Is Consciousness quantifiable?

[Silvester]

People use terms like "higher consciousness" or say "become more conscious". To know if consciousness is quantifiable, one would need to know what it is first. And as far as I have come to understand, it is, well, nothing. The sort of nothing that has no attributes whatsoever. So how can it be more or less? Does a rock have "less" consciousness than me? How can that be if consciousness is always the same (nothing). 

Or do people who talk about "becoming more conscious", actually mean the quantity and ability to understand or be conscious of consciousness itself? That which we try when we self inquire. Turning observation onto itself. Is that what they mean? A human mind seems to be more suited for that then a rock. But there will not be "more" consciousness still, right?

We also talk about becoming "more" conscious when we talk about earthly matters like whats going on in the world or a particular field. Being more conscious about pollution or something like that. This definition to me seems to be more intelligence and knowledge based. In that case a rock would have less "consciousness" than me. 

Language makes this very confusing to me. Its like there are multiple definitions for one word: "Consciousness". 

[Preetom]

The only thing you will be quantifying is humanity's deluded ass; not Consciousness.

[ivankiss]

Awareness expands; awareness contracts.

Hence the illusion of more or less.

Consciousness is singular. It plays with itself. Dumbs itself down. Wakes up and out of  delusion. 

That is how intelligent it is.

[TheAvatarState]

38 minutes ago, Silvester said:

To know if consciousness is quantifiable, one would need to know what it is first. And as far as I have come to understand, it is, well, nothing.

This is where language breaks down, because consciousness actually cannot be referred to as a thing in subject/object duality. Consciousness is not a "thing" and consciousness does not happen "to a thing." This is just the limits of our language in dealing with metaphysical matters. Consciousness "is", and it is from this "is-ness" that duality and relatively quantifiable "things" pop up. You're asking if the source of quantifiability is itself quantifiable, to which the obvious question would arise: to whom it is quantifiable? There is no bigger container within which consciousness arises (consciousness is all there is), so no, consciousness is not quantifiable. Does this make sense?

[FoxFoxFox]

Consciousness is very loosely categorized into 12 (and potentially more) planes or dimension. What most people are referring to when talking about "higher" consciousness (whether they know it or not) are stages 5 and above which are non-typical to human beings. Once a soul "enters" the 5th dimension we call them enlightened. Also as others have mentioned, language begins to break down at the fifth level.

Edited March 17, 2019 by FoxFoxFox

[Silvester]

@FoxFoxFox Can you elaborate? I don't understand what you mean by dimensions. How can something without attributes have different dimensions? Or does the way in which it is perceived divided into 12th dimensions? But the perception itself would be consciousness.. Confused.

@ivankiss So it has intelligence.. I can't wrap my head around it. How can it have intelligence? How can something that is nothing and is completely void, have intelligence? Of course this brings up the problem that I don't even understand intelligence. 

 

I get stuck on one particular thing. I divide the world in my head into two conceptual categories: The void, nothingness in which everything is occuring and the forms that take place in it. (Including any phenomena like intelligence, sentience etc.). I don't yet understand how they are both the same. Exactly the part where the duality of something vs nothing collapses. Hasn't clicked yet. 

 

[FoxFoxFox]

@Silvester Dimensions are not attributes of consciousness. They signify the qualitative differences in the subjective experience of consciousness. You are familiar with the notion that all life is God experiencing itself, right? That God has divided itself into parts to be able to see itself? The 12 dimensions are very crude way of describing God's experience of itself. It is also from the 4th dimensional perspective that we talk about them. 

Stage 1 is point awareness. The chemical world is at this level. The affinity that chemicals have for each other is at this level.

Stage 2 is linear awareness. 

Stage 3 is 3 dimensional awareness of the world. Like how animals perceive the world as a 3D environment. 

Stage 4 is awareness of time. This is where matter comes into contact with time. This is the stage the typical human being operates from. This is the the domain of logic. Also, suffering only exists at this level. No other stage of consciousness actually contains any suffering. 

Stage 5 is what we call enlightenment. It is realization of your true nature as spirit.

Language begins to fall apart at this point so there is no point whatsoever in trying to give an account of later stages. Also, bear in mind that his description is not even 1% of all the different stuff that operates at each level. Lastly, dimensions operate at the same time. Simultaneously. The notion that one evolves from one stage to another no longer makes sense after you enter the 5th dimension via self-realization. 

[ivankiss]

@Silvester It does not have intelligence. It is intelligence. The source of it. All of it. 

And it is infinite.

Nothing is also everything.

Go deeper.

[Joseph Maynor]

This is the best question I've seen in a long time on here.  I've been meaning to address this issue in my own writings for a little while now but haven't gotten around to it yet.

Edited March 18, 2019 by Joseph Maynor

[tsuki]

15 hours ago, Silvester said:

Is Consciousness quantifiable?

No. You can't describe it positively. At least, I haven't found a way, words turn to ash in my mouth when I try.

However, strangely enough, I can tell whether my consciousness had expanded, but I can't tell whether I'm higher or lower level than anybody else. At best, I can tell whether I resonate with them or not. If I don't - I may be above, or below them. Sometimes ego gets its kicks out of it, but I can see through it.

Expansion of consciousness can only be observed if it's rapid. The mind tends to freak out at that times, but it can get used to it. It's associated with dis-identification, as if some part of reality was a mechanism to operate on. Something had been understood for its mechanical nature. It's a great leap to see your personality as such, but it doesn't end there.

Edited March 18, 2019 by tsuki

[legendary]

13 hours ago, FoxFoxFox said:

The 12 dimensions are very crude way of describing God's experience of itself. It is also from the 4th dimensional perspective that we talk about them. 

@FoxFoxFox where can I read more about this? And what is its epistemological foundation?

[Nahm]

@Silvester Are you conscious, or are you consciousness? If you’re conscious, who / what is conscious? The very word is telling you the inherent nature is a con.

[FoxFoxFox]

@legendary A direct knowledge of the stages is required since language will fail you. There is no reliable information past the 4th level. I suggest you focus on opening your heart and get self-realized instead of seeking theories

The heart is the gateway into the 5th stage. After that you will lose "I am-ness" and divine knowledge will be revealed to you. That knowledge is reliable.