By Stephen Russell-Lacy Emanuel Swedenborg was an 18th-century Christian mystic. He has something to say about the origin of our mental images. He claimed he could converse with people occupying, what for most of us is usually, a hidden spirit realm. This he termed the ‘spiritual world’. He said this communication took place in full … Continue reading Mental images – Are we responsible for them?
Category: Consciousness
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Here below and on following pages we explore spiritual questions about human consciousness. They address the question of how human awareness, is related to the sense of self, the soul, altered states, and spiritual practices.
Anything that we are aware of at a given moment forms part of our consciousness. It is the ability to experience wakefulness. Also, one might think higher awareness is to have a sense of self-hood or soul. Individual consciousness has thus been described as both the most familiar and most mysterious aspect of our lives.
Those trying to integrate ideas about consciousness have a lot to do. They need to address such phenomena as brain activity, dreaming, ordinary awareness, mystical experiences, meditative states, sense of self, and the idea of the human soul.
Consciousness and science
We wonder about how a piece of biological tissue like the brain can produce subjective awareness and the experience of the self.
Posts below explore attitudes to spiritual ideas about this.
Mystical experience
Is one affected by one’s experience of mystical awareness. This is the reported sense of awe and wonder at nature. Also there is the desire to see a better world. One with a soul. Having wholeness, timelessness, and beauty. This instead of confining one’s awareness of it to one of complexity, mass production, and ugliness.
Spiritual practices
People are practising reflection, meditation, and mindfulness. They see these and other practices as useful for the development of the self and soul. They are seeking a calm mind and stillness in the face of a hectic life of deadlines and stress.
Consciousness of meaning and inspiration
Articles address the extent to which spiritual learning might help reduce anxiety and promote inspiration. Also the desire to gain energy, enthusiasm, living life to the full and feeling more alive.
In addition, the value of re-connecting oneself with a magical or sacred place. Can this help one re-find a state of balance, composure and awareness of the divine? Is there any longing for the consciousness of childhood with its spontaneity of living in the moment.
Of interest is the spirit behind conscious awareness e.g. a team spirit, a spirit of enterprise, a spirit of patience and tolerance and so on. Linked to this idea of spirit is curiosity about the soul of a person and how to find higher awareness and meaning and purpose in one’s life.
Altered states of consciousness
The human mind has non-ordinary experiences when not in its usual wakeful condition. We can be aware of these during trance, meditation, hallucination, and sleep.
Psychic phenomena (such as as medium-ship, hearing voices, seeing someone who is not physically present, perception of auras) might be interpreted as evidence of a spiritual realm beyond the material universe. Of relevance here are what some people say about higher awareness in terms of their experience of guardian angels, after death awareness of one’s loved ones, and the near death experience. Evidence they claim for the immortal soul. Also of interest are accounts of an afterlife concerning an astral plane also occasionally imagined in film and fiction.
Ego – What causes its illusions?
By Stephen Russell-Lacy As we grow up, we become aware of our being a separate, self-contained individual. This sense of ego can be a positive thing as with self-development of personal skills, or self-reflection on inner feelings. The trouble is there is a risk that self-occupied thoughts can also lead us to: Seeing things from … Continue reading Ego – What causes its illusions?
Are aliens human?
By Stephen Russell-Lacy It doesn’t sound so weird these days to talk about intelligent life of aliens. Scientists have discovered not just a few but lots of potentially inhabitable planets outside the solar system. So far they have confirmed 5,506 such planets. Given the size of our galaxy, it is estimated there are 11 billion … Continue reading Are aliens human?
Self-observation and spiritual presence
By Stephen Russell-Lacy. Contents of a talk about self-observation and spiritual presence given at Well Spring House Swedenborg Open Learning Centre 1/7/23 We have a natural tendency for mindless reactivity Jumping to conclusions Travelling to the venue where I presented this talk, I indignantly watched a driver ahead of me stall in the queue … Continue reading Self-observation and spiritual presence
Higher awareness – A fallacy?
By Stephen Russell-Lacy. This is the first script of a series of 6 podcasts asking how we can link ourselves with love and light. One of the great questions of life. Is higher awareness a fallacy? I start by looking at a sense of awe and wonder. Play podcast Download podcast Maybe you can vividly … Continue reading Higher awareness – A fallacy?
Private prayer – Can it reduce fear?
By Stephen Russell-Lacy. The worldly minded suppose private prayer is no different from any other personal practice that induces relaxation. They ask ‘Don’t we relax by sitting in a comfortable position, in a quiet setting, having something calming to focus our attention, and adopting a passive attitude?’ Yet most people would agree that private prayer involves … Continue reading Private prayer – Can it reduce fear?
After the pandemic – Reflecting on this?
By Stephen Russell-Lacy. After the pandemic we will eventually get back to work, school and elsewhere. But will there be a new normal? A new start? Differences that emerge following the enforced shutdown of usual business? For many of us the lockdown means more stress cooped up at home, more worry about income, more frustration. Yet, … Continue reading After the pandemic – Reflecting on this?
Creative imagination – What causes it?
By Stephen Russell-Lacy. Have you ever used creative imagination to write a novel that has been published? Compose a piece of music that has been performed? Draw, paint or sculpt a work of visual art that has been bought? Of course, you don’t need to be a musician to hear an original melody in your head, … Continue reading Creative imagination – What causes it?
Non-striving in mindfulness – A paradox?
By Stephen Russell-Lacy. According to mindfulness meditation we should adopt the outlook of ‘non-striving’ to deal with stress. But how can non-striving be a goal if we are encouraged not to strive for it? Stress and non-striving A part of my body might feel uncomfortable. For example churning in the stomach, a tense forehead, or … Continue reading Non-striving in mindfulness – A paradox?
Self-identity – Who am I?
By Stephen Russell-Lacy. ‘Who am I? Where am I going? What sort of person will I end up being?’ These are questions about self-identity. Genealogy websites help people trace their ancestors. This is an extremely popular hobby. It shows the importance of one aspect of self-identity as we each ask ‘Where do I come from’. … Continue reading Self-identity – Who am I?