Higher Consciousness

The term "higher consciousness" is often used by spiritually minded people to describe important but hard to reach mental states. Hindu sages, Christian monks, and Buddhist ascetics all speak of reaching moments of higher consciousness through meditation, or chanting, fasting, or pilgrimages. Unfortunately the way in which these spiritual people discuss their states of higher consciousness has a tendency to put a lot of secular types on edge. It can all sound maddeningly vague, wishy-washy, touchy-feely, and for want of a better word, annoying. What on Earth do these gurus really mean? We deeply sympathize with such frustrations, not being by nature particularly attracted to the ineffable or the mysterious, however it seems that the idea of higher consciousness is in fact a very interesting one which has nothing inherently to do with spirituality and can be defined simply enough in strictly rational and secular terms. This is how we see it: as human beings we spend most of our lives functioning in states of lower consciouness where what we're principally concerned with is ourselves, our survival, and our own success narrowly defined. Ordinary life rewards practical unintrospective self-justifying outlooks, sort of the hallmarks of lower consciousness. Neuroscientists speak of a lower part of the brain they call "The Reptilian Mind" and tell us that under its sway we strike back when we're hit, blame others, quell any stray questions that lack immediate relevance, fail to free associate and stick closely to a flattering image of who we are and where we're headed. However, rare moments when there are no threats of demands upon us, perhaps late at night or early in the morning when our bodies and passions are comfortable and quiescent, we have the privilege of being able to access the higher mind, what neuroscientists call our neocortex, the seat of imagination, empathy, and impartial judgement. We loosen our hold on our own egos and ascend to a less biased and more universal perspective casting off a little of the customary anxious self-justification and brutal pride. In such states the mind moves beyond its particular self interests and cravings. We start to think of other people in a more imaginative way rather than criticize and attack, we're free to imagine their behavior being driven by pressures derived from their own primitive minds which they're generally in no position to tell us about. Their temper or viciousness are, we now see, symptoms of hurt rather than of evil. It's an astonishing gradual evolution to develop the ability to explain others actions by their distress rather than simply in terms of how it affects us. We perceive that the appropriate response to humanity is not fear, cynicism, or aggression, but always, when we can manage it: Love. At such moments the world reveals itself as quite different: a place of suffering and misguided effort Full of people striving to be heard and lashing out against others but also a place of tenderness and longing, beauty and touching vulnerability. A fitting response is universal sympathy and kindness. One's own life feels less precious. One can contemplate being no longer present with tranquility. One's interests are put aside and one may imaginatively fuse with transient or natural things: trees, the wind, a moth, clouds, or waves breaking on the shore. From this point of view status is nothing, possessions don't matter, grievances lose their urgency. If certain people could encounter us at this point they might be amazed at our transformation and in our newfound generosity and empathy. States of higher consciousness are, of course, desperately short lived. We shouldn't, in any case, aspire to make them permanent, because they don't sit so well with the many important, practical tasks we all need to attend to. But we should make he most of them when they do arise and harvest their insights for when we require them most. Higher consciousness is a huge triumph over the primitive mind which cannot envisage any such possibilities. Ideally, we'd be a little more alive to the advantages of this higher mind and strive to make our oceanic experiences somewhat less random, and less clothed in unnecessary mystery.

Channel: The School of Life

Views: 3,301,234

Rating: 4.9217925 out of 5

Keywords: curriculum, love, lecture, SOL, mood, philosophy, London, the school of life, education, think, sermon, TSOL, talk, secular, wonder, self, alain de botton, wisdom, relationships, improvement, interest, higher consciousness, consciousness, school of life, meditation, brain, body, soul, happiness, learning, human, future, awakening, truth, mental, higher, mind, enlightenment, spirituality, yoga, eckhart tolle, mindfulness, Conscience supérieure, Höheres Bewusstsein, Mayor conciencia, उच्च चेतना, 更高的意识, Maior consciência

Id: vqCOss4hqnE

Length: 4min 33sec (273 seconds)

Published: Mon May 11 2015

Reddit Comments

[u/gladlybeyond]

For me this really helps to illuminate the importance of the Noble Eightfold Path (as well as the precepts) for me, a relative newcomer. We cannot be expected to operate from a higher consciousness at every moment of the day, but by using the fruits of that consciousness - the path - as reference for our behavior, our everyday behavior will begin to resemble that which originates in higher consciousness.

[u/[deleted]]

Cool website/videos.

[u/sk3pt1c]

just watched this, their videos are so good!

[u/friedflipflops]

A thousand recommends. One of the best explanations/descriptions of jhana I've ever heard. Thanks for sharing.

[u/[deleted]]

Nice video:) sent it to some colleagues.

[u/ohshefancyhuh]

Great video!

[u/[deleted]]

"Unfortunately, the way in which these spiritual people discuss their states of higher consciousness has a tendency to put a lot of secular types on edge. It can all sound maddeningly vague, wishy-washy, touchy-feely, and for want of a better word: annoying." - from the video I really enjoyed this observation. I am from a Catholic home and when I try to discuss my viewpoints with my dad I feel this sentiment heavily. Edit: spelling

[u/Wollff]

You know... I am not a fan of this video.

First of all, there is this beginning, where spiritual stuff is called annoying and wishy washy. Then the video tries to do better. It tries to provide some scientific background, and tries to explain what spirituality is about from that rational basis.

Emphasis is on tries. I think it fails rather miserably in doing that.

First of all we have a problem with terms. Usually neuroscientists don't talk about the reptilian mind. It's at least not a term I have ever come across. What neuroscientists talk about is the "reptilian brain". But the reptilian brain is not responsible for any of the "lower consciousness actions" this video gives as examples. So far, so confusing.

And then comes the greatest fumble of the video: "We have the privilege of accessing the higher mind, what neuroscientists call the neocortex...", at which point I started snarling. Because that statement is just wrong, in a bad way. Our neocortex is a big anatomical part of our brain. And "higher mind" doesn't refer to an anatomical part of our brain. That (among other reasons, which I can go into if you are interested) is why neuroscientists distinctively won't ever call "higher mind" the neocortex.

So to recap: The two pieces of neuroscientific foundation which this video offers as a rational basis for spirituality seem to be somewhere between badly researched, not understood, and simply wrong.

And the rest of the video? That is good. But by its own standards what this part of the video tells us is as fluffy, unfounded, and touchy-feely as more spiritual sources.

And that combination is what makes me dislike this video so deeply: First it holds up rationality and derides the wishy washy nature of spirituality. And then scientific part is done really really badly, while delivering a good spiritual speech without any more rational foundation to it than spiritual sources provide.

I mean, come on: If one criticizes the wishy washyness of spiritual discourse, one should at least get the research right... It's not like that would have taken much.

[u/[deleted]]

Why are people so frightened of anything even resembling spirituality?