If asked who we believe ourselves to be, we might try and use scientific jargon to define ourselves. From a physics perspectives, we are physical masses subject to the laws Inertia, Momentum, Electromagnetism, gravitation etc. like everything else. From a chemistry perspective, we are complex compositions of organic compounds, elements and minerals. From a biological perspective we are highly complex Organisms composed of trillions of cells with highly specialized functions. From a Neuroscience perspective we are body-mind systems powered by a highly complex processor called the brain which comprises a network of synapses that conduct information through the transfer of electrical charge. From a psychoanalytical perspective we may be a Myers -Briggs Personality type. But no matter what scientific explanation you use to define who you are, no matter how comprehensive or sophisticated, you are left with a sense that the real essence of You has been completely missed. And it is precisely because we have such limited means of defining ourselves that we end up experiencing our own lives as finite, incomprehensible and grossly limited. The Science of Life and the Experience of Life are felt to be two completely different things.
What is necessary then is to develop a new language, one that sheds light on the behind-the-scenes dynamics within the realm of Consciousness - a "Science of Consciousness". In the blog post: A Universe Out of Nothing Consciousness was discovered to be the Nothing from which Everything emerges, it is the foundation of all material experience. Without Consciousness, the Material Universe has no reality. Now, having developed this basic premise, we can begin an exploration into the Nature of Consciousness itself and the principles that govern it. In exploring in this way, we will begin to discover how Consciousness is the foundation of Reality from which we ourselves emerge and to which we remain connected through our entire experience of Life. What you are is more than just a biological organism, a chemical compound, a physical matter, a network of synapses, a Myers-Briggs personality type. In fact these are only a few logic models in which you can choose to perceive yourself but they do not, by any means, contain the totality of the experience of who you are. Rather, who you are is not limited by any one perception or point-of-view but is the very foundation of all perceptions and points-of view. You are the Consciousness which is prior to perception. In exploring the Nature of Consciousness what we are really exploring is the Nature of who you are.
You might question how such an endeavor can be anything more than speculative. After all, how can we explore something as esoteric as Consciousness much less develop a Science of it?! Until now all talk of Consciousness had been the domain of poets, philosophers, seers, mystics, psychics and gurus. And most of the conversation surrounding Consciousness had been prescriptive rather than investigative. Most gurus and self-help teachers focus their ideas and teachings on how to become aware of your consciousness, how to work with your consciousness, how to shift your perspectives within consciousness. But few have ventured into the study of Consciousness itself other than the specific relevance it has to a particular person. As a result, the larger questions in Life about "Who we are", "Where we come from", "Where anything comes from", "What happens to us after we die", "How was the Universe Created" - the so called Big Questions of Life, the questions that every kid asks their parents, the questions that make every parent squirm when asked by their kids, still fall within the domain of ancient metaphysical texts and neo-spiritual jargon. This is not a knock against the ancients or contemporary spiritual teachers by any means. In fact, these two groups have provided a wealth of wisdom that must not be ignored. Where they have fallen short, however, is in developing a language that makes these deeper truths of life accessible to the modern intellectual mind; one that is naturally rational and fiercely skeptical. Criticizing the structured and highly organized Logic of the modern human's intellect, is something that many spiritual teachers tend to do, often seeing our intellects as an obstacle to a truer and fuller understanding of Consciousness. The effect that approach has is that it creates a further rift between the Analytical Mind and the Intuitive Mind, the Left Brain and the Right Brain, the Rational and the Esoteric. In society as well, this creates opposing intellectual factions, the scientific community and the metaphysical/philosophical/religious community, that are increasingly critical and mistrustful of each other's viewpoints. The problem is that they just don't speak the same language.
In developing a "Science of Consciousness" I propose to take a different approach. The Logics of Metaphysics have had a relatively slow evolution compared to that of Science whose evolution has been exponential. As a result the language that Science uses is current and relevant while that of Metaphysics/Spirituality is stale and outdated. Through my own spiritual journey and process of Inquiry, I have come to realize that these two aspects of Logic are really one and the same. In fact, each one is incomplete without the inclusion of the other and it is precisely because they exclude each other that each is unable to bridge the gap towards providing a more complete and holistic understanding of Reality.
In my exploration of Consciousness, I will attempt to demonstrate and further justify how Consciousness and Matter are inextricably linked; that in fact, matter is the "image in the mirror" and Consciousness is the reality projecting it. Just as you can witness the movements and dynamics of your body by looking in a mirror, it is possible to use Physical Reality as the Mirror in which to glimpse and study the dynamics of Consciousness. This is a highly personal study, because unlike matter which can be separated and studied in isolation under a microscope in an impersonal manner, Consciousness can only be studied through meditation (experientially) and through contemplation (introspecting or reflecting). Each person's own experience of Consciousness is their one and only portal to the study of Consciousness itself. The two are not separate but are essentially one and the same, just like the light that is emitted from a lamp is exactly the same and reveals the same properties as the light emitted from the Sun.
In this exploration I will investigate how the Laws of the physical Universe are reflections of corresponding Laws within Consciousness. How matter, force, space, time, energy are manifestations and counterparts of corresponding 'principles' within Consciousness. I will explore different States of Consciousness that correspond to various hierarchies of life-forms from elemental to microscopic to plant to animal to human and further to more refined levels of consciousness. I will investigate the nature and purpose of Birth, Death and provide a different perspective on Reincarnation. These investigations to name a few are just the preliminary ventures in a larger attempt to develop a whole new paradigm; one that presents a more holistic and integrated model of reality; one that places the most distant galaxies and your own personal emotions within the same single context; one in which unification (of understanding and experience) and not separation is the heart that powers the journey.
Stay tuned.
