Hope. When it comes to the survival of consciousness after biological death, that's what we have. But is it all we have? I would argue we also have insights gained from reports of near-death experiences (NDEs) as well as first-hand intuition, which suggest that there's a reality to this.
The consciousness that moves upon the face of the Earth is not to be extinguished.
Last April, as I was lying on the operating table in the middle of my heart attack, I had the profound – and most calming – intuition that should I slip away, I am ready for death and fear it not. Though with no idea of what would follow my physical demise.
Unlike matter, subject to entropy, consciousness evolves; in alignment, I would argue, with the unfolding of the Cosmos. We observe, we are curious, we learn. Too much to take in during a single lifetime. The journey from Zero to One is eternal; our consciousnesses are not even midway on that journey.
Consciousness is, I believe, the fundamental property of the Universe; from consciousness derives matter and energy, space and time. Our individual small 'c' consciousnesses, in the here-and-now, are participating in something far greater than that spanned by the life on the individual biological container that currently houses that small 'c' consciousness.
I feel certain that consciousness survives the demise of the physical container in which it's housed for this lifetime. The real question for me is how does this work in practice? Does consciousness migrate to a new body? Human or some other life form? On our world, in our timeline, or somewhere else? When? Straight away, or after a certain period (Christian purgatory)? Or does individual consciousness merge with the Big 'C' Collective Consciousness (the Christian notion of 'being seated at the right hand of God' in heaven, or the Hindu and Buddhist notion of nirvana)?
Both Buddhism and Hinduism hold reincarnation to be a fact. Whilst Buddhism sees individual consciousness merging into an Eternal Whole, Hinduism sees spiritual evolution as a series of bodily reincarnations (saṃsāra), with lessons learned along the ascent to a final merger into the Big 'C' consciousness.
My personal experience with exomnesia, anomalous qualia-memory events and past-life dreams suggest the Hindu interpretation , with an endless series of reincarnations into new containers, new human lives, new lessons, new learnings. But then, my strong intuition that "all who seek God shall find God in their own way" suggests a myriad paths to that ultimate oneness...
Today, I attended the funeral of Peter Hauke, another West London boy whom I knew for over 50 years, who died last month, aged 64. I have so much to be grateful to Peter; above all, Peter was instrumental in my move to Poland. One day in 1995, he popped by my house to ask if I'd be interested in doing some consulting work for the mobile-telephony company he was working for in Warsaw at the time. I jumped at the chance, and within two years I had been offered a full-time job in Poland. Peter taught me many practical things, from how to order a tidy Excel spreadsheet to the right way to sharpen a scythe. He has helped me out on my działka – the very chair I'm sitting on was a housewarming gift from him. A natural educator and serial entrepreneur, Peter had the character of an Ancient Greek logician and an Enlightenment natural philosopher. His consciousness, I am certain, abides.
Lent 2025: day 25
Words, music, memories and other mind-altering drugs
Dealing with Evil
Lent 2023, day 25
Intuition and Dreaming
Lent 2022: day 25
Writing It All Down
Lent 2021: day 25
Faith and Knowledge
Lent 2020: day 25
Chances, complacency and gratitude
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