Get Email Updates • Email this Topic • Print this Page
Boagie, I understand what you are saying here. However, I consider the brain to the what you are talking about rather than the mind. Mind being universal and spiritual, brain being the molecular structure seated in the head which records the physical sensations of the body. The brain being the device, the mind being creation and creativity.
Therefore, I would think that the person who thinks solely with the brain is living in the physical universe of matter. The one who thinks in the light of the mind, is one who thinks internally, spiritually, etc etc. So brain and mind could not be considered the same thing.
The body, depending on ones understanding of consciousness... regardless, would be the vessel of the mind. People are under the misconception that they are their body and that's not correct. If you were to sever your arm off and toss it over on the other side of the room, would you be your arm? No, you are still you which is not the body but the mind or spirit. The poem is not the poet, the music is not the musician and the creation is not necessarily the creator.
Those are my thoughts on your post and I really cannot go any further with my understanding. We are one community separated by the physical. So when we build others, in essence, we build the community. When we destroy others, we destroy community.
Look forward to your thoughts....
Meditation Alters Brain Structure
The regular practice of religious mediatation affects the physical structure of the brain, which is to say that the brain is a function of the mind,
QED.
Meditation Alters Brain Structure
The regular practice of religious mediatation affects the physical structure of the brain, which is to say that the brain is a function of the mind,
QED.
:)Boagie, I'm not sure what is meant my consciousness of the body.
Universal mind that I refer to is the one source of all creation. I believe that there is only one source and one mind divided in the light of creation. Some refer to this as God. So when I refer to Universal Mind, I'm speaking of God.
My point is not the rating of parts nor does it come from early Christian teachings. Christianity, that I know identifies with the body. My point with the arm was that how can you be your arm? What if it was your leg that was severed and thrown across the room... are you your leg? Who are you then?
Once the spirit leaves the body, the body breaks down from a very complex assortment of elements to a very simple form. This causes your body to begin to smell and start to deteriorate... brain included. The brain is a physical structure of matter within the body which is also matter. The mind (or spirit), however is much greater than that of the body. Although the body is going to die or refold back into the universe, the energy of the spirit is eternal and forever.
The body produces nothing. It is a tool used to manifest the creation of the mind or spirit. A mans body is simply a vessel in which he can control with his mind. The body has no ability to do anything other than what the soul permits. All of these things... mind, spirit and soul can be considered One thing. It can of course be referred to as Father, Son and Holy Spirit as well. It depends on how one was taught.
Our body is the expression of our mind. What our body does, the relationships our body forms, and the illness our body attracts are manifestations of the mind. There is no greater source than the Universal mind which is present in every living being.
The difficulty with this is that we are trained right from birth to think with our physical brain. We are trained that we are prodigal sons of God. We grow up learning by the use of our 7 senses. We are told that is hot, and when we touch it, it is hot and that sense is recorded by the brain. We are taught to study and do homework and to read and learn from history, these are all the knowledge of the senses. No new knowledge comes from that. There are not many, if any schools that teach children to think with their mind rather than their brain. So humanity as a whole is taught only that which the scientific world can explain and can be measured by the senses of the body. Well, if man is not 'body', then what is man?
In your last statement you said: "An inventor might do well to look for the models of his creations in the biology of his own being." All great inventors already do this. However, they don't look for it in biology, they actually invent it in their mind first then create the manifestation of it in the physical realm. Biology is short lived, just as our lives are short lived... (our physical existence), but our mind is not our body and is forever.
When it comes to identity, people make the grave mistake of forming their identity based on the physical creations surrounding them... like, what car they drive, how they are dressed, who their click of friends are and all those other things, and this is because people can identify with this kind of status quo type stuff. However, this type of identity is false. Mankind will continue to falsely identify himself with physical world of earthly things until he understands that he is not his body and his identity is not something separate from God and his creation.
In Christian teachings, we are taught that we are separate and distant from God and anything else is blasphemy. When in truth, we are creation of God and not separate from him... But, how is one to know that when they are instructed only on the teachings of the world rather than the teachings of the divine light that is present in all creation.
I hope I have been able to somewhat explain my original post. Certainly look forward to your thoughts on this and anyone else who cares to join in.
Mind simply is not an organ at all. Brain is an organ, mind is not.
Mind precedes all mental states. Mind is their chief; they are all mind-wrought. If with an impure mind a person speaks or acts suffering follows him like the wheel that follows the foot of the ox.
You've made some valid points and I appreciate your response. I think that we are just semantically apart in the word 'mind'. To this I will refer to what Perplexity has stated above:
Unpure mind, unpure spirit... when I refer to mind I'm not at all referring to the brain. Mind was present long before brain and body. Therefore, mind is above all and more powerful than all. Mind manipulates matter... however, for many, matter manipulates brain... Certainly and interesting topic. Anyone else care to expound on this?
As to the statement the mind proceeds mental states well that really is a no brainer isn't it, it is still a function of mind.
Perhaps you could tell me were I might observe a mind independently in operation.