EXISTENCE EXPLAINED The Science Behind Consciousness and Enlightenment And How To Benefit From It BY DAVID M REYNOLDS Preface We live our lives under the constant influence of thoughts, emotions, desires, and assumptions — many of which we never question. From the moment we’re born, we inherit a sense of “self” that feels fixed, solid, and in control. But what if that sense of self is an illusion? What if the stories we tell ourselves about who we are, what we want, and why we suffer are based on a misunderstanding of how the mind truly works? This book began with a simple yet unsettling realization: our brains are not designed to make us happy, to show us the truth, or even to give us control. They are designed to help our genes survive. Once I understood this — through the lens of biology, neuroscience, and psychology — everything else began to fall into place. In these pages, I bring together the work of leading scientists lik...
The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science. Albert Einstein Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. Albert Einstein Enlightenment: The act of enlightening or the state of being enlightened. Enlighten: Give greater knowledge and understanding about a subject or situation. Give spiritual knowledge or insight. Enlightened: Having or showing a rational, modern, and well-informed outlook. Spiritually aware. Meditation and mindfulness are useful tools in this process of creating a more accurate perception of reality, a more focused life and a more joyful experience. As we delve into our inner world the study of the sciences, psychology, the brain and consciousness can help us interpret our experiences. Our enlightenment is effected by our ego's need to see the world in a certain way and to maintain it's own existence. Meditation can he...