Functional Illusions

There are many functional illusions that we operate from automatically and very seldom question. Unless you have tendencies toward philosophy or mysticism, it might never occur to you that the only existence you can be certain of is your own; everything else could be the product of your brain's output or the brain's five sense interpretation of some raw generic substance that, in combination with you as the observer, makes up existence.

We generally do not consider the functional illusions we operate from because it would pretty much drive us crazy. Can we conceive of no beginning and no end, or does everything require a cause for us to have it make sense? Causal reality is a functional illusion. Who is to say that cause and effect are absolutely necessary? Might something have always been and always will be? The human mind rejects the thought in a way similar to how it rejects the thought of a reality lacking the forward flow of time. No past, no present, no future...only a constant moment of 'Now'? For many a constant 'Now' is hard to conceive, let alone achieve.

We are provided from birth with our functional illusions and when they do not develop, we think of it as a problem or a disability. Curious then, how we strive as adults to recapture that moment before the illusions set in and call it a spiritual journey.

Comparisons...

AUTISTIC - Mystical

1. Fact based consciousness - Thoughts and experiences organized chronologically or by logical categories (Philosophical thinker; many features of what we commonly call reality cannot be proven as being real) (Are events organized Chronologically or Sequentially? Do logical categories mean by relationship to each other?)
2. Knowledge as the goal, analysis as the tool - The autistic has simple desires, such as to fulfill curiosity and avoid trouble (Desire for peace and exploration; witness consciousness)
3. Emotions are at the edges of consciousness, tying together any unexplainable areas (Similar to how the God concept is used to explain the unexplainable)
4. Thinks in imagery. Audio-visual imagination separated from tactile senses (like watching a movie) (Spiritual Tongue; ability to visualize; pre-language; thoughts without words; poetic pictures) (Some call the state of being this document describes a modabid. A modabid is a dream of colors and spoken images.)
5. Self has an open boundary - tends assume that other people are like them and trusts them equally (I am You, You are me) (Namaste)
6. Consciousness does not "mark" non-verbal behavior as important, thus dismissing them as irrelevant (mind takes precedence over body, the mind may not be in full control of the body)
7. Consciousness experienced mostly through the self as the experiences and thoughts of an individual (Subjective reality)
8. Locus of control weak or missing - the autistic does not experience a strong sense of control over his thoughts, emotions and deeds ("God's will, not mine" Pre-determined universe. Submission of the individual will. Detachment)

(Strict rituals - repetitive ritualistic activity - religious ceremony; sacred rites; structured prayer)


NON-AUTISTIC - Physical

1. People based consciousness - Thoughts and emotions are organized by human archetypes or experiences with people (Stereotypes)
2. Fulfilling desires as the goal, exercising influence as the tool - All thought, words and deeds are aimed to create the right influence among other people to achieve desires (Manipulation)
3. Emotions at the core of consciousness, indistinguishable from other conscious experience (Emotions and desires over mind and reason)
4. Tactile senses complement audio-visual imagination without any separation in one's imagination (Sight and Touch are fused; non-physicality is taken as not being possible; religion over spirituality)
5. Self has a closed boundary - tends to bond with those they feel "comfortable" with; regulates people with different levels of trust & information access (A sense of Separation and Difference; I am not you; you are not me)
6. Consciousness reacts instantly to subtle changes in non-verbal cues: Reactive Predictive Communications (physical hyper-vigilance...? More manipulation...?)
7. Consciousness experienced mostly through one's social circle as the collective impression one has created (not really interested in others but of the impression they have of you) (They tell you what they want you to believe rather than telling you the truth yet still believe they are indeed telling you the truth)
8. Locus of control inherent - the non-autistic experiences his thoughts, emotions and deeds as willed by himself (Individual will rules; concept of free will is firmly established; Master of my own Destiny)

Consciousness and NDE

Consciousness is here defined as a state of being in which mind and living matter are associated and in contact with each other; this contact may be temporarily broken, in which case the entity (mind / matter association) is said to be unconscious (non-functioning). When this contact is permanently severed, the entity is said to be dead or comatose. In a comatose state, the mind / matter association that comprises the entity may continue until the living matter can no longer support life, at which point the entity enters a state of death; the previous mind / matter association dissolves and contact is permanently severed.

Living Matter.
Inert matter becomes living matter through an organization of individual parts (cells) into a subsequent or simultaneous integration of (biological) function.

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At some point in the creation of an entity, an association is formed between mind and living matter (mind in this context is not to be confused with intellect, nor is it to be confused with consciousness). Near Death Experience (NDE) may be the subjective observation of this process working in a somewhat diverse way. Consider: With NDE the physical body is empty of life yet still capable of sustaining life. The living matter of the body is in between life and permanent death - not yet irreversibly dead. The display of light, promise of contentment and expressions of love and peace may be how living matter attracts a mind in the formation of an entity. The living matter romances the mind and if successful, captures it (or recaptures it in the case of NDE). The resulting association becomes a condition I presently call the persistent dream, a state of being in which mind and living matter remain intimately connected for as long as the living matter is capable of sustaining life. (the mind may travel to other dimensions during trances or dream states yet always returns to the associated body upon awakening, thus the persistent dream)

In order for the living matter to become an entity, it must first attract an element of consciousness (mind*) and form an association with it. When living matter becomes capable of sustaining life, this process of attraction begins. In the case of Near Death Experience, the entity is already formed and the process of recapture is integrated into its memory as subjective experience.

* mind and living matter are here both considered to be separate elements of consciousness.