body ego consciousnessIn the last post we talked about two layers of human consciousness, body consciousness and ego consciousness, suggesting that because the latter is able to stand outside of, and observe the former, it is a deeper part of our humanity.
We also noted that there is an additional layer of consciousness that is able to stand outside ego consciousness and observe it.
What part of us is observing ego-consciousness?
reptilian brainIt would be reasonable to assume that the observer function we experience, is rooted deep in our brains;
– maybe deep in the subconscious;
– perhaps the reptilian/mammalian brain;
– maybe a Jungian-complex part of us…
Perhaps it is some deeper dimension of ego-consciousness that is able to watch us thinking thoughts and feeling feelings.
consious subconscsiousAnd this would seem reasonable, except that as we dig into our subconscious; as we unearth our hidden parts; as we bring stuff up from the tacit to the explicit; no matter how deeply we go, when we get there, our inner observer is right there, observing away. As soon as we become aware of some deeper part of us, some other part of us can stand outside the thought or feeling, and watch us having it.
As soon as we unearth something in our subconscious, the inner seer is right there seeing. As soon we become aware of a subconscious thought or feeling, the ever-present observer-self is right there observing. We can ignore the experience (we often do), we can avoid or even suppress it, but if we’re paying attention, it is always there.
So what is this deep, observing-self part of us?
Well, let’s examine it.
observer selfBut that’s a problem. As soon as we look at the looking part of us…   we become the looking part of us.  As soon as we observe the observing part of us, we become the observing part of us. As soon as we watch the watching part of us, we become the watching part of us.
There’s the rub: Observe the observer… and we become the observer.
This deep part of us doesn’t really allow itself to being studied.
So, here is this very deep part of our human consciousness that we can experience, but we can’t really study, define, dissect, or analyze.
unknown
It’s a mystery.
A deep mysterious part of us.
Most days we don’t even think about this mysterious layer of observing consciousness. But if we would deepen our spirituality and walk the Apophatic Way, it would behoove us to do so.
Next post.

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