Spirituality deals largely with understanding the true nature of the 'Self'.
Is the Self just a belief, an a priori conviction, or an illusion? Does the Self depend on reaffirmation from others to perceive its own self or is it self referential?
Our emotions and beliefs and ideals are constantly evolving. — Anaïs Nin put it perfectly: “I am a series of moods and sensations. I play a thousand roles… My real self is unknown.” The psychologist Susan Blackmore hypothesises that the self is a collection of what she calls ‘memes’ - units of cultural information such as ideas, beliefs and habits. At birth the 'self' doesn't exist but as we are exposed to environmental influences, the self is ‘constructed’ out of the memes we absorb.
Is the Self just a belief, an a priori conviction, or an illusion? Does the Self depend on reaffirmation from others to perceive its own self or is it self referential?
Our emotions and beliefs and ideals are constantly evolving. — Anaïs Nin put it perfectly: “I am a series of moods and sensations. I play a thousand roles… My real self is unknown.” The psychologist Susan Blackmore hypothesises that the self is a collection of what she calls ‘memes’ - units of cultural information such as ideas, beliefs and habits. At birth the 'self' doesn't exist but as we are exposed to environmental influences, the self is ‘constructed’ out of the memes we absorb.
Biologically, most cells in our bodies are completely replaced every seven years. What then is that constant formless entity of the "Self" in a dynamically changing body form? How do we retain or hold the “self” with a steadfast firmness?
Neurologically, the Medial Prefrontal Cortex (MPFC) plays an important role in developing and sustaining the "Self". It represents and reflects on our own self-beliefs, but also plays a crucial role in thinking about how we are seen by others. The medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) appears to play a prominent role in two fundamental aspects of social cognition - self-referential processing and perspective taking. It crucially takes stock of itself and all that it observes simultaneously. The software that generates an identity as well as the conviction of this delusion being the true self.
Could the 'self' be a quantum phenomenon? This strange 'out of of the box' quantum concept helped resolve the schizophrenic duality of light. Light simultaneously behaves like a particle and a wave. The self could be a simultaneous projection of "Consciousness" as both- an observing subjective individual and the observed objective universe.
The 'Self' is being observed by an 'awareness' which is also observing the 'Non-self' universe. A Self centric universe that is in line with the Biocentrism theory proposed by Robert Lanza. The observed universe created and observed by the "Self". The ocean of consciousness in which the wave of the self arises and submerges.
'Aham Brahmaasami ' a fundamental Upanishadic Truth suggests that "I" am the universe.
This statement alludes to the consciousness that manifests as the 'Self' and the universe. It points to the state of an unresolved dichotomy. The original form of consciousness that is in quantum superposition. Quantum superposition is a fundamental principle of quantum mechanics which states that a physical system—such as an electron—exists partly in all its theoretically possible states simultaneously; but when measured or observed, it gives a result corresponding to only one of the possible configurations. The "Self" may be one of the possible configurations when consciousness splits itself to observe itself and begin this play of "Life". Self realisation is when the "Self" realises that it is a transient spatio- temporal construct of consciousness, and the identity, merely a binomial nomenclature for convenience. The momentarily discrete wave realising that it is neither the wave, nor the ocean but a formless abstraction - water.
The true 'Self' is never the transience of the wave but the eternity of the water in the ocean.
Neurologically, the Medial Prefrontal Cortex (MPFC) plays an important role in developing and sustaining the "Self". It represents and reflects on our own self-beliefs, but also plays a crucial role in thinking about how we are seen by others. The medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) appears to play a prominent role in two fundamental aspects of social cognition - self-referential processing and perspective taking. It crucially takes stock of itself and all that it observes simultaneously. The software that generates an identity as well as the conviction of this delusion being the true self.
Could the 'self' be a quantum phenomenon? This strange 'out of of the box' quantum concept helped resolve the schizophrenic duality of light. Light simultaneously behaves like a particle and a wave. The self could be a simultaneous projection of "Consciousness" as both- an observing subjective individual and the observed objective universe.
The 'Self' is being observed by an 'awareness' which is also observing the 'Non-self' universe. A Self centric universe that is in line with the Biocentrism theory proposed by Robert Lanza. The observed universe created and observed by the "Self". The ocean of consciousness in which the wave of the self arises and submerges.
'Aham Brahmaasami ' a fundamental Upanishadic Truth suggests that "I" am the universe.
This statement alludes to the consciousness that manifests as the 'Self' and the universe. It points to the state of an unresolved dichotomy. The original form of consciousness that is in quantum superposition. Quantum superposition is a fundamental principle of quantum mechanics which states that a physical system—such as an electron—exists partly in all its theoretically possible states simultaneously; but when measured or observed, it gives a result corresponding to only one of the possible configurations. The "Self" may be one of the possible configurations when consciousness splits itself to observe itself and begin this play of "Life". Self realisation is when the "Self" realises that it is a transient spatio- temporal construct of consciousness, and the identity, merely a binomial nomenclature for convenience. The momentarily discrete wave realising that it is neither the wave, nor the ocean but a formless abstraction - water.
The true 'Self' is never the transience of the wave but the eternity of the water in the ocean.
Dr. Deepak M. Ranade
