Exploring Consciousness

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I'm just curious who's been inspired to explore consciousness and why, so here's a poll to get started. I've made it so you can check all the boxes that apply, as well as modify your response by adding things if you recall more or something new happens. I've also made it a never-ending poll, so you have time to answer whenever you like. Thank you, in advance, to all who respond.

Speaking for myself, I grew up Unitarian/Universalist, and so encouraged to have an accepting, inquiring, and exploratory approach.

I've had natural "openings of the aperture" (as Adyashanti calls them) of a small number of sorts: a pulled back view of things that still somehow included close up detail, exposing oneness, during meditation when I was 18; then everything falling away suddenly, until nothing was left but "The Void"; and a sense of Universal Love - separately but both of these in my 30s, when I was meditating regularly, but not during an actual meditation session.

I've always been contemplative, though, and curious about spiritual truth. I could have drowned in the ocean when I was five, but my grandmother pulled me out before anything too serious happened. Maybe that affected me by having my world turned upside down in such a bewildering way. I don't know.

At least since grade school, I've had dreams that have given me a lot to think about, including some lucid ones as a young adult.

I've been a cannabis user since my early 40s. Cannabis does help me make more connections than usual, but it seems mostly to relieve pain that's in my way, whether physical or from things like overload or bad experiences in my history. Then my brain just does what it likes to do.

In addition, I always like various artistic expressions that prompt me to look at things differently, whether from my own creative experience while engaged in the activity or from someone else's output.

I've never done psychedelics, and my meditation practice has been sporadic for most of my life, though I've had some good runs of regular meditation for certain chunks of time. But I've learned a lot from others who have spoken of their experiences with both, so I know I don't need to handle trying to do everything.

In as far as I have "explored" consciousness, I think I've done so out of sheer curiosity. Not that I claim to have figured out what it is or to know much about it. I think it's one of those things where we're too close to it to be able to see it clearly.

What has inspired me to explore consciousness?  Science.

If it cannot be measured, or even detected (and dreaming/thinking states can be detected), then it likely does not exist.

Consciousness exists, so I 'explore' it.

I don't have a reasonable reason.

Maybe I can claim to be curiosity, but that's not my first ever reason.

I may try and claim it's because I'm different from others -- whether for wholesome reasons or for malevolent reasons, it's not entirely why...
Also not my initial reason, though it became my drive.

I could claim it's the academic subjects that is related reality and knowing reality, again while it's an interest of mine, it's not my main reason.

Heck I can claim spontaneous mystical experience even.
Again, that's not my first reason -- that at best, just intensifies the idea of exploring consciousness, and at worst it's just another data that is my experience.

I'm not sure how I should describe it.

But I think it's the same as endless consumption and collection -- except, as a child, with really poor documentary skills, and no quality exposure from anyone nor any exposure to any literature at all.
And doesn't even know the words like consciousness or experience or ideas what life is.


Or the very fact that I'm a very bored soul, watching, observing and living as the person named 'Edna'.
The same way as myself, binging on endless content online. That this life itself is 'a' content that "I am" binging.

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Drugs.

So, some interesting replies, including a rather epic one. Anybody else? This subject interests me greatly, so I'm really looking forward to any further votes/comments. Hope nobody minds that I'm bumping this post back up to the top to see if anyone else responds.

Thanks to all who have already posted.