The Brain

Have you ever experienced a day so perfect that you wished it would never end? A day without traffic, where every traffic light turned green, and no annoying individuals crossed your path? We all have those moments. However, as with every day, what goes up must come down. Let's shift our focus now to the opposite end of the spectrum: a day filled with frustration, heavy traffic, reckless drivers, and that one bothersome coworker who assumes you're friends. The list could go on because, as humans, we tend to be more easily angered than truly happy. Sometimes, anger can consume us, transforming us into entirely different individuals.

As the wise Buddha once said, "Anger is like a poison that you drink and expect the other person to die." It is crucial to realize that the anger we experience is a chemical reaction in our Homo sapiens brains. Epinephrine and norepinephrine are the culprits responsible for this phenomenon. While delving deeper into the science of these chemicals is worthwhile, it's important to understand that they are released when we become angry. Similarly, happy chemicals are also limited in supply, which is why perpetual happiness eludes us. The ideal state of mind to strive for is Nirvana—neither angry nor ecstatic but rather a place of complete inner peace.

In your daily life, try to be more conscious of the things that anger you. Observe your subconscious reactions, bring them to your conscious awareness, and realize that they are merely chemical reactions in your brain. Don't allow them to transform you into an animal. Similarly, for moments of happiness, it's essential to recognize what truly brings you joy. Endlessly scrolling on social media, consuming non-functional drinks, indulging in drugs, and eating processed junk food only provide fleeting and artificial happiness. Even indulging in unnecessary materialistic possessions through shopping does not bring true fulfillment. These chemicals have kept humanity in a state of ignorance for far too long.

Take a moment to close your eyes and observe the chaos of your mind without interacting with your thoughts—just let them be. Emotions and thoughts are not as intrinsically connected as we have been led to believe. When angry chemicals are released, our thoughts may turn angrier, and the same principle applies to other emotions. It may seem like emotions and the mind are intertwined, but this is largely due to the influence of the ego, also known as the default mode network (DMN). The DMN is a complex brain network that has evolved to create a sense of self. For example, when a dog urinates on a tree to assert dominance, that is its ego in action. In humans, the ego manifests itself when we judge others, such as perceiving someone as physically unattractive. The DMN controls our ego, much like the brainstem controls vital bodily functions. The strength of our ego determines how strongly we are affected by emotions. If we have a powerful sense of self and become angry, our anger will intensify, leaving no room for consciousness to intervene. Being controlled by our own brains is not enjoyable, especially when we are unaware of it.

Modern Western science concludes that consciousness originates in the brain, but there is no concrete proof to support this claim. In fact, it appears that our brains act as receivers of consciousness. Similar to how a radio tunes in to a specific frequency to play a particular station, our brains, composed of billions of atoms, receive and transmit consciousness. Although these atoms are too small for human eyes to perceive, they form the fundamental building blocks of our physical reality. Consciousness, on the quantum level, stores information. It is challenging to provide a simple explanation, but similar to radio frequencies storing information in a measurable physical form, consciousness stores information on a quantum level. The intricate neural connections in our brains allow us to receive consciousness and grant us human-like consciousness. Animals with fewer neurons have their own specific consciousness. Intelligence and consciousness are intertwined, as greater consciousness arises from larger brains, enabling more advanced cognitive abilities. A cat, for instance, possesses less consciousness and intelligence than a human, resulting in a different level of awareness. When attempting to understand an animal's thoughts, we can only perceive them as sounds. A cat's mind consists of a collection of animalistic sounds, but its consciousness and intelligence do not comprehend them as thoughts; they are simply a normal part of life, prioritizing survival over existential contemplation.

Understanding consciousness and ego, we can now explore their impact on our world. As mentioned in my previous post on ego, the ego craves power and control over others. Consequently, individuals who are unconscious of their ego and attain positions of power often commit heinous acts (e.g., Hitler, Stalin, etc.). Throughout history, all wars have been driven by ego. Powerful individuals desire certain things and are willing to kill other nations to fulfill their desires. However, do they truly need those things, or is it merely their ego attempting to find happiness? Your ego might resist this idea, claiming that consciousness originates from the brain and cannot be anything else. Its evolutionary purpose is to anchor itself in the human experience and prevent us from breaking free from the simulation by identifying with our bodies.

Let me share a couple of stories among thousands that strongly indicate consciousness exists beyond the brain. Consider the case of two identical twins who tragically passed away at a young age. Overwhelmed by grief, their parents decided to have more children, this time in a different city, far from the place of their previous twins' passing. These new twins grew up leading normal lives, attending school, making friends, and so on. However, from birth, they had an inexplicable fear of cars. Their parents could not understand why both twins were so afraid of cars since they had never been involved in an accident or had any close calls. Curious, the parents decided to visit their old town, showing the twins various structures. To their astonishment, the twins accurately identified and named the structures they had never seen before. The parents had never mentioned these structures to them, as it was too painful to discuss the place where their previous twins had died. How could these young children know the exact names of those structures? It suggests that their higher consciousness (their soul) retained memories from their previous incarnation before they died in a car accident. This story alone opens up a tunnel of possibilities related to reincarnation.

Another story involves an elderly gentleman suffering from severe dementia. The disease had progressed to the point where he had forgotten his identity, his family, and everything around him. The family prepared for his departure, saying their goodbyes, when suddenly he rose from his bed, looked at his family, and engaged in a lucid conversation, reminiscent of when he was 30 years old. And then, he passed away. How could someone labeled as a vegetative state by doctors suddenly rise up and have a coherent conversation? It was the brain's last attempt to console his family and reassure them that they would be okay.

The YouTube video linked here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPGZSC8odIU or right below, provides more insights from an intelligent doctor who presents compelling evidence that consciousness exists beyond the brain, consequently lending support to the existence of the soul. If consciousness continues after death, then it must be synonymous with the soul. Remember this: your ego will resist these ideas and present "convincing" counterarguments, insisting that you are merely a human body. Yet, that is precisely the purpose of the ego. Even after achieving enlightenment, it will continue to challenge and distract you. Only when your consciousness vehicle ceases to exist will the ego dissipate.

If we, as a collective, understood that we are vessels of consciousness rather than miserable human beings, we could resolve many conflicts. Instead of engaging in wars and disputes, we could collaborate, focusing on scientific advancements and innovation. Rather than individuals toiling away in dead-end jobs their entire lives, we could embrace the human experience, gaining valuable insights and pushing the boundaries of knowledge. This is the path to liberation from our self-imposed constraints.