[sky]

Originally Posted by Phaelyn

We use that word "thinking" in sentences as if it is referring to one specific thing we do, but really it is not so simple. "Thinking" not only has two completely different sources of it's creation, it also has two completely opposite relationships with us, consciousness.

One source of creation is the brain, using the brain of course. Obviously a sub-conscious process. The other source of creation is consciousness which also uses the brain and language to conceptualize understanding or experience. To visualize it in a sense to communicate it to others or to oneself.

It's like the difference between going about our day with no awareness of our breathing at all, as opposed to consciously controlling our breath as in holding it or doing deep breaths.

One major purpose of the brain is to automate routine tasks freeing us up to use our very limited attention ( science says a human can only be consciously aware of four things at one time max.) to do other things. Imagine how dreary life would be if we had to think every time we opened a door or picked up a bite of food from our plate with a fork.

So walking requires no thinking, nor does turning a corner. But just like breathing, just because the body can and does do it without "us" or the consciousness being involved in it at all, we do have the option to focus on it and to do it consciously if we have a reason to. That is actually a practice in zen which is to try to do everything consciously. To be aware of all the things we normally do all day long on auto-pilot or unconsciously.

Also, consciousness has the attribute of understanding. This is similar to the brains understanding that allows it to unconsciously do things like breathe and jump when it spots a snake or to do any repetitive physical thing. Understanding and awareness allows consciousness to do things on auto-pilot.

The body doing things unconsciously is not really thinking. Thinking is verbal or uses language, words, phrases. The same with consciousness adapting to understanding and awareness. It's not verbal therefore not thinking. Thinking is very much a linear process. One thought after the next, and all referencing memory. The brain does massive parallel processing at a rate of a billion billion calculations a second. That is what allows us to walk and run around objects and jump over a log, open a door, eat etc... That is not "thinking."

Calculators and computers do not think. They follow code and their program. Thinking to a human being is basically two things. "Talking in our heads" which is result of unconscious conditioning, habits, memories and such, fears, superstitions, knowledge, and on and on.... and the flow of that is brain to consciousness. Or conceptualized understanding and that talking in our heads, the flow of that is consciousness to brain to consciousness. Very limited is what is actually represented in the conceptualization of understanding as experience can never be conceptualized in any real way.

'So walking requires no thinking, nor does turning a corner.'


That's because we can think we are not thinking, but walking does require thought as does turning a corner.... We are not always aware of thinking but in the background there are thoughts....