There are many different versions these days of theories which address what it means to be a human being, and in all fairness to the authors of these many versions, since many other species on our planet share certain characteristics with humans, and since we cannot claim that any of our talents and capacities make … Continue reading The Way It Feels To Be Human
Another day has brought a transformation in perception and an alteration in my experience of winter's wallop... A stark contrast in the illuminated brilliance of the morning and a striking difference in the play of light as I opened my door... The palm tree near the window basked in the warmth of the sunlight, which … Continue reading What A Difference A Day Makes
As the storm began on Friday...there was only a hint of what was to come... This morning...the world looked remarkably different on the surface...but underneath it all...the foundation remains the same... Upon waking this morning...the ferocity of the winter storm had clouded my view out the bedroom window... ...But it also revealed a hidden intricate … Continue reading Winter’s Withering Wallop
...the very observation is an act of creation, and that consciousness is doing the creating. ~ Gregg Braden Opening up the front door this morning brought the image above into consciousness for me, and now for all of my visitors and readers here at John's Consciousness. The first snow of 2016 may seem like an … Continue reading Winter’s Promise of Spring
The times when I am at my quietest is when I am best able to recall the connection of souls, lingering in memory. Perhaps, as a memory, reflecting on the connection seems delightful in a way that is sometimes difficult to see when we are actually experiencing the connection. Gazing upon those we love, and … Continue reading The Connection of Souls
In his acceptance speech for the Nobel Prize, William Faulkner addressed important elements surrounding the "poet's, the writer's duty:" "I feel that this award was not made to me as a man, but to my work – a life’s work in the agony and sweat of the human spirit, not for glory and least of … Continue reading A Universal Spiritual Perspective
According to Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, intelligence is defined as: noun 1. capacity for learning, reasoning, understanding, and similar forms of mental activity; aptitude in grasping truths, relationships, facts, meanings, etc. 2. manifestation of a high mental capacity: "He writes with intelligence and wit." In a recent study conducted at the University of Western Ontario, researchers … Continue reading An Artificial Version of Human Intelligence?
In my previous post, I wrote about author Richard Brautigan, whose success in the late 1960's and throughout the 1970's brought him great notoriety and financial rewards for a time. His tendency to engage in a variety of self-destructive behaviors, and a degree of recklessness in attending to his own well-being, over time, ultimately led … Continue reading Crossroads
"There is something in the mountain air that feeds the spirit and inspires." -- Henry David Thoreau from his essay, "Walking," 1862 Once again, after a long hiatus due to the complications of modern life, I had the privilege of traveling into nature's cathedral, unwinding from the relentless demands of daily life, and drifting into … Continue reading September Journey
August has nearly flown by this year, due in large part to the rapid pace of life these days for me, but also by virtue of the daunting blank page that has been staring back at me these past several months. There have been lots of ideas and thoughts and musings percolating in my heart … Continue reading August Musings
John's Consciousness 