Is Consciousness Overrated ?

[Molearner]

View this thread as a derivative of the thread about the mention of God putting up walls. What does consciousness actually do for us ? For most of us there is an approximate period of 8 hours every day that we are sleeping. Somehow without the benefit of consciousness we manage to remain alive. If I were to view each one of you while you were sleeping I would perceive no threat......you would pose no threat to me. I would marvel at the tranquility that I am witnessing.

But when I wake up guess what happens ? I wake up and jump into the little box that I call myself. And because I find myself in this little box it only seems logical that everyone else must surely live in a box. So I start my day by helping everybody......I put one person in the box for Christians.......another in the box for atheists and so on. Wow ! Life is so much simpler now.......everything is under control.......order is restored ! I am so proud of myself ! Look what I have done for the world ! And all by myself.......I didn't even need your help. It further occurs to me that you should be thankful to me for doing this. I did not even have to consult with you to do this most charitable need.

Does this in any way describe the human condition ? Is life really a result of our consciousness ? And if we thought about it and were really capable architects would we be proud of what we have constructed ?

When you sleep,
your conscious mind turns down to rest the brain and the body.
Then your sub-conscious mind turns on
continuing your breath,
recalling the past,
making creative images,
sending you important messages,
observing the other dimensions
sometimes even watching the dimension we exist in.

Even as you wake up, your subconscious is trying to communicate
with your conscious mind through intuition and even mistakes.

we cannot be without consciousness. lol

[IsleWalker]

Originally Posted by Molearner

Is life really a result of our consciousness ? And if we thought about it and were really capable architects would we be proud of what we have constructed ?

You have to first understand the meaning of consciousness when people use it in this context.

It's NOT like "I was not conscious during the surgery." That has to do with the brain functioning, electrical functioning.

It is the awareness that is at the core of every cell that is you--an awareness of itself and of other awarenesses. So, cells in your body are aware of other cells.

And so, yes, life really is about our consciousness. That "awareness" does not reside in the brain, it exists before we became physical, continues throughout (with some data downloaded to the crude hard drive brain) and continues once we die.

That function of awareness (and ability to choose) is at the heart of everything physical and non-physical (spirit/"ghosts"/etc.).

If there were a different word to use from the one that most people associate with brain functioning, I would use it. (BTW-Scientists have never located exactly where "consciousness" exists in the brain--nor "attention".)

Lora

[LadyMay]

Have you ever had a dream, Neo, that you were so sure was real? What if you were unable to wake from that dream, Neo? How would you know the difference between the dream world and the real world?

Just reminded of that quote whilst reading your post. I wouldn't call 'boxing in' the result of consciousness, but in fact the result of unconsciousness. As for unconsciousness when we are asleep, I can't answer that, but like the quote says, what if that's the real world instead? What if we have these terms 'conscious' and 'unconscious' mixed up, and they're actually the opposite of what we believe them to be?

I would ask the other question: Is unconsciousness overrated? The majority of noise that streams through our minds as soon as we wake up in the morning seems to be true unconsciousness.

The little boy, 5 years old asks:

" - Mom?
- Yes?
- How can we know that all of this is not a dream, and we are already in heaven?"

[LadyMay]

Originally Posted by Stillness_Speaks

The little boy, 5 years old asks:

" - Mom?
- Yes?
- How can we know that all of this is not a dream, and we are already in heaven?"

I often wondered that. I used to think that this dream world was constructed for us to escape a reality of hell, lol.

Originally Posted by Manifesting29/11

I would ask the other question: Is unconsciousness overrated? The majority of noise that streams through our minds as soon as we wake up in the morning seems to be true unconsciousness.

I read about a yogi who could put himself into a state of deep sleep and stay aware the whole time. They did a scientific experiment on him and confirmed that he could do this. Anyway, he used to say that he found staying aware during unconsciousness very uncomfortable, because he said the mind opened its doors and went crazy as it was trying to recalibrate everything or something. Apparently it was just a load of noise that he couldn't make heads or tails of.

I think this is mental unconsciousness, though. To be able to stay aware there must have been another him watching.. a conscious him watching the unconscious him. I don't know what happens to our consciousness usually whilst our unconsciousness is going crazy.. maybe we're watching the whole time but just don't remember due to the extent of information that is actually passing us by.

[Molearner]

[QUOTE=ScarlettHaydenI read about a yogi who could put himself into a state of deep sleep and stay aware the whole time. They did a scientific experiment on him and confirmed that he could do this. Anyway, he used to say that he found staying aware during unconsciousness very uncomfortable, because he said the mind opened its doors and went crazy as it was trying to recalibrate everything or something. Apparently it was just a load of noise that he couldn't make heads or tails of.

ScarlettHayden,

This reminds one of people that practice meditation. The goal, at least in the way that I intend it, is to remove all thoughts during meditation. I do not meditate on a specific thing or thought........that comes later after my formal meditation. If performed correctly the meditative period brings great tranquility and the awareness of time disappears. One then has a genuine experience of eternity. This thoughtless period of time in meditation differs from sleep because we are fully awake. The mystic Angelus Silesius wrote:

When I leave time,
I myself am eternity.
Then I am one with God
And God is one with me.

[wstein]

Originally Posted by Molearner

Somehow without the benefit of consciousness we manage to remain alive.

physical life does not require consciousness or even a brain. Most of life is sustained by biochemical systems. Plants and filter feeders don't even require a nervous system. The nervous (and brain in animals) allows a lifeform to go searching for food instead of having to wait until it comes along.

Originally Posted by Molearner

But when I wake up guess what happens ? I wake up and jump into the little box that I call myself. And because I find myself in this little box it only seems logical that everyone else must surely live in a box.

Ah yes, the ego and conditioning assert their control again. Consciousness allows (or even encourages this). This is very typical of the human way of living.

Originally Posted by Molearner

Is life really a result of our consciousness ?

For many people consciousness plays only a minor role in daily life. Once they are old enough to work out a routine, they stick to it. They go along with whatever they emotions, intellect, and ego suggest is called for. Consciousness mostly just responds when something novel happens.

Look at the thread this split from (God putting up walls). How many responded to that actual topic and how many went off on their own personal issues (unrelated to the topic)?

It doesn't have to be that way. Conscious living is possible, it's just not popular.

Consciousness is not overrated, just little used.

[LadyMay]

Originally Posted by wstein

Consciousness is not overrated, just little used.

Yes. Agreed.