 
Exploring Consciousness and Perception

# Copyright 2017 by Fellow Traveler Press

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Thoughts to

Consider...

### Table of Contents

Foreword

Chapter One: The Big Questions

Chapter Two: What is the Definition of Real?

Chapter Three: What is Consciousness?

Chapter Four: How Can We Explore Our Consciousness?

Chapter Five: Sciences' Explanation for Our Existence

Chapter Six: Closing Summary

Foreword

"I think therefore I am" is a self-evident concept at first glance. It makes sense. We are able to recognize that we are self-aware, and therefore we can conclude that we exist. But, if we take time to think about this statement more carefully, what does it really mean? This phrase only makes sense if we consider it from the cognitive state that we normally operate from. What if we had to define this concept for someone or something not already familiar with it? What are the meanings of the words "I" and "am"?

This book is meant to take a closer look at questions around the concepts of consciousness, self-awareness and perception. While the contemplation of these concepts may be considered irrelevant or a waste of time for some people, there is nothing in our lives that is more obvious and significant than the fact that, first and foremost, we exist as conscious, self-aware beings.

In Western culture, there is a strong resistance to contemplating the basic questions of what it means to exist and be conscious. Other cultures around the world are much more receptive to embracing these fundamental questions as part of their life experience.

This book looks at both the science used to explain the events leading up to our existence as human beings as well as the more abstract concepts of what it means to be conscious and have perception. This book speaks to that which is common to all of us, the fact that we are all conscious beings first and foremost. In this book, I begin to consider consciousness and perception in an objective way, looking at their properties and qualities in a manner that we normally overlook when going about our day-to-day activities. There is something so fantastic about the fact that we are conscious and aware beings, and yet this fact is lost to most of us in the midst of the simplest and most trivial of our daily routines.

Many of the ideas around the origins of consciousness intersect with religious teachings. Throughout this book, I state that I do not want to delve into those questions which reside in the realm of religious faith or speculation. It is difficult to stay away from these ideas when discussing the nature of our consciousness, however, I believe that it is very important that the concepts in this book be separated from religious and philosophical teachings. Once we refer back to religious ideas we retreat into our different camps of rigid ideas and are no longer open to new ones. I am not trying to diminish anyone's beliefs or faith. I am just asking that we put those things aside while we look at what we are and what is at this very moment without projecting what our faith dictates may be.

We are all conscious beings. It is the only thing that we have truly in common. Let's explore what it means to be conscious and self-aware. This goes beyond the everyday life experience. It goes beyond names, dates, and relationships. This goes right to the core of our being, the fact that we are a spark of conscious thought in the vast expanse of the everything. What happens after we perish, no one truly knows. What we do know, however, it that we are conscious at this moment, and this is the most basic and fundamental fact for all of us.

Thank you for joining me on this exploration.

Sincerely,

Kenneth Allen

Chapter One: The Big Questions

Most of us live out our days dwelling on the details of items that are right in front of us, the essentials of daily life. It is certainly true that there are enough things to keep each one of us busy all day long. What if we were to stop for a moment, look at these things that keep us preoccupied, and try to understand if this is all that existence really is. Is there something more to us then an endless list of things that vie for our constant attention each and every moment of our lives? Throughout our waking hours our minds are bombarded with a never-ending stream of thoughts and questions most of which have very little importance in the large scheme of things.

### The Questions We ask Ourselves

We all have questions that we ask ourselves throughout the day. Through our day to day routine we find ourselves asking questions like the following:

• What do I need to do today?

• What did I do with that pair of shoes?

• Do I need to wear a coat today?

• Do I need to buy groceries?

• Where do I need to pick up the kids?

• Why did that person act the way they did?

• Did I pay the bills?

• Do I have enough gas?

• When is the next meeting?

• Did I respond to so and so?

• Why does that person make me so angry?

• What is the deadline for the report?

• Why is so-and-so doing what they're doing?

• Who is calling me now?

The list goes on and on ad infinitum. It is important to take care of the needs of ourselves and those we are responsible for, and in order to accomplish this, we do need to spend our time asking questions like those above. However, are there other questions that reside outside of those that we routinely ask? I believe we can find a little time when we escape from the barrage of the everyday in order to see what exists within us that is larger than this. Here are some questions that I am proposing that we consider when we have a moment to break the spiral of daily repetition.

The Real Questions:

• What am I?

• What makes me, me?

• I am conscious, but what is consciousness?

• What is perception?

• What is reality?

• Where does my consciousness start and end?

• How does consciousness work?

• Where does my consciousness reside?

These are not trivial questions. If we really look at them, they stare us directly in the face every moment. Why don't we think about such fundamental questions more frequently? Why do we leave them to be discussed in such esoteric domains as philosophy or eastern mystic religions? Are we afraid of these ideas? Are we too lazy to bother with them? Or maybe we don't see any value in them. Perhaps, they are just too big to even be recognized. As the saying goes, "You can't see the forest for the trees". While these questions do overlap with spiritual pursuits and understandings, leaving these pursuits aside for now, we are left with the basic fact that we exist in a form, here and now, with a perception of our own self-awareness.

We can begin by looking at these questions from a more objective standpoint from which we can see elements that are common to all of us. In contemplating these ideas, no one needs to change any of their current beliefs, but only to begin looking at our existence and what it means to be conscious and self-aware in this context alone.

We all would agree on the fact that we are all beings that are self-aware, but what does this really mean? How would we describe consciousness and self-awareness? What are the qualities associated with these characteristics? Would we say that we have an awareness of our cognitive processes and, therefore, we know that we exist? This is the approach that Rene Descartes takes in his famous quote "I think, therefore I am". But, what does it mean to think thoughts? What is it that thinks these thoughts? Where do these thoughts come from, and where do they go after we have thought them? Where are they when they are being thought? How do we think them? For every one of these questions there is a very simple initial answer, but when considered on a deeper level these questions become fundamental to our relationship with the cosmos.

All of us have the chance to ponder and explore this most profound and significant of questions, the nature of our consciousness and existence. The very fact that we are at this place in time and space, where I am writing these words and you are reading them, is so extraordinary that it is beyond belief. We all carry a set of beliefs of how our existence came about. These beliefs exist in the realms of faith in religious and spiritual teachings, faith in modern science, or a combination of both. However, the only certainty that we can truly have is that we are conscious and self-aware beings that exist right at this moment. Everything beyond this cannot be objectively proved but only believed.

While religions work to answer the questions surrounding our origin, the answers require us to have faith in concepts that cannot be verified. Because religious believers reside in the world of faith, the beliefs they hold true cannot be proven as fact outside of their religious understanding and therefore can never be reconciled to an experience that is common to all of us. As soon as we look past that which we are experiencing right at this moment, that which is common to all of us, we enter the realm of conjecture. The fact that the concepts and ideas that require faith cannot be verified is the cause of so much conflict between the religions of the world.

Later in this book, I offer a summary of the theories currently used by the scientific disciplines for human evolution starting at the creation of the universe to becoming self-aware conscious beings. This summary is presented for two purposes; to give a high-level discussion of the academic understanding of our origin and second, to highlight the sheer number steps that are required in the sequence of events in order for the scientific explanation to hold up. It is important for us to see the limitations in both religious or scientific beliefs to provide a concrete understanding of how we experience consciousness and what it means to self-aware beings.

Questions around the nature of consciousness and perception can be considered futile to many as there are no definitive answers to them that can be proven to be true. Some people are perfectly content without asking questions of this nature as they do not see the value since there are no evident answers. Others do not even see the questions in the first place. There are some, however, that probe these types of questions due to natural curiosity.

### Why Ask these Questions?

It is certainly not required that we contemplate such questions as those posed in the previous pages as a part of our life journey. We could live perfectly functional lives, going about our daily business without any effort spent contemplating these ideas. Certainly your mortgage company or employer will not ask you if you have contemplated your conscious state. It will also probably not come up at your family Christmas gathering or summer BBQ.

While it is true that we could go through our lives without taking time to contemplate our consciousness, it would, however, be a tremendous missed opportunity. That which makes us conscious beings is the single greatest fact in our lives and it is the only thing that we all absolutely share in common.

For me, there is no choice about contemplating these concepts. Asking questions about the nature of my existence it is a basic part of who I am. The idea of existence is so extraordinary to me that I simply cannot close my eyes to these questions. I want to know:

• What is it that is me?

• What does the concept of me even mean?

• How can I perceive my own awareness?

• What is in my consciousness when there are no

thoughts?

Throughout this book, I will examine these questions further. I will not attempt to answer them as they cannot be answered, but will rather pose them as the most important questions that exist for us. I will discuss different aspects of these questions and different ways they can be examined.

### The Whys, Hows and Whats

There is a business practice that is used to determine the root of an observable event. It was developed for determining the root cause of problems in an effort to correct them, but it can be applied to any situation. The practice states that if you work backwards from the observable event to preceding events you can find the origin of the observed event. It is very similar to what children do when they are young when they ask questions continuously in the process of learning about things.

The progression goes something like this:

• Why did the milk spill on the floor?

...Because the cup was knocked off the table.

• Why was the cup knocked off the table?

...Because the dog bumped the table.

• Why did the dog bump the table?

...Because the dog was excited.

• Why was the dog excited?

...Because the dog saw doggy treats on the table.

• Why were the doggy treats on the table?

...Because they were put there after unpacking the

groceries.

This is a simple example, but this approach can be applied to much deeper and more complex questions. What if we were to apply this same approach to the concept of looking at the nature of our existence? In many cases when asking deeper questions we stop after a single answer. This is shown in the famous quote, "I think, therefore I am". For many, this statement is sufficient; however, it could be transformed into the following:

• How do we know we exist?

...Because we think.

For me, this just leads to more questions. It is like leaving the question "Why did the milk spill on the floor?" in the prior example with the answer, "Because the cup was knocked off the table." I would not be satisfied with this explanation, especially if I was the one who needed to clean up the milk on the floor. I would want to know more than this. So, are we happy that we know we exist because we think? If we do try to take this question of existence further, we have:

• How do we know we exist?

...Because we are self-aware.

• What does it mean to be self-aware?

...It means that we are conscious of our own existence.

• What does it mean to be conscious of our own

existence?

...???

Here is another example:

• How do we know we exist?

...Because we perceive the world around us.

• What does it mean to perceive the world around us?

...It means that we can organize our sensory input to develop a logical understanding of the realm in which we exist.

• What is the sensory input?

...Electromagnetic waves (visual, thermal), pressure (auditory, touch), aromatic, taste

• How is this input organized?

...???

• What organizes this input?

...???

Every subsequent answer becomes more difficult and more thought provoking. We now begin to see how much of our world is framed by predefined labels and constructs, which are used without consideration of their underlying meaning. When we begin to question some of the basic laws that we use to govern our lives, we see that they become very tenuous. Things that we take as concrete, fundamental truths begin to take on a new understanding and are seen as concepts rather than indivisible truths.

When we start looking deeper at simple questions such as "what are we made of?", they take on more significance. We can say that we are composed of flesh and bone, and leave it at that. We can go further and say that we are made of organs, brain matter, nerve bundles, muscle fiber, bone, blood, skin and hair. Even deeper we could say that our body components consist of 90% water and 10% minerals. We can then say that the water and minerals we consist of are formed from the following chemical elements: 65% oxygen, 18.5% carbon, 9.5% hydrogen, 3.2% nitrogen, and 3.8% other elements. We can continue by saying that all of the elements that we are composed of were produced in the burning and supernovae of stars billions of years ago. From here, we can say that all the elements that we are composed of are formed from sub-atomic particles that were produced during the first instant after the Big Bang which produced our space-time continuum and everything within the known cosmos. Look at the tremendous change in perspective from the first answer to the last one. This change in perspective did not come from any fundamental change in the universe around us, it came solely from the level of contemplation we gave the question.

We can explore the significant questions in our lives at whatever level we choose. We can stay at a higher level on some and dive deeper into others. Religious and spiritual belief systems throughout time have attempted to delve to a sufficient level to provide answers to life's biggest questions including who we are and what our purpose is. Science has also attempted to answer some of these questions from a factual basis. Whether we believe in the accepted scientific explanation or a different understanding of why we exist, we seem reluctant to fully examine this question by using our own experience and perception and instead fall back on the accepted explanations science or religion offers us. However, neither science or religion discuss the most fundamental questions around our existence. These questions are not around scientific theories or questions of life's purpose, but the most basic questions like these that I highlighted earlier;

• What is it that is me?

• What does the concept of me even mean?

• How can I perceive my own awareness?

• What is in my consciousness when there are no

thoughts?

In this book I will examine these questions and others.

Chapter Two: What is the Definition of Real?

As we begin to probe some of the questions surrounding our fundamental make-up, we see that the meaning of those things that make up our everyday life become more ambiguous. The once clear boundaries between distinct concepts and perceptions become blurred. We begin to see that what is real to us is not the absolute truth we think it is, but rather a function of our level of perception and consciousness. This may seem contrary to our understanding of reality, but the closer we look at how our reality is generated, the more we see that it is not based on the rock-solid foundation we believe it to be, but is much more fluid.

Questioning the nature of the reality around us is not a traditional part of our everyday experience, in fact, in Western culture it is considered anti-social behavior. In the West, this line of questioning has been relegated to a small set of sub-culture groups, academics or those considered delusional. The interesting part of this story is that science, itself, points to the fact that reality has many definitions, depending on how it is interpreted. Getting past our own resistance to questioning the nature of reality is the most important step in the process of mind exploration. It is like letting go of the rope when you do not know what is below you.

We live in a well-defined domain in our everyday lives, one that is very familiar to us. Although this domain is very comfortable and offers the safety of familiarity, it is also very limiting. Within this domain, it is very hard for us to see the true significance and immenseness of the understanding that we are conscious and self-aware beings.

In the West, we are brought up being taught the importance of the principals of the scientific method first developed by the ancient Greeks. The scientific method is based on observable and repeatable evidence as the basis of truth. The importance that the Western culture places on this ideology remains one of the great divides between Eastern and Western cultures today. The philosophy of the scientific method pushes us to only believe those things which can substantiated through repeated scientific observations. While this can give us comfort knowing that the concepts that we base our ideas on must be true, it is a double edged sword in that it limits our understanding to very rigid constructs.

In beginning the process of exploring our consciousness, we must be open to radically different perspectives about our place in the universe. Clinging to our current safe and familiar perspective of what and who we are confines us to a very small space of possibilities.

Throughout this book, you will see how I stress the fact that we continually take for granted the most incredible notion of all, that we are conscious beings that have come from a state of nothingness in the cosmos. It is very easy to get this concept tied up with the understanding of the life cycle consisting of being born, living and dying. It is also easy to minimize the significance of this concept since we see people and other life around us all throughout our lifetime. This abundance of life gives us the notion that being sentient must be a common and ordinary condition.

We have numerous scientific theories and postulates regarding how we came to be living beings (some of which I cover in later sections), but when I write about our consciousness, I am not referring to that which pertains to our notion of living day to day. It is not the everyday thoughts and actions that we all have. It is not the identities that we use to define ourselves, rather, it is the fundamental concept that we all have at the very root of our being, a spark of consciousness and self-awareness that came from a place where there was once a nothingness in the cosmos. This is a truly mind altering concept to consider. This concept of seeing ourselves as aware beings is even more incredible when we look more closely at the nature of the reality we perceive along with some basic principles of perception, a topic which is discussed in the next section.

### The Nature of Perception

The nature of perception is a very interesting concept to ponder. We are hard wired to ignore that which is below the level of our processed sensory perception. When we see a ball coming toward us, we know that it is a ball, and we put up our hand to catch it. We see the ball as an indivisible, concrete object that has a fundamental existence in and of itself, just as we see all the other things in our lives. A table is a table, a lamp is a lamp, a person is a person, etc. We may notice individual characteristics of that thing or person, but then those take on a fundamental level of existence as well, such as a lampshade or person's nose. Everything we perceive comes into our conscious understanding as a discretely defined concept. We do not have a way to perceive anything from a cognitive perspective at a more fundamental level of perception.

If we really examine a red ball, we see that there is actually nothing that constitutes the concept of a red ball. The ball is a collection of chemical compounds made of specific molecules, which in turn, are collections of atoms, which in turn, are collections of atomic particles, which in turn, are made up of sub-atomic particles, etc. We do not perceive that the red ball is actually 99.999999...% empty space. We only perceive the concept of a red ball and not the empty space, the atomic or sub-atomic particles, molecules, or chemical compounds. We just see a red ball. The color red is the result of the emittance of electromagnetic energy at a certain frequency. There actually is no color red. The form, color, and feel of the ball are all constructs that are assimilated by our senses and interpreted by our brain to be indivisible qualities of the ball. We live our lives at the level of perception of the ball and not of the sub atomic particles or electromagnetic energy.

I understand that we would be paralyzed in our everyday life if we continually thought about all the different aspects of our surrounding reality. However, if we want to peer beneath the veil that surrounds our mind, then we must let go of the tight reins we have on our beliefs in the meaning of reality.

First, it is necessary to understand that all of our perception takes place within our brain as the result of the sensory input from our senses. It is the brain that assigns meaning to these sensory inputs. There is no inherent meaning in this input before it is assigned by the brain. The brain is maintained by a very delicate balance of body chemistry which, itself, is regulated by brain functions. Any changes in this body chemistry will change the body's ability to develop the mental perception of its surroundings.

A simple example of how a person's perception can be altered as a result of changes in brain chemistry is shown when people experience high fevers. It is common for people having elevated body temperatures to enter a hallucinatory state. In this case the change in chemistry causes the brain to go into a temporary state in which some of the sensory inputs are overridden by the internal processing, producing hallucinations that have little or no bearing to the surrounding environment. This condition will cease once the fever subsides and the balance of the brain chemistry is restored to the proper range. People who have more permanent neurological conditions can also experience varying levels of hallucinations. In such cases, the sensory input may be temporarily or permanently intermixed with inputs generated within the brain causing a continuous state of ambiguity about their perception of reality. The use of mind-altering drugs or alcohol are methods in which one can intentionally and temporarily change the brain's chemistry to induce altered perception. Other temporary methods to alter one's perception also include meditation and sensory deprivation chambers. These methods involve physically or mentally limiting input stimulus to the brain. These are all examples of how our surrounding environmental reality can be changed by the condition of the brain during our waking periods. However, the most common way we experience the brain's ability to create a different reality is during the period when we are sleeping. Dreams are realities completely fabricated within the realm of our brain.

Question:

What are the differences between our perceptions of reality during waking, sleeping, hallucinating, or altered state periods?

This may sound like a ridiculous question that has such an obvious answer that it is not worth considering. And yet, if we do take the time to ponder it, we will see that in all of these cases our reality is still the mental image being produced by the chemical processes in our brain. From our viewpoint, there is no way to tell why or how the mental image that we perceive is being developed. We just know that we are experiencing the mental image. There is no way to determine the actual source of the brain stimulus.

We may believe that we understand how our surrounding reality is generated. We may also believe that we share this understanding with all those around us. After all, we all perceive the same things when we are with others. We see the same beautiful bird on the tree. We hear the same moving musical piece from the piano. The world is our environment and we all share it. This certainly appears to be true, but there is no way to prove it given the nature of how we perceive and interpret the information around us. In fact, we work very hard to believe that we all share a common understanding of the world around us. We insist that the prescribed laws of nature constitute the foundation of a common reality that we all share. We believe that we are organic beings that live within a 3-dimensional, physical universe filled with space and objects. We believe we all exist together, interact with each other, have social relationships, families, jobs, etc. We all believe this and do not question it. We believe this without question, without objective evidence. Why?

Beginning to understand the nature of the reality that we each live in begins with simple concepts. For instance, the nature of time changes depending on our state of being. Time is supposed to be an objective yard stick that is absolute. The world standard definition of a second is precisely 9,192,631,770 cycles of microwave light corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the cesium-133 atom. Since this is a fixed and testable characteristic, it would indicate that the element of time is exactly the same for all things, in all places, and at all times. If this is true, however, how can the passage of time seem to change so drastically from one period to another, depending on the circumstances? At times, a few minutes can seem to be an eternity, while at other times whole hours, days, or years can just fly by. How can this be? This contradicts our belief that time is an objective law. For us, time is perceived as anything but static and constant.

The unit of distance is also defined as a fixed unit with unchanging properties. The meter is defined in the new International System of Units (SI) as equal to 1,650,763.73 wavelengths of the orange-red emission line in the electromagnetic spectrum of the krypton-86 atom in a vacuum. Again, this seems to indicate that the properties of distance, area, and volume are experienced in the same manner at all times, in all places, and by all things. And yet, just as with time, we experience our 3-dimensional space in different ways. When we enter a small space or view a large landscape, our experience of that space can be dramatically different from other spaces that we have experienced before.

From the previous paragraphs we can quickly see that there are many examples where we can show that time and space do not actually follow an objective set of natural laws. We can only say that time and space are objectively quantified. We can perform testable actions that would indicate that they are objective laws, but in the end, we do not and cannot experience them as such as they are different to each entity perceiving them. The concept that we do not experience these entities as constant and static truths is an important one that must not be overlooked.

Bertrand Russel was a well-known philosopher from the early twentieth century that lead a movement named Analytic Philosophy. This philosophy was based directly on the scientific method and stated that all truths required repeatable evidence based on the scientific principles. For Bertrand Russell, units of time or distance, such as seconds or meters, are objective and fixed and can be measured repeatedly with the same results, no matter how the observer experiences it. His philosophical concepts were an attempt to develop a framework that places us in a logical, understandable, and predictable existence within the universe. However, the more we ponder this precept, the more we see that the reality we experience is not as simplistic and straight forward as Bertrand Russel would like us believe. The idea that we exist in a universe that just emerged from some unknown place which can be described through a set of objective and concrete laws is naive. The nativity of this view is due to the fact that the universe and everything in it first needs to be perceived by the observer and it is this act of perception that removes any objectivity from it.

The only thing for certain that we can know is that we have a conscious awareness. We all have a perception of the world in which we live, but we do not know where this perception comes from or how it is derived. Here we can draw a distinction between the brain and the mind. The mental image of our reality exits within our mind. We can assume that the mind exists within our brain, but in truth we cannot know this. We can only understand that we have a mental image of everything that we know of. In fact, nothing can be used to certify the basis for our physical reality because everything in our world comes from our perception, which is created within our conscious mind. We cannot understand what anyone else perceives because it does not come through our own perception. We can only know what we perceive. This is a fundamental fact about our existence.

The Eastern and mystic religions and philosophies have long understood that there is much more to understanding what we are and what constitutes consciousness than what we see before us in our waking state. In the West, it was not until Albert Einstein postulated the theories of relativity in the early twentieth century that science first began to realize that the concept of a universe of fixed and absolute laws was over simplified and incorrect. This was the first scientific evidence contrary to the prevailing scientific beliefs that the universe has static and fixed natural laws that govern it.

It was the special theory of relativity, published by Einstein in 1905, that stated the speed of light was a constant value in the universe that could not be violated. However, the theory also stated that each item in the universe had its own frame of reference for which to interpret the laws of nature, such as the speed of light. In the case of the speed of light, this scenario allows the units of time and distance to be relative to each reference frame. Although each reference frame would measure the same value for the speed of light, 299,792,458 meters per second, the value does not require the length of the meter or the period of the second to be the same between the different frames of reference. If you were given a meter stick that appeared shorter than that of one given to someone in their reference frame and you both measured how far light went in one second, your shorter meter stick would tell you that the light went further, a greater number of meters, than for the person who had the longer meter stick. In order for the natural law governing that the speed of light be the same for all reference frames to hold true, the one second in your reference frame would need to be shorter than the one second in the other person's reference frame. Although both of your clocks would read one second, your one second is actually shorter in time making the distance your light travels in your one second less, so that your shorter meter stick would read the exact number of meters as the other person's. Your one second would be less time than his by the exact proportion that his meter stick is longer than yours. In the end you would both count out the exact same number of meters that the light has traveled in the one second both of your clocks read with the caveat that you both had different intrinsic values of time and length.

Einstein' published his General Theory of Relativity in 1915 as an extension to his original Special Theory. This theory was also revolutionary in its impact on the understanding of the nature of our universe. It, again, demonstrated that the fixed laws of the universe were no longer applicable. The General Theory of Relativity described how gravity and acceleration are undistinguishable to an observer in their reference frame. From this premise, the theory showed that space and time were no longer separate but existed together in a single entity of space-time.

It was these groundbreaking ideas that postulated that the units of time, spatial distance as well as the forces of gravitation and acceleration were not fixed quantities. My ruler is a different length than your ruler. My time of one second is different from your one second. My acceleration is indistinguishable from your effect of gravity and there is no way for us to directly compare all of these unless I can change from my frame of reference to yours. This is impossible, however, as we can only exist in our own frame of reference and, therefore, cannot directly compare elements from our reference frame to another.

The theories of relativity state that every entity in the universe has its own frame of reference. Each person, each bug, and each sub-atomic particle experiences the universe through its own frame of reference. There is no single and fixed universal reference frame that we all share. The theories of relativity dictated that the universe is subjective to the entity perceiving it all the way down to the most fundamental physical laws.

Next in the line of revolutionary theories was Quantum Mechanics in the 1920's. Quantum Mechanics dictated that matter and electromagnetic radiation was composed of formless bundles of energy rather than the concept of solid billiard ball like particles that previous theories postulated. Quantum Mechanics changed our understanding of the atomic scale to show that it is actually derived from probabilistic laws rather than fixed quantities.

While the previous pioneering theories radically changed our view of the universe, their applications are grounded in precise mathematics. My discussion of them here is meant to show how the current scientific view has changed dramatically from fixed universal laws to one of relative reference frames that have built in ambiguities. Ideas that were once thought to be a concrete and absolute basis for the laws of the universe were replaced by concepts that were inexact and relative to individual frames of reference.

Expounding on the evolution of our understanding of the laws of physical science, we can begin to see that those things that govern our existence are not absolute concepts. If we look more closely, we see start to see that the belief that our reality is made from fixed and concrete objects and concepts may need to undergo a transformation in understanding like the ones that occurred in the realm of physics.

When we look at how we comprehend the world we live in, we begin to see that our understanding of who we are and all that we observe within our universe, is a product of our perception and conscious thought. Our identity, our beliefs, our aspirations, our physical surroundings, our totality, are all created within the loci of our consciousness. We may resist this concept as it seems to go against what we believe to be a fundamental truth, that we exist in and perceive the physical reality around us which is concrete and real. We are so ready to reject the notion that everything we know only exists within the context of our consciousness that very few people have stopped to consider this concept in more depth.

I can only know what is in my sphere of consciousness. I cannot know anything outside of it. You can only know what is in your sphere of consciousness. You, also, cannot know anything outside of it. How our spheres of consciousness overlap cannot be known. Neither you nor I can know this.

We live our lives assuming that everyone and everything around us exists within an environment that is shared by all of us. We believe that we share the same observable world, universe and physical laws. We believe that we share the same story of Man's development and civilization. We also believe we share our everyday experiences with those that live around us. While it may be true that we perceive these things as being shared between us, it needs to be emphasized that we can never prove that there is an intersection between your reality and my reality, between your reality and that of someone else, no matter how much it appears to be true or how much we want it to be so.

I can repeat experiments that confirm the same laws of nature that you have shown to be true. However, all I have done is to show that this law of nature appears to be true in my sphere of consciousness and no more. There is no way to go beyond my own perception and consciousness. My observations are within the realm of my consciousness. The logical organization of my perceptions is within the realm of my consciousness. Everything that is me is within the realm of my consciousness. I cannot know anything outside of this.

Because I cannot know anything outside of my own sphere of consciousness, I cannot determine how an observable fact influences your sphere of consciousness and vice versa. I cannot determine the extent to which our spheres of consciousness intersect or even if they intersect at all. We may be standing side by side, both looking at the same physical space and objects. We may both measure the results from the same experimental setup for determining the speed of light and find that they are in agreement. But what does this actually mean? Would this be objective evidence to prove that this law of physics is the same for both of us? Would it prove that we share the same experience of our realities? Again, it would appear that this is the case, but my assertion is that there is no way to prove that this fact is true.

While some may see these concepts as just an academic exercise or possibly ideas from Eastern philosophy, if you really consider this and begin stripping off the thin veneer of our understanding of consciousness and perception, you will begin to see that these ideas are not so foreign and uncomfortable.

If there is no way for us to understand how our consciousness intersects with anything else outside of itself, does that mean we don't know if anything else exists outside of our sphere of consciousness? For many this is a ridiculous assertion. They would say "Of course people and things exist outside of ourselves". Others may also believe it to be egotistical that we may think that nothing else exists outside of our own consciousness. It is easy to assert that what we perceive as existing outside of our physical being is separate from us. It is easy to see that we are all individual beings who exist within a common physical environment. But how would this assertion be proven? It cannot be done, because it always comes back to the fact that everything we perceive and know about the cosmos exists within our conscious mind, and there is no way to know anything outside of that.

Chapter Three: What is Consciousness?

To some, the question of "what is consciousness" is easy to answer. Consciousness is the state of being aware of oneself and the surrounding environment. Enough said. If we take this a step or two further, however, it becomes much less definitive. The questions become blurred, the answers vague. Where does consciousness come from? Is it solely a product of biology and processes in the brain? Is it divine and passed from a larger unseen force?

### Why are we Conscious?

The question of "why are we conscious" is very complex and is open to many interpretations. Because it is linked to concepts such as higher purpose and religious beliefs, I will generally stay away from it in this book. Although it is very important for us to consider our relationship with that which is larger than we are, this book concentrates on what we all can directly experience as part of being human beings. I am conscious and you are conscious. It is not a fact that can be changed by anything that we believe about our origin or purpose. If we let our religious and spiritual beliefs into the equation, then we no longer see the commonality of this most fundamental of facts that we share. We only see the ideas that separate us and place barriers between us. Once I am a Christian, I can no longer agree with a Buddhist on why we exist. As soon as we bring belief systems in to the discussion, walls go up between us very quickly. The walls are tall and are put into place very early in our childhood.

From a purely scientific view, our consciousness is the result of interactions over the nearly fourteen billion years since the beginning of the universe. Whether these interactions were random or according to some unknown set of guidelines is not something that we can know.

Our scientific understanding of why we are conscious stems from the product of our understanding from many fields of science including; cosmology, astrophysics, planetary geology, bio-physics, microbiology, chemistry, bio-chemistry, paleontology, archeology, anthropology, sociology, psychology, physiology and medical research. While these fields of research strive to understand questions in their fields of study, the most fundamental question of how we became conscious beings, is only addressed as a secondary or tertiary topic. The best that our scientific explanation can come up with is that:

1) Nearly 14 billion years ago, the early universe underwent a cataclysmic event, called the Big Bang, which created all the physical matter, properties, and laws within our observable universe. Prior to this event, the entire universe was contained in a infinitely small, infinitely dense single, point called a singularity.

2) About 150 million years after the Big Bang the first stars formed from the condensation of light elements created the event. It took several hundred million more years for these first stars to coalesce into the first galaxies. The early stars burned all their fuel in a process called fusion very quickly and exploded at the end of their lives creating heavier atomic elements in the explosion termed a supernova. It is these heavier elements that are the building blocks for planets and life as we know them.

3) Approximately 5 billion years ago, the sun and earth were formed from the remnants of the early stars which allowed the earth to contain a significant amount of heavier elements that were created by the supernovae of the first stars.

4) 4-5 billion years ago, the earth underwent a period of intense bombardment from meteors and asteroids that were plentiful in during this period. These objects brought both water and organic molecules to the planet's surface. These items created the environment for the first life on Earth to form.

5) The heat, water, and gases provided by the early Earth's geological environment were conducive to the building of more complex organic molecules.

6) 4 billion years ago, complex molecules combined to create simple single-celled organisms.

7) Single cell organisms began to become more complex and have more functionality.

8) Approximately 1.5-2 billion years ago, single cell organisms developed the ability to divide and become simple multi-cellular organisms.

9) Cells began to specialize to allow better adaptation to the environment.

10) 500 million years ago, increasingly complex organisms evolved that were controlled from a central location within the organism. These organisms had specialized cells for perception, control, energy production and physical structure

11) Approximately 300-400 million years ago the central control system developed into the early brain allowing the development of large and very complex organisms. Organisms also developed the ability to move onto land from the water.

12) Between 60-300 million years ago was the age of the dinosaurs, the largest land animals in history. Approximately 150 million years ago small warm-blooded mammals developed. At around 60 million years ago, a great extinction event took place which killed off the dinosaurs. With the extinction of the dinosaurs the mammals evolved into larger and a more diverse set of animals.

13) As organisms become more complex and their brains continued to evolve, some organisms developed a sense of self-awareness, becoming aware that they were entities separate from the environment around them.

14) Continued evolution brings us to the point of development where we are today, with the ability to contemplate our consciousness and its origin and meaning.

This is a very high-level scientific outline of our current understanding of the sequence of events that have brought us from the origin of the universe to our current place in the world. While others will disagree with this sequence based on personal beliefs, it is the most widely accepted explanation from academia. However, even if we fully agree with this understanding of our evolution, it has significant gaps which are simply glossed over in an attempt to make all of the pieces fit together into a cohesive story. Here are a few of the significant gaps that are not addressed by science:

• Where did the energy singularity that created our universe from the Bing Bang come from?

• What existed before the Big Bang?

• How does inanimate matter become animate?

• How does an organism become conscious and self-

aware?

These questions go beyond science and enter the realm of faith or mystic thought. It is interesting how science can tiptoe around these fundamental questions and still believe that it has a firm understanding of who and what we are in relation to the cosmos. These questions are the foundation for all other questions concerning where we came from. Again, I am not pushing an agenda to say that there is something else that is more correct, or a belief system that is more consistent, I am merely pointing out some of the glaring gaps in our current scientific understanding of how we became conscious beings.

### Properties of Consciousness

Consciousness is truly an incredible and miraculous concept. The creation of energy and matter out of nothing is a completely mind-boggling concept, but to have this matter combine in such a way as to become self-aware is unfathomable to me. If you were to go to a high school physics teacher and tell them that you know of an object that was made from nothingness, then go to a biology teacher and tell them of an observation in which an inanimate object came to life and became self-aware, I think you would be labeled as a highly imaginative student. This, indeed, sounds like an unenlightened tale in the face of current modern scientific thought, but in fact, that is exactly what is dictated by modern science. You, me, and everything living has come from a state of nothingness to a state of animated being. And yet, science gives this fact only a lukewarm appreciation and continues to go about its business buried in the minutia of scientific concepts while glossing over the most significant of concepts.

We wake up each day, and the fact that we "are" stares us directly in the face. We are made of energy and matter that came from nowhere, and here we are, beings able to understand that we exist. Why are we so oblivious to or dispassionate about how miraculous this understanding is? The mere concept of existence is so fantastic that it has no comparable concepts.

We believe that we are very clever. We look at how advanced our modern life is and think we have come a long way. We have computers that can conduct billions of calculations a second and communications that interconnect the globe, and yet, compared to the complexity of making conscious beings out of nothingness, all that we have achieved is a drop in the ocean by comparison.

Now that I have given my thoughts on what a tremendous miracle consciousness is, I will continue to explore some of its properties. While there has been a significant amount of research into the human psyche, many of the basic questions are still left unasked. It is as if we cannot see any questions below a certain level. It is like looking at the very tip of the iceberg sticking out of the water and spending countless hours studying this small piece of ice from many different angles, ignoring the massive portion of the iceberg that is below the surface and cannot be seen.

### What is the form of Consciousness?

Does consciousness have a central location, or locus, where it exists? If so, what is the extend of this locus? Is it a single point that is outside of our spatial perception? Is it contained within a sphere of a given dimension? Is it located in the center of our head? Is it just behind the mental image we create from our vision? Is it co-located with the location in the center of our head where the sensation of sound seems to resonate from? Is the location of consciousness and perception due to the location of the processing areas of our major sense organs in our brain? If our senses were not working properly, how would this effect the perceived location of consciousness? If someone was born blind and deaf, would their sense of consciousness originate from the same place as someone who was born with these senses functioning?

These questions could be easily answered if we adhered strictly to the biological explanations for life functions. The brain processes the information sent by the various sensing mechanisms in different locations within the brain. Thoughts and sense perception are a result of bio-chemical/electrical interactions within the brain. If we use an EKG machine to measure brain activity, we will see that different areas of the brain show activity depending on which sense is being processed or the activity being conducted such as artistic or logically oriented tasks.

The chemistry and biology of the body and brain are very complex. Far more complex than we understand. Can the complex working of the organic material that makes up our body be fully responsible for the existence of our consciousness? Is consciousness the result of brain function alone? If so, how does brain function, a set of bio-chemical/electrical interactions within the brain, translate into a sense of being and self-awareness? Why do we feel a single seat of consciousness but not the brain activity from all the various parts of the brain?

### The Inner Dialogue

Our consciousness contains the mental image of our surroundings as well as a continuous inner dialog of our thoughts. This inner dialogue is a stream of thoughts usually spoken in our native language. For those who are attuned to science, mathematics, or art, thoughts may also be in the form in symbols, sounds, colors, or textures.

The stream of thoughts that we experience in our conscious mind occur in a serial manner. One thought percolates into our perception and we perceive it, which then leads to the next thought. Thoughts appear from a point that is beyond our conscious perception then disappear again after we are finished contemplating them. Where do these thoughts originate from, and how do they arrange themselves into a form that we can interpret? If you purely take the academic view, then you assign the entire miracle of consciousness, perception and memory to the chemical and electrical interactions by a collection of atoms. Does anyone else find this conclusion extraordinary?

### Memory

If we did not have the ability to retain some history of our existence, then we would be conscious only of each single instant. In this case, nothing could be assigned a meaning. We would have no thoughts in the form that we are used to. Our understanding of our place within the universe requires that we have the ability to perceive time. It is through the perception of time that we are able to sequence and organize events into a meaningful set of concepts. In order to take advantage of being able to perceive time, we must have the ability to store information in a sequential manner. Our memory function does precisely this, but how does it do this? If we could look at it without considering the scientific explanation, how would we describe the process of recalling a past experience?

What does it mean to recall a memory? In what form does a memory come into our consciousness? Is it in the form of a mental picture or a feeling? The process of recalling something seems to jump from the effort of recalling to that of the memory just appearing in a perceivable form. Memories seem to cross a boundary from non-existence to existence. At times memories seem to have a life of their own, popping in at unexpected times or even flooding us with mental images, sounds, smells, and feelings when some stimulus in our present state triggers them.

Where do these memories reside? Most of us would answer this by falling back onto the standard grade school answer of our brain. What if we wanted to look at this question in more detail? What is the mechanism that brings past memories back into our present state of consciousness? Do past memories seem further away and cloudier than more recent ones? Is there an elastic boundary to our consciousness that expands as necessary to include memories outside of its current domain? Does our consciousness remain the same while memories are brought to it from another source, such as through some sort of mental or psychic network? Or are the memories, in fact, just an extremely elegant way in which sub-atomic particles arrange themselves within our brain?

### The Attempt to Understand Consciousness

It is much more common in other cultures to try to understand that nature of consciousness. Different religious and philosophical practices develop skills that attempt to probe our understanding of our consciousness in a meaningful way.

In Western culture, we are taught that thoughtful insight on issues such as the nature of consciousness and existence should be left to specialized forums, such as mystic philosophers or academics. The mystic philosophers are considered a lunatic fringe, and the academics treat the subject in a sterile nature. Either way, we do not have a serious dialogue within our culture about the most important and profound aspect of our being. Not only do we completely gloss over this topic, it is so foreign to us that we reject any open discussion of it. And yet, we are perfectly comfortable with talking about all the trivial activities that we do as a consequence of existing and being self-aware.

Meditation and other such tools have been developed to help us explore our consciousness and perception. In taking a step back from the constant tide of daily activities, meditation allows our minds to slow down to a point where we can begin to examine the depths and boundaries of that which is the animate consciousness of our being. For some, this is a spiritual journey, for others a mental exercise. At a minimum, however, it should be a question of curiosity for all of us. What is it that makes us sentient beings? What makes us alive and able to ponder such miraculous concepts as existence?

Academics who delve into the fundamentals of consciousness draw from fringe areas of research and are often lumped into metaphysical or religious pigeon holes. On the whole, western psychology glosses over the question of existence and goes right into the study of human behavior with the premise that we already exist, are conscious, and perceive the world around us. Western Psychology does not to delve into the deeper questions of the nature of consciousness. It is concerned with the 10% of the iceberg that we can see and ignores the 90% submersed under the water.

Mystic religions and philosophies, such as Buddhism, see the person as much more than a set of biological or cognitive functions. They understand that the self, our self-aware consciousness, is a fundamental aspect of our being which cannot be glossed over if we want to learn who we are in relation to the cosmos. To this end, many mystic religions and philosophies use disciplines that have been developed over many centuries to probe the conscious mind including such disciplines as rhythmic breathing exercises, sitting mediation, chanting, yoga, dance as well as many others.

Western religions address the purpose of existence, but does not address the nature of sentience and consciousness. It does not examine the nature of existence objectively, but explains it through a story of faith. God creates human spirits that come to Earth when they are born and go back to the spiritual plane after death. While this may be sufficient for many, it does not address the fundamental question of what is consciousness. What can I do to better understand the properties of being self-aware and sentient? Religious teachings offer an explanation and a framework for us to organize our understanding of where we come from, but do not examine what it means to exist and be sentient. Most religions offer a purpose for our existence in the context of a bigger picture, but again, descriptions of where we come from and why we are here are not the same as knowing what it means to have a consciousness and be self-aware. I will avoid an in-depth discussion of religious components as I want focus on what it means to conscious rather than why and for what purpose. Books on the religious meaning and purpose of life are probably more abundant than any other topic in history.

As I stated earlier, many eastern philosophies are much better at asking questions about the fundamental meaning of being conscious. Some of these religions devote significant effort to training their minds to better understand the relationship between our existence and the cosmic universe. Monks in many eastern religious communities spend their entire life in the pursuit of understanding these questions. They practice exercises for the sole purpose of understanding who we are on a deeper level.

### Are there Observable Properties to Consciousness?

We think of consciousness in very basic terms. For most of us, it is simply the concept of being awake and aware. What if we began asking about our understanding of it? We might come up with questions like the following:

• Is our consciousness limited by space and time?

• Is it contained within a volume?

• Is it linked to other forms of consciousness in ways that we cannot understand? (Other forms of consciousness on this 3-dimensional plane? On other planes of existence?)

• What role does time play in consciousness? If we did not have time to develop a perception or a thought, would we still have a consciousness?

• Does the consciousness that we experience require having a 3-dimensional form?

• Is consciousness the result of us being organic living beings? Is it the fact that we are alive and regulate electro-chemical interactions within the brain that makes us conscious and self-aware?

• Does consciousness derive its origin from a source that we are not able to comprehend such as a psychic plane or a different physical dimension? From this consciousness, do we create the concept of the brain, body, and surrounding environment?

• Where was our consciousness before we could perceive it?

• Where does consciousness go when we die? If it is truly the result of our physical being, created by processes within the brain, then does it disappear when body functions cease? If it is not dependent on the physical processes of the brain, then where does it go after death?

While answers to these questions may seem obvious to some or meaningless to others, I contend that they are very reasonable questions that can be asked from many different viewpoints including scientific, spiritual, as well as simple curiosity.

### Where does our Consciousness exist?

Some will say, without question, that our consciousness is centered in our brain, as it is the brain's interactions which give rise to it. However, is it necessarily related to the size and placement of one's head? Does it correspond to the same spatial location as the brain? Does it have a physical size? Does it spill outside of the physical boundary of the head? How large is it? Where do its boundary end? What is on the other side of the boundary?

Many people have reported out of body experiences, where their consciousness seems to detach itself from its usual place behind the eyes and move about the physical space in this detached state, while still maintaining all of the normal functions that we understand as a conscious state of awareness. It is interesting that even in a state where our consciousness is detached from our physical body, it is still able to perceive its surroundings using the same sensory functions that are attached to the body. How can we visualize in this state, when our eyes remain behind with our body?

Although we have all heard of out of body experiences, and they have been reported frequently, many people have not had such an experience. I will therefore give an example of that we are all familiar with, the state of dreaming. When we dream, our consciousness can shift to different perspectives. We can experience our consciousness in the usual location within our head, or the perspective can suddenly change to that of being outside of ourselves, looking back at our self or at something completely different. How does a dream-state consciousness differ from a waking-state consciousness?

When we are in a sleep state, the brain overrides the external senses and creates its own simulated input. As far as we can determine, dreaming is common for many animals. It is medically unclear why we need to sleep and dream, but it is a basic requirement for our survival. Why do we all need to enter this altered state of consciousness when we sleep?

Some people keep dream logs in order to piece together clues about their experiences during sleep. One interesting side effect of the dream state is that in most cases the dream reality quickly fades upon awakening. We have all awoken with a clear memory of a dream only to have the memory fade away within minutes. Having a deeper understanding of the dream state of consciousness may be a significant step into gaining an insight into the mechanism that enables our consciousness.

### When did our consciousness start, and when will it end?

This question directly overlaps with theology and mystical teachings which can provide a myriad of answers based on faith. However, in reality, there is no way we can directly experience the answer to these questions. All that we know is that we have always existed in this form. No one can perceive a time before being conscious, we do not know what it means to be void of consciousness. We cannot know what it means to be anything other than what we currently are.

Is it as easy as saying that we become conscious when we are born, and we become non-conscious when we die? Again, there is no proof that this is the case. The only thing we cannot argue is that we are conscious and self-aware right now, anything beyond that falls into the realm of speculation. While it may seem obvious that we see others being born and dying, we, ourselves, cannot know what this truly means. We only know our conscious state and cannot perceive anything outside of it. We can choose to believe those things that we see or are told to be true such as birth or death, however, as we can only know our current state.

### Different Levels of Consciousness

Are there different varieties or levels of consciousness? It is common for all of us to experience differences in our state of awareness. At times during our waking state, our awareness can become sharper and more focused, at other times, it can become dull or distorted. There seems to be significant variation in the way we can experience our conscious state. Most people have experienced the changes in our conscious state that are temporarily induced by medical treatments, alcohol, or recreational drugs. We can also experience subtle variations in our conscious state such as the perception of time passing or impressions of places or activities. Our dream state is the most significant change in our state of consciousness and it is also the easiest for all of us to relate to as we all experience it on a regular basis.

We hear about terms such as altered and higher states of consciousness. What does this mean? Since the beginning of human culture, people have been striving to understand our place in the vastness of the cosmos. Over the eons of social and religious development, the concept of a higher state of consciousness has been stressed as a way to gain insight into our relationship with the immensity of the universe.

Through the years, numerous methods have been developed by various cultures and disciplines that are meant to help one experience a state of higher consciousness. These methods have been refined over time by their practitioners and cover a wide range of practice, including chanting, dance, meditation, the use of ritualized drugs, and more. I examine a few of these methods in the next chapter.

While many cultures use consciousness-altering methods as part of their quest for understanding the self, they are usually done under the training of those who have been taught how to use these methods. Many of the methods require a great deal of discipline and extensive practice of exercises that are intended to train the mind.

When we talk about altered or higher states of consciousness, people raised in the Western culture become uncomfortable. Since the last half of the 20th century, the counter culture movement in the 1960s is our reference point for this topic of conversation. Today, discussions of higher states of consciousness conjures images from the '60s of long hair, bare feet, and heavy drug use. This period in our history was driven by a rebellion of the youth to the established social values. While questions such as the nature of consciousness appeared to be a significant part of the '60s culture, they were only superficially examined in a haphazard effort to grasp at anything outside the traditional norms of the time. As a result of this period, many people maintain a distrust of those that try to establish a dialogue on these questions.

Those of us brought up in the West have a strong suspicion of anything that falls outside the realm of logical reason. The period of 1960s served to strengthen our mistrust of the examination of such topics as the nature of existence and consciousness, which is so foreign to our upbringing.

Chapter Four: How Can We Explore Our Consciousness?

The first step to exploring our consciousness is to acknowledge that we exist and are self-aware. This sounds incredibly self-evident, but I believe that it is something that we rarely contemplate. It is so fundamental that we skip right over it and start thinking about the next thing that needs to be done in our daily activities. It is much more than a statement or awareness of "I am alive." It is the true feeling of amazement at how incredible and significant the simple fact that you exist is. It allows us to see how trivial our daily activities can be by comparison.

### Quieting the Mind

Contemplating our consciousness may be similar to concentrating on one's heartbeat. When we concentrate on the beating of our heart it can make us uncomfortable, as it reminds us of our mortality. It represents the thin line between life and death. Most of us rather just let our heart go about its task without concentrating on the sensation of its beating. Perhaps we have a similar unpleasant sensation when looking at the space of our consciousness. It may be that which lays below all the concepts of who we are is too uncomfortable to look at. Perhaps we just do not know how to perceive our consciousness without learning how to do so. This may be the ultimate example of the saying, "can't see the forest for the trees." Perhaps, consciousness is so close to us and so large, that we cannot focus on it, but instead, we see right past it and only perceive the stream of thoughts that make up our everyday existence.

If we are interested in exploring the nature of who we really are, the first step is to understand that our daily routine revolves around a continuous stream of thoughts that constantly occupy our attention. These thoughts are always present and will never stop unless we purposefully interrupt them. If we ever want to get a glimpse of something more, we need to slow down these thoughts that vie for our attention during every moment of our waking day. When we do this, we can begin to see that we are more than our thoughts about kids, meetings, concerns about weather, and the million other details that we rehash every day of our lives. The identities that we have given ourselves are derived from this constant stream of thoughts. If we are interested in finding out more about our true identities, then we must find periods where we can look at the space in our being where we can find solace from our everyday thoughts. We do this by quieting our minds and beginning to see what is behind the noise that saturates our mind.

### Why Should We Make an Effort to Understand the Nature of Our Consciousness?

It is a fair question to ask why we should make an effort to understand the nature of our consciousness. Trying to understand our consciousness is not a question that we normally consider. What does it even mean to contemplate one's consciousness? What is the benefit in doing so? In contemplating these questions, we begin to understand that all of the elements that we perceive and make up our existence are truly remarkable. It means that we are aware of our own spark of being that exists where there was once nothingness. This fact, in itself, is absolutely mind-blowing. On top of the fact that we have consciousness, there is also the understanding that we perceive a reality which follows a defined set of principles that we can interpret and organize into meaning.

Exploring your consciousness also means being alone with a quiet mind. It means getting off the everyday racetrack for a little while and exploring the space of your being. What does it mean to be conscious? Not alive, but conscious and self-aware. When we think of being alive, we think about it in terms of everyday life. People are alive and then die. Plants and animals are alive, and then they die. This is familiar to us. We consider these concepts all the time. Being alive is having your heart pumping. It is breathing and moving. Experiencing your consciousness is not the same as this.

Consciousness itself is existence. Some will argue that consciousness and being alive go hand in hand. They say that you need those qualities required to be alive (heart beating, breathing, etc.) in order to be conscious. I want to separate these concepts so that it is understood that I am talking about something that is outside of our normal consideration and experience.

There is a phrase that someone is "contemplating their navel", which means thinking about something that takes a lot of time and is considered pointless. And to many, contemplating one's consciousness may seem to be a pointless exercise, after all, what can really be gained from it? If nothing can be gained from it, then what value does it have?

In Western culture, since the times of the ancient Greeks, we have worked under the principle that knowledge for the sake of knowledge is important. Even today, we pursue research in basic science which is only for the sake of understanding and not intended to have any immediate social benefits. Understanding the nature of exotic astronomical objects could be considered by some to be an exercise in contemplating one's navel. The fact that we look up at a whole universe at nighttime is enough reason to learn more about it. We are born with a curiosity about our place in the cosmos, and if we are willing to open our mind, we will see that we have the most incredible wonder staring us directly in the face. Why not explore your consciousness as you would any other important aspect of your life? It is the ultimate frontier for discovery.

It should be reiterated that my motivation for exploring the questions around our consciousness is simply because they are there and exist as giant question marks staring right at us. If we work at it, it may be possible for us to see beyond our set notions of what it means to live in our day to day state and get to a point where we experience consciousness and nothing else; no things, no people, no aliveness, nothing but the spark of being conscious and self-aware. There must be something that is at the very core of our conscious beings, and the only way we can find it is by shedding the many layers of preconceived ideas of who it is that we think we are.

### How does One Contemplate One's Consciousness?

How does someone go about contemplating their consciousness? What does this even mean? The first and most important step is to understand that there is you and all of that which is outside of you. The semantics gets tricky here. The "you" in this reference is the spark of consciousness and self-awareness, nothing more. Everything outside of this inner spark of consciousness is not you in this context. Everything that is not you includes your perceptions, organized thoughts, body, relationships, possessions, and everything else that is involved in the construct of what we identify as our self. Most people believe that all of these things are actually what define us. They believe that we are defined by our thoughts, behaviors, morals, ethics, physical attributes, etc. My assertion is that before there are any of these characteristics, there is you, a spark of consciousness that exists within the totality of the cosmos.

We see everyone, including ourselves, as an amalgamation of actions, words, and physical attributes. We use these attributes as a means to define identities for our self and those around us. As an example, no one would describe the person who lived next door to us as a spark of self-aware consciousness. Since this would be the same description for everyone, it certainly would not carry much information about your neighbor. If we were to instead say that your neighbor is named James and has the following qualities; he is a tall, thin, married, in his early forties with two kids, an accountant, a republican, and attends a Methodist church on Sunday, then we have a much better picture of who James is. We could add greater detail to get a better description of who he is. We could add:

• He is 6 foot tall.

• He weighs 190 lbs.

• He likes to jog in the morning.

• He coaches little league.

• He likes '90s music.

• He likes to go to social events.

• He is left-handed.

• He likes spicy foods.

• He does not like weeding his yard.

• He is saving 10% a year for retirement.

This gives more information about James. Do we have a more complete picture of him now? Does this describe James? What if we added even more information? What if this book was only concerned with information about James? Would we have captured the essence of James? Would we know James? Would all the information that we could use to describe James allow us to understand what makes him a conscious entity? What defines us as a self-aware conscious being? All the information describing James would be items grouped into artificial mental constructs that try to organize the meaning of James. But what is James really?

James is an entity that has come into this cosmic existence as an awareness. He has crossed the threshold from non-existence into being, a truly fantastic concept.

Describing James through the attributes associated with him is akin to describing the flame in the oven by saying that it cooks bread and casseroles, and is housed in a black metal enclosure. These describe the properties of the flame but not the flame itself. In the same way, we describe our self by all the things associated with us but not by the essence that defines our being. Strip away all of the thoughts, behaviors, emotions, and everything else that we know about ourselves, and what do we have left? How do we experience it? How do we describe it?

Perhaps we are afraid that if we strip away those characteristics that we believe make up ourselves, nothing would remain, or that which does remain would be too uncomfortable to face. After all, no one likes to put themselves into an uncomfortable position. We enjoy the comfort that all the labels and constructs that surround us give us. We wrap ourselves up in a blanket of the properties and qualities that we believe define us.

• I am conservative.

• I am liberal.

• I believe in gun control.

• I believe in a free market.

• I believe in social justice.

• I am Christian.

• I am Jewish.

• I like Italian food.

• I advocate educational reform.

• I like...

• I don't like...

• I agree with...

• I disagree with...

These are all things that we can grab onto and hold. To us, they are as real as the objects around us. So, it is no wonder we hesitate in exploring what would be left if we dared to remove these qualities from the perception of ourselves.

Where do we start in looking beyond the properties and qualities we identify with? We need to move slowly. We need to open up to ideas and concepts that previously did not fit in with our understanding of things. We need to see that the perspective from which we view our self needs to be raised to a higher vantage point. We need to get above the normal day-to-day experience and the association with all those qualities we use to identify ourselves. We need to get high enough to see that from moment to moment we exist first and foremost as conscious entities. High enough to see that in the vastness of the cosmos we are a spark of self-awareness. High enough to see that we have come from the nothingness of the void to being conscious and self-aware, the most miraculous thing possible.

The following section begins the discussion of techniques that many cultures have found to raise the vantage point from which we can view our consciousness. Those of us in the West need to work extra hard to get past our preconceived notions of these techniques as they can seem foreign to our normal life experience.

### Consciousness Expansion Methods

Since the beginning of recorded history, people have been using various tools to help them in the exploration of their mind and consciousness. Many of these methods have been incorporated into religious and spiritual rituals, becoming important aspects of those teachings and traditions. While those in Eastern cultures are more comfortable with the use and practice of these traditions, those of us in the West, for the most part, view these methods as part of sub-culture behavior. Encountering a person chanting in a public space in India, for instance, does not raise an eyebrow. In the West, we expect this type of activity to be found only as part of a cult, such as the Hari Krishna movement that used to be commonly seen chanting at airports.

The Western view of the conscious state is a clinical one. There was an attempt to introduce many new methods of consciousness expansion in the 1960s but, in large part, this attempt failed as it was done so without the understanding that the Eastern cultures have as part of their cultural fabric. The use of these new methods in the '60s attempted to bypass the necessary disciplines, developed over many centuries, which are required to understand and use these methods.

For the West, the 1960s counter-culture era was one of excessive experimentation without a grounded understanding of the techniques used for consciousness expansion or the objectives in using them. This period was a knee-jerk reaction to the strong and rigid social roles being imposed by the establishment. Because of the counter-culture period, the use of consciousness-expansion methods is now linked to an image of hippies, drug use, cults, and other anti-social activities. Because of this, there can be no serious discourse on consciousness exploration in the west at this point in time. However, the lack of understanding and mistrust of mind-expansion concepts is now dissipating and the willingness to accept new ideas about who we are in relation to the cosmos is growing. There may yet be a time when we walk by someone sitting and chanting and do not think it unusual. We may even sit down and chant with them.

### Mind-Altering Substances

The use of plants and other natural products that produce altered states of consciousness has been a part of all known cultures through history. Rituals which were based on the use of mind-altering substances have been recorded in many past societies and even continue to be used in many cultures today. While recreational drug use has been evident throughout history, religious and spiritual rituals which use natural products that produce mind-altering effects were reserved for special events and were used by individuals that were trained in their use. The following is a list of the more popular plants that have been or continue to be used in religious and spiritual rituals throughout the world.

Amanita muscaria (common name: Fly Agaric)

Used widely as a hallucinogenic drug by many of the indigenous peoples of Siberia. In western Siberia, the use was restricted to shamans.

Datura stramonium (common names: jimson weed, devil's weed, thorn apple, Jamestown weed, stinkweed, locoweed, hell's bells, moonflower)

Found in tropical regions throughout the world. The Native Americans and sadhus of Hinduism have used this plant in sacred ceremonies.

Salvia divinorum (common names: Salvia, Diviner's Sage)

Salvia divinorum is native to certain areas in the Sierra Mazateca of Oaxaca, Mexico, where it is still used by the Mazatec Indians, primarily to facilitate shamanic visions in the context of curing or divination.

Psilocybin mushrooms (common name: Magic Mushrooms)

Psilocybin mushrooms have been part of human culture as far back as the earliest recorded history. Psilocybin mushrooms were used in rituals and ceremonies among the Aztecs at some of their holiest events.

Lophophora williamsii (common name: Peyote)

From early records (specimens from Texas have dated from 3780 to 3660 BC), we know that peyote has been used by indigenous peoples, such as the Huichol of northern Mexico and by various Native American tribal groups that have inhabited the Southern Plane states over the past five millennia.

Painting of Religious Ritual centered around Payote

Banisteriopsis caapi & Psychotria viridis (common names: Ayahuasca, Yage)

Ayahuasca is capable of producing profound mental, physical, and spiritual effects. It is considered a very important part of the shamanic ceremonies for healing in the Amazon region. A number of modern movements have been based on its use in Brazil.

Cannabis (common name: Marijuana)

The cannabis plant has an ancient history of ritual usage as a trance-inducing drug and is found in pharmacological cults around the world. In India, it has been used by itinerant sadhus (ascetics) for centuries, and in modern times the Rastafari movement has embraced it. Some historians and etymologists have claimed that cannabis was used as a religious sacrament by ancient Jews, early Christians, and Muslims of the Sufi order.

With the advent of modern chemistry and the development of mass growing and production techniques, mind-altering substances are now much more abundant in our world. They are readily available to all members of our society. However, the increased availability of these substances has caused tremendous negative impacts on society. Without proper training in the use of these substances, an essential element in their use in past religious and spiritual rituals, these substances only offer a chaotic glimpse into the exploration of consciousness expansion. Without proper training these substances can become addictive, both physically and mentally. Instead of being a tool for someone with proper training, the altered state, itself, becomes the goal, which can quickly become very addictive and harmful.

As I have not been trained in the religious or spiritual use of mind-altering substances, I feel that I am not qualified in their use and, therefore, have not used them in my own exploration of consciousness.

### Meditation

The term meditation is used in a number of different contexts and can conjure up many images. It can mean a deep contemplation of an object or concept. It can call to mind images of Zen masters or Buddhist monks with shaved heads wearing orange robes. The meaning that I am applying to this term is a mental and physical practice to slow down the mind through the application of relaxation, paced rhythmical breathing, and special mental disciplines. There are many mental tools that allow one to slow the mind and begin to experience what exists within it when it is not racing from one thought to another.

While most of us are aware of meditation, it was not popular in the West until the 1960s brought many new spiritual and religious practices from the East. Today, meditation is used not only for its ability to promote consciousness expansion, but also for its positive medical benefits. Meditation offers numerous physical benefits which promote physical and mental rejuvenation and healing. As more physicians begin to see the physical benefits that are obtained through the practice of meditation, they are turning to this alternative more frequently as opposed to offering traditional drug therapies.

The Spiritual, Mental and Health benefits of meditation have been known for millennia

The goal of meditation is to learn to focus the mind. One strategy is to empty the mind of our continuous stream of thoughts. However, if you have ever tried to stop the stream of thoughts from entering your consciousness, you have found how difficult this actually is. The stream of conscious thoughts within the mind is non-stop. Many groups that practice mediation incorporate mental tools such as the thought watcher, or gate keeper, which is used to recognize any new thought that arises within the mind in an attempt to dismiss it before it can gain traction and make a link to other related thoughts.

Another common strategy to stop the stream of thoughts is to put your focus on a single object and hold it as long as possible. One can observe all the traits and nuances around that single object, but the focus must stay on it. Again, great discipline is needed in order to do this as the mind is used to constantly jumping from one thought to another.

There is also a strategy in meditation that allows one to allow the stream of thoughts in their mind, but tries to disassociate oneself from participating in the them. In this case the practitioner watches the thoughts come and go without making any interpretation or judgement of them. Like watching a bubbling spring the practitioner just watches the thoughts come into focus and then disappear. This disassociation requires great patience as the natural urge is to jump in and continue the thought stream that is currently in focus.

All of these techniques, and many more, are very useful in understanding how our mind operates. From the practice of meditation we can gain the discipline to explore beyond the ever racing mind that we are familiar with.

When sitting and attempting to meditate, it is important to relax the body. Many practitioners suggest concentrating on the rhythm and fullness of our breathing as a way to focus on something outside of our usual thought process. Once entering a state where we begin to clear our minds, we need to employ a mechanism to dismiss any new thoughts that appear in our consciousness. When we are sitting quietly in this state, a new thought will pop into our mind and the inner dialog goes something like this:

"I need to get some butter at the store. I need to stop thinking about this. I need to blank my mind. OK, now there is nothing in my mind. Still nothing... still nothing... oops, here comes another thought. I see it coming. I want to stop it before it gains traction, but now I am thinking of trying to stop this new thought which is a thought itself."

And it goes on and on like this. The thought watcher is meant to sweep away a thought as it is percolating or just after it arrives in the mind. Sometimes it is effective at dismissing thoughts, while other times it gets caught up in the distraction of the thought, and it takes more effort to come back to the state of emptiness. It takes a lot of practice to be able to fend off the stream of thoughts that are part of our everyday conscious state.

The more that you practice seeing the thoughts pop into your consciousness, the more you see the workings of the mind and how it resists being still, almost as if it is afraid that if it stops spewing thoughts, it will stop existing. The more you practice this process of quieting the mind, the longer the periods of stillness you will be able to maintain. It is this period where the mind is still that opens you up to periods of consciousness expansion.

Meditation can take place in any number of different forms. The most common form is done in a sitting position with legs folded. This is the position that we are most familiar with. This is normally how we are taught to meditate if we take a meditation class.

External distractions and physical discomfort are other sources of disturbances that the practitioner must learn to work around. Nearby sounds, the room temperature, any physical anomalies, or even something as simple as being hungry all vie for the mind's attention. A major distraction for longer periods of sitting meditation becomes physical discomfort. As a position begins to become uncomfortable, thoughts pop into our minds about the discomfort. We then start thinking about shifting positions, which become its own train of thought that we must also push aside. Avid practitioners of sitting meditation can sit motionless for long periods of time without noticing any environmental distractions or physical discomfort. They have learned the discipline of pushing aside spontaneous thoughts.

While sitting meditation is the most common form, meditation can take on many other methods. Yoga and Tai chi chuan, commonly referred to as Tai chi, are two forms of meditation in the East which are centered around movement. Both were developed as a means to use body motion to achieve physical and spiritual wellbeing. Practitioners believe that the motions conducted within these practices help the internal and external energies of the body flow in their natural state. In doing this, the body and mind will be in attunement with the cosmos. The motions and poses used in both of these practices have been handed down for many centuries. Because these practices have great physical benefits, they have been increasingly prescribed by physicians as a natural method of increasing health and vitality. Today it is common in China to see large groups of people practicing Tai chi in the mornings at parks or even within the workplace.

Although people may not practice yoga or Tai chi with the intent of probing their consciousness, both practices were developed as methods for developing mind discipline. Both practices offer excellent vehicles for quieting the mind and moving into the state of mind that allows exploration of higher levels of consciousness.

Meditation in motion through the ancient practices of Yoga and Tai chi

Walking meditation is another common form of meditation in motion. The meditative action is done while walking, either alone or in a group. Walking circles are used to walk in a known path that can be done while in a meditative state. The Buddhist and Jesuit monks are known to use walking circle extensively. Buddhist monks also walk long distances, from one place to another, while conducting walking meditation with the assistance of a guide.

Another type of meditation in motion is spinning. The Whirling Dervishes, in their distinctive white gowns that flow out when they spin, are best known for this practice. This practice is still followed by members of the Sufi religion today. The spinning motion is done in one place and is meant to allow one to reach a deep meditative state. A significant level of practice is needed to achieve the level of balance and physical endurance required to accomplish this form of meditation.

The Sufi religious practice of spinning conducted by the famous Whirling Dervishes

### Chanting

It has been shown that repetition in reciting a phrase can produce consciousness-expanding effects. Chanting has been used by most religious and mystic practices over the ages. Chanting can be sung or spoken, using a well-known phrase or verse that can easily be repeated. Many groups use common phrases that are a part of the tradition of the group. In the Hindu and Buddhist traditions these phrases are called mantras. Western culture knows about the use of a mantra from exposure to practices that conducted chanting throughout the 1960s. A chanting mantra that many people may recognize from that period is "Nam Myoho Renge Kyo", which is a Buddhist phrase that became popular in the West for chanting. However, the most common mantra used in the West is the Rosary, a form of prayer which Catholic followers can continuously recite for extended periods at times.

Repetition of a phrase, or mantra, is used to free the mind from the constant bombardment of chaotic daily thoughts. Through the repetitive reciting of a phrase, the active part of the mind is kept busy and allows for exploration of our mind and consciousness on a deeper level. Even the tonality of the phrase can be important. The Tibetan Buddhist monks use a very distinctive and recognizable form of throat vocalization while chanting which has a very powerful resonance, both physically and mentally when recited by a group.

Chanting can be used in combination with many other methods including: mind altering substances, meditation, music and dancing. Chanting can also be done in groups to magnify the effect of the experience. Buddhist and Catholic monks are famous for practicing long periods of non-stop group chanting within their monasteries.

### Music

Music of one sort or another has been part of religious and mystic traditions from the very beginning. The rhythmic percussion of a simple drum or the melodic use of voices or instruments can be an effective way to expand one's consciousness.

Simple repetitive beating of a drum can be seen in the same light as chanting. Many times it accompanies chanting. With the addition of melodic components, whether repetitive or not, it can help remove one's mind from the everyday and enter into a more receptive state that allows one to explore parts of oneself that one is normally not aware of.

Repetition of musical beats can be mesmerizing. There are some modern composers who are known for creating music pieces that use traditional musical instruments that explore repetitive scores. Composers such as Philip Glass and Steven Reich, are known for using elements such as repetition and time phase changes for different parts of their compositions. The organic sound of the instruments coupled with the repetitive aspect of the piece make them effective for consciousness expansion.

Modern electronic music can produce very hypnotic pieces. Electronic music also allows pieces to be extended for time periods that are not possible for human musicians. The use of electronic instruments can be seen in the contemporary rave music scene, where the music has a heavy repetitious beat that plays continuously for hours. People that attend music rave events say that they can enter into a hypnotic state as a result of the music.

Electronic instruments can also create very soothing soundscapes that are conducive to meditation and introspective thought. Electronic instruments are very good at creating ethereal type sounds that can resonate deeply in your consciousness. This genre of music is classified as ambient music and sometimes includes sounds of nature or other natural soothing sounds. The genre of music classified as New-age music started in the 1980s. It consisted of soothing pieces, usually played on a few acoustic instruments such as guitar and piano. New age music is intended to relax the body and mind.

With the advent of high-quality recordings and miniaturized playback equipment, it is now possible to take any sort of music with you anywhere. This was not the case more than thirty years ago, before the advent of the Sony Walkman portable tape player. Prior to the development of the Walkman, you needed to bring clunky equipment and have access to a power source. Before the development of the phonograph, you could only hear music performed live by musicians, and even then, it would only be the genre of music that the particular musicians played.

With the development of MP3 players and streaming services over the Internet, it is possible to have instant access to a tremendous selection of music, all on a simple device that you carry with you. People now have the ability to access music that can help promote consciousness expansion whenever and wherever a contemplative mood strikes them.

### Dance

Dance has been an effective method for consciousness expansion for many cultures throughout the ages. Music can produce mental states that are conducive to states outside of the normal day-to-day. Accompanying dance to music can amplify this effect. Dance can be freeform or a set of learned steps that are repetitious. It can be accompanied by chanting or song and can be done alone or in groups. There are many variations that can be exercised between these elements.

Historically, cultures that used dance for religious rituals relied on a constant drum beat and simple repetitive dance steps, such as in many American Indian rituals. Those that did not participate in the dancing of the ritual understood or were made aware of the significance of the event. During these ceremonies, people observed and were taught that dancing was a significant and key element of the ritual. They learned that it was a bridge to an experience beyond that of normal daily life.

The social revolution in the 1960s in the West saw dance being used with mind-altering drugs and psychedelic music as a new means of consciousness exploration.

### Sensory Deprivation

A lesser-used method for consciousness expansion is that of sensory deprivation. It is known that when the brain is starved of sensory input it begins to produce its own artificial set of sensory stimuli, leading to vivid hallucinations. Historically, dark places such as caves or underground chambers have been used as locations for practicing this method, as they can be completely void of light and sound.

Although a more recent development, the sensory deprivation chamber was designed to use technology as a means to minimize sensory input. The chamber uses salt water to create neutral buoyancy for your body. There are several styles of chambers; in some you float lying down and in others you float upright. The secret to these chambers is that the water's density is similar to that of the body's, allowing you to float easily, much like can be done in the Dead Sea or Great Salt Lake. The other significant aspect of these chambers is that the water temperature is set to a temperature where the body does not feel its presence. Floating in this manner, with both audio and visual stimuli blocked out, is as close as one can get to cancelling all external stimulus input.

A modern horizontal style Sensory Deprivation tank

### Mind-Altering Methods Summary

Techniques for transcending the everyday state of consciousness have been part of human experience since the beginning of history. The few techniques that have been outlined here, along with many others, have been developed over millennia in the quest to better understand the workings of our conscious minds. Many of these techniques require long hours of training in order to truly understand their purpose and application. While techniques such as the use of mind-altering drugs can bring a new level of awareness on a temporary basis, without proper training they quickly become counterproductive and harmful.

The portion of our mind that exists outside of our everyday understanding is vast. There are no fast routes in our effort to examine it. Shortcuts to its exploration, using drugs or sensory deprivation chambers, can alter one's perception so dramatically that without proper training they can have negative long-term effects.

Consciousness expansion does not need to be a segregated activity that is only done during selected periods of time such as a period we have set aside to meditate. It can be done at all times throughout our days. The Buddhists, for instance, try to live their life in a continual meditative state.

As Westerners, we have ways of compartmentalizing our life. This time is for work, this time for socializing, this time for religion, etc. Because of this inclination, we will set aside a time for interpersonal exploration. From 5:30 to 6:00pm on every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, I will conduct meditation to explore my inner self. While this is certainly a start, it should be noted, that every moment we have can be used for seeing things in a more expansive view. Very few of us can practice our exploration to the same degree as the Buddhist monks and walk around in a deep meditative state, but we can see that it is possible to contemplate the meaning of our consciousness more than those few periods that we set aside to do so.

While I have practiced more formal meditation at different periods in my life, I have found that for me, music is the most important component for periods of deep contemplation. Specific types of music help bring me to a place that allows me to contemplate the deeper aspects of myself. I have found the Icelandic band Sigur Rós to especially resonant with my periods of introspection. The ethereal quality of their music affects me profoundly. The ancient Greeks believed that the Muse Euterpe was responsible for the inspiration of music. If this is indeed the case, then I thank Euterpe for this tool that has been very important in the exploration of my own consciousness. Others will find tools that are equally as important, whether one of those listed here or something else that they find that works for them.

In Greek mythology the Muse Euterpe was responsible for the inspiration of music

Chapter Five: Sciences' Explanation for Our Existence

In this chapter, I will cover many of the scientific concepts that have been developed to explain how we arrived to this point in the cosmos—where I am writing these words, and you are reading and perceiving them. Being someone who has worked in a scientific field, I am familiar with many of the basic principles that are referenced here.

### The Existence of Spatial Dimensions and Matter

From a scientific point of view, the most fundamental reason for our physical existence is the fact that the universe was created with energy, time, and multiple dimensions of space. The current theory accounts for the observable universe being born out of a cataclysmic event, called the Big Bang, which is estimated to have occurred nearly 14 billion years ago. The Big Bang was the event in which all observable space, time, energy, and matter, along with their observed properties, were formed. Although, there is no explanation for the source of the energy or what existed before the Big Bang, there is an understanding in the scientific community that this question cannot be determined. The scientific explanation of existence, therefore, begins at the instant of the Big Bang. From the instant after this event occurred, we are able to use theoretical physics to begin to model the creation of our universe. The properties and laws of the universe that we know are in no way special. They are the outcome of a nearly infinite set of probabilities in the early formation of the universe. The laws of physics and the properties of matter and space-time were all determined by the precise order of events in the first fraction of a second after the Big Bang. If the order of events had changed in any way, everything about the universe we know may have been very different, all the way down to the most basic physical laws that govern it.

The fact that the sequence of events happened as it did can be considered either extreme luck or divine guidance.

The Timeline of the Universe from the Big Bang to Present

Our current scientific theories of the development of the universe states that it was just moments after the Big Bang that the four basic forces that we know in the universe, the weak, strong, gravitational, and electromagnetic forces, began to form. The formation of matter created in the Big Bang began to take on an organization and structure dictated by the physical laws which were governed by the newly created forces.

At the very first instance after the Big Bang the four fundamental forces were thought to be unified due to the near infinite temperature and pressure. As the universe expanded and cooled in the first 10-36 seconds, the fundamental forces separated from each other and became the forces that govern the laws of physical universe.

When the entire universe was still smaller than a proton, quantum fluctuations found in the quantum field caused a slightly uneven distribution of the matter within the newly formed universe. This non-uniformity eventually led to the development of the galaxies in our universe many millions of years later. If these quantum fluctuations did not occur then the stars, planets and galaxies would never have developed. The universe would have been a homogenous distribution of the light elements created in the Big Bang; hydrogen, helium and a few lithium atoms.

The soup of freshly created sub-atomic particles began to combine under these new laws to form larger particles, such as protons and neutrons, and then onto basic elements, such hydrogen and helium. As the new universe continued expanding outward, the non-uniform distribution of these new elements allowed the material to begin to attract and clump together under gravitational attraction.

Over tens of millions of years, the density of hydrogen gas clouds became greater in some areas of the new universe, due to the gravitational attraction between the particles in the cloud. The hydrogen clouds began to collapse on themselves and the pressure on the innermost hydrogen atoms caused them to rise in temperature. As more and more hydrogen gas was attracted by the cloud's gravitational force, the temperature on the inner atoms, due to compression, caused the hydrogen atoms to begin the process of nuclear fusion. Once the fusion process began the compressed cloud began to radiate energy and became what we know as a star.

This star-forming process took place all throughout the new universe. As the number of new stars began to rise, the gravitational attraction between the stars began to create regions rich with stars which became the first galaxies. These early stars used up their fusion fuel source relatively quickly compared to the stars we see today and exploded in intense supernovae that created the heavier elements on the periodic table. These heavier elements are the building blocks for the current stars, planets, and all known life, including you and me.

Today there are an estimated 10 trillion galaxies, and each one of these contains some 100 billion stars, for a staggering total of 100 octillion stars (a "1" with 29 zeros after it). If we use the approximate number of atoms in an average star of 1x1057 atoms, then the total number of atoms within the stars of the known universe can be estimated at 1x1086, a truly inconceivable number.

The observable universe is approximately fifteen billion light-years in diameter and is still expanding as a result of the Big Bang. Some cosmological theories call for an eventual slowing and stopping of this expansion as it is overcome by the gravitational force of the entire universe. It is believed that if there is enough energy and matter in the universe, the gravitational force will begin to overcome the expansion from the Big Bang and the universe will slow, come to a stop, then begin contracting. This contraction would bring all the matter back down to the point where it shrinks back into an infinitesimally small singularity, as it was at the time of the Big Bang. Once the matter is in this state, another Big Bang can occur, and the process of creating another universe would start all over again, in a never-ending cycle of expansion and collapse. It could be that there have been an infinite number of universe creations and collapses prior to this one, and like the infinite number of monkeys typing on typewriters, in which one of them is bound to type a Shakespeare play, we are the end result of probability.

In order for the universe to stop its expansion, there is a great quantity of energy and matter that still needs to be accounted for which we cannot currently find, the so called dark energy and dark matter. This missing dark material is required in order to bring the amount of material in the universe to the threshold at which the gravitational force can overcome the expansion velocity created by the force of the Bing Bang. If this dark material does not exist, then the universe will keep expanding forever. If this is the case then our universe is a one-time event. If the dark material does exist, then this allows for the infinite cycle of the universe expanding and contracting.

To think that all of the energy and matter that we can observe, the trillions of galaxies each containing hundreds of billion stars, may be only a small fraction of all the material that exists within the universe, and we believe that all of this energy and matter was compressed into a single infinitesimally small point in space at one time. This idea, in itself, is so extraordinary that it is beyond science fiction. It is as fantastic as any mystic philosophies get, and yet we just accept it because it is what our scientific experts tell us to believe. Even the cosmologists, who develop these theories, accept them as given truths and go about their everyday business as if they are just exercises in solving mathematical equations that have no bearing on reality. Imagine if we were to go back in time by several hundred years and tried to explain the concept of the entire universe existing as a singularity, with no space or time. I am sure you would soon find yourself in an asylum for the infirmed and insane.

### Planet Earth

In the same method the stars formed through the accretion of non-uniformly distributed matter, in the regions around newly forming stars, matter which is not used in the star formation accreted to form planets. Our own Sun, Sól, and its solar system was formed approximately 5 billion years ago by this process. The largest gaseous planet in our solar system, Jupiter, was almost large enough to have become a star itself, in which case we would see two suns from Earth. Our solar system would have been a binary star system with two suns orbiting each other, a very common configuration in our universe.

Our planet was formed out of the same interstellar dust and gas as the sun and the other planets in our solar system. The earth and the other three inner planets are all made of heavier elements and have solid surfaces. Billions of years of bombardment by mineral and chemical compound rich meteorites and asteroids led to a rich concentration of these heavy elements on these planets. The elements and compounds brought by the meteorites and asteroids were essential in the evolution of the earth as we know it today.

After the earth was formed some 4.5 billion years ago, it took approximately 100 million years to form a solid crust. The newly formed solid surface was covered with active volcanos that spewed gasses which included water vapor, carbon dioxide, and ammonia. These elements constituted the earth's early atmosphere. Over the millions of years following the creation of this first atmosphere, light from the sun broke down the ammonia molecules into nitrogen. The carbon dioxide was absorbed by the liquid oceans and later used to create oxygen by the first simple celled organisms in the oceans. These processes created the Nitrogen and oxygen rich atmosphere that sustains life today.

The earth is at just the right distance from the sun to retain water in its liquid state. If the earth was much closer to the sun, the heat would boil the water away. If it was much further from the sun, the water would freeze and remain as large bodies of ice. It was the abundance of liquid water on our planet along with the newly created atmosphere that gave rise to the development of life on Earth some three billion years ago. The following three billion years of planetary evolution has led to the planet and life that we are all familiar with.

Until the sixteenth century the religious notion was that the earth and Man were the center of the universe. We now understand that the earth revolves around an average star, our sun, in a relatively non-descript location of an average galaxy, the Milky Way, which is one among trillions of galaxies.

### Life on Earth

The story of our evolution now switches to one of chemistry, biophysics, and biology. The earth formed in a location with respect to the sun where it receives just the right amount of solar energy to allow the presence of liquid water, which as stated in the last section is a key contributor to the evolution of life on Earth.

About 500 million years after the formation of the earth, very simple carbon-based organic molecules either formed on the earth or were brought to the earth by comets and meteors. Liquid water, warmed by the energy from the sun and Earth's volcanic activity, promoted the interaction of organic molecules and other chemical elements which existed on the surface of the early Earth. The mixture of these ingredients in the earth's first oceans is referred to the primordial soup, which is where the first simple life formed. Lightning from static discharges is thought to have provided another important source of energy for the initial chemical interactions between the simple organic molecules in this primordial soup.

Within this primordial soup the conditions were right for new organic molecules to become larger and more complex. Theory suggests that over time, these large organic molecules formed into ribonucleic acid (RNA), which consists of thousands or even billions of smaller molecules. RNA has the unique ability to replicate itself through chemical processes that are naturally occurring within the molecule.

Natural mutations, errors in the replication process, caused sequences within the RNA molecules that lead to more efficient replication, and this was the start of natural evolution. The RNA molecules that were more efficient at replicating themselves became more abundant, and the increased rate of replication lead to a higher number of mutations, which then gave rise to additional changes that resulted in an even greater ability to replicate and survive. Additional biochemical interactions caused molecules to surround the RNA, forming a protective chemical barrier which was the first cell wall. Other mutations led to the development of more complex molecules and biochemical reactions that promoted more efficient life functions within the simple cells.

Many of the roles RNA initially played in replication were replaced by new combinations of complex molecules including deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), which is better geared to oversee the replication of more complex molecules. Other organic molecules within the first simple RNA cells developed into proteins, which are more effective in carrying out basic functions such as enzyme catalysis, defense, transport, support, motion, regulation, and energy storage. With the development of these new capabilities a cell could generate its energy through internal chemical interactions rather than depending on external energy found in light and heat. The ability for the cell to generate its own internal energy is termed cell respiration. Cell respiration is the process of converting the energy stored in chemical bonds of molecules such as glucose and storing it within the cell for continuous use. The byproducts of the chemical conversions used in cell respiration are molecules that are not needed by the cell and are disposed of as part of the respiration process.

As the evolution of the single cell progressed, different parts of the cell took on different functions. In time, many forms of single-celled life formed. As cellular evolution continued through the process of mutation and adaption, single-celled organisms developed into simple multi-cellular organisms through the process of cellular division. Cellular division is a process in which a cell duplicates itself utilizing the genetic map contained within the DNA molecules. Just as the very first organic RNA molecules replicated themselves as part of a simple chemical process, DNA is capable of replicating the more complicated molecules in a cell using a similar process as RNA. The process of cellular division was fundamental in the evolution of more complex organisms.

Simple cells Reproducing

Cells became very good at reproducing themselves using cellular division. Where it originally took hundreds of millions of years for the organic molecules to combine in the correct order to form a single cell, the process of creating a new cell through cellular division required only moments.

### DNA

Most of us are familiar to some extent with the genetic code of life that is stored in the DNA of every living thing. Most of us are also familiar with the famous double helix structure of DNA, which was discovered in the 1950s by James Watson and Francis Crick. The amazing thing about DNA is that it is nature's way of storing information, lots and lots of information, in a very small space. The information stored by DNA is very specific: it is the blueprint for creating all multi-cellular organisms, including you and me.

There are only four types of simple organic molecules that make up the genetic DNA sequence of humans. This sequence is also referred to as the human genome. While there are only four different molecules, called nucleotides, that make up DNA, they are strung together as pairs in a very long sequence to create one of the most complex codes that we have ever attempted to decode.

The Double Helix Structure of DNA

There are approximately 3 billion pairs of nucleotides that make up the human genome. These 3 billion pairs of nucleotides are contained within the 23 chromosomes that each of our cells has. Each chromosome has between 50 and 250 million of these nucleotide base pairs. Individual traits that we identify as human traits, such as eye color or nose size, are defined in a unit called a gene. In humans, genes vary in size from a few hundred base pairs to more than 2 million DNA base pairs. The Human Genome Project has estimated that humans have between 20,000 and 25,000 genes, or on average about 1200 genes in each of the chromosomes.

Through a program called the Human Genome Project, conducted between 1992 and 2005, the entire 3 billion pairs of nucleotides in human DNA was mapped into their corresponding genes. Now that we have the full sequence of genes, the work has begun to determine the mapping of particular genes to specific traits. At this point, we can only map a small number of genes to the expression of physical characteristics. We are now finding that beyond dictating our physical features, genes have been seen to control such things as the propensity to develop certain types of hereditary conditions, diseases, and types of cancer.

When we begin to understand the complexity of the process involved in building a complex organism, such as a human being, it becomes mind boggling. To consider, there are approximately 50 trillion cells in the human body which are created cell by cell, each having exact instructions for their function and location. All of this is driven by simple chemical interactions and the 3 billion nucleotide pairs that make up the DNA road map.

### Specialization of Cells

If cells could only duplicate themselves, then the story of life on Earth would have been very short, as there would have only been big blobs of homogeneous cells that were all the same. Nature found a way to give the early cells the best chance to survive through the process of mutation. We normally think of mutation as something undesirable. However, over time, some of the mutations that occur naturally are helpful to the organism and give it a greater chance of survival. The organisms which are benefited by mutation pass on the new characteristics to the next generation. The process of organisms evolving through beneficial random mutations has occurred since the very beginning of the first life on Earth. This process has been responsible for the development of life all the way from the simplest organic molecules to you, me, and all the life around us.

Changes in cell structure due to random mutation were very minute. The mutations were caused by the cell's DNA being damaged by natural radiation or even the DNA code being misread during cell duplication. Because almost all random mutations are damaging to the organism and beneficial ones are extremely rare, it took billions of years for the beneficial changes to give the first cells the tools they needed to thrive and evolve in the earth's environment. As different cells mutated and passed on their evolved changes, cells began to take on specialized functions. Simple organisms began to have cells that specialized in movement, or in detecting changes in light, temperature, or pressure. As organisms became larger and more complex, the energy source for the cells became more important. Organisms could no longer power themselves through simple chemical reactions with molecules found floating in the environment. Cell specialization allowed organisms to create power engines that permitted the feeding of all the cells throughout the organism. The earliest single cell organisms each generated their own power from direct contact with the outside environment. Specialized cells allowed new multi-cell organisms which could evolve such that most of the cells could be encapsulated within a layer of cells that made up the outer wall of the organism. Cells that were inside the outer wall were protected from direct contact with the outside environment which gave them a greater chance to survive. Each of the specialized cells could focus on doing a specific set of functions more efficiently instead of all the required functions needed for cell survival. Cellular specialization allowed for the evolution of organisms with a much higher complexity than ever before.

As organisms began to evolve and cells took on more specialized roles, there were several basic functions which were useful for the continued survival and evolution of the organisms. These basic functions included supplying cells with energy, developing a framework around which to organize, sensing the surroundings, controlling movement, maintaining the organism's functions, and repairing damage. These basic functions are the basis for virtually all life on our planet, whether a simple plant or the most complex of creatures, such as humans. If you look at it closely you will see that all life, including human life, is nothing more than these few basic functions. Our digestive, circulatory, and pulmonary systems feed our cells the energy that they need. Our skeletal system gives our body a framework to develop around. Our muscular system allows us mobility. Our sensory systems sense our environment. Our brain and nervous system control and maintain the bodily functions. And our immune system repairs damage. While we are much more complex than simple multi-cell organisms, we share the same basic functions.

Specialization has evolved to the point where cells in our bodies perform very specific tasks. Brain cells cannot replace kidney cells, bone cells cannot replace muscle cells, and so on. New cells are created through cellular division using the unique programming within the cell's DNA which causes it to develop into a particular type of cell. Once the process of creating a new cell through cellular division starts, the new cell will become a specific type of cell, such as a brain or kidney cell or whatever the DNA code says it must be.

When we look at each other throughout our day we see people going about their business. When we look at a tree in the outdoors, we just see a tree. We see the person or the tree, but we do not appreciate the incomprehensible complexity of the living entity that we see. We think we are smart, because we have invented living spaces where we can control the environment, transportation that can take us across the world, and computers that can compute billions of values in a second, but the most complex things that we have created pale in comparison to the complexity of the living entities found in nature.

Timeline of the evolution of life on Earth

### The Senses

Our senses are the gateway to the world around us. We experience our physical world through the five senses of touch, sight, hearing, taste, and smell. Without them we would have way to interpret the physical world in which we live.

At the beginning stages of the evolution of life, those organisms that could interpret the physical environment around them were much more likely to survive. Over the eons of cellular evolution, cells have diversified and specialized as a result of the evolutionary process. Some cells evolved to sense pressure, while others evolved to sense light, temperature, smell, and taste. The receptor cells are tuned to a certain type of input stimulus and as a result of that stimulus, they produce an electro-chemical pulse in the nervous system that is carried to the brain. The area in the brain where the particular nerve impulse message is delivered determines the way the brain will process the message which determines how we interpret the stimuli. The brain evolved hand-in-hand with the sensory receptors in order to make sense of the increasingly complex information coming from them. The different regions of the brain responsible for interpreting each of our senses form during the first months of our development.

The eye has specialized cells, called rods and cones, which are stimulated by the frequency of electromagnetic radiation that is called visible light. The skin has pressure and temperature sensory cells. The ears have cells in the cochlea that are responsible for interpreting auditory input. The nose has olfactory receptors and the tongue has specialized taste buds which detect a handful of distinct tastes.

The sensing, transmission, and decoding of the sensory input from all of our senses is an extremely complex task that requires the close cooperation of numerous body systems. We see, hear, feel, smell, and taste the world around us. This is our window into the surrounding physical environment. It is so natural for us to interpret the world through these senses that we don't stop to think about the actual physical and biological processes that are taking place. From our standpoint, our sensory perception does not require us to conduct a set of discrete steps in order to process the information. The handoff from the sensory detection cells to the brain and the processing that takes place in the brain is seamless to us.

When we hear a bird singing, we immediately understand what this means. It is as if perception is a self-contained event and not comprised of the multiple processes that are actually performed. To us, it is simply a bird singing. However, if we start thinking about it further and breaking it down into more basic components, we quickly realize that it is amazingly complex. We begin to see that perception is really just an abstraction of the physical processes taking place between us and the world around us.

Take the example of the sound from the bird singing for instance. Sound is the variation in pressure waves within the air. There is no intrinsic property of sound in and of itself. Anything that moves produces pressure waves: ocean waves, tree branches, and the vocal cords within a person's throat. The bird that we hear, like most animals, has developed a mechanism to modulate air exiting its lungs, producing pressure waves that then travel through the air. These pressure waves can vary in frequency and amplitude and have complex patterns. There is no sound, just highly structured pressure waves. Using an electronic sensor, these pressure waves can be detected and displayed on an oscilloscope. Their frequency and amplitude can be analyzed in great detail. Is this sound? Most people would say that what is displayed on the screen is a representation of the sound, but not the actual sound. If this is not the sound, then how does it become sound? What distinguishes the beautiful sound of a song bird, or a finely composed musical piece, from that which we see on the oscilloscope?

The pressure waves that the bird creates in its throat are propagated through the air at a certain speed, referred to as the speed of sound. When these pressure waves reach your ear, the complex mechanism that has evolved within your inner ear turns the pressure waves into electro-chemical pulses which are transmitted over a path of nervous system cells to a reserved portion of the brain that has been hardwired to handle these auditory impulses. It is in this part of the brain that the sensation that we know as sound occurs.

The complex mechanism of the Middle and Inner Ear

We don't consciously experience the pressure waves within the air or the conversion of the pressure waves to electro-chemical impulses. We experience the end result of the entire process, which in this case is the sound of a bird singing. This same process is duplicated for each ear, which not only means that we experience the sensation of sound, but also that we hear in stereo. By receiving the sound in both ears, which are in slightly different positions relative to the source of the sound, our brain can calculate a spatial component to the sound as well. Hearing in stereo allows us to determine the direction to the source of the sound, which is very important for survival.

The question then becomes, do we experience our environment in the way that we think we do? What we experience through our senses is only a construct that is used to interpret the sensory input and not what is actually in our environment. Take for instance, the bird that we have been discussing. If another organism was next to us that did not have the specialized cells to interpret sound pressure waves in the same way that we do, it would not experience the sound coming from the bird in the way we do. It might interpret the bird's song in another way, such as feeling the pressure waves, or it might not sense it at all.

Our senses have evolved specifically to the stimuli on our planet and are all a direct result of the place the earth maintains in the solar system. The earth's placement in relation to the sun, its atmosphere, and its temperature all directly determined the evolutionary path for our senses.

As a part of the sun's ongoing burning process, it emits electromagnetic radiation outward in all directions. This radiation gives us our light, warms the earth, and drives our weather patterns. The gasses in our atmosphere absorb certain spectral wavelengths from the sun while allowing others to penetrate through to the surface.

The Electromagnetic Spectrum

When radiation from the sun reaches the earth, it can be reflected, absorbed or pass right through, depending on what material it hits. Long electromagnetic wavelengths, known as radio waves, normally pass right through most objects. Infrared wavelengths are usually absorbed and heat the object it strikes; this is what we feel when we are standing in the sun and feel its warmth. When radiation with wavelengths just shorter than infrared strikes an object, some of the radiation is absorbed and some of it is not. The wavelengths that are not absorbed are reflected and travel to our eye. The receptors in our eyes are sensitive to this very narrow wavelength band, which is therefore referred to as the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. This portion of the spectrum represents the light and colors that we are able to see.

The rod and cone cells in our eyes are responsible for converting the visible light of the electromagnetic spectrum into electrochemical pulses that are transmitted through the optic nerve over a path of neurons to the specialized area of the brain meant for visual processing. As in our auditory system which has two ears, the visual system has two eyes that incorporates redundancy and is capable of the enhanced function of stereoscopic vision.

Diagram of the Eye

Stereoscopic vision gives us the three-dimensional capability of depth perception through the overlay of the image from each eye which have slightly different aspect angles. Depth perception from three-dimensional vision allows us to estimate distances to an object much more accurately than two-dimensional vision. The advantage of having depth perception gave those that had it a much greater chance of survival and thus it was passed down in the evolutionary process.

After presenting the basics of how our visual system works, we can ask the same question as before, do we experience our environment in the way that we think we do? The electromagnetic waves, which have no intrinsic property of color as we think of color, are emitted from the sun, travel to the earth where they are absorbed and re-emitted by the bird's wings, and then travel to our eyes. Is this the striking red color that we see when we look at the bird? There is no such fundamental entity as the color red; it is an abstraction created in our brain. There is no visual image of the bird. The concept of a bird image is also an abstraction created in our brain and the same goes for every form, shape, and color we see. And yet, we look and instantly recognize a bird with red wings.

We could go on with the other senses as well. Our nasal receptors change various molecules that enter our nose into electro-chemical impulses that the brain translates into a distinct concept, such as the smell of a rose or skunk. However, smell is just the sensing of different molecules in the air. How can a collection of molecules smell like fresh apple pie just out of the oven?

The brain is remarkable in that it can take the input from the body's sensory receptors and turn it into an indivisible idea, such as a bird or pie, without us needing to think about what these things are or how we perceive them. It just happens. And while this is an amazing capability, it happens so naturally that we don't stop to think about what this means. Our perception revolves around concrete constructs, such as birds and pies, and we don't stop to look further into how our perception works or how it relates to our consciousness and self-awareness.

Language is a wonderful example of how our brain can turn visual patterns or sets of sounds directly into meaning without the need for us to consciously work at doing it. Our eyes detect the visible wavelengths coming off this page and transmit them as electro-chemical pulses to the brain, which automatically converts the visual patterns into the verbal sounds that we use to speak the words silently within our head, and from these sounds the fundamental meaning is assigned. It is truly amazing how much is going on within us in order for us to do the simplest functions in our day-to-day lives, and yet we do not think about it.

### The Brain

The brain is one of nature's most complex and elegant creations. It is a marvel of natural engineering, as outlined in previous sections. Developing solely by mutations over eons, it is a powerful and intricate system. It is a delicate organ that is at the center of life for of all of Earth's more complex creatures. Its complexity is unparalleled by any other component within the realm of all the earth's organisms. In humans, this approximately three-pound organ is the seat of intelligence, interpreter of the senses, initiator of body movement and functions, and controller of behavior.

For centuries, scientists and philosophers have been fascinated by the brain, but until recently its workings were a mystery. It is only now that the brain is beginning to relinquish its secrets. Scientists have learned more about the brain in the past 20 years than in all previous centuries, due to the accelerating pace of research in neurological and behavioral science.

### The Structure of the Brain

In most creatures the brain is composed of many specialized regions. These regions work together like a committee that oversees many diverse functions and ensures that all parts work together in unison. The number of discrete regions in the brain is related to the complexity of the organism. The human brain has been studied extensively over recent years, leading to a rough understanding of its structure. The following sections highlight the main regions of our brain and their high-order functions.

The Cerebral Hemispheres

The main part of the brain, the part that is most recognizable, is called the cerebrum. The cerebrum is split into two halves (hemispheres) by a deep fissure in the middle. Despite the split, the two cerebral hemispheres communicate with each other through a dense patch of nerve fibers at the base of the fissure. Although the two hemispheres seem to be mirror images of each other, they are responsible for very different functions. For an example, the left hemisphere is primarily responsible for logic, while the right hemisphere seems to control abstract thought. The two sides are highly complementary.

Each cerebral hemisphere can be divided into sections called lobes which specialize in different functions. The two frontal lobes lie directly behind the forehead and are used for reasoning. Behind the cerebrum, is the cerebellum; it is responsible for human movement, co-ordination, motor control, and sensory perception. An area close to the left frontal lobe, called Broca's area, allows thoughts to be transformed into words.

The parietal lobes are responsible for taste, aroma, temperature, touch, and the sensing of body motion. The occipital lobes are responsible for processing images from the eyes and linking that information with images stored in memory. The temporal lobes are responsible for auditory processing. The underside of each temporal lobe plays a crucial role in forming and retrieving memories, including those associated with music. Other parts of this lobe seem to integrate memories and sensations of taste, sound, sight, and touch.

On the surface of the cerebrum is a very important layer of tissue with a thickness of approximately 2/3 of an inch, called the cerebral cortex. Most of the actual information processing in the brain takes place in this thin layer of brain matter. This is why the term cerebral is used to indicate deep and intellectual thoughts.

The Inner Centers of the Brain

Deep within the brain lie the areas that dictate the more primal aspects of our functioning. Like the lobes in the cerebral hemispheres, the structures described below come in pairs: each structure is duplicated in each side of the brain.

The hypothalamus is responsible for several different functions. It oversees the flight or fight response, body clock, as well as controlling the body's chemistry which creates feelings such as exhilaration, anger or happiness. Near the hypothalamus lies the thalamus, which oversees communication between the spinal cord and the cerebrum. Close to the hypothalamus and thalamus is a small area called the hippocampus. This small area both sends and retrieves memories that have been sent to long-term memory from the cerebral hemisphere.

The Centers of the Brain

Conducting countless functions in parallel, the brain is responsible for regulating our body systems, interpreting our surroundings, and organizing the mental framework that we live in. It conducts these functions autonomously. It presents us with a set of indivisible constructs to contemplate and act on. When we see a chair or hear the word 'chair', our brain gives us a meaning. When we see a chair it is just that, a chair. It is a fundamental construct and complete in and of itself. There is no consideration of all the information that went into deriving this meaning. When we hear a word, it brings up a predefined meaning; again, it is a fundamental construct. However, in conducting all of this automated processing and interpretation for us, the brain has allowed us forget that there is a lower level of perception. We are fooled into believing that what our senses and brain tell us is fundamental and objective. We forget that it is our senses that are interpreting such things as pressure and electromagnetic waves, and that our brain is using this information to create the interpretation of our external reality. In fact, we do not experience our external physical surroundings directly. Everything in the world around us must be interpreted through our senses, decoded in the sensory areas of the brain, and then fused into understandable concepts. Everything within our reality is created by our brain through electro-chemical impulses. There is no getting around this fact. We do not experience our environment directly, our experience is created through the resulting processes that take place within our brain.

Throughout this book, I have discussed the notion of looking at the concept of reality from many different perspectives. It is interesting that science fiction has used our understanding of the workings of the brain to show how we could be deceived into believing a false perception of our physical surroundings. If we could mimic the body's sensory receptors and stimulate the nerve pathways in the same manner as our sensory receptors do, then we could produce a false sense of reality within someone. This is the scenario used in the movie trilogy "The Matrix", in which everyone believes they are living normal lives, but in reality, their bodies are held hostage by a machine society, and their reality is induced by wires hooked into their nervous system. In this story, everyone believes that they are living a normal existence, but in fact, their bodies are captive and their nervous system and brains are being controlled by a large software program called the Matrix. If we were to extrapolate on this idea, then it may be possible to hook up a disembodied brain to a system that could directly stimulate the correct areas of the brain to simulate a reality. In any scenario like this we would have no way of knowing what was real or simulated. From our perspective, as conscious, perceiving beings, there is no way for us to know how our reality is being created. All we can know is that it is there.

While, at this point in time, we cannot stimulate the sensory receptors of the brain in the same way the body does naturally, we have seen that we can stimulate it using electric probes in such a way to produce colors, sounds and memories. Inducing these responses via external devices in no way indicates that we can artificially produce a reality for someone with our current technology, but it demonstrates that our perceived reality is generated within our brain and not directly by external events. Memory is another key function of the brain that has evolved along with perception. Perception may allow us to make meaning of the sensory input that we receive from our surroundings, but without the ability to retain this information we would not be able to act upon it or learn from it. The function of memory is to allow us to make use of that which we perceive. We use the information in our memory to process and create new information, which can then also be stored and drawn upon.

Memory was initially developed in simple organisms to store very short-term information such as how much light or pressure was being sensed. This was a key factor for the survival of the organism. From this simple beginning the mechanism that controls memory has evolved into a highly complex set of brain matter and bio-physical processes that link brain cells together. It links cells together in a way that allows us to store complex structures such as thoughts and experienced sensations in ways that we do not understand. The physical elements and processes involved with memory are another one of those miraculous capabilities that have developed in the brain and which we use continuously without appreciation of the magnitude of its complexity.

Our day-to-day conscious state fully depends on a functioning memory. It is the repository for each of us in our understanding of our place within the cosmos. Within it reside our beliefs, wishes, and desires; in short, it is our understanding of who we are.

Turning back to science fiction for a moment, there are scenarios in which the memories of a person are changed to those of a new identity. After these procedures are completed, the person believes that they are a different person. This is equivalent to swapping a hard drive into an equivalent model computer. The new computer will boot up and think that it is the old computer and that everything is the same. It does not know that the memory of one computer was put into another. If our memory were to be swapped out, we would not know it. In fact, every instant in our life we could be having our memory "swapped" and we would never know it, because all we know is what our brain and memory tell us at this instant. Like the computer, we have no way of knowing where our memories came from. We just know we have them.

If we take this reasoning a step further, we can explore the idea that the brain, body, and all physical phenomena are merely abstract concepts that do not really exist as we believe they do. We may only believe in the concepts of a brain, body, and physical reality because they are the concepts that our mind tells us to believe. Given that we cannot know how we obtained our conscious mind or memories, or even where they actually exist, there are an infinite number of scenarios that could bring us to the state that we currently perceive as our place in the cosmos. While this may be considered an extreme notion of our relationship with all that is around us, it shows that we may choose to believe whatever we want with respect to what actually is, but just believing something does not mean it is true. In the West, we want concepts and ideas to be concrete and tangible as it creates the pillars of the framework on which our perception of reality sits. The ancient eastern teachings do not require this rigid framework, but see things as much more fluid. The danger of a rigid framework is that if one pillar weakens, the entire framework can collapse into pieces.

Many philosophers at the beginning of the 20th century, such as Bertrand Russell, believed in the scientific method. They believed that if a physical quantity was repeatedly measured with the same result, then it was a universal truth. If I measured the speed of light using a sound scientific methodology, and you came up with the same result using the same procedure, then these philosophers would assert that the speed of light was a universal truth. They conveniently ignored the fact that all perception is individual.

There was a major shift in this perspective of fixed universal truths at the beginning of the 20th century when Einstein proposed that the universe's laws are not fixed and objective. This insight did not come through the realm of philosophy, but through the world of physics. Albert Einstein's revolutionary concept of relativity stated that there is no fixed framework which contains the universe and the laws within it.

The essential point of the theory of relativity is that everything, all the way down to the smallest sub-atomic particle or electromagnetic wave, resides in its own reference frame. No reference frame is the same. Distance, velocity, and position all have relative meaning between reference frames. There is no absolute reference frame that everything can be measured against. There is no single coordinate point in the universe that everything can be measured from. There is no set time source that everything can be clocked against. There is no fixed and concrete fact that falls under a universal truth. Everything in the cosmos is relative and subjective in its perception.

Science Summary

Throughout this book, I have repeatedly stated the significance of the fact that we are conscious and self-aware beings. In considering the totality of the scientific understanding of how we came into existence, there are so many events that need to be considered which also needed to occur in the exact sequence that they did over the course of the evolution of the cosmos in order for us to be here at this moment. The notion that all of these random and probabilistic events happened just the way they did to give rise from nothingness to sentient beings is unfathomable.

If I was a cosmologist looking at the first seconds after the Big Bang and the subsequent 14 billion years after, I would have to accept the concept that everything was created from a singularity where all matter and energy was compressed into an infinitely dense point with no physical dimensions. This concept is as mind blowing as it gets. Where did this singularity come from? Why did it do what it did, at the time that it did it? The probability that the laws of nature would fix themselves in a way that would allow us to be created and evolve are so infinitesimally small that the fact that we are here must be seen as a truly miraculous set of events.

There are so many concepts in cosmology that are so improbable by themselves that when they are all viewed together as a whole it becomes extremely hard to remain believing that they are all the product of random probability.

If I was a particle physicist and I looked at our world from the point of view of sub-atomic particles, I would see that all matter is made up of diffuse energy clouds in which particles can spontaneously appear and disappear and interact with one another through a few fundamental forces. I would see that all physical matter, including ourselves, is virtually empty space, and that the particles around us and within us are constantly undergoing processes of interactions and re-arrangement. How can virtually empty space be alive and think about such things as our universe? How can a few basic types of particles, which are characterized by such elementary properties as charge, mass, and spin, be assembled in such a way that allows me to be self-aware, interact with other sentient beings, and write this book?

If I were a biochemist, I would look at the cosmic soup that existed on the earth several billion years ago. I would see simple molecules using the heat from the earth and light from the sun to power the chemical interactions required to combine themselves in a way to form the first animate organisms. From these most basic animate organisms the blueprint was formed for the evolution to more and more complex life forms, leading to the incredibly diverse set of life that we see today. The concept that the assembly of inanimate molecules in a certain pattern results in animate life is another one of those ideas that makes my head spin. What is the boundary line between animate and inanimate life? Why and how did the evolution of life evolve in the manner that it did?

If I were a biologist, I would look at the evolution of the different species on earth. I would look at the role of DNA in the evolution and specialization of cells. I would see that from a single-celled organism we have evolved into modern Homo sapiens. I would think about the fact that I developed from two cells, a sperm and egg, from my parents into a sentient being with approximately 50 trillion cells. I would understand that each cell in my body was developed for specialized purpose dictated by the 3.2 million base pairs in the DNA sequence that provides the genetic map that defines each one of us.

What is the mathematical probability that all of these biological pieces could fall into place to allow the evolutionary process of plant and animal life to happen as it did? With the millions and billions of DNA instructions occurring in just the right sequence to create the millions and trillions of cells that make up each of the living things on the earth, the probability must be astronomical that it works as it does.

All of the experts in each of these fields, and many more not mentioned, work with numbers and theories as if they are tangible concepts that can be contained in a neatly packaged set of defined thoughts and equations. These theories, from a scientific view, are the fundamental definition of how we came to be. They are meant to explain our very existence. And yet, every one of these fields is based on such extraordinary concepts that it is hard to understand how everyone in each of these fields isn't so stupefied about their own existence that their minds just don't overload. And yet, it is not just one of these areas of study that make up the story of our existence, it requires all of them. Given this fact, I do not understand how we can go about our daily lives with so little regard for the truly immeasurable truth that we exist as conscious beings that can contemplate our own self-awareness. Not only do we seem to gloss-over this immense understanding, we also consider it as no big deal. The next meeting at work is what is important to us. Picking the new pair of shoes is what is important to us. The fact that we came into existence and have self-awareness from a cosmic nothingness, oh well, that is ho-hum. What is important is which TV show is on tonight. I understand that we can't be so debilitated by the overwhelming amazement of our own consciousness that we cannot function in the world. However, we seem so able to summarily dismiss this understanding, which is so large and staring us directly in our faces, that I must admit, I am very perplexed. We seem to be so disinterested in the greatest and most fundamental aspect to our being, the origin and nature of our consciousness.

As I have previously stated, I know that Western culture puts a taboo on discussing the question of the nature of reality. If you do not subscribe to the small box that Western culture defines as our reality, then you are seen as being on the lunatic fringe of society. It is almost as if there is an unwritten rule around the exploration of the basic questions of life and existence. It is similar to the well-known story by Hans Christian Anderson about the king with no clothes. In this story the king is convinced that he has been given a magnificent but invisible suit of clothes. No one within the kingdom dares to state that the king is in fact standing in front of everyone naked. The people are so afraid to see what is in front of them, they actually begin to believe he is wearing a wonderful suit of invisible clothes. We in the West are in this state. If you question anything that those around you will not question, then you are segregated, or in some cases even worse. History is full of instances when people have been ostracized or even killed for questioning the nature of our existence in the presence of those in religious, political, or scientific power. Even today, many in the modern Western world would not dare go against religious or social pressure for fear of being shunned or institutionalized. And yet, Hans Christian Anderson's king is standing naked right in front of our eyes.

The Eastern cultures are much more tolerant of questions that transcend the everyday. The discussion of different states of consciousness and the ideas around the perception of reality are more interwoven into the important religions and philosophical texts that they are brought up on.

However, as the East adopts more western ideas and values, I am not sure how this tolerance will be affected. Perhaps, as in the West, they will start believing that Hans Christian Anderson's king is wearing clothes as well.

Chapter Six: Closing Summary

I have presented many ideas and observations about the nature of consciousness and perception throughout this book. Some of the ideas presented here may seem counterintuitive and even absurd to many. After all, it is evident that we are all human beings who live on this planet and go about our daily business with our own understanding of who we are and what we believe. What more do we need to know? For many, this is perfectly sufficient. For some, however, this may not be enough. These people find it important to try to understand more about the meaning of our existence and consciousness. And for some like me, the fact that we are conscious and self-aware beings that came out of the nothingness of the cosmos is truly the most incredible of concepts. Once we recognize this fact, everything that we encounter in our everyday life and think is important becomes miniscule by comparison.

Our consciousness is a spark that exists within the cosmic realm. Can it be explained by simple biophysical processes within our physical body? Can it be explained by the specific content of minerals and chemical compounds within us? Are we saying that a particular arrangement of a set of sub-atomic particles produces a consciousness capable of self-awareness?

We will never actually know what mechanisms were involved in order for us to become conscious beings. Whether we are cosmologists, biologists, philosophers, or spiritual practitioners, we can never fully understand what consciousness is, or how it happens. This is just beyond our ability to understand. We can only know that we are conscious at this moment. We can try to understand some of the properties of our consciousness, but ultimately the question of why we exist in this state must be left to religious faith, mystic interpretation or scientific theories.

Science attempts to explain how we came to be sentient beings, as it is in the realm of science to try to understand all properties in nature. However, the scientific explanation for our experiencing consciousness is far from adequate or complete. Science does not even broach the basic and fundamental questions of where we came from before the Big Bang, how we became conscious beings from organic molecules, or even what constitutes the properties of consciousness.

In writing this short book, I have tried to pose questions and make observations about our conscious state that do not rely on religious or mystical explanations. I have done this, not to diminish the importance of these belief systems, but to try to keep the concepts in this book at a level that is common to all of us. We all exist as sparks of conscious thought and self-awareness in this giant vastness of totality. We are sparks of consciousness before we are human beings, before we are Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus. We are sparks of consciousness before we are family members, workers, sports enthusiasts, before any labels that we use to define our self. Before anything, we exist as points of consciousness in the great cosmos. This is the fantastic commonality that we all share.

We all have ideas of why we are here and where we belong in the vast scheme of things. It is natural for us to develop a structure and organization of the cosmos that allows us to conceptualize a meaning for our existence. I myself have strong beliefs regarding the origin of our consciousness and our purpose, but this is a topic for another book.

Even though we develop a system which is logical to us, which includes the people and things that we perceive around us, if we are interested in a greater understanding of what we are, then it is important to step back and examine things from a different perspective. The examination of our sphere of consciousness was and still is a fundamental aspect of many belief disciplines. Perception and consciousness altering practices have been utilized by spiritual and religious disciplines for countless generations in an attempt to understand what it means to be a conscious part of the cosmic universe.

All we have at this moment is what we can experience through our consciousness. At some point in our existence we may better understand what is beyond our current sphere of consciousness, but for now all we have is what we experience at this moment, surrounded by a thin veneer of what we believe ourselves to be.

The more we understand about the current scientific views of the laws of nature, the more we see that the ancient view of objective and concrete truths is giving way to a new understanding that our universe is subjective, and the once highly defined boundaries between discrete concepts are now becoming blurred. However, while science strives to gain a new understanding of the fundamental questions of the origin of our existence, there are still major gaps in both the questions being asked and the conclusions that have been developed.

While I don't profess to begin to know the answers to these big questions, my reason for writing this book is to point out that these questions pertain to all of us, no matter where we come from or what we believe in. However, in everyday life, we have all found a means to overlook even the presence of these fundamental questions. Most of us rarely ponder the most basic question: "What am I?". We may say that we are conscious entities, but what does that mean? How did I, as a conscious existence, come about? How does consciousness work? Where does our consciousness exist?

These fundamental questions are common to all of us. There is nothing that bonds us closer to each other than the understanding that we are all magnificent sparks of consciousness that exist in the entire vastness of the cosmos. In comparison to this fact, all the differences that we see between ourselves and everyone else in the world are trivial. It was the famous American astronomer, Carl Sagan, that emphasized in his ground-breaking 1980 television series, Cosmos: A Personal Voyage, that the difference between the most noble and lowest person in the world is minute in comparison to the journey that both have made just to exist and have awareness within the universe.

The path that we pursue in considering the fundamental questions addressed in this book is up to each of us. Some of us may look to religious and spiritual texts for the answer. Some of us may look further into scientific understandings. Some may try various consciousness-altering disciplines, while others may choose some other means for exploration. Some may spend a lifetime looking for answers to these questions, while others may feel perfectly satisfied with what they already believe. Each of us has an understanding of what is important in our lives. I leave it up to each of you to explore the questions raised in this book to the extent that is right for you.

Even if you do not put a lot of effort into looking at these fundamental questions, remember, in the midst of your scurrying within everyday life, the very fact that you exist as a spark of self-aware consciousness in the totality of everything is the most amazing and incredible of possibilities. We hear the phrase that it is what you do with your life that is important, however, I am implying just the opposite of this. It is the fact that we exist that is of tremendous significance, and the rest of what we see around us is superfluous and of minor importance in comparison. Even after beginning to understand the greatness of our conscious awareness, it is so easy to lose this perspective with all that goes on in our daily lives. It takes a significant effort to get past the noise that our daily activities generate to get to a place where we can see beyond the rigid boundaries we all create of who and what we believe we are.

Please take this idea of how important your existence is with you before you start each day. Your consciousness is the spark that shines throughout the cosmos. It was there before we added all the layers of life, relationships, religion, politics, and the rest of what we have piled on that we believe makes us who we are.

We are all the miracle of existence.

