? Ask a scientist and you might get an answer about how it is the result of chemical reactions and/or electrical impulses in the brain and nervous system. However, things such as out of body and near death experiences and astral projection show us that consciousness isn't localized to the brain or even the body. So, clearly this isn't the answer. A more honest scientist will most likely tell you that they simply don't know.
In order to answer this question we must turn to the ancient esoteric wisdom traditions of Kabbalah and Hermeticism. Both of these traditions have been studying the nature of consciousness for many thousands of years. So long, in fact, that their origins are lost in the foggy haze of time. Many if not most of the greatest minds that ever lived followed one or both of these traditions that were long relegated to secret contemplation and practice since the late days of the Roman Empire.
The Hermetic principle of mentalism, one of the foundations of Hermetic thought, states that "the All is Mind". The Hermetic concept of the All refers to everything in existence whether it is physical or energetic. To Hermetic practitioners consciousness, far from being a mere phenomenon of the brain, is the very fabric of the Universe itself and the totality of existence is thoughts in a Universal mind. While this may seem like mystical mumbo jumbo to many, the Simulation Theory that has recently garnered the support of top scientists posits nearly the same thing only it ascribes the Universe to some artificial intelligence or computer rather than an organic mind. This seems to be more likely a reflection of our modern culture to me.
The Kabbalistic concepts of Ayin and Ein Soph seem to support the idea that the Universe itself is composed of consciousness as well. Ayin literally means "eye" in Hebrew and is said to be what existed before creation. However, this includes before time and space themselves were created so the Ayin would not be limited to a long distant "before" but would permeate throughout all of existence forever. This makes it related, if not synonymous, with the concept of Ein Soph which is the Universal source of all existence. To the Kabbalists, everything in existence- every form, energy, and thought, is a manifestation of Ayin as it travels from Ein Soph through the 4 worlds and tree of life into physical form and back to rejoin into Ein Soph, the great unity of all. In other words, Kabbalists believe that everything in the Universe is consciousness that has separated itself from the rest of the Universe in a process of self discovery before going back through the process to rejoin it.
Of course, all this is only a brief glimpse of the complex ideas contained within these traditions. One could write volumes on either subject and only scratch the surface. However, these concepts do seem to explain the observations and discoveries from quantum physics, cosmology, and other scientific disciplines that have led to theories such as the Simulation Theory. Perhaps the ancients knew more than we give them credit for, knowledge that has since been lost, buried, or forgotten. There are concepts that would explain this as well but that will have to wait for another time. Til next time, happy steeming!
I love the idea that Ain, nothingness, the opposite of existence, is beyond human comprehension. I enjoy trying my best to contemplate it anyway :)
Another great post, my friend!
Indeed, it is one of my favorite things to contemplate even though it is beyond our understanding. I recently had to write something about it for a group I work/study with so it's been on my mind recently. Interesting how it's nothing yet it is aware and everything in existence is fully composed of it.
Many years ago before I even knew Kabbalistic concepts or anything occult related even existed I remember trying to contemplate nothingness. I was so excited when I learned about the negative veils of existence. So much amazing and necessary information out there that they don't teach us in school.
Definitely... They teach children all kinds of crap that does nothing to benefit them at all. Meanwhile we seem to have forgotten what it is and what it means to be human.
Absolutely. I wonder if that's by design.
I wasn't going into that just yet but it is...
Hermetic is Non-Dualism and we share that notion with Hindu and Buddhists. - You are god. Yet so is everyone else including worriers ( "worry = evil" ) and crackheads. This is why we see suffering in this world. Your article was good and it is not beyond your understanding... if you walk outside and dissolve a cloud with your mind it will work as long as you follow the "To be silent" rule which basically states that you are not supposed to discuss your cloudbusting or film it.. even here... It has to do with time and inviting opposing expectation in a mental world. Simply walk into your backyard and dissolve a cloud with your mind and you will understand the principles of magik as greatly as Merlin himself. That is a genuine miracle. (attn: Please do not upvote this comment. I merely wanted to say it is not beyond your understanding). EVERYTHING IS A COMMON DREAM WE SHARE AND CONTRIBUTE TO AS A COLLECTIVE.. Easy peezy. (caps for emphasis). Namaste.
Mind is a strange thing .............many times can affect fully the way how your body feels ..... Nothing in life is just sciens ... :)
Very true... There is way more to this world than meets the eye.
Fascinating! Just read this and your other post on Magick, so good. Upvoted and following you. And I do think the ancients knew more than we give them credit for. It amazes me how many people out there are so incredibly unconscious when the opportunity exists to learn more and be more. Since I'm looking to create more in my life this kind of work is so worth studying and implementing. Thanks so much!
Glad you got something out of it. Plenty more to come. I could write about this nonstop and still not say everything I have to say.
Very much so thanks, looking forward to reading more!
Again another awesome blog :)
Thank you! Glad you like it.
Your consciousness is affected by your lifestyle, stress and activities you've done in that day. Its not necessarily in your head, but all about your body.
Your consciousness is affected by many things... your body can certainly effect your consciousness but your consciousness can also effect your body. Indeed, the idea of the post is that there is no difference.
I would be likely to say that 'your consciousness is many things, which all affect one and other'. This is the interesting (to me) aspect of the entire conversation here.. if.. consciousness is all there is.. then, what we are differentiating between are the infinite appearances in which consciousness can arise as. I don't really see a body or mind affecting 'consciousness' or vice versa. Of course, if we are speaking of consciousness as 'awareness' and related, as many (to most) western scientists would, then it makes sense to talk about cause and effect.
It is definitely one of my favorite things to contemplate. Interestingly, so many ancient traditions are focused on consciousness such as Kabballah and the Egyptian mysteries though they are usually cloaked in myth and metaphor. Once you realize that most "religious" traditions are speaking in metaphor of internal states and processes within one's consciousness the rabbit hole gets very deep.
Yeah. Thank you for reminding me jp :)
My consciousness hurts now.
Lol... just a snowflake on the tip of the iceberg my friend.
Ohhh man. To be painfully aware. Sometimes it really sucks to tap into this type of thing. Especially when your the only one tapping in and being aware of yourself and actions and everything you are essentially. Peeeew! Mind is always blown when looking in.
I definitely know that feeling... it's a blessing and a curse and an immense responsibility all rolled into one.
Responsibility is definitely a huge one. It's your responsibility when your aware of human actions to not react. And to read the situation. And in some moments it's so hard to do!
Yes taking that split second to think about your action and acting instead of reacting is one of the hardest yet most beneficial things you can do. Too bad most people don't do it much if at all.
There are times where I fall victim to reaction. But I'm in a relationship with someone who has borderline personality disorder. I pretty much have zero option for reaction I have to truly think about words and actions and tone when speaking in specific situations or else this incredible bomb goes off and everything becomes shambles. For a day or week.
I can definitely relate. My sister has borderline personality disorder so I know how it can be. I just got out of a relationship with someone who is either bipolar or has BPD and was clearly misdiagnosed to have anxiety disorder so given a medication that only amplified the problem. It's definitely not easy especially when they blame you for their misery.
Ohhh the wonderful blame game. It is hard to see past it some times. And see the human I love in there. But I can't give up. Medications are weird though....I have PTSD haha weird that's I'd be with a BPD lol but they gave me antibiotics psychotics to try and treat my PTSD. Along with 6 other medications. I gave them up three weeks in. It made me worse and physically I'll. I lost vision and motor skills and as an artist that's the biggest nope I'm done ever. So I forced the crap out of myself to learn cognitive behavioral therapy. And to do it every day. And to help retrain my brain to be better. And so far it's worked. I have the anxiety but really it's all in your head. Especially PTSD. I tip toe for myself I can walk on glass for him
Have you ever contemplated the possibility that if we were in a simulated reality, then perhaps we are nothing more than data at the base of our existence? We ingest information through the use of our senses on a continual basis.
We are programmed to learn from our environment and to not repeat the same mistake twice (although some are better at this than others). We have the ability to learn from experience. All these concepts could be processes within the simulated construct, due to our design.
Really, all life can be viewed as biological machines. What humans think differentiates them from all other animals is this so-called conscious mind. I assure you, my dog has a conscious mind, so does my house cat.
So, consciousness is not unique to humans, just the way in which we view the separation of the body and the conscious mind. We have great abstract thought abilities that are finely-tuned due to millions of years of evolutionary advancement.
The conscious mind lags behind the subconscious as has been shown in study after study, as of late. So, what constitutes the subconscious decision-making? Well, your experience as well as genetic traits handed down generationally are processed in your brain, and are used as a basis, or "database" to process any and every action you will take. Your conscious mind is a construct of your bodies ability to separate itself from itself to be in agreeance with your subconscious mind at all times.
Let that sink in for a moment... your reality is an illusion of data being collected and transferred through your genetic body, but gives the illusion of control to the individual in the form of the conscious mind. That is, of course, if this is in fact, a simulated existence.
Nature over nurture, that is the next question...
Rather than a simulation, I prefer to think of it as a giant mind. If we consider the holographic nature of the Universe as a possibility it makes sense. Everything we perceive is in our minds and if the Universe is holographic then each piece would contain all the elements of the whole, albeit in degraded fashion. So, the fact that we have minds through which we perceive the Universe would be evidence that the Universe is a more perfect mind. The problem I have with simulation theory is that it would require some intermediary between us and the mind that created the Universe. It would still require a mind to create it but would also require some "hardware" the "software" of the simulation runs on.
i like to think of it like a giant mind or body in meditation that gives birth to the universe, like one massive dream. i think the fractal nature of reality supports this idea. then at a deeper level, we are a giant mind for the 'universe' of cells in our body. protons, neutrons and electrons spin like planetary systems
I like that... that is a good way of looking at it.
patent pending 😄
edit; jokes, i would actually like to see you expand on this idea if you like @jphenderson. You have a better way with words than i and with my project i have enough I'm doing at the moment
good post again, are you going to do one of these a day?
you might literally blow someones mind if you do
ha
Quite possibly every day... at least every day that I feel like it. Not a bad habit to get into. Tis an ill wind that blows no minds.
I think my consiousness is falling.
Interesting to arrive at similar ideas from different starting points: https://steemit.com/philosophy/@johnniec/random-thoughts-on-systems-and-consciousness
Such an interesting topic of conversation. I could converse about this things for hours. There are so many different theories on the concept of 'consciousness' however our ability to understand is very limited due to our cognitive processes/evolutionary development at the current moment.
Will we ever "understand" the concept of consciousness? Or will it forever remain an abstract term....
Understanding consciousness is understanding ourselves and there is no ultimate understanding of it. It is a neverending path. There is always progress to be made.
Most definitely. We are infinite beings experiencing this human life just momentarily! How could we ever comprehend that to its fullest degree. 🌻
Another fantastic post, @jphenderson! You did a wonderful job of formatting these hermetic ideas in an easy to digest manner.
I definitely think all things are consciousness, and I am glad you used the out of body experience as an example. I had a long discussion about where memories woukd be stored during an out of body experience the other day that lead into the mass consciousness of the universe having some sort of memory, like the Western adaption of the Akashik Records/Library.
Really, even memories could be stored in the brain while consciousness is still nonlocal through quantum entanglement but I understand it to be more akin to what you are saying.
I suppose that's true, but I'm not entirely convinced memories themselves are stored in our brains. Perhaps imprints of the memory are stored as chemical responses, but the abstracted memory is part of say the objective experience where each mind is a universe of its own.
Agreed... I think most likely the brain is more like a network card than anything than a processor or hard drive.
If we take the concept of the Great Mind where everyone is one aren't we truly the Universe experiencing itself? Having different experiences depending on our environment just for the simple state of Being?
At least that would answer the ever ongoing question for the meaning of life. Existing for experience.
I'd love to read more of you bringing back some of this knowlegde to us!
Indeed we are the Universe who experiencing itself in a process of self discover. I will be posting much more of this in the future.
When you said you were writing a post about consciousness this was not where I thought it was going to go.
Which isn't to say what you've said is wrong - I don't think anyone does really know what's going on re: why we have consciousness and what it really is.
There is something very appealling, in an intuitive way, to connecting our conscious experience with ancient/universally applicable ideas and observations. It gives me a certain comfort to know people almost unchanged from me have been dealing with the same impossible questions for millenia.
Having said that - we are getting closer, inch by hard fought inch, to decoding the brain and the profound complexity it represents. I can't help but feel - and maybe even hope? - that in the coming decades we may have answers sufficiently concrete to end the age old cycle of human mysticism.
(Side note though - once you answer all the "hows" you're still left with the "whys" so perhaps mine is a false hope)
(Side note 2 - it is pretty funny when you think about it how close simulation theory is to creationism in some of its core theories for the existence of the universe)
From my perspective, 'having consciousness' is (like a Zen master might say) like biting one's own teeth.. We don't have consciousness, we are that consciousness, and it is us. It is that infinite, paradoxical, and mysterious yet experienced fully every moment.
The reason that science is no closer to answering the question of what is consciousness after so many years of neuroscience and mapping of the brain and nervous system is that it doesn't seem to be localized to the brain. Things like out of body experiences, near death experiences and astral projection show us that it is separate from the body and only inhabits the body temporarily.
Oh man, I hadn't realized you were so into this stuff. I know you are busy with whaleshares and other projects but you should keep making posts like this :-)
Sadly OBEs and NDEs don't prove much to a lot of "left brain" dominant people. Though I think the real change will come when we start debating whether consciousness arises from Matter or if Matter arises from consciousness. The former assumption has put spirituality and science at odds with each other but the later would allow the two to be explored together :-)
Yes and the most recent advances in science seem to support the idea that matter arises from consciousness which is giving a lot more attention to the ancient wisdom again. I'm actually writing something about that and the nature of time right now.
:-D beat me too it! I think we'll have slightly different perspective and I don't plan to write about that stuff for a while. Looking forward to reading!
I made the new channel to talk about this kind of stuff, among other things, feel free to bring people over there if you wanna talk about this stuff in discord
I will... you should probably join the discord server that inspired this writing as well. There's some really interesting characters in there who would probably love to talk along these lines with you either in your server or theirs. https://discord.gg/wtSNB3R
The position and nature of subatomic particles change due to measurement and observation. Without observation it is believed that these particles are in every possible state at once. Reality may just be relative to time and measurement.
really loved ur post , checkout mine you might like it https://steemit.com/science/@whitedolphin/forefront-consciousness-and-healing-science-research-reports-in-the-field-8-9-july-2017-conference-encinitas-california
Thank you for this. More of us need to connect to the consciousness of the universe to expand and grow as individuals, but also to connect and grow as one. Great post.
Thanks I'm glad you enjoyed it
I am amazed that you started with the idea that because of astral projections !!!! , NDE, and stuff like that consciousness is not localized.non locality is based on science and not some deepak chopra stuff.
astral projection and NDEs are real experiences that show us our consciousness isn't local in a deeply personaly and real way. Just because some schmuck like Deepak picked up on it doesn't take away from the reality of the experience. I could have gone into nonlocality based on quantum entanglement but then it would have been heavier reading and longer than what I was trying to achieve. Perhaps I will do that in a post soon though.