What is the "I" (that you think you are)

"The "I" is an idea.

It's basically a concept.

It has an affective component, that is to say it has feelings, sensations that it can influence, but of itself it has no substance.

So the "I" is basically a social construct.

It's something that happens developmentally in terms of psychology, it seems almost inevitably.

As a process of differentiation, consciousness begins to identify with form, and in that process of identification, some sense of a "me" or an "I" develops and that continues to differentiate and individuate.
Until some point, discrimination or discernment, a greater awareness arises and one begins to see through the actual construct itself, so the "I" is a kind of phantom with no reality to it."

~John Prendergast

[Rah nam]

It certainly is a concept, it helps us to understand ourselves, whether we our understanding is correct or not is irrelevant, and will change.


As a process of differentiation, consciousness begins to identify with form, and in that process of identification, some sense of a "me" or an "I" develops and that continues to differentiate and individuate.


It is my understanding, consciousness never identifies with form, it creates form.
Consciousness never has a problem with identification, it is the form that might or might not have problems with identification.

Originally Posted by Detlef

It certainly is a concept, it helps us to understand ourselves, whether we our understanding is correct or not is irrelevant, and will change.


As a process of differentiation, consciousness begins to identify with form, and in that process of identification, some sense of a "me" or an "I" develops and that continues to differentiate and individuate.


It is my understanding, consciousness never identifies with form, it creates form.
Consciousness never has a problem with identification, it is the form that might or might not have problems with identification.

Is form really created?

Is matter real?

When you have a dream at night, is all the perceived matter of that dream really existent?

Consciousness is another fancy word for your mind, everything appears in your mind, have you noticed?

Is it real?

Of course it appears real.

But have you noticed that even the concept of real and unreal appears in your consciousness?

And may just be another idea conjured up by the mind.


You say consciousness doesn't have a problem with identification, that it's actually form that may have the problem. But if all form arises in the mind, and is really just consciousness itself, then how do you divide the two?

It may actually be more true to say that form and consciousness are One and the same.

[Rah nam]

You shouldn't mistake awareness with consciousness.
Consciousness is at the core of all that is, the difficult part is to understand where in comparison to matter it resides.
You seam to see the mind as the all overriding, overarching "body" and what ever we see feel is only played up for us within this mind.
To me the mind is simply a complicated computer program we tap into as we come into incarnation, old experiences will be down loaded at the start of our life, and up loaded at the end of a life.
The mind is very limited and does not extend this reality and this reality is limited in itself.
With this, thinking and believing the mind is all that is, is very limiting in itself.

Originally Posted by Detlef

You shouldn't mistake awareness with consciousness.
Consciousness is at the core of all that is, the difficult part is to understand where in comparison to matter it resides.
You seam to see the mind as the all overriding, overarching "body" and what ever we see feel is only played up for us within this mind.
To me the mind is simply a complicated computer program we tap into as we come into incarnation, old experiences will be down loaded at the start of our life, and up loaded at the end of a life.
The mind is very limited and does not extend this reality and this reality is limited in itself.
With this, thinking and believing the mind is all that is, is very limiting in itself.

Hi Detlef,

To me, the mind is consciousness itself, and within consciousness all appearances appear, the body, thoughts, feelings, sensations, the entire world...

this is my understanding of the mind, i usually capitalize it to mean the MIND in which all appears, and in this case it's not really my mind, it's actually the one and only mind or the mind of God, whichever expression makes more sense to you

so my mind isn't necessarily only my mind, it's actually a MIND that is appearing as all minds on the planet

however these are just words, just an interpretation and as such, aren't really worth much, what is more important, in my view, is the actuality of life itself, reality itself, as it is now expressing itself as this post to you, this is reality as it is, without any interpretation of it, since it's not really known, it simply IS.

'I'... um... maybe i should rephrase that...

'I' can be many things din... too many to mention... and can be the I of spiritual self too... the spiritual being that we are...i'm not quite sure what your point is here... 'I' is a concept too... something that can be molded and shaped to our desired result if we become cause in our lives...

r u saying that 'I' is a bad thing... or just a thing...

Greetings..

"I", am an independently functioning version of the Unified Whole, complete with a unique perspective and an individualized aspect of Mind.. "I", am the means through which the Source experiences its own existence.. "I", am both Source AND Me..

The intellectualizing of the self as a "social construct", "with no reality to it" wants for a purpose.. which is to say, what purpose is advanced by conceptualizing the self in a manner inconsistent with what is self-evident?

The human brain is a functioning organ within the body, currently understood as similar to a computer's processor, data management.. but, data/information is acquired through an array of human sensory input systems, much more expansive than the five physical senses, and.. where human memories are stored, mass data storage, is unresolved, but.. there is evidence suggesting throught the body, and some research indicating that memories might exist 'everywhere (Zero Point Field)..

There are folks that use quantum physics to imply validity for beliefs like: nothing really exists because there's nothing really solid there, it's just energy 'appearing' solid.. cool, but 'why'? beliefs like: well, when the sensory input systems receive information, that information has to be correlated and assembled in the Mind (processor), and imagery compiled to represent 'reality', and the 'imagery' is not actually reality.. so what, got a better solution? assume there's no reality? i suggest refining the sensory process and the minds awareness, and restructuring the efects of conditioning to be more consistent with 'reality'.. to rely on stillness of mind to reveal that reality with a high level of clarity..

To use an analogy that has no intended religious implications.. "I" am God experiencing God's own existence, authentically and sincerely.. to have authenticity and sincerity, the 'God' that is "I", must have the same independent freedom to explore its existence as its Source.. which, together as One, Source itself realizes its own limitless potential in the eternal process of existence experiencing itself..

Be well..

[hybrid]

what is the "I"?

to understand I, say the word "I" aloud repeatedly.... I .... I ..... I...... can you hear it?

then say silently in your mind ... I ... I .....I ..... can you observe/perceive it?

now focus your attention to the "I" in your mind. can you feel it?

that is the I.
everything else is just a spin around that.
really.
.

[BlueSky]

As far as I am concerned...until there is no concept of 'you' seen here by me, then any idea beyond "I" is also an idea.
I get the sense of "aliveness" as me in a personal and non-personal way but "You" still exist to me. I don't know what 'you' are or what "I" am.........I have only ideas and they mean squat, in fact all they really do is give me a false leg/crutch to stand on. IMO.
James

[hybrid]

Originally Posted by WhiteShaman

As far as I am concerned...until there is no concept of 'you' seen here by me, then any idea beyond "I" is also an idea.
I get the sense of "aliveness" as me in a personal and non-personal way but "You" still exist to me. I don't know what 'you' are or what "I" am.........I have only ideas and they mean squat, in fact all they really do is give me a false leg/crutch to stand on. IMO.
James

i can feel you.
and so to say I am the "I" is to put the cart before the horse conceptualization.