What is consciousness? My understanding is that it's a person's individual awareness of their unique thoughts, their memories, their feelings and sensations, and most importantly, their awareness of the surroundings and their relative position and importance in that sphere. It also extends outward to the world at large.
I stand aloof. Not that I'm disinterested. But consciously choosing to distance myself from the strife, hatred, and violence. With little time left in this world according to my years, existing only to worry about the end game of others I have no control over is futile.
Instead, I choose which causes I care to hold close to my heart. I choose which actions I plan to engage in that won't cause undue stress in my life.
In acknowledging my consciousness, I know and understand, not all but a bit of, what's happening in the world. I'm aware of my role. Not so much in it, but in my own small space. I attempt to live a peaceful life, void of strife and confusion. I call it Fragmented Consciousness.
I think about the sayings of two great philosophical thinkers:
I have found that the greatest degree of inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion. The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being. Cultivating a close, warmhearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. It is the ultimate source of success in life.
No matter how educated or wealthy you are, if you don’t have peace of mind, you won’t be happy.
The planet does not need more successful people. The planet desperately needs more peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers, and lovers of all kinds.
AND FINALLY,
Do not let the behavior of others destroy your inner peace.
The Dalai Lama 1
The Dalai Lama is saying that if you live a peaceful life being full of inner peace, then you project that onto your immediate family. It then spread further to your community. Then, even further to a peaceful world.
However, I've never seen nor heard this to be entirely true. One can possess inner peace, but often it's not spread out and projected onto others. Does that mean that peace beyond ourselves and our consciousness is not attainable?
I feel as though I've struggled my entire life to keep close inner peace with all the chaos surrounding me both near and far.
"World peace through nonviolent means is neither absurd nor unattainable. All other methods have failed. Thus, we must begin anew."
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 2
Look at what Dr. King is saying above in his December, 1964 speech above about a peaceful existence. Will there ever be peace either abroad or at home in my lifetime? I'm beginning to believe that it will never be possible as long as hatred and violence continue.
Dr. King also taught us to ignore hatred. In his April, 1960 piece, he stated, "Don't ever let anyone pull you so low as to hate them" 3
I read a comment that spoke of small minded people speaking and taking small minded actions. Also, I refuse to allow anyone through words or actions to reduce me to outright hatred of them. I may not like their attitude, but I always have to remember my inner peace.
Consider the famous and prolific political speaker, Frederick Douglas in his little known, but massively encouraging and supportive speech of immigration in 1867 called Composite Nation when he stated of people against democracy and diversity he called "ministers of despair":
“They never see the bright side of anything and probably never will,” Like the raven in the lines of Edgar A. Poe they have learned two words, and these are ‘never more‘.” 3
Knowing that peace and tranquility may be a distant concept we attempt to grasp for our well being, I turn to my fragmented consciousness and try to weave whatever small piece of sanity I can.
I was slow to consciousness. However, when I did realize what I needed in my life to bring peace and solitude to my health and well being, I came to the realization that peace, tranquility, democracy, diversity, tolerance will never be truly obtained in my lifetime. With that conscious understanding, I follow my own way to living peacefully.
This current generative art project I created from **Night Cafe **utilizing the text input "consciousness in doubt".
Thanks for taking the time to view my post. I hope you like my fractal and generative art project.
Happy rest of the week everyone with whatever your endeavors.
SOURCES:
a) JustClickindiva's Footer created in Canva utilizing its free background and images used with permission from discord admins.
b) Unless otherwise noted, all photos taken by me with my (i) Samsung Galaxy 10" Tablet, (ii) Samsung Phone, & (iii) FUJI FinePix S3380 - 14 Mega Pixels Digital Camera
c) Purple Butterfly part of purchased set of Spiritual Clip Art for my Personal Use
d) All Community logos, banners, page dividers used with permission of Discord Channel admins.
e) Ladies of Hive banner used with permission of and in accordance with the admin's guidelines
f) Thumbnail Image created by me in Canva.
g) "Flames." What is Apophysis 2.09. https://flam3.com/
1 100 Dalai Lama Quotes on Compassion, Humanity, Peace. online at: https://wisdomquotes.com/dalai-lama-quotes-tenzin-gyatso/
2 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Speeches on War and Peace. Martin Luther King, Jr., December 1964. Online at: https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/liberation-curriculum/classroom-resources/king-quotes-war-and-peace
3 Kings Quotes on War and Peace. King Institute at Stanford University. Online at: https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/liberation-curriculum/classroom-resources/king-quotes-war-and-peace
4 Black Past.Org Online at: (1867) Frederick Douglass Describes The “Composite Nation”. https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/1867-frederick-douglass-describes-composite-nation/