Is Consciousness just a word to describe the 5 senses?

Originally Posted by guthrio

....mea culpa! One of the coolest examples of mistaken identity I've made since I joined SF!

Must be because his appellation is "Just A Simple Guise" for his extraordinariness!

... And when your friends say that you are even more beautiful than Katherine Hepburn herself.

But there's no mistaking that "Extraordinary does as extraordinary is": whatever his or her name.

Simple is as simple does. LOL!

It's not about becoming what we are, but unbecoming what we are not. Peeling away the layers of complexity allowing simplicity to reveal Itself.

The complexity is mundane. It's the simplicity that's extraordinary.

[guthrio]

Originally Posted by JustASimpleGuy

Simple is as simple does. LOL!

It's not about becoming what we are, but unbecoming what we are not. Peeling away the layers of complexity allowing simplicity to reveal Itself.

The complexity is mundane. It's the simplicity that's extraordinary.

JASG

.... Your Eastern philosophy "visitor" that came in late last summer must be a good friend to have around. Thanks for sharing with us on SF.

[MikeS80]

Originally Posted by WeRDivine

Isn't that just a fancy word for the 5 senses? Without the senses we wouldn't be conscious right?

And how do we know we have souls? I can't feel one.

The 5 senses are 5 parts of consciousness. This is why folks who dismiss the body/put the body in the same camp as the ego do not make any sense. See what I did there? Pun intended.

Awareness on the other hand, is aware of the 5 senses, thus is the observer of the observed.

Originally Posted by MikeS80

The 5 senses are 5 parts of consciousness. This is why folks who dismiss the body/put the body in the same camp as the ego do not make any sense. See what I did there? Pun intended.

Awareness on the other hand, is aware of the 5 senses, thus is the observer of the observed.

From the physicalist/materialist perspective it's all mixed up. Self (Consciousness) and self (ego-self, Ahamkara, I-maker) are superimposed on each other.

From the non-dual Advaita perspective Consciousness = Awareness (Self) and is Purusha. Body, mind (intellect, memory, emotions, ego-self) and all of objective reality are of Prakriti (nature). Prakritit is but name, form and function of Purusha and within Purusha. Purusha is unchanging and Prakriti is ever changing.

Self realization is realizing one's true nature (Purusha) and Enlightenment is a permanent and irreversible resting in that realization.

[MikeS80]

Originally Posted by JustASimpleGuy

From the physicalist/materialist perspective it's all mixed up. Self (Consciousness) and self (ego-self, Ahamkara, I-maker) are superimposed on each other.

From the non-dual Advaita perspective Consciousness = Awareness (Self) and is Purusha. Body, mind (intellect, memory, emotions, ego-self) and all of objective reality are of Prakriti (nature). Prakritit is but name, form and function of Purusha and within Purusha. Purusha is unchanging and Prakriti is ever changing.

Self realization is realizing one's true nature (Purusha) and Enlightenment is a permanent and irreversible resting in that realization.

None of that really matters as they are nothing more than more separation/division and thought experiments/ideas/concepts/labels etc.

Consciousness does not experience anything. Experiencing and self realization are mental processes, the mental is based on most people's subjective condioning . Ego, mind etc are all mental, and the mental effects the body (sensory and otherwise). When you take away the ego and mind, you take away experiencing and self realization. Objective experiencing and self-realization is far more important than subjective experiencing and self realization through thought experiments/ideas/concepts/labels etc.

The universe/duality has no existence apart from Brahman/non-duality. This includes ego, mind, body etc. The world as it subjectively and abstractly appears to us (via our subjective and false conditioning, beliefs, biases) etc is false/unreal because the way we perceive the world/universe/duality via our subjective and false conditioning, beliefs, biases and etc is not real/has no absolute existence. The world/universe/duality is ever real because it is, essentially, nothing less than brahman mistaken as a world of matter, subjectivity wishing, wants, needs, likes, dislikes, biases, desires, feelings etc etc.

You keep talking about subjective/abstract experiencing and subjective self realization through subjective/abstract experiences thought experiments/ideas/concepts/labels etc and through subjective mental conditioning/biases.

Originally Posted by MikeS80

Consciousness does not experience anything. Experiencing and self realization are mental processes, the mental is based on most people's subjective condioning . Ego, mind etc are all mental, and the mental effects the body (sensory and otherwise). When you take away the ego and mind, you take away experiencing and self realization. Objective experiencing and self-realization is far more important than subjective experiencing and self realization through thought experiments/ideas/concepts/labels etc.

Consciousness is the experiencer, the ultimate subject. It experiences mind while we are awake and dreaming and experiences absence of mind when in deep sleep.

Originally Posted by MikeS80

The universe/duality has no existence apart from Brahman/non-duality. This includes ego, mind, body etc. The world as it subjectively and abstractly appears to us (via our subjective and false conditioning, beliefs, biases) etc is false/unreal because the way we perceive the world/universe/duality via our subjective and false conditioning, beliefs, biases and etc is not real/has no absolute existence. The world/universe/duality is ever real because it is, essentially, nothing less than brahman mistaken as a world of matter, subjectivity wishing, wants, needs, likes, dislikes, biases, desires, feelings etc etc.

You keep talking about subjective/abstract experiencing and subjective self realization through subjective/abstract experiences thought experiments/ideas/concepts/labels etc and through subjective mental conditioning/biases.

Exactly and Brahman = Atman = Consciousness as in Sat-Chit-Ananda or Existence-Consciousness-Bliss. Body, mind and all of objective reality are but appearances (name, form & function) of and within Brahman which also means of and within Atman and of and within Consciousness.

Self inquiry through negation (Neti Neti) is for the purpose of discernment between the changing (body, mind and all of objective reality) and the unchanging (Consciousness). Discernment between our true nature (Self) and apparent nature (the ego-self). Desuperimposition of the superimposition of Self and the ego-self.

One has to first take the pieces apart to understand the puzzle otherwise one is left thinking one is but a mere piece of the puzzle instead of the puzzle in its entirety.

Here's how I see it.

1 - One can be tightly identified with mind-body and with that comes all the baggage of mind-body. Illness, injury, aging and death. Subjectivity, wishing, wants, needs, likes, dislikes, biases, desires, feelings etc etc. Do you believe mind alone can overcome all this? Be free of its own nature?

2 - One can be tightly identified with Consciousness. If one is Sat-Chit-Ananda and "knows" it then body, mind and all of objective reality are no longer a problem. It's liberation from all you categorize as negatives and more. It's simply recognized as Maya and the veil of ignorance is lifted, though its projection remains. Sit back and enjoy the movie instead of playing a small part in the movie and suffering all its twists and turns.

[Miss Hepburn]

Originally Posted by JustASimpleGuy

Self realization is realizing one's true nature (Purusha) and Enlightenment
is a permanent and irreversible resting in that realization.

So many definitions. This seems so simple and clear.

It's not about becoming what we are, but unbecoming what we are not.

Oh, that was good.

[Miss Hepburn]

Originally Posted by JustASimpleGuy

Just a case of mistaken identity. Not Guilty!

Takes me awhile to get to all these topics.
Oh.
Cuz I picture you as more muscular, tall and outdoorsy...ok 'rugged'.
But, with his full head of grayish hair. Close?

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

Takes me awhile to get all these topics.
Oh.
Cuz I picture you as more muscular, tall and outdoorsy...ok 'rugged'.
But, with his full head of grayish hair. Close?

Check out my profile picture. I'm the guy in the middle wearing a black shirt. I'm just 6' and my hair's silver, not grey. LOL! And yeah, it's still full. No male pattern baldness.

That picture was taken at Pixley Falls State Park near Boonville (Tug Hill Plateau). It was an outing with a meetup group (Syracuse Outdoor Adventures Club) I was a member of when I lived in B'Ville.

[Miss Hepburn]

Originally Posted by JustASimpleGuy

Check out my profile picture. I'm the guy in the middle wearing a black shirt. I'm just 6' and my hair's silver, not grey. LOL!
And yeah, it's still full. No male pattern baldness.

That picture was taken at Pixley Falls State Park near Boonville (Tug Hill Plateau). It was an outing with a
meetup group (Syracuse Outdoor Adventures Club) I was a member of when I lived in B'ville.

Gosh, I don't rem you lived actually in B'ville, NY, which I know so well, going there for 40 years on visits.
Was a while ago we talked in my defense.
That photo is a bit small on your profile ...but I get a general impression.