Two five-second experiments to discover the mystery of consciousness

I think that consciousness is seen by most people as an esoteric topic, and thus not interesting, and I think that’s because they can’t relate to it. Here’s a quick mystery that everyone can experience.

Consciousness is referring to the experiential space that sights, sounds, thoughts and sensations arise in that allow you to be aware of them.

1. Look in front of you.
2. Visualize an elephant.
3. Notice how you are simultaneously aware of the elephant and the real world.

These things are not happening on two different planes. The elephant and the real world are both appearing in your field of vision. Your field of vision is like a computer monitor.

You can do another experiment to see more clearly how this works:

1. Look at an object around you.
2. Visualize an elephant peeking out from behind it.
3. Notice that your mental image of the elephant is actually layered inside the real world, behind objects.

You’re able to do this because, again, these things appear on the same screen.

Here’s the fun part.

Where is your screen located? If we dissect your brain, we will not find any type of “visual screen” that allows you to experience this. Yet here it is, happening.

This screen appears to be created by the brain or projected to it. But where is it? And what is it made out of? And this screen is where you are, so where are you?