What if the mind is conscious, an extension of consciousness?

Originally Posted by Rah nam

If you see the mind within your physicality, you might not understand the mind at all.

I suppose it depends on what we mean by mind. In the end I'm interested in consciousness itself and this is the rough model I'd use.

A jiva consists of three interfunctioning instruments—a gross (physical) body, a subtle body (comprising the mind, intellect and ego) and the causal body (unconscious)—all of which are enlivened by the reflected light of awareness/consciousness, which is our innermost essence and true nature.

[Rah nam]

Originally Posted by JustASimpleGuy

I suppose it depends on what we mean by mind. In the end I'm interested in consciousness itself and this is the rough model I'd use.

A jiva consists of three interfunctioning instruments—a gross (physical) body, a subtle body (comprising the mind, intellect and ego) and the causal body (unconscious)—all of which are enlivened by the reflected light of awareness/consciousness, which is our innermost essence and true nature.

There is not much I can say to what you are putting forward, since I have no reference points to your concept, framework of understanding.

Originally Posted by Rah nam

There is not much I can say to what you are putting forward, since I have no reference points to your concept, framework of understanding.

It's the standard Vedantic view. The difficulty with these discussions is they are more meaningful within a specific tradition/context, though there are similarities between traditions.

The real issues arise when the concepts and definitions are wholly personal because there's no model or reference point aside from personal opinion, and instead of having one or several models from major traditions as a point of reference we literally have as many models as there are individuals.

[MikeS80]

Originally Posted by Rah nam

If you see the mind within your physicality, you might not understand the mind at all.

Are you saying the mind is outside of the brain and/or nervous system?

[MikeS80]

Originally Posted by JustASimpleGuy

It's the standard Vedantic view. The difficulty with these discussions is they are more meaningful within a specific tradition/context, though there are similarities between traditions.

The real issues arise when the concepts and definitions are wholly personal because there's no model or reference point aside from personal opinion, and instead of having one or several models from major traditions as a point of reference we literally have as many models as there are individuals.

All concepts and definitions are wholly personal because all concepts and definitions begins with/inside the individual's mind/ego, not the collective/group. All concepts, and definitions are what make up the contents of an individual ego/mind. It does not matter what the concepts and definitions are, as all concepts and definitions are contents of the ego/mind, thus a person whom dismisses the ego/mind while using concepts and definitions as contents in his/her ego/mind is a mental contradiction and causes mental confusion.

What you seem to not understand is that the contents of your individual ego/mind that identifies as consciousness, is your individual ego/mind, even though you dismiss the individual ego/mind. This is a great way to use the collective as a scapegoat/excuse to dismiss other people's individual ego/mind, while you do not dismiss your own individual ego/mind. It is nothing more than an ego/mind game. Just look back at the previous discussions you had with me.

The collective/group may experience the same things as a whole because their minds/egos contain the same information, knowledge, beliefs, conditioning etc etc

Edit: You misunderstand and misconstrue the Vedantic view with your collective/group ego/mind or hivemind. The vedantic view is meant to be viewed from a personal individual perspective, not viewed from a collective/group perspective.

[HITESH SHAH]

Originally Posted by JustASimpleGuy

I suppose it depends on what we mean by mind. In the end I'm interested in consciousness itself and this is the rough model I'd use.

A jiva consists of three interfunctioning instruments—a gross (physical) body, a subtle body (comprising the mind, intellect and ego) and the causal body (unconscious)—all of which are enlivened by the reflected light of awareness/consciousness, which is our innermost essence and true nature.

Jiva - its soul self comprising 3 parts

1. Consciousness contained in Sensory organs in the body generating experiences (Physical body) . This supplies experiences for sub-conscious & intellect as described below .

2. Intellect (Buddhi requiring high energy consciousness which actually makes choices/decisions with help of sub-conscious ) & mind (sub-conscious - a storehouse of past decisions , preferences , rejections , choices ,experiences which gets triggered with low-energy consciousness and supports buddhi - intellect take a decision) - subtle body. This is how humans can do multi-tasking (like talking while driving and still not making mistake most of the times) . When we talk of changing our thoughts we need to use intellect to change/reverse / amend / rebut/ cancel /reject/encourage existing storehouse decisions in our sub-conscious . The word 'Mind' in laymen lingo does not mean physical brain but it means your subconscious as explained above. Physical brain and its cells are the place where it stores the such decision/conclusions/inferences . This is the reason why we dont have memories of past births because the brain cells storing those memories are gone with body . In fact these brain cells gradually looses consciousness power even with aging causing memory loss.


3. The soul - causal body which is soul- particle of God and by which we can claim to be similar to God (not exactly as same as God) .

[lemex]

Originally Posted by MikeS80

Are you saying the mind is outside of the brain and/or nervous system?

This is an interesting even accurate way of putting it asking is consciousness mind. Is soul or spirit aware and that which we see (electric signals) and is that the body processes consciousness, two levels of consciousness that are one. Are you referring to consciousness? The body processing consciousness.

[lemex]

Originally Posted by HITESH SHAH

1. Consciousness

2. Intellect

Point on. I see this to. Another way of saying this is, even soul has mind.

[MikeS80]

Originally Posted by lemex

This is an interesting even accurate way of putting it asking is consciousness mind. Is soul or spirit aware and that which we see (electric signals) and is that the body processes consciousness, two levels of consciousness that are one. Are you referring to consciousness? The body processing consciousness.

I am referring to atman (our higher self/soul/spirit, if you will) as being conscious, instead of atman is consciousness. Consciousness is a made up mental imaginary word, concept and image to get people to dismiss and negate atman (our higher self/soul/spirit), so people will believe in the imaginary/fiction consciousness, instead of looking within for and to their atman. Atman is the individual, not the collective/group of people.

Atman is the source of intuition, and knows all.

The mind, body, ego and being conscious and all their contents are all important parts or aspects of atman, they are important because atman will not exist without mind, body, ego and being conscious. In other words, the mind, body, ego and being conscious gives atman (it's) life, and atman is what creates duality by expressing itself and by being conscious of itself.

Just to be clear, Brahman/god/absolute or ultimate reality/the right here and right now is conscious and expresses itself through the individual Atman. How does something (brahman) that is infinite express and be conscious of itself?....By becoming an individual and duality that is different, but not separate. That different but not separate individual is atman, this is how and why atman is our true and real self and nature.

[Rah nam]

Originally Posted by MikeS80

Are you saying the mind is outside of the brain and/or nervous system?

I was trying to suggest something like that, yes.
The mind is part of what some call and understand as the Matrix. It is an energy structure which enables us as the incarnates to experience what we need to experience in order to evolve on a soul/spirit level.
The brain or some other parts of our system simply tune into the mind on that level we are at at that point. The level fluctuates all the time, depending on many things.