28 Dialogue: Robert and Phil

Phil: In responding to Robert Sorensen’s guest editorial, I fell short of what he was saying and instead I interposed my own bias. I thought he spoke of the pressure of invasive negative nature of our media with TV as a culprit.  But here is what he has responded with.

Robert: I'm beginning to think (pun not intended) that dreams are formulas for belief structures before we solidify the moral of our 'dream stories' into the subtext of our personalities.

The trials within our dreams are often primitive and disorienting dramas. When observed closely these dreams have amazing symbolic undertones via associations. 

I may use consciousness as a defense mechanism, I've never thought of it that way, I believe I use it as a tool to try to understand the value of truth and honor.  When using that 'tool' there is a tendency to recognize what may be "pressure of invasive negative nature"  in everything, not just TV for what may be deemed as 'negative' is NOT truth and honor.  

But honestly, I know I'm a bit of a cynic. 

Negative is extremely subjective and judging anything as positive or negative is a slippery slope.   

Threats may be considered negative I guess...   

"Using consciousness as a tool to Identify things that cause harm or good in order to progress as a healthy human and contributor to the organism earth",sounds better!

My religion is based on hopeful ideas of common sense...  Either we as Humans are contributing to the planet Earth or we're taking away from it.  

Helping the planet thrive is of the utmost concern for where are we without it?  

If we 'take away' from the planet, exploit the life that it provides so generously, that 'footprint' could be easily expressed as a carcinogen, something that if noticed within us we eradicate immediately.

Getting sidetracked with contrived Dramas because we have a comfortable existence, appears to me, is a senseless way of utilizing our resources in a counterproductive way.  I do think that happens on TV in abundance

All that energy we use in following our various forms of soap operas could be used for helping to enhance the natural resources of our planet, can you imagine?

For instance, Taking some attention off political ideologies and concentrating on positive, natural ideologies?  

Natural resources begin in our subconscious minds.

Those resources in our physiology need to be mined like gold in order to understand where it all begins, how it can all end and most importantly, how we can make life better as individuals.

Recognizing truth and honor.

 Phil: Very well said. 

27 Exploring Consciousness

                                         

        I am extremely grateful to Robert Sorensen for his carefully thought out and implemented method of dealing with consciousness in his guest editorial this past week. He spoke of the pressure of invasive negative nature of our media with TV as a culprit. Then he outlined his defense.
        For Robert the spark of life is the way in which he develops a consciousness as a defense against the negative aspects of the outside world. But most striking, is his use of sleep in the dream-state to actively explore his subconscious mind.
        In my own case I’ve always thought of my dreams of something that happens in a very passive way. Many people, including myself, have tried to re-enter a dream on waking, but to actively explore the subconscious is a step beyond what most folks, who I know, have been able to do.
        Meanwhile I know that I must go beyond my personality to stay in tune with Mom Nature’s plan. I doubt that we can get there without each other. So, let us return to the cave in Dominica; to our group of animals as they work toward saving the planet.

        “I don’t know if we can ever change humans for the better, but something is changing in me since I have been in this cave with our group.” Quacked Ducky, the white duck. “I feel free, now that I have been with you creatures. I have not wanted to say this because I did not feel free in my own feathers. But now I want to tell everyone of you and even hope that Mom Nature overhears this; Humans must save themselves!!

        “Wow, what do you mean. They are fighting with each other while the planet is in danger of overheating.” Said Hummy, “They are hell bent for self-destruction and that includes our destruction in the process.”

        “I think I know where Ducky is with this,” Crooned, Mira the sloth.” Even if we came up with something, humans would soon drop back into fighting each other with ego-driven dirty tricks. If the solution does not come from within their consciousness, it simply won’t last. Compared with us animals, humans are like 2 year old’s. Sloths have been on earth for 30 million years and crows for 60 million years, while humans, began as a species, much less, at only 200,000 years ago. It is a slam dunk. Humans are in the midst of the terrible two’s.”

        “ I see.” croaked Cackle, the grackle, ”In the scheme of Mom Nature’s playbook, humans have evolved such that they are scarcely able to walk.”

        “Then why are 2 year old’s driving this spaceship earth?” flapped Bertie, the peregrine falcon. Now I am getting scared.”

        “Wait, wait. Slow down a bit. Mom Nature must have laid out a plan that we are not finding,” growled Joe, the anole. “If we are painstaking about this phase of our own development we will find the map and discern the pathway.”

        “I have been wondering about this cave and why Mom may have placed us here,” hooted Hooie, the barn owl. “Have you all thought about looking in the deeper part of this cave.? The map may be deep in there.”

        “Lordy, Lordy,” muttered Andi, the osprey, “That is a very scary, dark, spooky and dangerous looking blackness. I’m thinking the deep cave is the subconscious mind and the frightening unknown.”

26 Conversations in Consciousness

        Since I started this blog several years ago I have quietly yearned for this to be a more interactive process. In keeping with this idea there will be a guest editorial periodically which may encourage dialogue. If there is a good response we may all be able to challenge those who are writing numerous textbooks on the matter of consciousness. We are most fortunate to have a local figure who is studying his own consciousness with an intensity and creativity that is very compelling to me. I hope you like it and will respond with your own notions, critique, and comparisons.



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If I had to guess as to what consciousness is I would say that it is the spark of life in its purest form.  Here is my guess without any research whatsoever.
Please excuse my English and grammar.

Consciousness in regards to it originating thought can’t be described as anything less than divine for without it we are left with nothing, no reason for being.

Explaining or defining the streaming process from our physiology what creates a human thought, that is described as consciousness, can only be theorized with superficial characteristics vaguely pronouncing: we know ’we create thought’. 

Descriptions we may use are probably those same attributes used in describing a divine being or entity. In the human species our collective consciousness may be omniscient in its potential, with that in mind perhaps we‘ll understand more empirically where a thought comes from.
 When and if we understand the mechanism where thought begins the possible threats from artificial intelligence will escalate exponentially.  

I am fascinated with the various levels of consciousness and the interpretations of ‘reality’ during these states of being. 

The level of consciousness that I’m working on now is the dimension of consciousness entered in dreams.  Instead of going to bed with the monkey-chatter of recent TV or podcast shows rattling around in my body I’ll do something that has always provided me with peace and reflection.  

After a short meditative 30 or so seconds, I’ll close my eyes and scribble my feelings in line on a sketch pad with a pencil.   

From there I associate the lines with figures or shapes that flow from consciousness.  Drawings that I could never have drawn intentionally, with forethought, become a bit more dynamic stemming from visual association with random, blind scribblings.  I’m preparing and freeing my mind for imagery within myself instead of someone else’s production feeding it to me.  I'm calming my mind with self-created visual stimulation that stemmed from instantaneous, conscious thoughts. Beginning dreams so to speak.

Then, I’ll go to bed and consciously remind myself to remember my dreams, that it’s important!

When I awake I research online what some of those images represent.  ( I also research some of the images that pop up from the drawings as well )   

Yellow School Bus, Snow falling and so on.

In my opinion, the importance of mental health can be improved by understanding the subconscious and where your real concerns may be without a repressive aspect of the personality masking it.

Jordan Peterson said he had a client who mastered the art of the lucid dream and she asked directly, in her dream, what her dream meant.

Here is a drawing I did a few years back that helped lead me to this experiment…  I was working on better sleep and would go to bed after watching ’Masterworks’ on Prime.  I finished the 19 series and used that thread to do my own art and help me sleep.   I now use earplugs and eyeshades to sleep and have been sleeping much better with dreams I catch because I‘ve made a mental note to do so.

Communicating thoughts is the most powerful tool there is in understanding and organizing the products of consciousness. Listening, verbalizing, writing and drawing are tremendous vehicles that help us tame the onslaught of information whizzing through us helping us define our fleeting life experience.

Perhaps the question is:  What is the communicative device/vehicle that creates spontaneous thought?  

A unique and vital energy source that is attributed to our souls is my guess.  

Good luck finding an algorithm and frequency for that, it's a miracle of evolution like the entire universe.

                             by Robert Sorenson
                                      obvideos@hotmail.com

25 Hummy's Humily

    Since homilies are moral discourses given by clergy, Hummy decided to give a humily instead. Humilies are given on the wing and are characterized by their fleeting and dodging nature. It can be said that humilies are not so dreaded, as the all too frequent homilies, because of their transient quality.  In real-time they last not nearly as long as a flea fart and can be heard from only a few millimeters away. It is careful listening that counts. 

        This past week, the author of this dreadful blog, cast a shadow of doubt over the very existence of consciousness. The most accurate thing that can be said about consciousness is that there are far too many books written on the subject of consciousness. 

        There is a connection between homilies and consciousness because the homily taps the listener's guilt button located over the entire surface of the body. Homilies are given with extreme reverence from an elevated pulpit at the proper time in a place where the pews are stuffed with empty envelopes. Homilies are given to target any dread, worry or destructive intention that the listener may have seeking remorse and a humble attitude.  

        In contrast, this may be the only humily that you will ever be subjected to. No envelopes, no guilt button and consciousness is optional. The humily will pass through you in neutrino-like fashion with nearly the speed of light. Your best bet is to hum your favorite tune so as to attract the humily as it shoots through your body.    

        During the reading of this episode several humilies may have passed though you. So, if you missed them, try a different tune. 

        Meanwhile the small band of animals continue in their quest to turn the heads of human beings toward saving the planet Earth from destruction. Their sanctuary is a cave on the island of Dominica in the Lessor Antilles of the Caribbean. 

        "What in God's green Earth was that humily all about?", quacked Ducky the white duck. "You seem to trivialize what we are supposed to be all about here." 

        " I asked myself the same question",  Bertie, the peregrine falcon chimed in. " Mom Nature could assist us if we meditate together as a group. So, let's do it now.  Find a perch, Hummy, and stop flapping your wings." 

        Mary, the facilitator, crooned, " Looking around the double circle I see a consensus on that idea. So, we will all meditate for at least 10 minutes."

         " Before we do that. I will ask the dumb question. Just what is meditation?," bleated Mum, the nanny goat. 

         " When you are speaking or thinking we are not open to receiving Mom Nature's messages. You then meditate to clear your mind of thinking and speaking," hooted Hooie, the owl. " And then you can be open with your mind and heart." 

         " When I was flying over Rousseau I watched an AA meeting and one of the humans read about prayer and meditation. At least some humans are on the right track, " squawked Fregata, the frigate bird. 

         "You cannot have vision and judgement at the same time. You can See with a capital 'S'  when you are not judging," clicked Free, the butterfly. 

          

   Suggested listening:  The Mercy (soundtrack from the movie, The Mercy) by Johann Johannsson