Reflections on Consciousness
What does it mean to be conscious? Does to be conscious mean to be awake? Can I be conscious when I’m asleep? What does it mean to be in a state of consciousness? Does it mean to say that consciousness has states? Does each state of consciousness—waking, sleeping, and dreaming, for example—have a corresponding state of physiology? Are there more than three states of consciousness, and if so, what are they? What is Consciousness?
It seems to me that to be conscious means to be alert, to be aware, to be aware that I’m aware, and to be aware of my surroundings. To me, a state of consciousness is a snapshot of developing consciousness at a moment in time. It has characteristic features, such as awareness of one’s surroundings, inner awareness, or lack of awareness. In contrast, Consciousness refers to the self-referral quality of awareness at the foundation of Natural Law. Is Consciousness total wakefulness aware of itself regardless of human awareness? Does Consciousness exist in and of itself? I think so. I think we’ve all experienced moments when awareness is left alone by itself, without thoughts, feelings, or boundaries. Is Consciousness dependent on human awareness of Consciousness for its existence? What is the relationship between love and Consciousness? What is the nature of the consciousness of God?
What is the experience of pure consciousness like? Maharishi Mahesh Yogi has explained that pure consciousness is characterized by Sat Chit Ananda, eternal bliss consciousness. Sat refers to its absolute nature. Being of the nature of Sat, how can it be lived in relative life? It can be experienced as a living reality because by its own nature it is Consciousness conscious of itself, fully awake within itself, and the source of all that is, including ourselves and our thoughts and feelings. The experience is blissful because it is the conscious experience of fullness, totality, and fulfillment.
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi has said that the world is as we are. Does each of us create our own world, our own worldview? If each of us perceives and experiences the world differently, is true communication possible? Is the experience of pure consciousness the same for everyone? Perhaps not, at least not before enlightenment. What features of physiology and in particular the nervous system influence our particular worldview and our unique experiences of pure consciousness?
We are living in troubled times. What do we mean by the collective consciousness of a community? Can the collective consciousness of a community be improved, and developed? Scientific research has found that the practice of Transcendental Meditation and the TM-Sidhi programs does reduce crime, terrorism, sickness, and death in a population when members of the population practice the program together in sufficient numbers 1. Around the world groups of this nature are gathering to create collective coherence and world peace.