When our awareness expands, there is the freedom to observe and understand what lies beyond the limited sphere of the conventional mind. There is the expansive consciousness that may be called the Universal Consciousness. When it functions through the brain (which is the physical organism), it issues out the mind as a stifled outlet of the Consciousness. The sequence in the wider field of awareness seems to be as follows: Universal Consciousness -> Brain -> Mind
This indicates that the perception by the Mind is always influenced by the Brain as a repository of memories and as an interpreting medium relying on the accumulated knowledge. The Brain also carries the genetic conditioning apart from the conditioning by circumstances in which the human being finds himself or herself. This causes the mind’s cognition and interpretation to be a matter of conditioned output and so it leads to improper understanding of what there really is. One of the inevitable outcomes of this warped awareness is the rising of the ego which is essentially a product of thought.
Thus, if we can reverse the above process, we begin to get a glimpse of the unspoiled Consciousness. It is evidenced by the following two ravishing experiences that human beings have gone through over the years:
1. OBE (Out of Body Experience)
2. NDE (Near Death Experience)
They have also demonstrated the significant fact that Consciousness can function without the Brain being involved.
Once we explore into the above aspects of Consciousness, Brain and Mind, it would appear as if we have returned to our real home. This feeling is often expressed by the NDE people. That lays the right foundation for peaceful living. In the absence of this, the mind functions within a limited sphere causing a lot of harm for oneself and others. Moving into the wider consciousness expands our perspectives and brings about a calming effect on our responses - on our nerves too! We become eager to understand what lies beyond the conventional outlook of the mind. It induces a touch of natural spirituality to our daily lives. Any spirituality through an exclusivist religious system can only be a matter of conditioned response. It cannot bring in earnest self-awareness and the open-minded exploration into the unknown. Exposing ourselves to the messages of NDE and OBE can help us move into the region beyond the conditioned cocoon of the mind and strike a new trail untouched by the propaganda of vested interests.
Upon showing interest in this matter of expanding consciousness, we discover an enveloping hollow space surrounding the mind. We sense the difference between functioning from there and functioning from the conventional mind. The immediate effect is seen in the compassion that expresses itself in our relationship with the near and dear ones. Then, like the circular ripple from the impact of a stone thrown in a pond, the unconditional love spreads to others in ever-widening circles.
The understanding of the vaster consciousness is non-verbal, unlike the matters of the mind which are verbal. The verbal accumulation, a necessity in the field of science and practical issues, becomes a burden in the field of spirituality. It would be a matter of great relief to know that our true home lies in the other realm. The website http://spirituality.yolasite.com would be of interest to you.