What exactly is consciousness? How does it manifest in our reality?
Our consciousness creates our reality. When a person goes to the doctor and discovers they have cancer, why is there no discussion of the consciousness behind the creation of this life situation (the cancer). It seems we often look right past this and simply seek to cure the symptom. Some of us continually end up with no money in the bank, debtors chasing us, always attracting the same abusive romantic partner, relentlessly fighting the world around us and yet we tend to point fingers outside ourselves.
There is nothing in physics, chemistry, biology or any other science that can account for consciousness. In a strange way, scientists would be much happier if consciousness did not exist.
The initial response to an anomaly is often simply to ignore it. This is indeed how the scientific world has responded to the anomaly of consciousness. Consciousness cannot be observed in the way that material objects can. It cannot be weighed or measured. Secondly, science has sought to arrive at universal objective truths that are independent of any particular observer's viewpoint or state of mind. To this end, they have deliberately avoided subjective considerations.
When the anomaly can no longer be ignored, the common reaction is to attempt to explain it within the current paradigm. Some believe that a deeper understanding of brain chemistry will provide the answers; perhaps consciousness resides in the action of neuropeptides. Others look to quantum physics; the minute microtubules found inside nerve cells could create quantum effects that might somehow contribute to consciousness. Computing theory suggests that consciousness emerges from the complexity of the brain's processing. Chaos theory is yet another finger pointing at this star.
It is clear that we need to question the current scientific worldview.
Our failure to account for consciousness suggests that we too should question our basic assumptions. The current scientific worldview holds that the material world -- the world of space, time and matter -- is the primary reality. It is therefore assumed that the internal world of mind/consciousness must somehow emerge from the world of matter or the brain. But if this assumption is getting us nowhere, perhaps we should consider alternatives.
One approach suggests that the capacity for experience is not itself a product of the brain. This is not to say that the brain is not responsible for what we experience -- there is ample evidence for a strong correlation between what goes on in the brain and what goes on in the consciousness -- only that the brain is not responsible for experience itself. Dr. Richard Davidson has been measuring brain waves in his laboratory at the University of Wisconsin and has determined a direct correlation between brain wave frequency and levels of consciousness. When one examines the results, a clear correlation exists between frequency of the brain wave, the person's consciousness level and their life situation. We posit that the capacity for consciousness is an inherent quality of life itself. It is how we are different from a photon -- we have the capacity for thought and consciousness.
When we use this approach, consciousness is like the light in a film projector. The film needs the light in order for an image to appear, but it does not create the light. In a similar way, the brain creates the images, thoughts, feelings and other experiences of which we are aware and needs consciousness to express these images in life situations. In order to change the life situation one must alter the level of consciousness, e.g., how we process a life situation.
This proposal is so contrary to the current paradigm that die-hard materialists easily ridicule and dismiss it. Recall the bishops of Galileo's time, who refused to look through his telescope because they knew his discovery was impossible. Most all revolutionary points of view that resulted in a shift in worldview were first denigrated, and the professors of the seeds of the next paradigm shift were often crucified in the court of public opinion. We are on the front lines of such a shift. If you seek to change what you are looking at, change the way you are looking. Observe your thoughts and see if they are taking you to where you want to go.
Peter Baksa has written "The Point of Power," available now on Amazon. He is also the author of "It's None of My Business What You Think of Me!" , "Thinking Yourself Young," which will include interviews with Tibetan Monks from earlier this spring, and "The Faith Wave: I think therefore it is," release date Jan 2012.
Check out this live interview: http://answers4thefamilyblog.com/the-point-of-power/.