We spend the vast majority of our dreams, in a half-conscious state. We perceive things and are stimulated by ‘external’ stimuli, but we don’t really choose our actions. So who is choosing our actions? Well, it is obviously still us, but a different part of consciousness. Therefore, it is possible to ‘choose’ our actions, without really being aware that we are choosing anything. We’re on autopilot. And it takes a great effort to get back in the driver’s seat, in full control.
Don’t you think that the half-conscious state we spend our dreams in could be similar to the state we spend our waking life in? We may be more fully conscious in waking life than dreams, but perhaps we can become even more conscious! Maybe we think we are making choices in waking life, but we only justify our actions consciously in hindsight, after our sub(half-)conscious has already made them. It just seems like sometimes we can be even more lucid in life, even though we think we have full volition.
I’m sure this has already been expressed by some Buddhist enlightenment mystic, but I’m not familiar with that, and well, I hope this doesn’t sound too mystical. I don’t intend it to sound that way or have anything to do with the paranormal or spiritual.
Going on autopilot is the brain’s way of saving energy. You just need to focus to be aware, it’s not as hard as when you’re dreaming, but even then, all you really need is to be reminded and you will take control. It takes effort, but not that much really. It depends on how conscious you want to be. It’s not mysticism. It’s mindfulness. And Buddha is the awakened one. Enlightened with consciousness.
i think of us as a system , unified , working on different tasks,
and we have access to many different energy frequencies, each of which can cause us to become more and more aware of different parts of the whole,
the enlightenment that one would get from, for instnace, the mantra Ram,
vs the mantra Om
is very very different, even if some will tell you otherwise, so too
is the difference between Buddhist NOW enlightenment, vs transcendental omniscient all knowing all and everything Yogi enlightenment
and while various people have various experiences along the way, regardless of what system they use ,
there are so many systems and tools for refining and expanding consciousness :
and in order to handle and be conscious, we require energy ,
this is why the term fasting has been coined, it is a fast track to high awareness and clarity.
