Tag Archives: mind

Ede Frecska on the Non-Local Mind

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The Direct-Intuitive-Nonlocal Mind: Another Foundation for Knowledge?

by Ede Frecska on November 28, 2010

Nonlocal information about the physical universe offers the missing link between objective science and subjective experience, including consciousness and spiritual experiences. Based on the principle of nonlocality and with the “quantum array antenna” of subcellular, cytoskeletal networks, the brain can be resonating with the whole universe. The brain may contain the whole Cosmos like a quantum hologram, and the perennial wisdom of “As above, so below (or: As within, so without)”, “The kingdom of Heaven is within you”, or “Look within, you are the Buddha” creates the appropriate perspective. The cytoskeletal matrix can be the mediator of the Jungian ‘collective unconscious’, and cytoskeletal quantum holography can explain a very common but obscure phenomenon known as ‘intuition’.

Ritual ceremonials and other spiritual practices based on the integrative forms of altered states of consciousness (ASCs)—an integrative ASC leads to healing in contrast to a disintegrative one such as psychosis or drunkenness—elude neuroscientific explanations based on classical cognition. Classical cognition can be conceptualized as a ‘perceptual-cognitive’ way of information processing characteristic of ordinary states of consciousness. This information processing utilizes the local aspect of the universe and is contrasted with another way of obtaining knowledge, which is based on nonlocal connections denoted here as ‘direct-intuitive’.

The ‘perceptual-cognitive’ mode is neuroaxonally based, relies on sensory perception, cognitive processing, and on symbolic (visual, verbal, logical-language) mediation. This form of information processing is an indirect mode of achieving knowledge compared to the ‘direct-intuitive’ way. In accordance with the indirect nature of its processing, this mode splits the world into subject and object, and then performs its modeling. The linguistic feature makes this mode transferable from individual to individual but at the same time limits it to be culturally bound. The ‘perceptual-cognitive’ mode of information processing has been evolved for the purpose of task solving, represents a “coping machine” at work, and reaches its peak in Western scientific thinking.

The introduction of a nonlocal, ‘direct-intuitive’ channel is necessary for an ontological interpretation of integrative ASCs, such as the shamanic or mystic states of consciousness. We may assume that this mode of accessing knowledge is based on subcellular, cytoskeletal functions, provides direct experience (no subject-object split), and is not bound by language or other symbols. It is practically ineffable, non-transferable. Since the ‘direct-intuitive’ channel lacks linguistic-symbolic mediation, it has universal characteristics, shows more transcultural similarity, although culture-specific interpretations exist. This may be why mystics get better agreement comparing their “data” than do materialistic scientists. I am not arguing here for the ontological validation of every experience in ASCs, but for a few, very informative experiences that constitute the integrative ASCs.

The ‘direct-intuitive’ perception of the world carries a high degree of uncertainty, needs rigorous training for its highest development – as in other fields. It takes decades to train an indigenous shaman or Buddhist monk because the ‘direct-intuitive’ route into the realm of “non-ordinary” consciousness is seemingly capricious, its denizens are unpredictable, and our ‘perceptual-cognitive’ mind is unprepared to face its challenges. What can be nourished can be atrophied as well; the latter happened in Western civilization and the ‘direct-intuitive’ channel has become “The Forgotten Knowledge”. It might have been the source of ancient myths. Giving credit to mythical knowledge also means that the teachings of ancient myths and wisdom traditions should be considered as a starting point for the development of modern scientific theories, and deserve to be treated as “working hypotheses” in applying the scientific method.

The ‘perceptual-cognitive’ foundation of knowledge is a result of the brain’s interactions with the local aspects of the universe. The ‘direct-intuitive’ perception of the world derives from the nonlocal features of the Cosmos. In other words: the local universe of the classical, Newtonian worldview is the reality of our ordinary consciousness, based on the ‘perceptual-cognitive’ process. On the other hand, the brain’s interfacing with the nonlocal universe generates the reality of “non-ordinary” states. Moreover, as will be outlined below, the ‘direct-intuitive’ way is also the source of the subjective component of our consciousness. My main point is that intuition, consciousness, and non-locality are interwoven.

‘Cogito’ Updated

The basic principles of the second foundation of knowledge (the direct-intuitive-nonlocal) can shed light on peculiar features of consciousness on what various cultural views and wisdom traditions attribute to it. For example, the indigenous Arawate people of the Amazon state that in the jaguars’ perspective they are the people and we are the jaguars. In essence, jaguars are conscious beings. Aside from questions of ignorance, how can rational thinking make sense of such a statement? How come that there are traditions which connect consciousness with beings and inanimate objects other than the human brain? The following passage may help to interpret these concepts and the principles of panpsychic and hylozoic views

As a starting point I refer to Ervin Laszlo (2007), who had the notion what I wish to build upon: “What we call ‘matter’ is the aspect we apprehend when we look at a person, a plant, or a molecule from the outside; ‘mind’ is the aspect we obtain when we look at the same thing from the inside.” For me it means that if we use the ‘perceptual-cognitive’—the “outsider” approach—then everything is seen as an object without consciousness. How do we relate to our brain from inside, how do we perceive our own consciousness? Naturally, we cannot see, touch, smell our own or others’ mind. We are left only with the other approach, the nonlocal, ‘direct-intuitive’ mode of knowing, that is the method of looking at things from the inside. The intuitive apprehension is the way for us to recognize that we are conscious. All of us have a direct, intuitive knowledge of our own consciousness, and not a perceptual one.

At the base of the yet dominant Newtonian-Cartesian worldview stands Descartes’ Cogito(I think, therefore I am). It presupposes another question: ‘How do I know about myself?’ Turning Descartes’ coin to the other side: “I am aware of myself, therefore (or because) I am intuitive.” That means I have a way of getting knowledge without the senses, without using local processes of nature. This leaves me with the other, the nonlocal mode of apprehension.

My conclusion may sound trivial, yet carries non-trivial consequences. ‘Direct-intuitive’ is a way we relate to things from their inside. In the eye of the “insider”—as Ervin Laszlo pointed out eloquently—we always sense the presence of consciousness. Consequently, intuition, nonlocality, and consciousness seem to be intimately related. We can have intuitive knowledge without awareness of its source. However, if we are aware of its origin then we can attribute consciousness to the source in nascendi. In this regard Stuart Hameroff is right: subneural structures (which serve as the interface for the ‘direct-intuitive’ mode of information processing) mediate consciousness. I would add: these structures mediate not only our consciousness, but the consciousness of every entity to which we relate intuitively.

What follows next is a generalization: The same way I attribute consciousness to myself, I can attribute it to everything else via the ‘direct-intuitive’ approach, since consciousness arises during the intuitive process. Our perceptual reality consists of material objects, while the world of intuition is filled with conscious entities. Animals, plants, even rocks or the whole universe are conscious. They can be felt to be that in an integrative ASC, which has the ‘direct-intuitive-nonlocal’ approach as its modus operandi. The eternal philosophical debate over the priority of consciousness or matter seems to me to be transcended by the recognition of the reality of nonlocal and local processes. Consciousness and matter are attributes that depend only on the way we obtain our knowledge.

from:    http://ervinlaszlo.com/forum/2010/11/28/direct-intuitive-nonlocal-mind/

Jim Self on Pain

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Everybody Holds Pain — Where do you hold yours?

by Roxane BUrnett
I recently spent some time with a woman I grew up around. I was in her town and offered to treat her to lunch. I told her to choose a restaurant that she hasn’t been to before and that feels ‘abundant’ and extravagant to her. She chose an all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet. She had a coupon.

As I was on my second salad, she began commenting on the physicality of our fellow eaters. ‘Why doesn’t she DO something about THAT.’ ‘I’m surprised these chairs can hold him.’ ‘How sad, even their kids are huge.’ ‘How could she let her self GO like that?’

Her words were hurtful and made my stomach turn. As we finished our meals, my friend stood up and as she did, she gripped her back and moaned. She has had back pain for years and every move she makes is painful. She has been sleeping on the same mattress for 30 years.

As I drove back to her home my friend chatted continuously about other drivers and how one ‘should’ always play by the rules so everyone on the road feels safe. When I dropped her off at home and began to say goodbye, her partner of many years greeted me with kindness. My friend’s partner has been depressed for a long time and doesn’t leave the house. Her pain shows as a permanent, downturned mouth and swollen eyes. Perhaps she cries often, I don’t know. We hugged and chatted a bit as I found a place to sit in their living room. It was packed with stuff.

Stuff. You know, important things we collect. On the top of one of the piles on the coffee table was a magazine. Reminace. My friend is 80+ and likes to focus upon her ‘good’ life in the 40s and 50s.

After chatting about the weather, the government, illegal aliens, and how immigrants ‘should’ learn English in order to stay here in the US, I graciously left and drove back to my hotel room. My 5D sanctuary.

Pain
We all hold pain. Every body holds pain in it’s own unique way. It can show up as complaining about others, as extra weight (I’ve been there), depression (that too) or physical aches (sometimes). Our individual art or mastery is how we deal with it. How do YOU deal with your pain? Do you even recognize it?

How to cope with pain
One way we cope with our pain is to deny it. ‘If I just ignore it, it will go away.’ But does it truly go away? Or does it simply demonstrate itself in quiet, passive/aggressive ways? As with my friend’s partner-sadness and depression.

Another way is to be macho (got testosterone?) ‘I’m as strong as a bull. I can bulldoze my way through anything.’ Yes you can’ until that body or mind gets exhausted and quits in some way-an injury or breakdown.

Another way we respond to pain is to project our inner pain onto those around us. ‘Why doesn’t she DO something about that fat/back pain/cough/acne/depression?’ This is a common solution most engage in. If I find others who I can pick on or criticize, I don’t have look at my own pain or where I am off-balance. They are much worse off than I am. I have mine under control.

Moan. You can moan and grunt and make big sighs, and perhaps others around you will become sympathetic and pity you. Or perhaps they will ask you what your problem is. This will open the door for you to talk about all your doctors and surgeries and medications. Better yet, find someone you can commiserate with and compare pains. You can make it a game and compete to see who has the sorest back.

Self-medicate. Lots of options here.

No matter what, it begins in your head.
The more masterful (and perhaps more difficult) way to cope with pain is to focus on releasing or lessening it. Use the tools you’ve learned to de-charge and release that pain, whether it manifests as physical, emotional or mental off-balance. Of course, before we do that we must decide that we are really finished with it. Many are not finished carrying that pain around. It has become so familiar they can’t imagine life without it. ‘Who will I be if I am not depressed and overwhelmed?’

Start with imagining what is possible. Pretend. What would today be if I were not eating a bag of cookies right now? If I were happy? If imagining is too difficult find a living example of the ideal you. What words is that person demonstrating? Certain, Successful, Active, Vibrant? Simply watch how s/he demonstrates that energy.

First, decide that the pain and the pickle you are in is no longer fun, nor does it give you the attention/sympathy/comfort it did originally. Then you must decide it is too expensive to carry that rock around in your backpack any longer; it’s too expensive physically, emotionally, and mentally. Then step up to your tool bench and use the tools you have to de-charge that old habit. The Rose, the Grounding Cord, the Living Words and others. (There are many others.) Take baby steps to avoid discouragement or self-pressure. This isn’t a race to wellness.
Buying a new mattress and seeing a chiropractor could also be a great first step to relieving that painful back. But if you did that, you might not have much to talk about anymore. You might lose all your complaining friends. You might get happy!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
An author and teacher, Roxane has been offering tools for developing intuition and Personal Power to individuals, businesses and women’s groups since 1994. Following a successful career as an art director for two large corporations and as manager of her own design firm, she trained as a Life Coach and Mastering Alchemy teacher.
Roxane’s seminars include: Spiritual Abilities and Tools for Intuition, Personal Energy Management and Female Alchemy. She also has been featured on television, radio and in national publications both in the US and Australia. She is the co-founder of Mastering Alchemy and presents this work with Jim.

PLEASE NOTE: Universal ©Copyright 2010 is authorized here. Please distribute freely as long as the website www.masteringalchemy.comis included as the resource and this information is distributed on a non-commercial no charge basis.

Why We Laugh When Others Trip or Fall

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Schadenfreude Explained: Why We Secretly Smile When Others Fail

Jeanna Bryner, LiveScience Managing Editor
Date: 09 December 2011 Time: 10:50 AM
upset businesswoman carrying a box of supplies after losing a job
Do you take joy in seeing a colleague who “has it all” fail in some way?
CREDIT: R. Gino Santa Maria | Shutterstock

When the office slacker makes a mistake that could cost them a pay raise — do you truly feel bad, or do you have to work to hide your smile?

If you smiled, you’ve just experienced schadenfreude, a bit of enjoyment at the misfortunes of others. And now researchers know more about why we experience this seemingly odd emotion. Turns out, it can be a sure way to make you feel better about yourself. It’s a self-affirming boost.

“If somebody enjoys the misfortune of others, then there’s something in that misfortune that is good for the person,” said study researcher Wilco W. van Dijk, adding that it could be due to thinking the other person deserves the misfortune, and so becoming less envious of them or feeling better about one’s self.

Mwa-ha-ha-ha!  

In the study, van Dijk, of Leiden University in the Netherlands,and his colleagues had 70 undergraduate students (40 women and 30 men) read two interviews about a high-achieving student who was likely to land a great job. Then they read an interview with the student’s supervisor revealing that the student had suffered a big setback in his/her studies. Next, they rated their level of agreement with five statements meant to gauge their schadenfreude, such as: “I enjoy[ed] what happened to Marleen/Mark”; “I couldn’t resist a little smile.”

Those with low self-esteem (assessed at the study’s start) were both more likely to be threatened by the overachieving student, and to experience schadenfreude. However, the researchers found that regardless of self-esteem, those who felt more threatened by this student also felt more schadenfreude.

The researchers thought that perhaps the reason for this was that schadenfreude was self-affirming for these “threatened” individuals.

As a follow-up experiment, the researchers gave about half of the students a self-affirmation boost by shoring up their beliefs about what the students had indicated was a very important value to them, and then asked them to repeat the same interview-reading stint.

Participants with low self-esteem were again more likely to experience schadenfreude, and also more likely to feel threatened by the high-achieving student. However, those who had been self-affirmed were less likely than those who hadn’t to reap pleasure when reading about the other student’s academic slip.

“I think when you have low self-esteem, you will do almost anything to feel better, and when you’re confronted with the misfortune of others,” you’ll feel schadenfreude, van Dijk told LiveScience. “In this study, if we give people something to affirm their self, then what we found is they have less schadenfreude — they don’t need the misfortune of others to feel better anymore.” [5 Ways to Boost Self-Compassion]

Evil thoughts

If you feel an evil sort of glee at the slip-ups of another, are you a bad person? Well, van Dijk says that just about all of us experience schadenfreude at some point in our lives.

“We know that it’s very good to feel empathy and sympathy for people, so if you feelschadenfreude without any sympathy or compassion for that other person,” that would not be good, van Dijk said. “Our society thrives on compassion and empathy.”

While some of us get a kick out of the small blunders of a colleague, say, others experience schadenfreude due to another’s grave misfortunes, as van Dijkhas found in research yet to be published.

The current study is detailed in the December 2012 issue of the journal Emotion.

from:    http://www.livescience.com/17398-schadenfreude-affirmation.html

Time=Forever Conundrum

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Where is Time?

By Robert McCoy
Created 06/16/2011 – 10:18
Feature
teaser:

The Electric Universe theorizes a ubiquitous primal force trillions of times more powerful than ‘gravity’ — electricity — whose currents travel through space in spirals and form a network between all the planets and stars in the universe. It’s electric, it’s alive, and it’s buzzing like Yankee Stadium on opening day.

“We have never encountered poor engineering in nature” –Albrecht-Buehler

It’s 1978 and I’m sitting at a workbench, electronic test equipment arrayed all around me on shelves — oscilloscopes and ‘bit boxes’, the tools of my trade.   It’s the night shift and the factory is ‘cooling fan’ quiet, almost like sitting in my living room — at least in comparison to the buzzing of the day shift when the isles are full of managers and engineers…  office types, disturbing my otherwise silent technical devotions.   And just like in my living room, I light up a ‘righteous’ cigarette and lean back on my swiveling chair, contemplating a problem with a printed circuit board I’m troubleshooting — trying to put some ‘soul in the machine’ — but it won’t initialize — stuck in a loop. I take a puff (menthols!) and exhale up toward the high industrial ceiling. When my eyes come back to the problem I glance at the scope and notice a straight line on the screen but one that is fuzzy somehow — they are never really straight. Only moments before it had been an incomprehensible blur, racing at megahertz speed and I had barely been able to sync it up so as to bring the blur into focus. Now, as I rest the probe at my side the screen is quiet — in keeping with my surroundings — relaxed at ‘zero’ volt

to read more, go to:  http://www.realitysandwich.com/print/102934

 

Nassim Nicholas Taleb & the Black Swan

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A book by Taleb, THE BLACK SWAN, sounds interesting and definitely thought (if not angst) provoking.

A few excerpts:

The Black Swan: Quotes & Warnings that the Imbeciles Chose to Ignore

Nassim Nicholas Taleb: The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable (April 2007)

For the last 12 years, I have been telling anyone who would listen to me that we are taking huge risks and massive exposure to rare events. I isolated some areas in which people make bogus claims –epistemologically unsound. The Black Swan is a philosophy book (epistemology, philosophy of history & philosophy of science), but I used banks as a particularly worrisome case of epistemic arrogance –and the use of “science” to measure the risk of rare events, making society dependent on very spurious measurements. To me a banking crisis –worse than what we have ever seen — was unavoidable and NOT A BLACK SWAN, just as a drunk and incompetent pilot would eventually crash the plane. And I kept receiving insults for 12 years!

Quotes From the Black Swan (written b. 2003-2006) that the IMBECILES did not want to hear

to read the quotes, go to:    http://www.fooledbyrandomness.com/imbeciles.htm

 

 

Consciousness & The Brain

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Does Our Brain Really Create Consciousness?

by Peter Russell, Physicist & Author

Western science has had remarkable success in explaining the functioning of the material world, but when it comes to the inner world of the mind, it has very little to say. And when it comes to consciousness itself, science falls curiously silent. There is nothing in physics, chemistry, biology, or any other science that can account for our having an interior world. In a strange way, scientists would be much happier if minds did not exist. Yet without minds there would be no science.
This ever-present paradox may be pushing Western science into what Thomas Kuhn called a paradigm shift–a fundamental change in worldview.

This process begins when the prevalent paradigm encounters an anomaly — an observation that the current worldview can’t explain. As far as the today’s scientific paradigm is concerned, consciousness is certainly one big anomaly. It is the most obvious fact of life: the fact that we are aware and experience an internal world of images, sensations, thoughts, and feelings. Yet there is nothing more difficult to explain. It is easier to explain how the universe evolved from the Big Bang to human beings than it is to explain why any of us should ever have a single inner experience. How does all that electro-chemical activity in the physical matter of the brain ever give rise to conscious experience? Why doesn’t it all just go on in the dark?

to read more go to:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peter-russell/brain-consciousness_b_873595.html

 

Mirror Neurons

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Curious Phenomena:

frhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/m/mirror_neuron.htm

A mirror neuron is a neuron which fires both when an animal performs an action and when the animal observes the same action performed by another (especially conspecific) animal.

Thus the neuron “mirrors” the behavior of another animal, as though the observer were itself performing the action.

These neurons have been observed in primates, including humans, and in some birds.

In humans, they have been found in Broca’s area and the inferior parietal cortex of the brain.

Some scientists consider mirror neurons one of the most important findings of neuroscience in the last decade.