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Do you know what human consciousness is?
It’s a term that gets thrown around occasionally, but there is some confusion about what it really refers to.
Consciousness is a person’s ability to be aware of their surroundings and how they respond to it.
Adding the human element reflects the idea that we, as humans, can become aware of ourselves in space and time. You could even argue that it’s indicative of our position within our own mental or emotional space.
What does all of this mean?
Have you ever wondered about the space around you, like the galaxies, the universe, and what lies beyond?
You aren’t alone. Many people, including scientists, think about this frequently.
Some of them even go as far as making it their life’s mission to study these concepts, so let’s look at what they have found. Keep in mind that these are really interesting ideas—even though they haven’t been proven scientifically.
Robert Lanza recently completed a study with peers about consciousness. They discussed how observers—that is all of us who can experience things—have a big role in how the universe and our surroundings are structured.
The general belief has always been that our consciousness, or awareness of ourselves in space, shapes the area around us.
Lanza now proposes that this might not be the truth. He asserts that what we perceive on the outside could be what we construct in our minds.
As with many things in life, an agreed-upon cognitive model exists for our surroundings. It’s a belief that because we experience things in a certain way, it’s accepted as truth.
In essence, observers shape reality. You and I are observers, so we take part in shaping our existence.
Here’s an example of how we work together in doing this:
Someone came up with the idea of a measuring system using inches and feet. Another party agreed that this is a sensible solution.
With consensus being reached, this measuring system is taken as the truth and freezes the idea of reality.
Other measuring systems have been put into practice, but the idea remains the same. As soon as we get consensus, the probability of the facts being different collapses, so we don’t question it without due cause.
All of this comes back to quantum mechanics and general relativity.
Quantum physics considers the world from subatomic and molecular levels. General relativity refers to how cosmic structures (such as black holes and galaxies) interact to form the universe.
These two scientific ideas are in contrast with each other, and there aren’t many overlaps between them.
If we consider the idea that observers create reality, then both of these scientific ideas disappear. In both cases, we can observe or experience quantum physics or general relativity, but what counts is that reality comes from these observations.
Science is an amazing phenomenon that poses many questions. It can be interesting and confusing at the same time.
The brain is one of those elusive phenomena that we wonder about frequently, but we can answer your questions about it.
Join us for the Brain-A-Thon where we delve deeper into the mind and discover how to harness its full potential.
Although speculative, we are participants in the universe, so we can shape what is around us.
We construct things like furniture, weather, and buildings through what we observe and agree upon, but there could be so much more if we allow ourselves to observe things differently.
If human consciousness can shape our physical reality, it can also shape our internal realities. That links back to the brain because it’s the epicenter of everything in us.
Our thoughts and ideas of the outside world also take place within us. Our preconceived ideas and observations bring life to our emotions, self-esteem, and self-confidence.
Another study that considered the idea of consciousness uncovered how the brain network creates connections in functional space.
The researchers used the concepts of self-location and first-person perspective to understand these ideas better, since they are the basis of self-consciousness.
A lot has been said about self-consciousness, but it all comes down to awareness. This awareness frequently comes from our senses.
Even low levels of sensory stimulation can make you more aware of your presence in space. Think about things like the wind gently blowing through your hair or the smell of fresh-cut grass. You already become more aware of where you are with these small things.
The same isn’t always true of the internal world. We don’t always pay attention to how we feel or what we think—even when there are sensory cues for this, too.
Things like hunched shoulders or butterflies in the stomach are sensory cues that reflect how we feel internally, but we aren’t always as conscious of them.
Self-consciousness occurs from two different things. The first is self-location, and the second is first-person perspective.
Self-location refers to how you experience where you are in the world.
First-person perspective describes the experience of the world based on your perceptions.
When these two concepts come together, you are more aware of your impact on your surroundings and how it affects you internally.
In several studies using fMRI testing, researchers could see how these two ideas came together by looking at how the brain hemispheres were activated by different stimuli.
It showed that the bilateral temporoparietal junction assists with self-regulation and self or other discrimination. When it experiences stimuli, it creates connections with different parts of the brain that relate to consciousness, self-location, and the first-person perspective.
The researchers also found that the mind can alter an individual’s sense of location based on previous experiences.
The best example of this is how the brain creates a phantom limb that itches in the space where a leg or arm used to be.
Similarly, researchers have shown that the brain can induce illusions of things around the body. For example, when scientists use visual technology to create a fake limb on research participants, they are acutely aware of the limb’s location in their surroundings.
Your mind is a place full of thoughts, ideas, and emotions. It’s a space that is complex with many neural pathways that make you, you.
But your brain can lie to you and distort your perceptions. That’s why you need to be conscious of it and train it.
Learn how to do this at the Brain-A-Thon.
The universe, how we are put together, and our brains are all things we might never understand fully.
What we can agree on is that everything works in mysterious ways, and our ideas shape our reality. It comes down to mind over matter.
Our perceptions describe how we experience different things in life. They also affect how things happen in the future.
For example, if you experience a social event as traumatic, then your perception of it is negative. In the future, the mere mention of these kinds of social events can trigger an emotional response because of your experience.
Mental perceptions affect every part of your life—personality, career, and relationships. If you continuously give in to mental perceptions, then you’re not observing the world (and yourself in it) objectively because you rely on preconceived ideas.
Perceptions and consciousness are based on your thoughts.
Every thought you have creates neural maps and ideas within your mind. Your brain relies on these networks when it comes to experiencing the world around and within you.
These perceptions and mental models can be good or bad for you.
They are good when you perceive danger or fear and act to protect yourself. They are bad if you miss opportunities because your perceptions have made you biased toward reality.
When you break down your mental models, you experience the world differently. You can observe things with an open mind.
Self-perception is a big thing that shapes ideas about yourself. Your beliefs and ideas about yourself can break you down or limit your abilities and self-confidence.
Challenge yourself to think about things differently. Question your own thoughts and imagine what life could be like if it were the opposite.
Identify your limiting beliefs and take a deep, internal look at yourself to identify the perceptions that place boundaries on your growth. You can change if you allow yourself to be vulnerable to new ideas and experiences.
Doing so allows you to experience life in new ways, so go ahead and reshape your reality.
It’s entirely possible to control your internal reality. You can do it every day through small actions that will shape a lifetime.
At the Brain-A-Thon, we will show you how to retrain your brain so that you can learn more from it, overcome limiting beliefs, and boost your self-confidence.
Space is limited. Reserve your spot today!
