Jason Browne - Understanding the Human Mind: The Pursuit of Consciousness

Understanding the Human Mind

The Pursuit of Consciousness

Jason Browne

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Table of Contents

Introduction

Our world is in crisis because of the absence of consciousness - Terence McKenna

Since the dawn of time and the moment we became aware of our surroundings and our interactions with it, the human species has sought to answer questions around our consciousness. The manner in which our consciousness is defined has varied throughout the ages, but today we understand it as our individual awareness of our own thoughts, feelings, memories, sensations, and environment. If we are aware of ourselves and the fact that the world around us exists, then we have consciousness. The word is, of course, also used as a medical term for a state in which a person is awake but, essentially, the term seeks to determine the same thing: if a person has awareness of the self and the environment, they have consciousness.

No two forms of consciousness are the same, though, and the make-up of each individuals consciousness is unique to their own experiences. Our human experience is the filter through which our individual consciousness forms and is what makes each of us unique. As society began to develop this concept of consciousness, simply knowing its definition was not enough. We began to study, research, and debate the concept and all its facets.

The connection, or possible lack thereof, between the mind and the body has always been a major point of contention and will likely continue to be for some time. Some prefer to think of our mind and body as separate entities while others prefer the idea that one is able to influence the other. As a society, we have pivoted quite significantly and repeatedly over the ages between believing that there is no division between the mind and body and the insistence that each is its own entity. The connection between our consciousness and our physical brain has also been explored. Many prefer to believe that consciousness simply exists and does not need a physical structure in order to do so, while others balk at the idea and insist that there is no way that thinking and feeling can happen without a container. At one point, the debate almost fizzled to an end but it was quickly revived by those who simply could not fathom never knowing the answers to the questions.

We have asked and, without a doubt, continue to ask where our consciousness actually lives. Is it a part of our brain, and, if so, how is it possible that people report having a form of awareness in the period between death and resuscitation when, essentially, the brain should no longer be functioning? Of course, the answer to this question will always depend on who you ask as scientists will say that the moment the brain ceases to function the part of you that is aware also no longer exists. While we are on the topic, it is interesting to note that brain cells continue to fire off electrical signals for quite some time after death. People approaching the matter from a more spiritual perspective will say that consciousness is part of your soul, and therefore continues on whether there is a body to house it or not. In this book, we will explore all of these possibilities but most importantly, we will try to determine exactly what an ordinary person like you or I can do to live in a higher state of consciousness. The world needs us to do this and then, in turn, it needs us to encourage others to do the same so that every tiny advancement will put us closer to being happier, kinder, and more empathetic as a species.

In Understanding the Human Mind , I would like to explore all of these avenues and then arrive at a reconciliation of the two so that we can all move on with a better understanding of not just exactly where consciousness lives but how we can use it to be better human beings. As our introductory quotation to this section suggests, perhaps the crises we are seeing in the world today, of all varieties, have at the root of them one single cause: a lack of consciousness.

While the idea of truly understanding our awareness of the world, its fluidity, and how we can use the concept to improve ourselves may sound exciting, be aware that it also comes with great responsibility. The more we understand, the less we can ignore. The deeper we dig, the greater possibility that we will uncover things about ourselves and our environment that make us uncomfortable.

Your interest in this subject, though, and your willingness to delve deeper into understanding it suggests that you would be okay with being taken out of your comfort zone. It is impossible to study anything related to the human psyche without comparing the concepts we learn to our own experience. This comparison can sometimes be difficult, but it will always be valuable. Dont be afraid to be honest and truthful with yourself as you read this book. That really is the only way you are going to gain real value from it.

If you seek to truly understand how consciousness is formed, grows, changes, and persists, then many of your questions will be answered in Understanding the Human Mind . There will remain questions that only you can answer, though, and that will be a journey that continues for you long after you turn the final page of this book. I will teach you what I have learned about consciousness in general, but you will need to apply that to your unique situation, and, perhaps, that will be the most revealing part of all. It is likely our unique individuality that has caused us to never really find an answer to the question of consciousness because in doing so we would be asking, Who am I? The wonderful thing that happens when we are brave enough to start asking that question, though, is that we start finding answers that we didnt know were there, and then we start asking more questions. These questions and answers dont necessarily elevate our level of consciousness but they certainly make us better human beings than we were before. So if you are ready to start asking questions and seeking answers, get your consciousness cap on.

As we move into the body of this book, let us reconsider the quote we opened with. Is the situation we find ourselves in really as a result of a lack of consciousness? Or is it perhaps as a result of a lack of understanding of consciousness? Can we improve our own world simply by seeking answers? If yes, then we are about to begin the most prolific of journeys.