4th March - The physical body, internal dissociation & metacognition
Are we multiple alters?
Are mitochondria alters?
Can we become less dissociated and follow our inner guidance?
Is reality a lesson or research lab?
This was a great session, exploring how our physical bodies relate to consciousness, including discussions about cells, bacteria, mitochondria, and whether they constitute separate alters or part of a unified system.
This was a great session, exploring how our physical bodies relate to consciousness, including discussions about cells, bacteria, mitochondria, and whether they constitute separate alters or part of a unified system.
We also discussed the miracle of metacognition, it's evolutionary significance, and its potential dangers when disconnected from bodily experience.
Here are a couple of examples of questions asked. Check out the comments for more, and check out the schedule for other upcoming themes!
Are we multiple alters? - Aaron Day
Some base things before the actual question:
1) Alters of TWE have dissociated parts themselves, complexes in Jungian terminology.
2) Under AI biology is what dissociative processes look like from across another dissociative boundary.
So my question is around how we can make sense of a 'single' alter, a complex system, where our biology is set of nested ecosystems. The essentia foundation documentary on bacteria was fascinating on this count. Bacteria make up a massive part of a biology and is essential to our life and, therefore, the maintenance of our own dissociation. Bacteria are also there own biological systems making them simple alters themselves. Are we then comprised of millions of alters somehow maintained within one overarching alter? If so what is the mechanism of this and where do we draw the line between subjectivities?
ARE THERE INACCESSIBLE MENTAL PROCESSES IN MaL? - Dan
Are there mental processes in MAL that are, in principle, completely inaccessible to any alter’s screen of perception—not even faintly registered?