Considering the wide range of my lifetime of experiences, both sensual and spiritual, my sincere conviction now is that what I feel, what I sense, and what I experience, not only internally and personally, but also as an observer of the world “outside of me,” especially in consideration of the responses of other individuals under extraordinary circumstances, is that I cannot dismiss out of hand, any experience or conclusion that occurs within me.
This video series has been an attempt to expand on the writing that has taken place here since 2011. The short videos themselves are not intended to be comprehensive in scope, but rather an additional attempt to address a fairly complex issue.
There is no question in my mind at this point that the ineffable nature of consciousness and the complex machinations of brain physiology, supported by multi-faceted sensory input which support subjective experience, are intimately intertwined, not because there is some direct link discernible to science or immediately obvious to others, but because in my personal experience it has been so. Since it has been so in that way, I feel confident in saying that I have learned to distinguish between those ideas and experiences which are mostly peripheral and those which are profound, and part of the core components of my life.
I am convinced now that the ultimate explanation must go much deeper and be more meaningful and profound than most modern investigators suppose. It is one of the central questions being investigated at the forefront of philosophy generally, and in neuroscience specifically, and there are a number of scholars and other seekers actively searching with equal enthusiasm.
Just as it seems very clear to me now that the physical universe in which we exist, the “material world,” appears to be a manifestation of something that is not material, so too now does consciousness appear to be, at its source, non-material. In saying this I am not suggesting that it is not without interaction with the physical world, but rather that its origin, where it stems from, what precisely emerges from Life, goes much deeper—it transcends all that we know intellectually and what we experience sensually.
What has compelled me to pursue the writing all along has been my own profound sense of something other than the physical world at work in my own experience of existence, and to the extent that I have studied the material sciences, the laws of physics, and listened to the conclusions and musings of the great thinkers across the history of humanity, I know that my own personal experiences of awareness—my own consciousness, is the most vitally important source of information that I could possibly hope to encounter.
Balanced against a reasonable and rational science of brain physiology, and in consideration of the great strides we have made in psychology and in working through the philosophical discourse by thinkers and scholars from all over the world, what has transpired within me rings true with both the material and non-material aspects of my experience of existence.
After decades of life spent searching, I have gradually increased my confidence in the validity of those aspects of my experience of the world, which are not visible, not temporal in their nature in the strictest sense, but rather part of an eruption of sorts into the physical. Everything I see, and all the research, reading, and contemplation that has accompanied my efforts to come to terms with many of the events of my life, confirm for me the general notion that I have carried with me my whole life—and that is—every aspect of our physical lives, every nuance of experience, is made possible by a source which cannot be defined well in material terms.
The journey continues…John H.
John's Consciousness 
Enjoyed this, I’m newer to this journey but I share similar intuitions and thoughts about the nature of our reality.
We are all navigating the path in our own way and in our own time. It is a path that often challenges us, and it often requires of us much energy and effort. Perhaps less frequently, there are also moments of achievement, extraordinary experience, and progress toward a fulfillment of life that may accompany the earnest traveler.
My own journey has been tumultuous to say the least, but the rewards have been sufficiently compensatory to a degree that has allowed me to proceed with a degree of perspective and confidence, in spite of daunting challenges.
Your own blog frequently contains a mix of both, and I enjoy sharing in the stories of your journey as well.
Kind regards…John H.
Superb music as always. I had it down as Telemann at first, but at least I was in the right ballpark.
Nonmaterialism, the primacy of the immaterial. Yes, my own meditation practice is leading me down a similar path of thought. I no longer care what Seth, Dennet, and the horde of other physicalists say.
If physicists are telling us the material does not actually exist and that everything at root is energy, then it puzzles me that so many minds are closed to the possibility of idealism, monism, panpsychism and so forth.
I cannot put it into words, but when in the depths of meditation, it seems to me that there are indeed multiple levels of existence and complexity which support rather than rule out the possibility of “other”.
An enjoyable post and video. Would that this crowded little island should provide such unspoilt countryside.
best wishes
A
I’m glad to know that you enjoyed my efforts this time around and that you found some common ground with my musings. Your commentary often contains salient points and thoughtful reflections that contribute additional value to whatever subject matter I happen to share here. I very much appreciate your attention to my writing and your willingness to patiently endure my earnest strivings in expressing my heartfelt ideas.
I think it might be more correct to say that what we PERCIEVE as “material,”–the solidity of objects–the apparent connection between mass and gravity–existing as physical beings in a physical universe–and the pain one experiences when a rock falls on our foot, all of these are real enough and exist temporally, even though on the subatomic level everything seems to break down into particles, strings, and empty space. Even energy itself exists as a phenomenon in our physical universe, but your point is well-taken. If invisible extra dimensions and mysterious dark matter and energy must exist to explain the material world, it really doesn’t seem like that much of a stretch to posit other nonmaterial levels that are fundamental to our existence as well.
Our inability to express the ineffable in words does not eliminate our ability to be aware of “multiple levels of existence and complexity,” and while the richly textured experience of existing as sentient creatures seems only to be available to each of us subjectively, there are innumerable accounts of our human ancestors throughout human history, which report the awareness of “other” nonmaterial levels, across every culture and geographic region of the world. Closed minds will never lead to any progress of the useful sort in my view.
Knowing of your interest and fondness for the “unspoilt” countryside, you come to mind now whenever I find myself traversing these splendid landscapes, and I hope that you might one day find a way to experience them as I do. I cherish my role as the “passenger-navigator,” and “map-reader,” when we travel these days, so I get to shoot film and drink in the extraordinary beauty without having to pay too much close attention to the driving. As an idealist and a creative writer, I relish each opportunity and as I walk among the forests and mountain trails, or simply sit by the fire after a long day, it seems impossible to suppose that it’s all just a fluke of the creation of our universe.
Thank you so much for your continued support and encouragement…John H.