No Theory Can Explain Consciousness

Hello friends, how are you? So, continuing with my obsession on understanding consciousness, I have recently been on an email list of consciousness experts, you know, from the Science of Consciousness Conference, from the Non-Duality Conference, and from other consciousness forums. And it's very interesting that when you follow these emails, everyone offers a theory about consciousness. So today I want to address a very important point. No theory of consciousness gives you direct understanding of consciousness. Furthermore, all theories about reality and consciousness are constructions in consciousness. So, theories about reality are constructed within consciousness, as they are formulated and understood through human perception and cognition. Consciousness is often seen as the medium through which we interpret and construct our understanding of reality. And various theories, such as panpsychism, suggest that consciousness is a fundamental aspect of the universe itself. Again, I don't subscribe to panpsychism, because it believes in the existence of matter, which I think is a human construct for perceptual activity, and we've addressed that before. But there are innumerable theories now, which also view consciousness as an emergent property of complex systems like the human brain, and on and on. But now, just bear with me for a moment. Theories of consciousness are constructed within consciousness, okay, whether we're talking about frameworks such as global neuronal workshop theory, integrated information theory, and others. Each theory is a product of conscious thought, reflecting our attempts to understand and explain the phenomenon of consciousness itself. Thus, the construction of these theories inherently occurs within the realm of consciousness. So, this deeper understanding leads me to once again, offer the direct method, which emphasizes recognizing the inherent awareness that underlies all experiences without relying on conceptual frameworks or progressive practices. It involves turning attention inward to directly experience the unity of consciousness, bypassing the intellectual analysis to realize the non-dual nature of reality. So, the direct method focuses on immediate recognition of one's inherent awareness without engaging in extensive practices or techniques. It involves turning attention inward to recognize the non-dual nature of reality, bypassing the conceptual mind and directly experiencing consciousness itself. The direct method offers several potential benefits compared to other meditation techniques. And here they are. Number one, simplicity. It aims to directly recognize one's true nature without complex practices or techniques. The instruction is simply to rest in awareness. Two, immediacy. It points to what is already present rather than trying to achieve a future state. The goal is recognizing what's already here. The seeker is the sought. Three, effortlessness. It emphasizes letting go and relaxing into awareness rather than concentrating or focusing the mind. Four, non-dual realization. It aims to dissolve the sense of separation between subject and object, leading to a non-dual experience of reality. Five, it bypasses the conceptual mind by directly pointing to awareness itself. It avoids getting caught up in concepts or beliefs. Six, radical inquiry. It uses self-inquiry to investigate the nature of the self and reality at a fundamental level. Seven, deconstructive approach. Rather than building up new states or qualities, it deconstructs existing beliefs and assumptions. Eight, it reveals inherent nature. It seeks to uncover one's already present, awakened nature rather than trying to attain something new. In fact, the cessation of all seeking leads to instant liberation. So it's potentially faster. It leads to quicker insights or realizations compared to gradual approaches. And it is applicable off the cushion. The direct method can be applied in daily life, not just formal meditation. Okay, so this is why I think we don't need theories of consciousness because they're inferential. The only way to experience consciousness is to rest in awareness. Let me know what you think. And do know that this book, Digital Deepak, is out. And we can continue this conversation with my digital twin, DigitalDeepak.ai. Okay, thanks.