A dumbing down of consciousness is to be locked into routine and the habit of fantasising about the future. A celebration of consciousness is to be learning, growing, changing and developing

It’s estimated that consciousness developed about 5 million years ago. Imagine how it must of been for the babies of great apes, with a more fully developed cortex, to begin experiencing self-awareness. And consider how, some 5 million years later, we’ve come to utilise and better understand our consciousness.

If we’re to continue celebrating consciousness, we must recognise the importance of growth, change and development

If we search for it every positive has its opposite. And of course consciousness brings along with it the downsides of sentience. Along with the the joys of life we’re also aware of the sufferings. Physical and emotional pain is something we seek to avoid, and many of the ways we do this, has the unfortunate side effect of blunting our consciousness.

We must be guarded against the habit of avoidance because as we do this, the dumbing down of our consciousness, means we’re less aware of the opposites of what we’re choosing to avoid

Keeping the mind present through the technique of mindfulness does mean we become increasingly aware of the sharper edges to life, however, these things become less sharp through our increased awareness of the wonders in life. It’s a nonsense to dumb down everything – either through drugs, fantasy or routine – in an attempt to avoid the inevitable pains of life. When fully experiencing the phenomenon of consciousness we fully experience all that life brings. Mindfully celebrate your consciousness. Learn to meditate.

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