Peter Russell - What is Consciousness? - Pt 2/6

Peter Russell is a fellow of the Institute of Noetic Sciences, of The World Business Academy and of The Findhorn Foundation, and an Honorary Member of The Club of Budapest.

At Cambridge University (UK), he studied mathematics and theoretical physics. Then, as he became increasingly fascinated by the mysteries of the human mind he changed to experimental psychology. Pursuing this interest, he traveled to India to study meditation and eastern philosophy, and on his return took up the first research post ever offered in Britain on the psychology of meditation.

His principal interest is the deeper, spiritual significance of the times we are passing through. He has written several books in this area -- The TM Technique, The Upanishads, The Brain Book, The Global Brain Awakens, The Creative Manager, The Consciousness Revolution, Waking Up in Time, and From Science to God.

As one of the more revolutionary futurists Peter Russell has been a keynote speaker at many international conferences, in Europe, Japan and the USA. His multi-image shows and videos, The Global Brain and The White Hole in Time have won praise and prizes from around the world. In 1993 the environmental magazine Buzzworm voted Peter Russell "Eco-Philosopher Extraordinaire" of the year.

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[deltrontheory]

@acuaman42 Thank you for taking the "time" to share these perspectives. I appreciate it. With that in mind, I will be doing further investigations with some of the pointers you have provided.. and, as I'm sure you're no doubt expecting, there will arise, once again, something resembling an evolutionary imperative to get back to you with additional queries.. Hope you wont mind when that "time" arrives :) Cheers.

[acuaman42]

@deltrontheory Following your questions, another way to understand the hologram is by NONDUALITY which is a kind of ancient philosophy and in the UK the one who explains it is Tony Parsons. If you have some time see his two videos at his web site THE OPEN SECRET. It appears that quantum physics and nonduality, some apparent day, will be just one explanation to the hologram. Good luck

[acuaman42]

@deltrontheory I lecture quantum physics at a university and the most complex concepts for the students to understand are the ones you ask. Reality is a concept. Like in your dreams when you appear in them, are "you" real there? The hologram is created by the quantum vacuum. If you have some time read THE GRAND DESIGN by Stepehen Hawking. It is free on the net, I hope you will be able to understand it.

[deltrontheory]

@acuaman42 Define "reality". Also, if, as you suggest, we are 'in' 'the hologram', then it implies we can be 'out' of 'the hologram'. Btw, who or what do you think creates the hologram? Do you suppose it [the hologram] came out of matter (upward causation), or consciousness (downward causation), or something other?

[acuaman42]

@deltrontheory In the hologram we are in, time appears to exist and when you are in deep sleep there is no time and no space. It is not that you are "outside of time" it means that there is no time at all. As you wrote, all depends on the apparent perspective you are looking from. By the way, there is no reality.

[deltrontheory]

@acuaman42 Another way of looking at it is that time is illusory, BUT when youre in timespace the "reality" that time is illusory is itself not apparent. In the same way, when you are 'outside of time' (if such a thing is possible), the "reality" that TIME EXISTS is not apparent. Which one is actually really "real"..? Or is it a case of 'depends on which perspective youre looking from'?

[deltrontheory]

@acuaman42 So what about stepping in and out of time? Is such a thing possible do you think? And if you think/believe it is, why would it be desirable to achieve, and/or why would such a thing even be considered an evolutionary progression or evolution of consciousness? Or would you say that that is also just an illusion and therefore not worthy of attainment or even consideration?

[acuaman42]

@deltrontheory You are perfectly right. As long as there is an "I", there is time and apparent evolution, when there is no "I", like in deep sleep, there is no time and no evolution.

[deltrontheory]

@acuaman42 I think that while time may be illusory at a more fundamental level, so long as we perceive time in frames, we are subject to the "reality" of time... i.e., our consciousness appears to evolve... and that's okay :)

[deltrontheory]

@acuaman42 I dont think we need to assume that there is evolution of consciousness when our own direct experience provides us with proof. It's like you know things now, for instance, that you didnt know before. I think what Hawking is saying, though, is that from another, more fundamental, perspective, time is illusory.. but I also think that while we are in "time," evolution of consciousness exists... when we are out of time, evolution of consciousness ceases to exist.