[Buddha-l] Re: consciousness

[James Ward]

On Jun 29, 2005, at 8:17 PM, StormyTet at aol.com wrote:

> ...I am feeling that I need to get a good intellectual grounding in 
> terms of what the buddhist traditions talk about in terms of 
> consciousness integration and the problems that can arise. Does 
> anybody have a suggestion as to where to begin? 
>  
> I actually found the Tibeten Book of the Dead somewhat helpful, but I 
> am hoping for some clear cut commentary.

Hi!  I am wondering about the term "consciousness integration."  Do you 
mean the bringing together of disparate pieces of consciousness?  Or 
the integration of consciousness into an encompassing reality?  Or the 
establishment of a stable perceiver?  Or something else yet again?

It is an interesting study you have set for yourself.  It makes some 
sense that there should be changes in people's states of awareness 
accompanying changes in their communication and community structures... 
I suppose you'll have to differentiate between communication in forums 
like these (relatively quick and mercurial) and visits to web sites 
that change at slower rates?  (The latter might include creation of at 
least temporarily stable libraries made up of books, essays, news 
archives and so on, and the changes that visits to these make in 
people's experiences...)

Actually, it might be kind of hard to accumulate data on the actual 
changes in perception and thinking!  What else would you use in 
addition to testimonial evidence?

(Have you found the online dream communities yet in connection with 
this effort?  You might be interested in some of these:

"Virtual Reality Dreaming:  Wave of the Future?"
http://dreamgate.com/pomo/kellogg_virtual.htm

Articles to be found on the "Postmodern Dreaming" page:
http://dreamgate.com/pomo/

Electric Dreams and the associated DreamGate.com:
http://www.dreamgate.com/dgvc_01.htm

There are many other interesting sites, but this might provide an entry 
to some of these developments.)

As a further note on libraries, I personally feel that the increasing 
availability of Buddhist writings, canons, etc. makes an enormous 
difference at least in terms of intellectual exploration.  It's 
possible for me to do research now that was much harder in the past, in 
terms of assembling the "raw materials."  Now, how much difference has 
that made in terms of focus and awareness?  Some, to be sure -- perhaps 
you've noticed how some presentations of similar ideas "resonate" more 
meaningfully with you than others?  By making more texts / 
presentations available within the same "workspace," perhaps the 
chances of finding "meaningful resonance" are increased.  And I suppose 
the increasing number of online communities can increase the 
opportunity to find others who can help catalyze one's growth or 
self-deception.

Also, I find my patterns of attention and analysis are significantly 
different when typing this kind of communication than when speaking 
with another person face-to-face.  When typing ("right typing"?) I tend 
to spend much more time looking at concepts or phrases (and awareness), 
considering them in a manner that would probably be insufferable in 
real-time conversation.  But it's not quite the same kind of 
consideration that I used to give when writing letters...

anyway, enough -- this is already quite tangential to your actual 
request for clear-cut commentary!

Best wishes,

James Ward