It is helpful to see that the apparently unified world we perceive – and in which we do all our living and loving – conforms to the observer that we are. It does not include what we cannot perceive or cognize; what we perceive and cognize is constrained by the organism we are. These constraintsContinue reading “Letting Up The Stranglehold On “Our” Reality”
Author Archives: Sean
Consciousness: Evidence and Experts
One of things that’s hard about these questions of consciousness is that we are ostensibly very close to the evidence. We are conscious. We are having the experience of consciousness. Why should we listen to anybody else? What could they tell us that we don’t already know by virtue of our very experience? If I amContinue reading “Consciousness: Evidence and Experts”
On Apes, Bees, Consciousness and Prayer
Why work through a study of consciousness – reading James, Sperry, Edelman, Parfit, Chalmers et al. – when you can just say “it’s God.” Or “Theta.” Or “everything is just an appearance in infinite consciousness.” Faced with a choice between a time and energy-consuming curriculum (it takes years to finish Consciousness 101, especially if you haveContinue reading “On Apes, Bees, Consciousness and Prayer”
On Happiness, Seeking, and Justice
The so-called spiritual search is circular in nature. It begins with a self winding its way through the world and it ends there, too. Whatever the way, it always delivers us to where we began: this. This this right here. When most of us begin the search, we are unhappy. Life is confusing and unfair.Continue reading “On Happiness, Seeking, and Justice”
Giving Attention to Attention
Consider the optical illusion of the old woman/young woman. You see one or the other; and then you see the one you did not see first. Once you know what you are looking for, you can move between the two with ease. One image, two interpretations (query: are there more interpretations? Could there be?) However,Continue reading “Giving Attention to Attention”
Awakening means being less wrong
Awakening is perhaps the wrong word (when we are thinking in terms of some Absolute like God) because it suggests one is (or can be) asleep, when the whole suggestion is that distinctions like “asleep” or “awake” aren’t helpful. They are distractions. There is just this experience presently happening, which may include awareness of itselfContinue reading “Awakening means being less wrong”