Is consciousness purely physical in nature ?

[WAITING TO DIE]

I don't believe that we have a soul.
I believe that consciousness is just a biochemical, electrical reaction in the brain.
Nobody remembers being conscious before birth.
Also if you are an eternal soul who incarnated into a foetus, then you would be a super intelligent, fully aware baby.
Yet babies are a blank page when born.
The so-called self, the ego is only created by the formation of the various physical brain processes, and the learning of the world around us during infancy.
It's the same when you have a deep dreamless sleep when the brain shuts down. You are completely unaware of existence.
So where is the non-physical , eternal consciousness that supposedly exists when we are in a dreamless sleep ?
If it did exist, then surely it would be aware that the physical brain has shut down for the night.
I blame religion for creating the soul myth.
Did prehistoric humans believe they had an eternal soul ?
Or did they know they are just another sack of meat mammal in a predatory system ?

 

[Blue Elephant]

Religion did create the myth, how else would they hold you responsible (for whatever you did without their approval), how else would they punish you after death unless they created the concept of an eternal soul and how else would the system control someone without the concept of reward of punishment?

It is unknown and irrelevant (to me) what prehistoric humans believed, it is relevant what we believe, NAY, what we UNDERSTAND right now.

Consciousness is a awareness, a result of what we sense and how we perceive what we sense.

@Nembutal dreams I think you should read What the Buddha Taught by Walpola Rahula. Trust me! Read it!

edit: Here's a quote from the book: "consciousness depends on matter, sensation, perception and mental formations, and that it cannot exist independently of them."

 

[WAITING TO DIE]

Religion did create the myth, how else would they hold you responsible (for whatever you did without their approval), how else would they punish you after death unless they created the concept of an eternal soul and how else would the system control someone without the concept of reward of punishment?

It is unknown and irrelevant (to me) what prehistoric humans believed, it is relevant what we believe, NAY, what we UNDERSTAND right now.

Consciousness is a awareness, a result of what we sense and how we perceive what we sense.

@Nembutal dreams I think you should read What the Buddha Taught by Walpola Rahula. Trust me! Read it!

edit: Here's a quote from the book: "consciousness depends on matter, sensation, perception and mental formations, and that it cannot exist independently of them."

I used to practice Anapanasati meditation.
I eventually got into the Jhanas after a couple of years of practice.
I had to stop meditation because I triggered kundalini energy.
I don't believe in spiritual energy.
I'm convinced that all of my so-called spiritual experiences were nothing but physical phenomena.
Yes, I've read that particular book, and it's a good one.
I also like Ajahn Chah as well, He talks a lot of sense about the general nature of existence.

 

[Blue Elephant]

I had to stop meditation because I triggered kundalini energy.

What did you actually trigger? What did you feel?

I don't believe in spiritual energy.
I'm convinced that all of my so-called spiritual experiences were nothing but physical phenomena.

I agree, I think this is correct. However this is not a question of belief. Spiritual energy exists, IT IS a physical phenomena, just of a different kind.
You have the usual, let's say .. the "everyday" kind and then you have the spiritual kind which is actually higher awareness and understanding (as far as I know, as far as I've experienced it). These are spiritual and yet still physical. There is no question of belief, there is a question of understanding. : )

EDIT: Don't think about the spirit as being the soul, think about the spirit as say .. that quote "That's the spirit!". Now do you see what I mean? : )

Yes, I've read that particular book, and it's a good one.

I also like Ajahn Chah as well, He talks a lot of sense about the general nature of existence.

I will look into their work. Thank you kindly!
Do you have any recommendations with what should I start?

 

[R_N]

I might be wrong but I think I read a long time ago that we always dream. But we only remember them if we wake up during certain phase of sleep.

 

[Dead Ghost]

The soul is software and our body (the hardware) cannot function without software, it's as simple as that.
//
L'ànima és programari i el nostre cos (el maquinari) no pot funcionar pas sense programari, és tan senzill com això.

 

[WAITING TO DIE]

What did you actually trigger? What did you feel?


I agree, I think this is correct. However this is not a question of belief. Spiritual energy exists, IT IS a physical phenomena, just of a different kind.
You have the usual, let's say .. the "everyday" kind and then you have the spiritual kind which is actually higher awareness and understanding (as far as I know, as far as I've experienced it). These are spiritual and yet still physical. There is no question of belief, there is a question of understanding. : )

EDIT: Don't think about the spirit as being the soul, think about the spirit as say .. that quote "That's the spirit!". Now do you see what I mean? : )





I will look into their work. Thank you kindly!
Do you have any recommendations with what should I start?

During a very intense meditation experience I felt a massive amount of warmth and energy building up in the base of my spine, like a volcano ready to erupt. Kundalini awakening is awful if you are not ready for it, and I definitely wasn't ready.
What you are saying about the soul makes sense.
Here are 2 of Ajahn Chahs books, regarded as some of his best work.

 

[Blue Elephant]

I definitely wasn't ready.

Are we ever for when we have these breakthroughs? : )

Many thanks for sharing those books!

 

[WAITING TO DIE]

Are we ever for when we have these breakthroughs? : )

Many thanks for sharing those books!

Yes, the breakthroughs often come when we least expect them.
You are more than welcome.