Reality refers to a person or a thing that is real, true, or an established, or verified fact and principle. It has the quality of being true to life. Reality has the quality of being in accordance with experience. Reality suggests confirming observations that are characterized by constancy and consistency. The scientific method involves use of experiments to obtain observational data with precision, accuracy, and consistency. Could Whole Dude or Whole Person use scientific methods to obtain clarity and certainty in all matters? Could Whole Dude or Whole Person extend scientific methodology of investigation to every field of Inquiry? Could Whole Dude or Whole Person find Reality as an external experience? Could Whole Dude or Whole Person use scientific information to experience Reality? Could Whole Dude or Whole Person totally depend upon science to find Reality in Life??? To know Reality, we may have to understand the problem of Illusion which is defined as a false idea, a false perception, a false image, a false appearance, a false opinion, a false interpretation, and a false belief. Illusion has the quality of not being in accord with verified facts, established knowledge, and true and proven information. Does science have the power to remove Illusion and replace it with Reality?
THE POWER OF ILLUSION vs THE POWER OF REALITY :
Whole Dude-Whole Reality : Stimulus Distortion Illusion. This visual, optical illusion is produced by the refraction or bending of light rays as it passes from one medium or substance to another medium in which the speed of light is significantly different. A ray of light passing from one transparent medium(Air) to another transparent medium(Water) is bent at the surface where Air and Water meet. The Pencil standing in water appears bent at the Air/Water interphase.
When an object exists in a conditioned state, like this Pencil in Water, the Reality of Pencil can be easily verified by simply inspecting the Pencil after pulling it out of water. Science explains the reason for this Optical Illusion by stating the properties of Light and Light rays. But, science has no power over the Power of Light and the properties of Light rays. Science cannot prevent this kind of Optical Illusion. Similarly, science may explain the fact of the Speed of a given point on the surface of Earth( about 66, 660 Miles/Hour). But, science has no power and cannot force man to experience the Reality of Earth’s Speed of Rotation. Man lives on the surface of Earth without ever experiencing the Reality of Earth’s Motion. There is no physical, or mental experience of Earth’s Speed. To the same extent, man lives on the surface of Earth with no physical, or mental experience of Sun’s true or real Motions. What man experiences in his daily life is the apparent motion of Sun across the Sky. Man consistently and constantly experiences the fact of Sunrise and Sunset which is not supported by the Reality about Sun and its true or real Motions. The Reality as explained by science does not govern human existence. Man’s Biological Rhythm and biological activities are synchronized with the experience of Illusion, the Illusion of Sunrise and Sunset and not that of Reality of Sun’s celestial movements. The movements of Earth and Sun are useful only in the context of the overriding Power of Illusion. Man lives his Life and is dependent upon the Power of Illusion and is saved from the burden of experiencing the Power of Reality.
I say, “Get Real, and know the Power of Illusion”, and what do you want to say??? Please share your thoughts and views.
Spiritualism – Spiritual Being and Self-Realization:
Whole Dude – Whole Being: The Vitruvian Man c. 1492. The painting by Leonardo da Vinci displays the spirit of scientific inquiry. Self-Realization is defined as complete fulfillment of the Self or full development of Self. Man takes birth after full development of True or Real Self and the Newborn is always a Spiritual Being. Man does not acquire Spirituality through Learning and Practice.
What is Man? I want to respectfully begin this conversation by stating my motivation for asking this question. The motivation to ask comes from a statement expressed in the Sanskrit language: “Sarvesham Swastir Bhavatu,” a statement which seeks the well-being of all humans, of all races, of all cultures, of all religions, and of all nations.
The meaning and purpose of human life are affected by whatever we think is the ‘real’, or ‘true’ nature of Man. But, more importantly, our efforts to support the well-being of man would require correct understanding and knowledge of ‘real’, or ‘true’ Man.
In human cultures all over the world, in the history of a variety of religions, we have come to know about people who have distinguished themselves as Prophets, Saints, and as people of Spiritual Knowledge. Several of them have won the recognition of a higher status of being Spiritual Masters, Spiritual Teachers, or Spiritual Gurus and people have given them attention with a sense of humility, and devotion with the hope of obtaining Self-Realization which could be defined as complete fulfillment of the Self or full development of one’s ‘real’, or ‘true’ Self.
I submit to my readers that I do not intend to show any disrespect towards any of these Masters of Spiritual Learning and Teachers of various kinds of Spiritual Practices. I have a basic right to know and understand ‘true’ or ‘real’ Self and I believe that understanding could be applied to promote and preserve the well-being of all humanity. The reasoning process that I use could be called Applied Philosophy which involves the application of conceptual analysis to questions of belief and ideology which affect what we think about ourselves and what we think we ought to do individually and socially. We need to carefully verify the concepts of Soul, and Spirituality to attain Self-Realization.
Human Birth is a Divine Phenomenon:
Whole Dude – Whole Being: Lord Krishna, the Divine Supreme Being arrived in this Physical, Material World as a newborn, human baby, a Spiritual Being. Man arrives as a Spiritual Being and Spiritualism is not a Learned or Acquired Knowledge and Behavior.
Spiritualism is the potency that brings Man’s Essence and Man’s Existence to come together to provide Man the Subjective and Objective Reality of his own biological existence in the Physical and Material Realm.
Spiritualism is the potency that determines Man’s Existence as a Spiritual Being. Human birth is a Divine Phenomenon. The newborn baby always arrives as a Spiritual Being. This statement has two important implications;
1. There is complete development and fulfillment at birth for Man to exist as a Spiritual Being, and
2. Spiritualism is not Learned or Acquired Knowledge and Behavior. Man does not transform himself into a Spiritual Being by his physical or mental efforts.
In other words, Spiritualism does not involve learning from Holy Scriptures, practice of techniques like Meditation, and observation of religious rituals like pilgrimage and Temple worship. Man, the Physical Being is created not as an Embodied Soul but as a Living Soul that lives as a Spiritual Being. There could be several important benefits that Man may acquire by reading Holy Scriptures and through religious practices such as Prayer, Meditation, and Worship. While I would not discourage or disrespect such practices and religious behavior, I would like to categorically submit to my readers that Man does not transform himself into a Spiritual Being by virtue of any of his physical, and mental efforts.
To think that Man is born as a Physical Being and slowly transforms himself into a Spiritual Being through a process called Self-Realization is a myth. If the human body is described as a field of activity or ‘KSHETRA’, the Knower, and the Enjoyer of this field of activity called ‘KSHETRAJNA’ exists at birth and this Spiritual Being does not come into existence during a later part of life through a process of Learning from sensory experience or intellectual introspection.
Creation and Self-Realization:
Whole Dude – Whole Being: Man represents a thermodynamically unstable System.
Man, like all other living entities represents a thermodynamically unstable system. Man does not exist in the physical, material world because of his own Power/Force/Energy. Man needs continuous supply of energy from an external source during the entire span of his life. The fact of Man’s Physical Existence in the world could be understood as the manifestation of the Power/Force/Energy of the Supreme Being. The operation of this Divine Power or Potency is revealed as Self-Realization, the process or mechanism by which the Creative Power/Force/Energy establishes the complete Self which for reasons of clarity and understanding could be divided into four stages as follows:
1. First Stage of Self-Realization – The Establishment of Knowledge:
Whole Dude – Whole Being: Fertilization of an egg by a sperm, conception occurs in the oviduct. Cleavage (cell division) begins in the oviduct. as the embryo is moved. toward the uterus. by peristalsis and the. movements of cilia. 3. Cleavage continues. By the time the embryo. reaches the uterus, it is a ball of cells. It floats in the uterus for. several days, nourished by. endometrial secretions. It. becomes a blastocyst. 4. Ovary. Uterus. Endometrium. From ovulation to implantation. Inner cell mass. Cavity. Blastocyst. Trophoblast. (a) Implantation of blastocyst. (b) Fertilization occurs. A sperm. enters the oocyte; meiosis of. the oocyte finishes; and the. nuclei of the ovum and sperm. fuse, producing a zygote. 2. Ovulation releases a. secondary oocyte, which. enters the oviduct. 1. The blastocyst implants. in the endometrium. about 7 days after conception. 5.
Human life begins at conception as a single, fertilized Egg Cell. This Egg Cell always comes from a previously existing Egg Cell that has grown and developed into a human being. Father is the Originating Principle. Mother, the divine source of Life, Energy, and Knowledge is the Providing Principle. Knowledge is implanted in the substance of the Egg Cell giving its Consciousness, ability to grow and develop into embryo, fetus, and a fully formed human baby. Hence, Life could be defined as “Knowledge in Action.”
Whole Dude – Whole Being: 4 cells. 2 cells. morula. day 7. blastocyst. zygote. inner cell. mass of. blastocyst. Fertilization occurs. within the uterine. tube. sperm. embryo. day 0. The blastocyst. implants in the. uterus. ovary. ovulated egg. muscle layer. uterine wall. endometrium. (a) The first week of development.
In the Indian tradition, this aspect of Self-Realization is described as “Jnanamoya”, the living symptoms that are manifested as Consciousness.
2. The Second Stage of Self-Realization or The Establishment of Vital Functions:
Whole Dude – Whole Being: The newborn baby upon separation from its mother begins life as an independent living entity by initiation of its vital, living functions such as Respiration and Circulation. To survive in physical world, the baby needs the ability to breathe on its own and circulate the vital supply of Oxygen to all tissues and organs of the entire body.
The newborn baby upon separation from its mother, begins life as an independent living entity by initiation of its vital, living functions such as Respiration and Circulation. To survive in the physical world, the baby needs to breathe on its own and circulate the vital supply of Oxygen to all the tissues, and organs of entire human body. In Indian tradition this aspect of Self-Realization is described as “Pranamoya”, the ability to perform vital functions like breathing on its own.
3. The Third Stage of Self-Realization or The Establishment of Nutrition :
Whole Dude – Whole Being: Food and Spirituality: Food is a Spiritual substance and the baby needs Nutrition or Food for the growth, development, maintenance, and repair of its own living substance which is of Spiritual Nature.
During the stages of embryo and fetus, nutritional support is provided by the mother. The newborn baby must continue to feed through all the stages of its physical existence for the rest of its entire life span. In the Indian tradition this dependence upon food for existence is described as “Annamoya”, or the Materialistic Realization of the Supreme Being and Divine Power or Potency.
4. The Fourth Stage of Self-Realization or The Establishment of ‘The Knowing-Self’:
Whole Dude – Whole Being: The anatomical structure known as Reticular Formation shown as a red band in this image is in the Brain Stem. It composes Consciousness and its functions are important to bring Unity of the complex human organism. It is the Knower, and the Enjoyer of the activities of the entire human body.
The cells, tissues, and organ systems of the newborn baby display functional subservience for the benefit of Self which lives because of their living functions. Reticular Formation in the Brain Stem functions as ‘The Knowing-Self’, and is involved in the composition of Consciousness which brings functional unity in the complex, multicellular human organism. It could be described as the “Knower”, and the “Enjoyer” or “Kshetrajna” of the field of activities of human body called “Kshetra.” In the Indian Tradition, the establishment of this “Knower”, “Enjoyer”, or the ‘Knowing-Self’ is described as the Fourth Stage of Self- Realization, or Brahman-Realization and is called “Vijnanamoya.”
Whole Dude – Whole Living: Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Professor of Anatomy and Physiology, Dean of the Harvard Medical School (1847 – 1882) spoke about Life:”To Live is to function” and “That is all there is in Living.” Whole Dude or Whole Person must perform his Living Functions as Existence precedes Essence of Man.
Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Professor of Anatomy and Physiology, Dean of the Harvard Medical School (1847 – 1882) spoke about Life: “To Live is to function” and “That is all there is in Living.”
Man’s Existence precedes Man’s Essence. Life is about its Living Functions. Whole Dude or Whole Person must perform his Living Functions to display his Essence in the world in which he lives. Spiritualism is the potency that brings Man’s Essence and Existence to come together and it describes the spiritual potential of living matter that keeps the existence of the living object.
Whole Dude – Whole Philosophy: Jean Paul Sartre (b. June 21, 1905 Paris, d. April 15, 1980 Paris), French Novelist, Playwright, and exponent of Existentialism Philosophy. Whole Dude is a Whole Person who will discover his authentic existence from knowing himself as a Conscious Being.
Existentialism is the popular name of a philosophical focus on freedom of the individual human being, personal responsibility, and the importance of the individual’s need to make choices. Sartre’s thesis is that humans are essentially free, free to choose (though not free not to choose) and free to negate the given features of the world. Sartre’s belief in Radical Human Freedom includes the ability to choose not only a course of action but also what one would become. Sartre’s existentialist philosophy helps to guide social practice, the right of each individual to freely pursue subjective individual choices and find his own conception of happiness. In Sartre’s opinion, man must find his true significance. A sense of authentic existence is given to each person when he realizes his true subjectivity as a Being which is Conscious.
Whole Dude is a Whole Person who will discover his authentic existence from knowing himself as a Conscious Being.
Whole Dude – Whole Philosophy: Brain Stem Reticular Formation shown as a red band in the image represents an integrative focus of consciousness functioning through its widespread interconnections with the Cerebral Cortex and other regions of the Brain. It functions to compose the contents of consciousness that would be revealed as Cortical Awareness. Reticular Formation describes “The Capacity of Consciousness” and without this function the contents of consciousness (or cortical awareness) will not be known to the individual.
Whole Dude – Whole Compassion: Lord Gautama Buddha c. 563 to c. 483 B.C. also known as Prince Siddhartha (he who will accomplish) witnessed irremediable human suffering in the form of physical disability, sickness, old age, and death. Acting under the uplifting Power of Compassion, he left the royal palace in search of Truth. Whole Dude is a Whole Person who is Compassionate because of his true or innate human nature.
Lord Gautama Buddha also known as Prince Siddhartha married at age 16 leading a life of luxury and comfort in a royal palace. While he took a fateful chariot trip outside the palace, for the first time in his life, Prince Siddhartha witnessed irremediable human suffering in the form of physical disability, sickness, old age, and death. He left the palace at the age of 29 leaving behind his young wife and infant son. His departure from the palace in search of Truth to discover a remedy for human pain and suffering demonstrates the uplifting power of Compassion. Sympathy (sym=together + pati=suffer) describes the emotional feelings of sorrow for the sufferings or troubles of another person or others accompanied by an urge to help. Compassion describes an understanding arising from the sameness of feeling. Compassion is the key to true or real human nature. A Whole Dude or a Whole Person is Compassionate because of his true or innate human nature. Man may choose a course of action and behavior that is derived from his thoughts, feelings, moods, and desires. But, man’s existence is entirely supported by a Force/Energy/Power that could be called Compassion/Mercy/Grace of LORD GOD Creator.
Whole Dude – Whole Compassion. A Whole Dude or a Whole Person is Compassionate because of his true or innate human nature
“I think, therefore I am” is a Whole Thought as it is beyond skeptical doubt. Rene Descartes( Ren-ay, Day-kart ) b. March 31, 1596, d. February 11, 1650 the 17th century French Mathematician and Father of Modern Philosophy advanced a Philosophy based on certitude. Whole Dude is a Whole Person who will think for himself to formulate his opinion after verification using the Cartesian Principle.
French philosopher, Rene Descartes adopts the strategy of withholding his belief from anything that is not entirely certain and indubitable. He proposes a method for guaranteeing knowledge and devises a method of inquiry for reaching the truth. He argues that in order to provide a secure foundation for knowledge it is necessary to discover clear and distinct ideas that could not be doubted and could serve as a basis for deriving further truths. He stresses that a world of metaphysical truths that could be discovered by reason. He subjects his beliefs to a series of skeptical hypotheses. As per his conclusion, “I think, therefore I am,” (Cogito, ergo sum) is beyond skeptical doubt. He invokes skepticism only as a means of reaching certainty.
Whole Dude or Whole Person has the ability to think for himself and formulate his own opinion which he subjects to verification using the Cartesian Philosophy. Dr. William James in his book, The Principles of Psychology has said, “True ideas are those we can assimilate, validate, corroborate, and verify.”
I say, “Hey Dude, let us verify this statement, ‘I think, therefore I am’ and what do you want to say???
Whole Dude – Whole Thought: DR WILLIAM JAMES (1842 – 1910), PSYCHOLOGIST AND PHILOSOPHER WHO TEACHED AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY. HE STATES THAT THE TRUTH OF A PROPOSITION IS JUDGED BY ITS PRACTICAL OUTCOME
Whole Dude and Whole Flavor: The true flavor of a Whole Person is described in the Gospel According to Saint Matthew, Chapter 5, verse 13 in which Jesus speaks, "You are the Salt of the earth. But, if the Salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled by men."
Whole Dude is a Whole Person of Whole Flavor. The Flavor represents qualities of character such as Loyalty, Honesty, Truthfulness, and Trustworthiness.
In the Gospel According to John, Chapter 3, verse 15, and 16 read, "That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
God has created man in His image and hence death is understood as an imperfection. In the Second Epistle of Apostle Paul to Timothy, Chapter 1, verse 10 claims that our Savior Jesus Christ has abolished death, and has brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel. Similarly, the First Epistle of Apostle Paul to the Corinthians, Chapter 15, verse 26 affirms that the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. Whole Dude must aspire for a ticket to Whole Life or Everlasting Life.
Whole Dude – Wholesome Attitude: New York – Hyde Park: Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library – Winston Churchill Portrait (Photo credit: wallyg)
Attitude refers to an expression of the way one feels. Behavior is the way that someone acts. Although the two are related, they are distinct from one another as attitude focuses on how one feels, and behavior deals with one’s actions. However, one’s attitude is often expressed through their behavior.
Whole Dude – A Dude with Whole Attitude:
Whole Dude – Wholesome Attitude: The Right Honourable Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill, the British Prime Minister (1940-1945 and 1951-1955) who won the Nobel Prize in Literature. A Whole Person with a Wholesome Attitude.
Whole Dude is pleased to share this photo image of Sir Winston Churchill as representative of a Whole Dude with a Whole Attitude, an attitude that is wholesome and is rewarding. He said, “You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give.” Life is all about The Art of Receiving and The Art of Giving and by the actions and behavior that we display in getting and giving, we show our true colors and it is all about Wholesome Attitude.
Whole Dude- Whole Self: SPIRITUALISM : THE UNITY OF MAN IN BODY, MIND, AND SOUL. Spiritualism describes the relation between a changing object and its unchanging spiritual nature. This baby which started its existence as a single, fertilized Egg-Cell will continue to grow and develop undergoing a series of changes in physical appearance or Identity and yet will retain the same Individuality during the entire course of Life’s Journey.
“EKAM EVA ADVITIYAM” – This statement in Sanskrit language is from Chandogya Upanishad (6:2:1) and it means: “I, one alone and there is no second.” The original intent of this statement is that of seeking the unity of the Objective Reality of Man known as ‘ATMA’ (the Individual Soul) and the Ultimate Reality known as ‘PARAMATMA’ or Supersoul. There is no Duality between the two and there is no disunity between Man and God.
However, God is not an object which is under Man’s control and the views about God are subjective opinions. I am quoting this statement to find the Unity of Man in body, mind, and soul. Man’s greatest need is not only to know the world around him but also to know himself better. Man must understand what it is to be a substance and what it is to exist. We need to establish knowledge about Man on a firm basis and the information it provides must be tested for its accuracy and consistency with external reality. Dr. William James in his book, The Principles of Psychology, has observed: “True ideas are those we can assimilate, validate, corroborate, and verify.” The separation of man into body, mind, and soul is not supported by scientific study of man.
Whole Dude – Whole Self: It is impossible to describe the concept called “SOUL”, or “SPIRIT” if it is never associated with its human body. If “SOUL” is defined as the vital, animating, Life Principle, Spiritualism demands the existence of a Living Soul or Spirit.
Man comes into existence from a single fertilized Egg Cell. This Man cannot be separated into two distinct entities like insentient material being and sentient spiritual being. The physical being and the conscious being are one and the same. The division of Man into a physical substance and a thinking substance or that of a physical body and a thinking mind is not valid as they have no independent existence of their own. The division of Man into physical body and an immortal, non-material or immaterial Soul is not also valid as the Soul is described as the vital, animating principle that is the chief characteristic of Life.
Whole Dude – Whole Self: The Egg Cell is the source of Man’s Life. The Spiritual Nature of Man could be discovered and could be described from the biological properties, characteristics and nature of the corporeal substance found in the Egg Cell.
The Spiritual Nature of Man is not a mental function. The Spiritual Nature of Man could be discovered and could be described from the biological properties, characteristics and nature of Man’s corporeal substance found in the fertilized Egg Cell. This substance is Conscious. This Single Egg Cell grows, divides, develops, and builds the cells, the tissues, and the organ systems that constitute the Human Individual. The Spiritual Nature of the substance present in the Single, fertilized Egg Cell brings the functional unity of all the cells, tissues, and organ systems to establish the Physical Reality called Man.
Whole Dude – Whole Self: Human Embryo Implantation at about six days after Conception. The Single, fertilized Egg Cell and the Human Embryo that develops from it is Conscious of its existence reflecting its Spiritual Nature.
About six days after Conception, the developing Human Embryo implants itself into maternal tissues by establishin an anatomical connection called Placenta. The implantation of Human Embryo does not involve any human thought and the Mother has no cortical awareness of the fact of implantation. The implantation demonstrates the Consciousness of the Human Embryo which is aware of the fact of its own existence. Spiritualism defines the internal, mutually beneficial relationship, partnership, association, and connection between the cells, tissues, and organ systems for the benefit of the Human Person who exists because of their living functions. The Subject that is born from the Single, fertilized Egg Cell is always a new, original, distinctive, unique, one of its own kind of Object that exists because of the innate Spiritual Nature of the material substance. Being born relates Man to the Subjective and Objective Realities of his biological existence. There is structural and functional unity between Man and his Body, Mind, and Soul. There is no Life, and there is no Human Existence if these entities are separated. Spiritualism is the potency that brings Man’s Essence and Man’s Existence to come together to provide Man the Subjcetive and Objective Reality of his own biological existence in the physical, and material world. Man is not an embodied Soul and Man is a Living Soul.
What is Man?
Whole Dude – Whole Self: This painting the Vitruvian Man (c. 1492) by Leonardo da Vinci displays a spirit of scientific inquiry. What is Man? The understanding of human nature will help to promote man’s well-being.
I will be repeatedly asking this same question in several of my blog posts on the subject of Spiritualism. I want to remind myself that the motivation for asking this question comes from a statement expressed in Sanskrit language: “Sarvesham Swastir Bhavatu”, a statement which seeks the well-being of all humans, of all races, of all cultures, of all religions, and of all nations. The meaning and purpose of human life are affected by whatever we think is the real or true nature of man. It is more important to recognize that our efforts to support the well-being of man would require correct understanding and knowledge of the real or true man.
Self and The Knowing-Self:
Whole Dude – Whole Self: FACIAL RECOGNITION-IDENTITY AND INDIVIDUALITY-THE SELF and THE KNOWING-SELF: Identity describes the external reality of man and it helps to know the man as a specific Individual. This Individual exists with unchanging Individuality which describes the internal reality of man. Identity provides awareness of the Self and Individuality involves the Knowledge of the Knowing-Self.
To know about Man, we can observe the various activities that describe the Man. The Physical being known as Man is known from the living functions performed by the tissues and organ systems of his body. This Physical being has Identity or identifying features such as age, gender, race, ethnicity and other biometrical information to know the person as a specific Individual. Factors like language, religion, culture, education, social occupation, nationality, and sexual orientation are also used to describe the Man. The Mental being known as Man is described from mental functions such as intellect, thoughts, moods, feelings, cravings, and self-pride. Man, the Social being is known from his social interactions and much of human action and behavior involves interacting with other individuals present in his social environment. Man, the Moral being is known from the choices he makes in the performance of his actions where discernment plays a role to distinguish right from wrong, and good from evil. Man, the Spiritual being is known from the nature of his existence seeking peace, harmony, and tranquility within himself and with others in his environment and community. I designate the term ‘SELF’ to describe Man as a Physical, Mental, Social, Moral, and Spiritual being. I have also observed that the Physical being is in reality consists of about 100 trillion individual living cells that show complex structural differentiation and functional organization. The corporeal substance is of spiritual nature and hence Man, the Physical being has no choice other than that of existing as a Spiritual being. The question is not that of, How Man knows himself? The question that I would like to ask is, How does the body know the Identity of the Man who lives? If the body knows its Owner, there is an anatomical structure that is associated with the function called Knowing-Self.
The Function of Knowing-Self:
Whole Dude – Whole Self: Self and The Knowing-Self
The Reticular Formation (RF) is located in the central Brain Stem and extends from Medulla to Thalamus. It consists of more than about 100,000 Brain Stem nuclei. It is estimated that a single neuron in this network may have synapses with as many as 25,000 other neurons. The RF has connections with almost all other parts of the Central Nervous System including Spinal Cord, Cranial Nerve nuclei, Cerebellum, Hypothalamus, Thalamus, Corpus Striatum, Limbic System, and Cerebral Cortex. Thus, the RF helps to coordinate and integrate actions of different parts of the Central Nervous System such as 1. regulation of muscle and reflex activity, 2. central transmission of sensory impulses, 3. respiration, 4. cardiovascular responses, 5. behavioral Arousal, and 6. Alert/Sleep Cycle.
Whole Dude – Whole Self: Self and The Knowing-Self.
There are two distinct aspects of human Consciousness namely, 1. the Capacity for Consciousness and 2. the Content of Consciousness. When Consciousness is viewed as a psychological or strictly as a mental function, it is represented by the Content of Consciousness called Cortical Awareness which is a function of the Cerebral Cortex. When Consciousness is understood as a biological function that includes the maintenance of vital functions like respiration, and circulation apart from various homeostatic mechanisms to preserve a constant internal environment, it is represented by the aspect of Capacity for Consciousness.
Whole Dude – Whole Self: Self and The Knowing-Self
The Knowing-Self is located in the Reticular Formation of the Brain Stem and its functions are of critical importance in the clinical diagnosis of Brain Death. During Life, the cells, tissues, and various organ systems of the human body work together for the benefit of ‘SELF’ which is known and recognized by this Knowing-Self.
Man is a Mortal Being:
Man’s greatest need is not only to know the world around him but also to know himself better. Man must understand what it is to be a substance and what it is to exist. Man is a physical being or thing with matter and form. The corporeal body of man is composite of two principles; matter, and form. What is called matter is potentiality, and what is called form is actuality. The corporeal substance called protoplasm becomes actuality and is recognized as a living person because of the uniqueness of its genome that operates its living functions and defines its size, shape, color, and external form or morphological appearance. However, life comes into existence only when matter or substance has the ability to acquire energy from its external environment. The human being comes to life when his corporeal substance uses its potential ability and power called ‘Nutrition’ to acquire energy and material from its environment. Life begins with fertilization, the union of sperm with egg cell, and this event called conception proceeds to develop a human being after an important event called implantation. The life journey after conception continues if there is a connection between the energy seeking embryo and its maternal energy provider. To exist means that the substance is maintaining a relationship, a partnership, a connection, or association with its source of energy. Man leads energy dependent existence deriving energy and material from nature which supports other living forms with a similar corporeal substance called protoplasm. The mortality of man must be understood as the dissolution of man’s physical form. The dissolution of living man into non-living molecules and physical elements would not alter that potentiality of protoplasm to acquire energy and material to create its own substance. Things in Nature change with Time; but what is called Nature remains unchanged even under the influence of Time. As per The Laws of Conservation of Mass and Energy as described in classical Physics, mass or energy remain constant. The potentiality of living substance to acquire energy and material to form its own kind of substance has remained unchanged or unaffected by major natural calamities and other cataclysmic events. Life forms perish and yet life continues as new life forms. During the billions of years of existence, planet Earth has experienced several minor, and major Extinction Events described in its geological history. The Science of Paleontology offers scientific evidence to support an argument based upon theoretical and practical grounds to propose that the substance called protoplasm could be eternal, immovable, immutable, and indestructible. At a fundamental level, it could be stated that man is a mortal or materialistic being who derives his physical form because of its association with an imperishable substance. During any stage of his existence, the form called man cannot be separated from the eternal nature of its substance.
Identity and Individuality:
Whole Dude – Whole Self: The Eternal Reality of Soul’s Immortality is described in The Bhagavad Gita, Chapter II, verse 12. Lord Krishna spoke to the Pandava Prince Arjuna :”Na tv evaham jatu nasam na tvam neme JanadhipaH;Na chaiva na bhavisyamaH, sarve vayam ataH param.” For each of us our Individuality existed in the past and our Individuality will continue in the future without interruption. Certainly, never at any time did I not exist, nor you, nor all these Kings and certainly never shall we cease to exist in the future.
The issue of spirituality, the nature of Soul and consciousness must be explored in the context of arriving at an understanding of man’s Identity and Individuality.
If man is viewed as an association of trillions of cells, we need to know the Identity of that Subject who lives because of the functions of the trillions of cells. The purpose of consciousness at cellular level is to foster functional unity of the multicellular organism and to establish it as an Individual. In a multicellular organism, cells have short lives as individuals. The Subject or the whole organism has a life span of its own and it has effects on individual cells. Multicellularity is accompanied by adaptive subordination of all cells to the requirements of the organism as a whole. To achieve proper numerical balance between functionally related cell groups, the death of many cells is necessary for other cells to reach maturity. This programmed cell death plays an important role in embryological development. Such programmed cell death events are essential if the organism as a whole is to develop its normal final form. Waves of genetically driven cell deaths are critical to the proper modeling of organs and organ systems.
We need to know and understand that death of cells is a must to establish the Identity and to sustain the Individuality of the human being. The dying process helps man to understand his Individuality. The Individuality is preserved while death is a daily event at the cellular level. The phenotype or the morphological appearance of the human Subject undergoes constant change during the Life journey and yet the Individuality remains unchanged. We recognize the death of this human Subject when his Soul departs from his body. Soul may be stated as an entity which is regarded as being immortal or spiritual part of the person. The Spirit of a dead person generally refers to a principle separate from the body and leading an existence of its own. If Soul is viewed as a Non-thing or Nothingness, it comes into the world of existence by entering the physical being at its conception which becomes conscious or aware of its existence. This consciousness has also existed in a previously existing Living Egg Cell which is the Mother of Life, Energy, and Knowledge.
Consciousness by its very nature is immortal, it is eternal, and it has no birth or death. We recognize the arrival and departure of the new product during the Life-Death continuum where the Individuality is unaffected by the changes that are caused by the powerful influence of Time.
Whole Dude – Whole Self: The Rudi-Grant Connection examines the complex issues of identity and individuality in the multicellular human organism. THE NEWBORN BABY ALWAYS ARRIVES INTO THE WORLD WITH AN ORIGINAL, UNIQUE, DISTINCT, AND ONE OF ITS OWN KIND OF GENOME THAT HAS NEVER EXISTED IN THE PAST AND WILL NEVER EXIST AGAIN IN THE FUTURE.
Whole Dude - Whole Concept 