The Architecture of Human Consciousness

[Sperry Andrews]

As unique individuating cells in the body of humanity, our creative freedom, love and joy rely on how we pay attention. What we pay attention to actually determines who and what we experience our selves to be. We are designed to "suffer" both attraction and avoidance - as pleasure and pain - whenever we do not perceive the whole of existence in a more-or-less undivided way. It's a little known fact that our best qualities can be amplified far beyond what most of us have ever experienced, simply by paying attention-to-attention itself. 'Conscious Media' can orchestrate both collective and individual attention - causing significant transformation - for theatre audiences as well as video game players. Experientially, undivided attention is indistinguishable from unconditional love and is the source of all recreative intelligence. We are designed to be an Enlightened Species: to be Awake as ONE and MANY.

As Director of the Human Connection Institute, I have spent twenty years collaborating with eminent scientists and educators - internationally - conducting both objective and experiential media-research in this field. http://www.connectioninstitute.org

[Terry]

Hello Sperry, first I would like to complement you on your efforts toward increased understanding. At the same time, I would like to examine a few points that you have expressed.

Your statement “Experientially, undivided attention is indistinguishable from unconditional love”, is not necessarily accurate. Take as an example the cat with undivided attention on a mouse hole - waiting for the mouse to emerge so the cat can pounce and devour, or the soldier with undivided attention on the enemy - waiting to kill or be killed. These are cases where “unconditional love” may not be present - even in the presence of undivided attention. Another example: The person with a toothache may have undivided attention on their pain - without having unconditional love in any form.

Generally speaking, “undivided attention” is essentially a form of concentration - otherwise known as Samadhi. However, the ability to concentrate does not always involve wisdom, compassion, or “unconditional love”.

May I suggest your use of the term “unconditional love” might benefit by defining exactly what you mean by “unconditional” and also exactly what you understand by the word “love”.

Your phrase “paying attention-to-attention” might otherwise be described as “being aware of awareness”. It is not uncommon for us to be aware, and at the same time aware that we are aware. In fact, that is known as “self awareness” - something that all human beings possess to some extent. Consciousness is always “paying attention” to one thing or another. Most commonly, the mind is paying attention to either some past memory, or some future fantasy. “Pure” awareness does not involve memory, or thought - it is simply “aware” without judgment or reaction.

In closing, I would like to encourage you to continue your noble efforts along the path of better understanding yourself and the world you live in - to your benefit, and to the benefit of others.

[Jeanne]

Interesting stuff... consciousness... and as Observe pointed out, the semantics, the language we use, the choice of words within the context... can be tricky and needs to be understood before a good discussion can evolve. In "The Science of Mind", Ernest Holmes devotes the first chapter just to defining his meaning of god... in order to lay a foundation for the remainder of the book.

The statement, "Experientially, undivided attention is indistinguishable from unconditional love and is the source of all recreative intelligence." captured my attention. And while it has a ring of truth... I wasn't comfortable with it... so I slept on it, let it digest awhile and attempted to assimilate it into my understanding.

I determined the reason it confounds me is that in my meditation practice, we first do a meditative technique to concentrate the mind... in preparation for the deep meditation to be possible. The concentration is not the meditation, but rather like a mountain climber preparing to climb the mountain in order that his efforts will be optimal in that rugged and merciless terrain. Similarly, the efforts to concentrate the mind via samadhi assists the meditator through the equally rugged and merciless terrain of the human consciousness.

It could be argued that the preparation is an equal effort to the climb, that the mere thought of doing a climb is the first step up the mountain. And that the bystanders giving assistance in one form or another are also climbing with the climber... and that those thoughts and intentions are indeed, unconditional love... or the seeds of it.

However, I'm inclined to agree with Observe's analogy regarding undivided attention on a toothache, as not being equal to unconditional love.

Great discussion, Sperry... one that could probably go on and on with on the other hand and then agains... truly the consciousness is the final frontier and I'm glad to have met you, a fellow traveler, along the journey. Metta, Jeanne

[Sperry Andrews]

Hello Hello Observe and Jeanne, You are both so right, there is no ready, succinct way to refer to what does require a careful definition of terms. Yet, I've found ~ those terms we do have ~ used over and over again by those pointing to the unconditional love they share in every way ~ in an undivided way ~ with others, who are "conscious together" of their combined attentional energies. There is a way of ~ consciously ~ "being awakeness its Self together" that literally presents an alternative level of "pure intelligence" that's intrinsic to "pure Awareness"~ its Self/non-Self ~ as an entrance'way into a two-way telepathic intelligence that's intimately embodied ~ by Many, being Awake as One. I agree words have not been used ~ much less fashioned ~ to accurately point to such an unusual characteristic, without causing the very intellectual confusion you speak eloquently of. Nonetheless, there's a phenomena to be witnessed and explored en mass. and you may be interested to join or form an online webcam group ? As this is where I am focusing my time and attention nowadays, to popularize this way of being socially transparent. May I say, as a group's attention becomes"conscious" of attention itself ~ a multiple/mind/body integration takes place, effectively replacing the separate-self with a transpersonal Self. By sharing this purity of focus, all "normal" capacities are significantly enhanced. Have either of you explored this realm ?

May I say, focusing on a toothache "with undivided attention" ( as in subject/object consciusness) might well intensify it, whereas "becoming the toothache" (via being undivided from it ~ as attention its Self) can reliably heal the toothache ~ including the physical tissue. Usually it takes an adept to succeed in this, yet unskilled groups can heal individual ailments. And, undivided attention - pure and simple - has been seen to renormalize physical tissue under a microscope. Thanks for your Interest in this discussion. I hope to hear from you both again and again. With Love, Sperry

[Erin Michelle]

hi! Sperry
i enjoyed this and read the Exceptional Human Experience article too. i especially liked the quote from Einstein about the optical delusion of conciousness. cat, mouse, soldier or toothache we're all part of the dance and all connected with unconditional love through our innate divinity. i think "eperientially" was sort of glossed over in Observe's analysis of the undivided attention/unconditional love situations.

when i lose sight of the love i want to project to others, i visualise giving them my heart. holding it out with both hands. sort of my own mental rehearsal. thank you!

love, erin

[Sperry Andrews]

Hi Erin,

Thanks for understanding 'this' and being interested
to read the Exceptional Human Experience Article!

With Love,

Sperry

____
i enjoyed this and read the Exceptional Human Experience article too. i especially liked the quote from Einstein about the optical delusion of conciousness. cat, mouse, soldier or toothache we're all part of the dance and all connected with unconditional love through our innate divinity. i think "eperientially" was sort of glossed over in Observe's analysis of the undivided attention/unconditional love situations.

when i lose sight of the love i want to project to others, i visualise giving them my heart. holding it out with both hands. sort of my own mental rehearsal. thank you!

love, erin

[Sperry Andrews]

Violettte,

Thank You for Your Note, though I'm not sure how to locate the blog you mean ?


The longest journey is from the head to the heart. I know intellectually that I need to forgive myself for not protecting my children from the verbal assaults by their father. Yet I still find it difficult to complete the journey, which would reflect unconditional love of the self. The bottom line and where it all begins.

I would like to add that the blog about the now moment uses an experience during an accident, which demonstrated the now moment without intent. The point of the blog was the second paragraph evidencing the result of mindful awareness of the now moment when one consciously employs it.

I realize too that this only covers a small part of the Architecture of Human Consciousness.

[Sperry Andrews]

Violette, I need you to be a little more specific as to exactly which two blogs you wanted me to read, as I do not have the time to read them all. With Love, Sperry

Violette Ruffley said:

Goodevening Sperry,

The blogs are on my profile page just south of my photos. They of course are continued on. I still have not got the hang of computers to any degree.