Organ Consciousness

Awareness is not limited to the brain

I was talking to a community member recently about body awareness. It was a great reminder of it’s profound power and relevance, and has led me here to refresh my original post, widening the perspective.

I once believed that my intellect and awareness were confined to my head, rooted solely in my brain. Back then I assumed that awareness and thought, if not one and the same, were deeply intertwined. But through the practice of meditating on my breathing, clearly I began to see a distinction - as I discovered my thought stream and how different it is from my awareness. Awareness as taught by people like Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj and Eckhart Tolle, is far more expansive. It transcends the boundaries of neural processes, hinting at a consciousness and perception that originate from beyond the physical confines of the mind. This truth touches on perspectives from neuroscience, ancient spiritual teachings, and modern metaphysics:

• Body Awareness and Embodied Consciousness

• Field of Consciousness

• Interconnected Awareness

• Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences

• Intuitive and Extrasensory Awareness

Body Awareness and Embodied Consciousness

Scientific studies have shown that awareness isn’t confined to brain activity alone. Our entire body, particularly areas like the heart and gut, plays an integral role in our awareness. For example, the heart has its own neurons (often called the “heart brain”) and communicates with the brain, influencing emotions and decision-making. Similarly, the gut contains a vast neural network, leading some to refer to it as the “second brain,” as it impacts mood and cognition. However, according to researchers from the HeartMath Institute, it is the heart that informs the gut.

Body-centred practices like yoga, tai chi, and qi gong (chi kung) show how deep awareness can be cultivated throughout the body. The concept of “somatic awareness” demonstrates that the body has a kind of intelligence, enabling us to feel and respond to stimuli in ways that don’t always involve conscious thought.

I discovered chi kung (qigong) almost by accident, guided by my deep desire to learn how to meditate. My teacher, with a calm certainty that only years of wisdom bring, told me that if I wanted to embark on the journey of meditation, I should also embrace chi kung. And so, without fully understanding its significance, I began. (You’ll notice I use both ‘chi kung’ and ‘qigong’ - two names for the same practice that has since become a cornerstone of my growth.)

Here’s a quick break down of what chi kung is:

1. The word ‘chi’ or ‘qi’ (pronounced as chee) means life-force and parallels the Indian yoga, Japanese, and African equivalents – kundalini, ki, and Ra respectively. Our life-force or life energy is an often forgotten intelligence that manages all our vital systems. Breathing, blinking, pumping, digesting, cells regenerating – are all done by our life-force, or qi.

2. The word ‘kung’ or ‘gong’ (pronounced as gung) translates to training or work. Together with qi it becomes the working or training of the life force. As Cohen puts it in the The Way of Qigong: the Art and Science of Chinese Energy Healing, it’s “…learning how to control the flow and distribution of qi to improve the health and harmony of mind and body.”

A glimpse of a healing pose

I must confess, during the first three to five months of practicing chi kung, I felt very little - almost nothing at all. It left me wondering if I was missing something, or perhaps if this practice just wasn’t meant for me. But looking back, I realize my awareness simply needed time to grow - time to sharpen, to become more attuned and receptive. Then, slowly and almost imperceptibly, there was tingling. After this, however, I could feel the gentle movement of chi coursing through certain areas of my body - primarily my hands. With each practice, as I learned to guide this life-force, I discovered a profound connection to my organ systems - a dialogue I never knew was possible.

Before this, if you had asked me where my liver or spleen was I would have made an embarrassingly bad guess and pointed to the wrong place.

Through my chi kung practice, I found a profound way to honour and deeply thank my organs for their tireless devotion. They never rest. They continue working in harmony to sustain me, giving me their best. My practice became a channel for deep gratitude, a heartfelt acknowledgment of the quiet miracles happening within me every moment.

The practice of chi kung is old! It’s ancient and proven by our ancestors from the great civilizations of Asia and Africa for thousands of years. It is well known for its stress releasing benefits and can also improve heart and blood pressure, the circulatory system, the digestive system, state of mind, the respiratory system, the immune system, and life longevity. Our relationship with our organs is critical to this improvement process. Blockages and impurities hinder and outright stop the flow of qi through our organs and meridians (the channels carrying qi). But practicing qigong can remove blockages with its healing sounds and flowing postures.

Field of Consciousness

The concept of a ‘field’ of consciousness invites us to imagine awareness as something vast and boundless, akin to energy fields that extend across space rather than being anchored to a single point. It suggests that consciousness might weave itself through the fabric of the universe, with our brains serving as delicate receivers or transmitters, tuning into this greater, universal awareness. This idea opens doors to awe-inspiring possibilities, explored in areas like quantum consciousness, where researchers delve into how our awareness may connect us to one another and even influence matter on a quantum scale. It’s a reminder of how profoundly interconnected and expansive the nature of existence might truly be.

Interconnected Awareness

Many spiritual and philosophical traditions, such as Buddhism, Hinduism, and Indigenous wisdom, teach that awareness is an interconnected, universal phenomenon. In these perspectives, awareness is part of a larger web of life, connecting us with other people, nature, and even non-physical entities. Practices like mindfulness and meditation help cultivate this broader awareness, which is felt and experienced beyond thought, transcending the brain’s limits.

Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences

Accounts of near-death and out-of-body experiences often include descriptions of awareness existing independently of the physical body and brain. People frequently report feeling, seeing, or perceiving while outside their physical form, suggesting that awareness may not be solely dependent on the brain. For detailed accounts of near-death and out-of-body experiences check out the Next Level Soul podcast - most of the interview discuss near-death experiences.

Intuitive and Extrasensory Awareness

Many people experience forms of intuition or extrasensory perception, which suggest awareness extends beyond the brain’s cognitive functions. This might include gut feelings, premonitions, or empathy that goes beyond understanding another’s experiences intellectually. Practices such as remote viewing, telepathy, and energy healing work with the idea that awareness can operate at a distance, connecting individuals regardless of physical proximity.

In essence, the concept that awareness is not limited to the brain opens up possibilities for understanding consciousness as an expansive, interconnected phenomenon that exists throughout the body, connects with others, and possibly even participates in the fabric of the universe itself. This broader perspective on awareness challenges the traditional view that the brain is solely responsible for consciousness, instead pointing toward a more unified, field-like quality of awareness that goes beyond the physical.

In Closing

So from my meditation and chi kung practice came a new awareness of my organs. My awareness or consciousness is not limited to my brain. My organs also carry intelligence and awareness. As the saying goes, trust your gut.

I am continually working to shape a new reality - one where I dive deeper into understanding my existence. Yet, I know I’ve only just begun, barely scratching the surface of what there is to discover. Life pulses through everything, seen and unseen, and another profound layer of connection lies in the elements themselves. By elements, I mean air, water, fire, and earth - not as mere substances, but as living forces. The air we breathe and the space that cradles us, the water coursing through our blood, the fire of warmth and vitality within us, and the earth of carbon (the khem) forming the foundation of organic life - all carry their own intelligence and awareness. They are not separate from us; they are partners in the intricate dance of existence.

Nothing happens overnight, but with patience and dedication to the practice of chi kung (or something similar) you can transform yourself and change the expression of your being, which changes everything around you.