Consciousness is awareness of ourselves and the world at the most basic physical level. It includes all learning, knowledge, perceptions, beliefs, emotions, experiences, will, purpose and intuition. We use consciousness in our daily lives to make choices, develop relationships, and communicate. With consciousness, we make spiritual searches for who we are, creation, and what the universe is made of. Consciousness is the essence of life and meaning. Consciousness may be seen as a type of energy that continually evolves to higher levels of complexity and understanding.
Perception and Awareness
Perception is foundational to intelligence and awareness of the environment. As perception increases, there is an increase in the level of consciousness. Our inner language of thought and emotions controls and creates our outer experience and perceptions. When humans form unified communities, there is a higher collective consciousness.
Perception by individual cells of the body occurs via protein receptor complexes. The cell membrane functions as an information processor and brain, similar to a computer chip. The surface area of a cell membrane determines how many bits of information can be processed. Thus, consciousness can be measured by the surface area of a cell membrane, as described by microbiologist Bruce Lipton. For example, the smallest type of cell is bacteria. As bacteria join together in colonies surrounded by a membrane called Biofilm, they share and process more information.
Non-Physicality and the Brain
Influenced by classic Newtonian physics from the 19th century, a long held scientific assumption was that consciousness emerged from the physical brain. But that conclusion did not explain human conditions such as free will, creativity, purpose, spirituality and paranormal experiences. Today millions of experiences with near death, past life regressions, out of body experiences and remote viewing provide clear evidence that our state of consciousness continues even when we are separated from our physical body. Quantum physics, microbiology, and energy healing within the human biofield, too, have revolutionized our understanding of consciousness.
Consciousness and a good portion of our mental activity and memory does notexist inside the physical brain. In 2003, John Hopkins University published a study of 111 brain damaged children who had an entire hemisphere of their brain removed between 1975 and 2001. Amazingly, the children retained their memories and personality, and 86% were seizure free who ran, talked and led normal lives without medication.
Dr John Lorber’s study of 253 hydrocephalus patients prior to surgical technology for shunting off the excess fluid, revealed that nine of them had only 5% of remaining brain tissue. However, six of the nine had IQ’s ranging from 100 to over 126. One with a 126 IQ was an honors math student at the university. These are clear examples of how the mind and consciousness function outside of the physical brain in an energy field. (Wilcock).
It is also known that we have at least three functioning brains – in the head (central nervous system and spinal cord), the heart and the gut. In fact, the gut and the heart react faster to environmental conditions than the brain, actually informing the neurological brain.
How the Brain Interacts with the Environment
As the brain receives information and cues from the environment, the mind interprets the data based on thoughts, emotions and beliefs. The brains of the body then release hormones, neurotransmitters and other chemicals to control cells and proteins in an effort to create harmony with the environment. As Buddha said, “What we think, we become.”
For example, dopamine and oxytocin are released in response to feelings of love. When people feel in love, they feel well and their skin glows. On the other hand, fear releases cortisol and norepinephrine, resulting in a fight or flight reaction, which shuts down the immune system. The body broadcasts frequencies out into the environment based on these responses that other people pick up as good or bad vibes. (Lipton) People with extra sensory perception can read the thoughts of other people from those frequencies.
Epigenetics – Bruce Lipton, Microbiologist
According to epigenetics, the environment and perception of the environment controls our biology and genes. Epigenetics is the study of changes in gene expression without any underlying change in the DNA sequence. Epigenetic changes help determine whether genes are activated or turned off. This can happen on a daily basis. Bruce Lipton, in his book Biology of Belief and numerous presentations, explains that perceptions, beliefs, world view and emotions determine our health through control of genes and proteins. Proteins and environmental signals lead to behavior.
Proteins provide the basic structure of the body. They are the building blocks of all body tissue, thus determining the type of tissue and health versus disease. Proteins are the biological mechanism and structure of all cell function. There are over 100,000 different proteins in a human cell. The cell membrane is the cell’s brain and nervous system. Internal cell proteins are the mechanism of function, turning genes on or off. The cell wall includes a vibrational code specific to the individual as a form of identification.
Proteins change in shape and structure in response to environmental signals. Environmental signals often have a positive or negative ion charge, which changes the shape of receptor proteins and strings of peptides that form 3D molecules. This affects the cell functions.
DNA codes for the structure of proteins by copying RNA, which then programs the proteins. Genes provide a blueprint for protein production. Evolution is an adaptive process to changes in the environment. Organisms modify their genetics to confirm with the environment, seeking harmony and balance. Again, we can change our gene expression and chemistry by our thoughts, beliefs, emotions and worldview.
The Subconscious Mind
Two main categories of the mind are the conscious and the subconscious. The subconscious mind represents 90 to 95% of our brain activity and includes everything not in your awake state. It stores and retrieves data such as beliefs, previous experiences, memories, and complex motor skills. It uses the autonomic nervous system to maintain and repair our vital functions, such as breathing and heartbeat, without our conscious awareness. It controls intuition and dreaming. It remembers complex synchronized programs such as bike riding, swimming, driving a car, playing a musical instrument and language. It responds to the environment and situations according to its programming consistent with self-concept and beliefs. It activates a flight or fight alarm response. It is programmed to function by early childhood downloads of knowledge from our parents (or those who raise us) and experiences that form belief systems and habits with profound effect on our perception and behavior.
Sigmund Freud described three main personality levels of consciousness as the id, ego and superego. The id is entirely unconscious with urges to fulfill basic needs. The superego is the moralistic portion of our personality, developed by our upbringing and social influences and is mostly conscious. The ego balances our id and superego drives and is operated by both the conscious and subconscious minds. Freud believed that the unconscious mind is the primary source of human behavior, like an iceberg where the most important part is below the visible surface.
Our memories, emotions and desires are powerfully influenced by the subconscious mind. Some memories and experiences are so painful or frightening that they are not easily accessed by the conscious mind or are suppressed by social mores.
Our subconscious brain is wired and organized for consciousness evolution. We are continually reaching for higher levels of understanding ourselves, our purpose for living and the universe. Subconscious patterns are encoded within the biofield (see below). Ingrained programs can be changed with conscious intent and a variety of methods and therapies. For example, meditation, psychological therapies, energy medicine and sound therapy can shift behavior and physical patterns.
The Biofield
The biofield mirrors the pattern of all the energy waves transmitted to and from the body. It provides an energy blueprint that informs the entire body, mind and spirit. Some people can see its colorful light as an aura. It is a non-physical field that surrounds and permeates the body of all living organisms. It has multiple layers that interact with the universe in a non-local manner, perceiving and transmitting information.
The biofield communicates with information centers, called chakras, which then distribute energy throughout the body via meridians. Chakras are spinning spheres, wheels or vortexes of bio-energy. Each chakra relates to organs, endocrine glands (hormones), emotional and mental systems. Each chakra correlates with a level of consciousness across the physical, emotional, mental, intuitive and spiritual realms. Chakras were conceptualized in India over 4,000 years ago.
The coherence of the biofield determines our health status to a large extent. Energy medicine practitioners treat the biofield by removing blocks and improving coherence. Biofields are the foundation of energy treatments such as acupuncture, Reike, Pranic Healing, Healing Touch, Sound Therapy and many other modalities.
Non-locality of Consciousness
In 1964, Irish physicist John Bell published work that subatomic particles are connected in a way that transcends space time. Anything that happens to one particle, affects all other entangled particles instantaneously at super-luminal speed, faster than the speed of light and regardless of distance. This is known as Bell’s theorem in quantum physics (Brennan).
In the mid 1990’s, Russian biologists Peter Gariaev and Vladimir Poponin performed experiments on DNA and photons. They found that DNA captures, stores and emits light (photons). Scattered photons in a container rearranged themselves into a coherent pattern when DNA was placed in the closed container with the photons. The coherence persisted after the DNA was removed. This demonstrates that DNA interfaces with the universal light and energy. (Braden, Wilcock)
The Institute of HeartMath was formed in 1992 to show how human emotions and our heart are connected. They documented a doughnut shaped field surrounding the heart and extending 5 feet out from the body that emits energy, thousands of times stronger than other organs. HeartMath found that thoughts of unconditional love changed the shape of DNA in a glass beaker with DNA. Recipients of heart transplants would develop emotions and traits from the heart donor. (Braden, Dale)
Rupert Sheldrake proposed an invisible matrix that serves as blueprints for form and behavior called Morphogenic or Morphic Fields. All living organisms resonate and attune into morphic fields of similar biologic forms. These are fields of consciousness. Because of this field, a few members of a species learning and practicing a new behavior over a long enough period, creates a “morphic resonance” that affects the entire species across time and space with the same knowledge and skills. Lyall Watson continued in this vein with the Hundredth Monkey Principle. (Brennan, Dale)
Brain Waves
Different human brain waves correspond to different states of physical awareness such as wakefulness with active thinking, relaxation, meditation, sleep, lucid dreaming, out of body experiences, hypnotic states, or coma. Each represents a different mode of perception. They can overlap and exist differently for different people.
There are four well known and researched brain wave states as follows with their frequency range:
· Delta 0.5 Hz to 4 Hz Deep sleep, body rejuvenation, deep meditation, coma, normal in the waking state of pre-pubertal children
· Theta 4 Hz to 8 Hz Light meditation, dreaming, healing, intuition, imagination, hypnosis, light sleep, deep emotions
· Alpha 8 Hz to 12 Hz Tranquil relaxation, calm alertness, subconscious mind, intuition, deep breathing
Newer research in the past decade, however, demonstrates that the above four states are only part of the picture. We are biologically wired to expand our consciousness to advanced states of potential. For example, the meditative states of Tibetan monks and nuns who sit for hours meditating were studied using sophisticated equipment such as EEG’s and MRI scanning to detect what was happening in their brains and bodies while meditating. Brain waves at very low frequencies and much higher frequencies were documented along with expanded perception. Four more advanced states of consciousness were found as follows:
· Gamma 36 Hz to 44 Hz
Sense of well-being, unification and connection with all things and life. Any sense of separation and isolation dissolves. Benefits include compassion, happiness, super cognition, memory enhancement, rapid learning and processing of information, and deep intuition on demand. Optimal functioning. Different wave characteristics from Beta waves. Gamma waves radiate from front to back in sweeping motion of entire brain at 40 Hz, so able to link information from all parts of the brain. Originates in the Thalamus in center of brain just above spinal column. Wales and dolphins operate in this range.
· Hyper Gamma 44 Hz to 100 Hz
Same wave characteristics as Gamma waves. Deeper forms of insight, intuition.
· Lamda 100 Hz to 200 Hz
The left and right hemispheres of the brain became synchronized, allowing tremendous amounts of body self-regulation. Associated with mystical and out of body experiences. Described as the “aha” state. For example, certain secs of Tibetan monks can control their body temperature wearing little clothing in subzero environments, with the snow melting around them.
· Epsilon 0 Hz to 0.5 Hz
Extremely low frequency below the Delta state to point where brain waves are no longer detectable. The heart beat and breathing stops; monk is in suspended state of animation but very much alive. The state of perception is the same as in Lamda, except that it is achieved through drowsiness, rather than wakefulness.
Consciousness – A Unifying Force of the Universe
Science identified four main forces in our planetary system – gravity, electromagnetic, weak and strong nuclear forces. Since the early 1900’s, physicists have been searching for a unifying force that ties together the natural laws of big things to subatomic sized things. Einstein claimed that the energy field is the sole governing agency of the particle. A field contains invisible moving forces that influence the physical world. Quantum physics demonstrates that all matter is actually energy and everything is interconnected (entangled). This gives us a new vision of ourselves and the world around us.
Consciousness now is generally accepted as the fifth and unifying force. It is an energy field that unifies the universe in a cosmic web. Matter can actually be influenced by thoughts and observation, as demonstrated by the famous double slit experiments, among other scientific findings. Consciousness is a form of non-physical energy extending its influence over matter through the use of biological vehicles. All biological life forms, including plants and animals, are biological expressions of consciousness. We are energy beings. We must understand energy and consciousness to understand life.
Conclusion
Consciousness exists outside of the physical brain and body. Consciousness may reside in the higher self, biofield or soul light body, leaving the brain to function as a computer-like receiver and decoder that filters incoming transmissions from the energy fields. Those transmissions are then compared to past experiences by the mind to become consciousness and thus affecting behavior.
Our connection to the universal energy field matrix and consciousness is the essence of life. As we make choices, process experiences, seek meaning in life and make spiritual connections, our consciousness evolves. We must see ourselves as part of the world rather than separate from it. We are all one in the matrix, just as a wave in the ocean is a part of the ocean. We are more than just passive observers; our thoughts and choices create experiences and communication in a feedback loop with universal fields. Quantum physics research is providing insights about the nature of consciousness and our holographic brains. Science is now merging with spiritual teachings about who we are and the origins of the universe. It is also placing holistic approaches to health and wellness on a scientific road map as it increasingly goes mainstream through methods such as meditation, energy medicine and reaching for knowledge, compassion and unity.
REFERENCES
Books
Brennan, Barbara A (1987). Hands of Light, A Guide to Healing Through the Human Energy Field. Bantam Books. New York, NY
Braden, Gregg (2007). The Divine Matrix, Bridging Time, Space, Miracles, and Belief. Hay House, Inc. Carlsbad, CA.
Dale, Cyndi (2009). The Subtle Body, An Encyclopedia of Your Energetic Anatomy. Sounds True. Boulder, CO.
Wilcock, David (2011) The SOURCE FIELD Investigations. Dutton. New York, NY
Videos
Lipton, Bruce. Inner Evolution. Gaia Series, Season 1, 13 episodes
