The Buddha said...

Greetings..

the nature of Consciousness is change.. this is known through direct experience.

Be well..

[Xan]

Possibly the term "consciousness" is used differently by different people.

I distinguish between "consciousness-in-itself" and "individual consciousness".
"Consciousness-in-itself" is pure consciousness, that is -- what enables each and every one to be conscious.
"Individual consciousness" is what each individual is conscious of, or the perspective of each individual mind.
"Consciousness-in-itself" cannot be transformed, it is the eternal, absolute, un-manifest source of all manifest creation.
Being absolute and eternal, it is never changing.
"Individual consciousness" can be shifted, [and] it does shift quite often.


Good description and differentiation, Joshua.

Individual consciousness may be expanded or deepened... which is spiritual awakening.


Xan

Originally Posted by Joshua_G

Possibly the term "consciousness" is used differently by different people.
I distinguish between "consciousness-in-itself" and "individual consciousness".
"Consciousness-in-itself" is pure consciousness, that is -- what enables each and every one to be conscious.
"Individual consciousness" is what each individual is conscious of, or the perspective of each individual mind.
"Consciousness-in-itself" cannot be transformed, it is the eternal, absolute, un-manifest source of all manifest creation. Being absolute and eternal, it is never changing.
"Individual consciousness" can be shifted, for many people it does shift quite often.

There is One consciousness, shared by all, according to their unique perceptions and awarenesses.. as the individual evolves, as Life evolves, so too Consciousness evolves..

There is the inclination to remain attached to the illusion of something 'unchanging', so as to face the Great Mystery with some sense of security.. but, it is that illusion of the unchanging that is also the obstacle to our liberation..

Trust the 'process', let go of 'everything't for a brief interval.. without the attachment to preaching, teaching, knowing, believing, defending 'anything', there is a great Liberation, a great openness and capacity for revelation, which once revealed and experienced, let it go, too.. in this way, everything is always fresh and new, full of awe and wonder..

Be well..

Originally Posted by Joshua_G

First was, is and always will be, is consciousness.
Pure consciousness is the Buddha Nature, the eternal, absolute, un-manifest source of all manifest creation.

CONTEXT !!!

Originally Posted by Humm

Well, what is data? Ever had a bucket of data? A cup? A pound? A meter? A candela? A newton?

'Data' is a metasubstance, so in fact it is ideally suited for conceptual capture and manipulation. Secondly, 'illusion' in the context I am using it is not synonymous with 'false', in the context of 'representative'.

Look at it this way - Think of the conceptual nature of mind as a computer monitor. The information presented on your 'computer monitor' is an illusion built from tens of thousands of little tiny lights (pixels), but does that mean all the information REPRESENTED on your computer monitor is therefore all 'False'?

Of course not. when we see a picture or a movie on a computer monitor, we aren't actually there, but the illusion REPRESENTS loads of INFORMATION as if we were there. But, just like pictures on a computer monitor, images can also be manipulated and even manufactured, just like with concepts in our minds (it is called 'imagination'). Still, with care, we can find out a lot of what is happening in other countries, for example, through our computer monitors, even though the images represented on the screen are all just an illusion.

Seems to me, with google, wikipedia, and whatnot, one can get loads of 'true' data off of the 'illusions' presented on a computer monitor - yes?

Or, think of it this way - when you look at the moon, what is it in your mind? Is it an idea of the moon, or the ACTUAL moon, crammed into your head? And when the moon is not present, and you think of the moon, what is it that is in your mind? Is it an idea of the moon - a conceptual moon - or is it, again, the ACTUAL moon, crammed into your head where you can call it up any time you like?

The point being that even though your 'conceptual' moon isn't actually the moon, it does REPRESENT an ACTUAL moon - the moon in your mind is actually an illusion, but it is NOT 'false', in that it does REPRESENT an actual moon. Relating to the first example, a picture of the moon on your computer monitor is NOT the actual moon, but it is REPRESENTATIVE of the actual moon, and imparts meaningful and true information about the moon, as long as you have ancillary data providing other critical information, such as mass, distance, phase the picture was taken, and knowledge that what you are looking at is a PICTURE (illusion).

Everything in our minds is like this. This is what I mean by 'illusion' and the conceptual nature of mind.

Occam's dog
Pavlov's razor

Originally Posted by Alternate Carpark

Occam's dog
Pavlov's razor

What does that mean? Are you calling me a dog, or Occam a pragmatist?

Because I am not a dog, and Occam was a deeply religious man.

Originally Posted by TzuJanLi

There is One consciousness, shared by all, according to their unique perceptions and awarenesses.. as the individual evolves, as Life evolves, so too Consciousness evolves..

Indeed, there is one consciousness, referring to "consciousness-in-itself". "Consciousness-in-itself" is that which enables awareness, enables living entities to be conscious of whatever. "Consciousness-in-itself" is changeless. What may evolve is "individual-consciousness", which is the perspective of each individual's mind.

Greetings..

Originally Posted by Joshua_G

Indeed, there is one consciousness, referring to "consciousness-in-itself". "Consciousness-in-itself" is that which enables awareness, enables living entities to be conscious of whatever. "Consciousness-in-itself" is changeless. What may evolve is "individual-consciousness", which is the perspective of each individual's mind.

Respectfully, i disagree.. "individual-consciousness" IS "Consciousness-in-itself", differing only in accordance with where you place your awareness.. and 'it', along with the entirety of the Cosmos, evolves.. people have often looked at something that moves imperceptibly compared to their understanding, and concluded it was stationary...

Be well..

Originally Posted by TzuJanLi

Respectfully, i disagree..

Let's agree to disagree…

[Silver]

Until you see. This is a very exciting conversation ~ to be a part of a whole thing-a-ma-bob, rofl.......we are part of the whole universe / consciousness / awareness w/varying degrees of awareness.....we can't always 'see' and sense where we are - our position in amongst all the other parts that make up the whole....perspective.....like being in the mall, 'you are here' - lots of people get lost in the local mall, like me. N we may be small, but like the butterfly flapping its wings in wherever, we change the whole sometimes imperceptibly so...

There may or may not be reasons I see a scene from thelma and louise where the stupid husband is stepping in his own pizza.......because he doesn't realize where he is.
I'm just trippin' this morning, don't mind me.