[austintorn@aol.com]

The universe manifests through us, for we ARE it come to life. The universe has perhaps achieved consciousness through us, unless, of course, the universe is made of consciousness.

Consciousness is our only portal to reality and could be the only thing that exists, although we don’t know yet, but if hallucinations and night dreams can so easily generate what appears as reality, we have to take this as a VERY BIG CLUE that waking reality could be doing the same. The problem is that then minds and brains might not be real either. Then what?

So far we accept that there are no colors, scents, and light, etc. as we know them out there, if there is an out there, but seem to come from waves or interference patterns “out there”. But again, we cannot trust anything that our consciousness observes to be real.

As for phantom limbs, that seems less amazing since the “I’m here” nerves still connect to the brain.

The subconscious, if it is real, doesn’t always feel guilt, for many fall for their own thoughts hook, line, and sinker as if they were gospel.

I am conscious, therefore consciousness exists?

However, consciousness doesn’t seem to be directly observable, especially if we are it, and doesn’t seem to be an object but only a ground—a subject that experiences objects. It’s hard to see the sea in which we see.

But it’s still fun to figure out the Theory of the Unreal That is Completely Useful as if it Were Real.