Consciousness without the inner “I”

This article is devoted to the state of consciousness without the inner “I”. This condition with a certain training can experience each person on personal experience. Perception in a given state of consciousness is very different from perception in a normal state, and in some of its aspects it can help to solve various issues regarding the human mind, which arise, including when discussing technologies of transferring consciousness into a machine, creating an artificial brain or copying a human brain, etc. .

Foreword

So it turned out that the theme of the state of consciousness without the inner “I” is not very popular. For some reason, this state is not considered in articles where they talk about robots with human feelings or try to resolve various paradoxes related to the inner experience of intelligent beings. Even among people who are interested in various mental practices, for whom this state may be one of the important peaks, there are almost no people who have experienced such a state in practice and very few who have heard about this phenomenon at all. Maybe I was just “looking badly”, since initially this state was of practical interest for me, and not a theoretical one. Including for this reason, this article will be almost entirely based on my personal experience of experiencing this condition. However, I hope it will still be at least interesting. The article will touch upon a variety of topics that may be related to this state to one degree or another, and at the end of the article you can find various ways this state can be induced in anyone.

Since the topic is difficult to understand, first you need to decide on some terms and nuances. Since this state refers to the so-called altered states of consciousness , then in the article, instead of “a state of consciousness without an inner self,” the abbreviation ASC will be used almost everywhere.

Content

* What happens when the “I” disappears

* The human body, like a robot, or almost full automatism

* Dialogues and thoughts without words or language of consciousness

* Person's personality or what's under the hood of the psyche

* Pain without suffering

* Amplitude of emotional experiences

* Why do we need "I" and why we "think" a lot

* Mentioned in other sources

* How to repeat this experience and safety

What happens when the “I” disappears

My first ASC experience was different from the subsequent ones in that the transition to the state occurred unnoticed by me after long attempts to induce the state. In the subsequent experiments of the ISS, the transition to the state almost always went through the fear of death: when it turned out to stop the flow of thoughts to an almost pure state, the resulting void began to frighten: it seemed that a little more and everything would disappear (either the world around, or you yourself) . However, if you overcome this fear and continue to plunge into this emptiness, then nothing terrible happens. The inner "I" really disappears, as a sensation. But consciousness, what it observes, does not disappear (and still covers with such a vivid feeling that it seems that this is the happiest state in the world). Only perception changes, the world is no longer divided into the concepts of "I" and "not me." Moreover, the absence of such a division is not identical to if the mind suddenly began to consider the whole world as itself (although a feeling of unity with the whole world in this state may arise, but it is not the same thing as considering the whole world as itself). It is precisely the destruction of the criterion of division, there is no longer a feeling of “this is me,” and there is no feeling of “this is not me.” At the same time, the ability to distinguish the boundaries of one’s body, or to understand one’s name, does not disappear. But it will happen without the feeling of "it is me" or "not me."

Interestingly, this condition is also due to the fact that it cannot be explained later on both to himself and to another person. This state can only be experienced and be in it in order to understand the phenomena in the world without the criterion of dividing into “I” and “not Me”. Our usual logic, for some reason, opposes understanding the world without dividing into “I” and “not Me,” although this idea without dividing the world into “I” and “not Me” is rather more correct. Arguing about such a state, one way or another, the thought wants to solve the problem through one of two states, but the third one cannot be found.

As a result, in the usual state of consciousness, we are forced to always use the idea of ​​the inner “I”, even when it is not necessary. For example, it is difficult for us to imagine a particle of an electron without transferring to it the idea of ​​its “I”. If we imagine an electron particle, we automatically feel as if we are an electron, for which there is a more energetically “advantageous” state. We have no words in the language, indicating the state of inanimate objects. Therefore, the electron appears "favorable" state, which is really no one to apply, because he does not have "I". Reflecting on evolution, we have “good” genes, “important” tasks, because we put ourselves in the place of living creatures that evolve, and thus understand what will be more profitable and not, from the perspective of the inner experience of living beings, and not from the position of the inanimate process "evolution".

The human body, like a robot, or almost full automatism

In the ASC one can also, as in the usual state of consciousness, feel one's body and control it. However, now the body is perceived differently, it is perceived as an automaton, which itself can walk, itself can bring you home from work and back, itself can cook food, and even itself can play the piano. Those. All basic skills can work automatically. At the same time you do not lose control over the body, you can still do anything. But you have a clear understanding that if you give a command to your body, for example, move your finger, your consciousness will not move your finger yourself, move your body with your finger, move “something” in the body, some mechanisms will execute your command as it should, but you will not do it personally. In fact, you yourself can not do anything in this state, you can only be a manager at a very high level, and feel how some management processes occur within your body that implement your team. Moreover, the body does not only execute your commands, it also often decides what is needed now. But you can interfere with these decisions.

Automatism of the body can be called separately from the state of ASC. For example, this is achieved by trying to “release” control over the walk, to eliminate the feeling of “I move my legs” while walking. If the technique works, you will begin to feel that your feet are going, where you need it and how it should be. At the same time, you continue to feel your legs, to feel how they move, but without feeling that you personally do this process. At the same time, control of the situation still lies with you. You simply eliminated the feeling "I'm coming." Indeed, a person usually doesn’t really control every movement, but at the same time he feels that he is allegedly “on the move.” Those. the processes in the body are simply assigned to our inner “I” after the fact.

During the very first, long and most vivid experience of the ISS, when the state began to weaken, I decided to record the video of the piano at the end. I do not have much experience playing the piano, much less the experience of creating professional music. The video simply shows that you can automatically play at the level of your skills. The melody in the video was also created “automatically” as the game progressed, specifically I did not think which keys to press, only sometimes I changed the direction of the game.

Dialogues and thoughts without words or language of consciousness

Probably everyone noticed that before you say or think something, you already have all the information in your head, which will be announced in a couple of seconds. But despite the fact that we know this information in advance, for some reason we still voiced it. It turns out a kind of "duplication" of the same information, presented in different forms. Perhaps this is the only thing that can be seen inside oneself in the usual state of consciousness.

In the ASC, voicing of thoughts does not occur (that is, you never “think” in the usual sense of the word), all information exists only in the form of sensations. Even while reading, information is assimilated without prior translation into words. A dialogue with another person in the same way will take place without “words” inside of oneself, and automatically at the same time. In the ISS, you can both completely automatically conduct a conversation with a person, and interfere with the meaning of what you want to answer. This is essentially the same “automatism” of the body, which extends to the dialogue with people, to reading, to the processing of visual and auditory information.

In ASC one can feel not only thoughts, as sensations without words, but also perceive any visual and auditory images not as sound and not as an image, but as a sensation containing all the information in it. This feeling can be interpreted in a visual image or in the sound of words, in a certain text, and the only true interpretation does not exist. Those. a sensation can be interpreted in many ways, with a partial loss of information.

For example, if we imagine a certain complex three-dimensional object, then in ASC it will be a sensation, and what we are accustomed to “imagine” in the usual state of consciousness in the form of a projection of a three-dimensional object onto a plane is only an interpretation of this sensation.

Unfortunately, it is often very difficult to interpret sensations in information that is understandable in everyday life. For example, you can feel the length of a certain object, but you cannot accurately express it in meters. Sometimes it is impossible to express a feeling at all and it turns out that you know something, but you do not understand this knowledge at the level of words, at the level of any ideas from the ordinary state of consciousness.

Consciousness, is it the work of the parts of the brain responsible for speech?

In the article on what consciousness is, a theory is described that consciousness is “distribute nervous excitement among the prefrontal cortex, associative cortex and the areas responsible for speech — this is what our“ I ”is, our consciousness or focus of perception. „

The experience of the ISS on the one hand, in principle, proves that speech and the inner self are interrelated things. However, it also proves that the consciousness and the inner Self are different things, and the first can be separated from the second. Thus, consciousness and inner speech are different things, consciousness can work without inner speech.

The identity of the person or what's under the hood of the psyche

In ASC you remain an ordinary person with all his usual desires, needs, problems inside, nothing new. However, the identity of a person in the ASC does not look like a solid monolith, it is no longer “I.” In ASC, different “sources” are responsible for different needs, tasks. “Source” is something that can be felt in yourself, which gives a certain signal to control the body. The personality of a person consists of "sources". They can fully automatically control the whole body. For example, the “source” can decide for your consciousness what to respond to a person in a dialogue with him if the consciousness does not interfere. It is the “source” that can be responsible for your hobby, create an interest in this or that business. But not all “sources” can be attributed to a person; many “sources” refer to basic things, for example, the desire to eat, breathe, etc.

Looking under the hood of the psyche, you can see a whole "orchestra" from the "sources". And they most often manage everything in life most of the time. And some of these “sources” we call ourselves, our personality traits, our personality. In fact, this is essentially the "program" of behavior.

Theoretically, the “sources” can be changed, thus changing the personality characteristics, because the “source” is an automation tool in the hands of consciousness, and not an unbreakable fundamental part of what we consider ourselves.

Pain without suffering

In the usual state of consciousness, it is difficult for us to imagine that one can experience very deep emotional states, sob, climb on the wall, lie on the floor, shout, and so that all this can be possible without suffering. It seems to us that pain and suffering are inseparable things. In ASC one can experience very deep feelings, but they will not “burn”, due to which one can dive into them more than in a normal state. Moreover, due to the fact that empathy in the ASC works well, you can experience the most deeply the experiences of another person, experience his condition as your own, understand his pain, delve into his past, fully empathizing.

The amplitude of emotional experiences

As a child I became interested in electronics. I was about 6 years old when I picked up a soldering iron for the first time. I really liked to do various homemade things, I went to the radio parts and just for all sorts of glands. However, over time, my passion became less and less “bright”, although I continued to like it.

In the ISS, the sensations are as vivid as in childhood. One day after a walk, I went to my room, I saw there, as usual, my trash from radio components, but I experienced the same thing as in childhood, as if I saw radio components for the first time. It was a sense of novelty, celebration, joy of life, which was generally that day in principle for any reason.

Feelings of novelty, celebration, joy of life are all quite ordinary sensations from the ordinary state. With age, the world becomes less and less “bright” not at all because the memories are distorted and appear brighter than they were. In fact, due to avoiding internal problems, the “amplitude” of both bad feelings and good ones decreases, and as a result, the emotional perception of the world becomes more and more “neutral”. In this regard, ASC allows you to return perception to full capacity. In the ISS, you can make yourself do so just to go out for a walk in the evening in your bedroom area.

Why do we need "I" and why we "think" a lot

I spent a very long time practicing ASCs, and I was looking for reasons why the state eventually passed. One of the practices that I was engaged in was simply to follow the thoughts that arise in my head and try to feel the reason for their appearance. From practical observations it turned out that any thought voiced in the head has a hidden experience. Roughly speaking, a person is always under the pressure of feelings, but is not aware of this. Instead of experiencing a person “thinks” about something. It can be music in the head, it can be reflections, and there can be reflections even about ISS, there can be a philosophy, there can be thoughts on work. However, the verdict of any voiced thought alone is suffering. But due to the transfer of emotions into abstract words, suffering is not experienced as an emotion. I make the assumption that the inner self is a mechanism of psychological protection from experiences, which works by separating the experiences. Roughly speaking, the label “it's not me” is put on internal discomfort, due to which it becomes easier to live. And in order for this distinction to work, it must be constantly supported by thoughts in my head.

Based on this assumption, it also follows that the practice of suppressing thoughts in the head cannot be effective, since they do not eliminate the cause of the appearance of thoughts. The reason is that a person cannot or does not want to deal with his feelings, hides them from himself. To some extent it is his choice. For the same reason, any methods that do not eliminate the “choice” of a person “not to pay attention to their experiences” cannot be effective at all. This is where their temporary action comes from.

Mention in other sources

This state of the ISS is mentioned in the works of Viktor Argonov . Many of the states that affect the musician in his works, were considered in this article from the point of view of personal experience. However, with the position of Victor, I generally disagree.



Crossing the Line - Part 5: Behind the Line

Also, the state of consciousness without the inner “I” is described as silence of the mind in the writings of the Indian philosopher, poet and revolutionary Sri Aurobindo . Much of what is described in his books coincides with my personal experience. And considering that I read it already after the first experience of ASC, I was especially pleased to see it.

Also, on a tip from a professor of biology, there are practitioners who have “seriously cleaned the religious peels” of Gurdjieff .

Perhaps this is all I know about this topic from other sources.

How to repeat this experience and safety

Anyone can call the ASC. After the start of training it is only a matter of time. But first, a little safety under the spoiler.



Now we continue. Personally, I first enter the state of “love for everything”, in which unity with the whole world is felt, and you can feel love even for the sand under your feet. This state is easier to call than to disconnect the inner "I", so it is better to start with it. Moreover, in this state, you can then track your thoughts and work through the experiences that cause these thoughts, then to enter the ASC. The technique is given under the spoiler.


After mastering the technique, you can proceed to the ISS. To do this, it is enough to continue the tighter practice, but in parallel, working with thoughts in my head. It is important to stop them. For this, I propose to work with feelings that evoke thoughts. It is necessary to dive into your own experiences and “pull” them to the level of another understanding of the world, where these experiences cannot exist, since their “logic” collapses. This is realized tritely "love" to the suffering part of himself.

Some conclusions

• ISS can show by personal experience that the world actually looks quite different. In the real world there are no concepts of "my", "I", and the beauty is that it is in such a world that there can be real happiness, because otherwise the suffering would be real. Suffering is possible only as long as the suffering one exists (ie, the inner Self).
• ASC allows you to see that a multitude of human abilities are separable from consciousness, and therefore, to study consciousness directly, you can filter out all unnecessary.
• ISS shows that if a person has free will (in the form of interference of consciousness in processes), then we use it, in any case, not so often, because most of the time our parts of the psyche decide for our consciousness, which is essentially an "autopilot" .
• Together with the disappearance of the inner speech, the inner “I” also disappears, but the consciousness does not disappear. Therefore, it is not yet known what exactly to transfer to the “machine”, and what exactly to “copy” into the artificial brain from the present, so that one can speak about the transfer of “consciousness”.
• Almost all people live under constant pressure of internal problems, which is expressed in the presence of “voicing thoughts”. "Thoughts" are the result of escape from the experience. In this case, such a solution to the problem does not in fact solve internal problems, but it is easier to