If I asked about your process of thinking, would you be able to answer? When you think of something, does it simply pop into your head, or do you see or hear the words? You might believe the very question to be absurd, feeling that there is no process…we just think. We are our brain, the organizer of our reality, and that organ generates thought and creates consciousness. We don’t often wonder how we can breathe and see, so why would we question thought? However, the great mystery for some is how a three-pound mass of mostly fatty tissue can be the sole generator of all our thoughts. Even more perplexing, how do these firing neurons and electrochemical processes in our brains produce love, empathy, or the appreciation for the arts?
Some scientists believe that the brain never stops thinking, even though it may be processing information that is stored in our subconscious and not part of our general awareness. Stuff in this background might be information collected as the result of our experiences and environment. In this model the brain collects all the data, much like a computer, and then does the thinking for us. Of course, this means that the essence of who we are, our spiritual fiber, is not reflected in the data or processes of one hundred billion neurons.
What if some information and thoughts are generated externally as opposed to an internal manufacturing plant? It seems inconceivable to me that firing neurons can result in our total reality. I think it more likely that we are hybrids of a sort. Our brains can store information of which we are not consciously aware, and this information can later be retrieved through recall, dreams, or Deja-vu like experiences. I often have dreams that are simply a rehashing of recent events, and these dreams to me seem disjointed and meaningless. On the other hand, I also have inspirational thoughts, ideas, and dream visitations that I am convinced emanate from a non-physical source.
By non-physical I am referring to a source that cannot be explained by known physical laws. Extra-sensory perception, the reception of information that does not involve the known senses, is an example of such communication. Scientists often attribute their great discoveries to information that simply pops into their head or appears in their dreams. Artists and musicians often talk about such things and rely upon such reception and inspiration in their work. It is as if the universe is filled with fields of information waiting to be accessed, and our brains may or may not play a role in such reception. Our minds are most likely different from our brains and can act independently. Of course, this would explain the afterlife, survival after physical death, as our consciousness moves on after separating from the physical body.
One wonders whether there is a way to distinguish between brain generated thoughts and reasoning as opposed to reception from a non-physical source. There are certain instances where the distinction seems obvious, but most of the time we pay little attention to such differences. I have always found that when I come up with something of which I previously knew nothing about, the thought or inspiration comes attached to what I can only describe as a knowing. It’s just an inner feeling that I am the receiver of something and not the source.
There are more questions than answers when it comes to the nature of consciousness. Do we occasionally tap into fields of information? Are we connecting with other human beings and exchanging thoughts? Are thoughts sometimes implanted into our consciousness by entities no longer in the physical realm? I suspect that all these things are in play. Perhaps the next time you have an idea, or an inspiration, you should put the ego mind aside and simply give thanks to the universe.