It's a random morning in my tiny apartment- I don't know if the shack in which I live qualifies as an apartment but we have to call it something right?
Anyway, it's some minutes to mid-day and I'm studying Advanced Microbial Physiology and Biochemistry while planning my head how to squeeze tasks from two jobs and a church vigil into the juggle of my life without spilling any balls.
So, my studying is going like pathways, metabolites I mustn’t forget, random thought unrelated to anything, processes to remember step-wisely, pneumonics to help my memory, oh! job tasks, should I cancel attending the vigil and bail on my MD?, macromolecules, nucleotides, and random thoughts again in a spiral. Yeah, this writer was having a hard time focusing this particular morning and then, she landed on the thought that spurred this post;
A tiny bacterial cell knows to convert to particular chemical compounds that can go through certain pathways to obtain energy for survival. An autotrophic cell knows to reduce carbon dioxide first to conduct its metabolism. My brain knows what instructions to give my cells, what nutrients to convert to what metabolites, what chemicals to release to stay alive and even survive unexpected situations. This is some complex, boring, and exciting chemistry, I'm not even gonna lie to you. But, think with me….
If my brain already knows biochemistry, why then do I have to study biochemistry again, to know it? I know, I know, I have come again. It sounds like the kind of question you'd ask if you were high on something but I mean, my brain already knows and applies it. Heck, I wouldn't be alive if it didn't. Why do I still have to learn what my brain knows, does, and how it does it? The answer is simple but my random thoughts just gave me a slightly new perspective.
While your brain does what it does, there is no consciousness. It's like you’re separate from it. What makes you “you” is not the biology or chemistry of your cells (the double yous were not a typo, for anyone who didn’t quite catch that). Sure, they contribute but “you” is on a different plane of consciousness and even existence. This plane is what differentiates us- humans and living souls- from robots.
Now, your brain knows the chemistry of how it should work. But, you need studying to bring such knowledge into your consciousness to make it useful to you on this plane of existence. And, that is when you can use the knowledge to make decisions, take actions, create new stuff, etc. More simply put, there is information in your brain that is useful for your body but not useful for you in the real world because it is not in your consciousness.
And that brings me to the power of consciousness. There are many things hinged on consciousness like meditation, perspective, faith, etc. Many times, what you need to get things done is consciousness. The other day, I was asking myself; “how do we know so much and apply so little?”. I don't know if it's just me but, I have realized a million times that I knew something right after I'd explained it profoundly to someone. I didn't even know I knew those things. Worse, the knowledge I had could've helped me in certain situations, had I been conscious of it. I had knowledge but it wasn't in my consciousness, so when I needed it, it was useless.
It's like knowing that you are beautiful or smart but not building a consciousness of your beauty or brilliance, or both🙄. You would most certainly forget, and let someone else make you feel ugly and unworthy. Or you'd be utterly surprised when someone else affirms that you're a sight to behold.
I could give a hundred examples if didn't have my books and a degree to get back to right now. So, I would not attempt to uncover everything I have to share about consciousness in this one post.
Let's take this as an introduction to the power of consciousness. Perhaps, after my exams, we can explore this some more. I had to write this quickly so it doesn't end up lying in my drafts for a long time. There are like 20 potential posts chilling there as we speak and only the Lord knows when I'll get around to posting them all. So, there's definitely a part II and I hope you stick around for it. Bye for now!
BTW, more people have been finding and reading these posts. Funny how I've not even shared it on WhatsApp or anywhere else. I basically started writing here for me, my sisters, best friend, and partner (hi, babe!) to avoid the pressure of being read (more like being seen) by other people. Well, I did say I'll quit hiding this year, maybe, this is how I start.
Thank you for reading again and again. My subscribers deserve special seats in heaven🤭.
You know how it is…
Love Always,
Lumin🖤
Your writing always feels like a show that should have charged heavily for tickets. i mean there's humor, educative facts, reference to God, thought provoking phrases and more all enveloped in a gist like nature. you are an impeccable writer indeed. (From a secret admirer)
This was so insightful 🧡 and good luck getting that degree! I'll be here for when you write about your success