Consider all systems of thought as consciousness structures. I perceive that many folk tend to adopt the consciousness structure into which they are born without too much thought. Others adopt the con-struct after giving it some thought. Still others reject the consciousness structure and open to other realms. In this time of blatant materiality, this has led to a scorning of theism and an opening to a-theism. Matters not. It is still just another consciousness structure. A con-struct. Structuring one into just another con job.
A consciousness structure is a consciousness structure is a consciousness structure. One can step back, if one has the will and the nerve, from every con-struct one constructs.
Most seem to think (or not-think) that their con-struct is reality and others’ con-structs are less so. Some engage in con-struct imperialism, insisting that their con-struct is the true and real and all other con-structs are simply constructs. Others recognize that con-structs appear to be a requisite of human consciousness. The latter tend to empathize with Lao Tzu who, paraphrased, might say: The con-struct that can be con-structed is not the true con-struct.
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George, you are talking about consciousness versus awareness, but not making a distinction between the two. The discussion is also muddled because there is thought and no-thought, yet consciousness or awareness can exist without thought. Consciousness is all around us. Animals have consciousness, but we don't know what they generally think unless they communicate their needs. Similarly, there are degrees of consciousness and awareness unless you wish to invoke awareness as a higher degree of consciousness. The scale goes from sleep, groggy, drug addled, awake, fully awake or aware for most "normal" people. This simplified scale does not take into account emotions and their effects. An adrenaline rush will make you more awake and aware, and, you may not even have conscious thoughts before you act. Then too, perhaps it is a matter of training. Many people are not taught to reflect on their actions or thoughts, or be aware of their thoughts. They aren't capable of thinking outside of their mental boxes because they are not aware of the mental cages they have or others have constructed around their minds. Human minds like frameworks or models of the world, but the model is not the reality being modeled or framed. See The Treachery of Images: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Treachery_of_Images .
ReplyDelete"George, you are talking about consciousness versus awareness, but not making a distinction between the two."
ReplyDeleteThat is because I am not talking about consciousness or awareness, John. I am talking about consciousness structures.
I recall an architect stating that "architecture defines space." A consciousness structure does no less in the 'inner' space of our noetic environment. Seems that either we are the architects of our consciousness structures or confer consent upon others—knowingly or not—to build those structures within us.
ReplyDeleteWe eat, sleep, work, play and move among these subtle buildings. They house us, comfort us and constrain us—sometimes to the point of suffocating us. We fight to preserve these structures—even to the death—no differently than we fight to protect our native homeland 'out there.' I've found that there are also times when we become an immigrant to a new consciousness structure, perhaps by having taken exile from one that's hostile to us.
The ubiquitous element, however, throughout all of these diverse structures is the space that's left undefined, raw and primitive. Sometimes I hear its silence calling. And sometimes, just sometimes, I've opened a door in the structure to peer out into the vastness of this endless space, and I saw...
--Gary
Lovely, Gary!
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