Q:

What is 'Life'? What's really 'Alive' within us?

A:

In our culture we use the word 'Life' to refer to living organisms: animals, insects, plants and, of course, us humans. This is because this is what we think 'Life' is, it's a living creature of some type. This is our usual criterion of judgement. In the science of biology, for example, 'Life' is defined as having certain definite characteristics. These include ability to move, take in sustenance, reproduce, repair itself, avoid predators, etc. Fauna and flora that have these characteristics are regarded as being 'alive'.

But does our language and usual thinking here reflect the actual truth of what 'Life' really is?

If we consider this matter a little deeper it may become clear that we're missing something of considerable significance here. Taking the average human being as an example, let us first consider their physical body. According to a lot of scientific study, their body is made up of many interdependent systems of various types: biological, mechanical, chemical and electrical. Now the major point here is that these systems are 'functionings' of various types. They are 'functionings' just as motor vehicle or a computer system is a 'functioning'. Organic systems (especially with developed brain systems) may indeed be much more complex than any machine we can currently build, but the point remains that the various 'functionings' of the systems in the human body are just that, they are 'functionings'.

Now when we directly reflect upon ourselves, we can certainly acknowledge the 'functioning' of our own body (and brain) system. But there is clearly something else present that is not a 'functioning'. And that is, 'awareness' or 'consciousness'! In fact, this 'awareness' or 'consciousness' that we are right now is categorically different to the 'functioning' of any of our bodily (or brain) systems. This 'awareness' we are is simply not a 'functioning'. We only have to check the facts of our own direct experience to see this.

Firstly, if we look, it's clear 'awareness' is always “Now”. Note, this is a critically important fact! It makes no sense to say, for example, my 'awareness' is now in the past or now in the future. 'Awareness' is always “Now”! Thoughts or feelings can be about the past or the future, but 'awareness' in and of itself is always “Now”. I'm not saying anything conjectural or hypothetical here, I'm simply stating the clear fact of our actual experience. Check for yourself!

Now something which is always “Now” cannot be a 'functioning' as in order for a 'functioning' to be a 'functioning' it has to exist in time. It has to have a state that is prior to its current state. Also, any current state is in a process of movement or change towards some future state. 'Awareness', this 'awareness' we are right now, is radically from all this. 'Awareness' is radically and completely different to any and all types of 'functioning'. In fact, to assert that 'awareness' is a 'functioning' is to make what's called in the field of philosophy 'the category mistake'. As an example of this fallacy consider the following question: “How tall is the colour green?” Here it is clear it is incorrect and rather silly to apply the concept of 'tallness' to the concept of 'greenness'. We've made a mistake in our category of description. Green can be 'dark' or 'light' but not 'tall' or 'short'. Similarly, the same is true of 'awareness' and any 'functioning' of our body or brain system. They are of different 'categories', so to speak, and so are incomparable in terms of what their essential nature is.

So it should be clear that any 'functioning' of the body or brain is not in itself 'conscious' or 'aware'. As said, the 'awareness' that we 'are' is radically different to the 'functioning' body and brain system that we 'have'. They belong to different 'categories'. Of course, if anyone's body and brain system ceased to function 'awareness' would also appear or seem to disappear to any onlooker. This doesn't necessarily mean, however, that the 'awareness' that was there is now no more. It doesn't necessarily follow. It could just mean that the connection that 'awareness' had with that particular body-brain system has now been broken.

In this context, we have to remember that we can never see anyone else's 'awareness', we can only infer 'awareness' and 'consciousness' in others from their actions and behaviour. If this behaviour ceases as in someone's death then our experience of that late person's 'awareness' also ceases. But does that mean that the 'awareness' which was that person's essential nature has also ceased? Not necessarily! 'Awareness' is always “Now”. It doesn't belong to time. Any description of 'awareness' in terms of the 'category' of time is misplaced. 'Awareness' being always “Now” is therefore incommensurate with the whole time concept of past, present and future. Bodies, brains, minds, etc (being 'functionings') are born, have their time and then die. 'Awareness' is in a radically different 'category'. Being always “Now” 'Awareness' is therefore timeless and so, consequently, neither begins or ends. 'Awareness' simply just is! Always!

These considerations consequently make clear that this 'awareness' we always are is that within us is what is actually 'Alive'. This is what 'Life' really is. It's not the 'functioning' of the systems of the body and brain that is 'alive', it is rather this ever-present 'awareness' we are right now. The 'functioning' of any system in our body is just that, it's a 'functioning'. It's a movement of chemicals or electrical impulses moving in time and space from one place to another. Sometimes resulting in the contraction of muscles or the processing of electrical signals into mental representations, as in perceptions of shapes, colours, sounds, smells, etc. None of this biological movement or electrical processing is 'alive' and 'conscious'. It's all objective phenomena, essentially 'insentient' in and of itself.

Similarly, computer software (i.e. algorithms) can process electrical information coming from hardware sensors and, based on decision-making algorithms, give rise to robotic movement. Now no-one in their right minds would suggest that a computer algorithm (lines of “if then” statements, essentially) is in any way 'conscious' or 'alive'. That would be absurd! And yet, that is what some hard-core behaviourists would like us to believe. For them even a light-switch is 'conscious'. So remember when switching on lights to properly acknowledge and comply with the 'sentient rights' due to all sentient beings. [You're allowed to laugh here, by the way!] As said, 'awareness' is always “Now”. 'Awareness' simply does not consist of a bunch of “if then” statements or a biological or electrical movement of some sort. 'Awareness' is radically different from all of that moving 'insentient' stuff.

So, in short: 'Awareness' = 'Sentience' = 'Life' = 'That within us that is really Alive'.

These considerations also imply that this 'Awareness' we really are is non-personal. We usually think (or mis-think) of our 'awareness' as being personal to ourselves. This is the unexamined assumption that usually determines or conditions our perception and opinion in this matter. Our body and brain (mind) system is certainly very personal, but lumping in 'Awareness' with these 'functioning systems' is to make, as we noted earlier, 'the category mistake'. 'Awareness' and 'functioning systems' are on different 'planes', so to speak. They are as different as earth and sky. Or perhaps more accurately, as different as open, empty space is from planetary systems. In fact from the evidence of our direct experience, one way to characterise 'Awareness' is as a type of 'Open Empty Space' in which (or to which) the various ever-changing perceptions, thoughts, feelings and sensations that result from the 'functioning' of our earthly bodily systems come-and-go.

Now given that this 'Awareness' we are right now is non-personal and in a different 'category' to a very personal 'functioning' bodily or brain system, the implication further is that this 'Awareness' is in fact in essence 'Universal'. The 'Awareness' that looks out of your eyes, so to speak, is the same 'Awareness' that looks out of mine. Our body and brain (mind) system and the whole range of our life experiences may indeed be very personal to ourselves, but in terms of that which is most essentially ourselves (i.e. 'Awareness') we are One. This may sound very cute and sweet, but logically and rationally, if we stick to the direct empirical evidence, this is so.

Of course, many present-day (2018) scientists would be resistant to what is said here. This is due to the fact that their scientific training, as in our present culture generally, is based on the assumption that 'matter' or 'material substance' is primary. Consciousness or awareness is considered by them to be an 'epiphenomenon' arising from the functioning of body-brain systems. This is just simply an error of both observation and understanding, as we alluded to earlier with considerations of 'the category mistake'. The power of materialistic thinking is so strong in our culture that it blinds us to the clear Recognition of the 'category' difference between 'body-brain functioning' and this 'Awareness' that is present right now and that is taking in these written words. 'Awareness' is the subject and knower and experiencer of all things, whether these things are functioning body-brain systems or inert objects. 'Awareness' is therefore primary, not the metaphysical conception of a supposedly independently existing material world. This is not to say that whatever gives rise to our various sensory perceptions does not exist, and that it's all just a creation of our particular brain (or mind, if we prefer that term). Such a point-of-view would be solipsism which no-one in their right minds believes in.

Whatever it is that gives rise to our experience is certainly independent of our own particular point-of-view. But we have to remember that our personal sensory perceptions are dependent on the 'functioning' of our particular body-brain system and are limited to that system. 'Awareness' in its fullness has no such limitations. 'Awareness' experiences the world (all worlds) through the functioning of the many trillions upon trillions of body-brain systems that exist. Ultimately, some say, 'Awareness' is the real substance of everything, including even microscopic cells and the dust of the Universe. Expanding our understanding of 'Awareness' to embrace its fullness is, of course, impossible for the functioning of our brains (minds) as the cognitive or knowledge aspect of the brain (mind) is essentially dualistic in its nature. Human cognition cannot transcend subject-object, this-that, positive-negative, here-there, etc. We can only get a sense of the Non-dual nature of 'Awareness' by intuition. And where does this intuitive knowledge come from, we can reasonably ask? The definition of intuitive knowledge indicates that it is 'self-generated'. 'Awareness' is our 'self'. So, where else can it come from but from 'Awareness' itself, from this always “Now” 'Awareness' that we really truly are, right now!

Present-day brain scientists, as they freely acknowledge, have a huge problem understanding 'Awareness'. This is because, as said, they are so conditioned in materialistic thinking (which is a type of unempirical metaphysical thinking) that the true non-personal and universal nature of 'Awareness' escapes them. At least at present. Scientific understanding is always progressing and paradigm shifts happen now and again. And it is inevitable that in due course Science will begin to make some headway into the understanding of this astounding 'Substance', so to put it, that is this 'Awareness' we all are.

So, in summary here, given the above considerations, it should be clear that what's really 'Alive' within us is 'Awareness'. We are this 'Awareness'. This is what's really 'Alive' here, and not the various 'functionings' of the body and brain (mind) system. They are just 'functionings'. Wondrous and remarkable in themselves, of course, but 'functionings' nonetheless.

Now by bringing attention and awareness to this 'Awareness' we are, as a practice in our day-to-day lives, will help break down the powerful conditioning that makes us believe that all that we are is just a bunch of bones and flesh (or a 'functioning' body-brain-mind system, if we prefer). Breaking down this conditioning by the practice of 'Awarefulness', so to call it, will be a massive boon in our lives. This is because the 'heavy' identification with the body-brain-mind system (where we are blind to our real nature as 'Awareness') often gives rise to all sorts of troublesome and distorted cognitive perceptions or, more plainly, a whole bunch of mental and existential problems. Being cut off, at least apparently, from our 'true nature' is an essentially unhappy state to exist in. The words, “call no man happy” did not come from someone aware of their true nature. They were in truth blind to their true nature, hence their depressing and negative stance. Now gaining the Recognition, as we have hopefully done to some degree here, of this astounding 'Awareness' we are frees us (when Recognition matures) from the many ills (cognitive or existential) that afflict so many of us. And, besides, what could be more important and valuable to us than the truth of what we really truly always are. As we have discovered, it is this obvious self-evident ever-present 'Awareness'. And, furthermore, this 'Awareness' we always are is what is really 'Alive' and present and looking out of your eyes right now!