# archés mēns ~ guidance > Mind as Membrane: Consciousness Beyond Individuality **Published by:** [trnqlbnvvnt // noah](https://paragraph.com/@trnqlbnvvnt/) **Published on:** 2025-03-01 **Categories:** analytic idealism, consciousness studies, transpersonal psychology, metaphysics, philosophy of mind, phenomenology, orthodox spirituality, ontology, idealism, collective unconscious **URL:** https://paragraph.com/@trnqlbnvvnt/arch-s-m-ns-guidance ## Content trnqlbnvvnt presents: archés mēns // charm / quark90% of these songs, we like this 🤞🏾—where were you when i was young?? i wish i knew you then! How—in the span of 4 months—a "shortlist" of 137 songs turns into 68 recorded songs, which itself becomes 59 songs published in 15 scenes and 3 acts...how all that manifests is beyond me 😭 tbv's choice chham se full moon shadow dancing hair down bluffin tears on the dance floor hrudhayam mufasa dies amali thumali layla where you are Necessary Disclaimers as of March 1, 2025, i am not a father—let alone, a father of 4 😅 (c.f. song #1) i (really hope that i) don't know anybody named Layla (c.f. song #53) although this feels like a "love" album, no part of it refers to ANY particular girls (c.f. song #2) or boys To be brutally honest, when it's all said and done for me (i.e., when the Shushefo veils my face 🫠), this entire work (from my pov) will likely refer to more boys than girls (c.f. song 58) 😂 Editor's Note Note: i primarily produced this album (along with every single other reflection i've published) with myself in mind. To be clear, i have and will publish 0.0% of my reflections from which i haven't personally benefited. Reiterating my earlier exhortation: before reading my reflections of this album in Ch. 2, spin through the album once. Then, after completing at least one listen, i invite you to read the reflections i compiled below. Subsequently freely return to album at your leisure and notice if your experience of it evolves. Play around with perspective: listen to one song as if you're the subject of adoration ("the adorer") and re-listen to it as if you're the object of adoration ("the adoree"). Have fun with it, and i will only make 1 guarantee: your experience of this album—and, thus, the insights it helps you generate—will be fundamentally different than mine! Enjoy! Ch. 2 | First Fruits 2a Mind & Reality Universal Consciousness and Substance As a whole, the universe represents the appearance of a universal conscious inner life of transpersonal mental states (i.e., ideas and emotions) underlying all nature. Such extrinsic appearances of transpersonal mental processes display on the screen of perception. They inform us about the essential experiential states comprising the substance of reality that individuals cannot access directly. Thus, nature represents a transpersonal form of natural consciousness: a naturally extended field of subjectivity. Note: this discussion strongly echoes sentiments i shared in "on divinity", the 2nd essay i ever published almost 3 years ago! Although i now disagree with myriad assertions in that essay, comparing that investigation with this one may draw your curiosity. Subjective Experience of Reality As far as self-evident truths go, we only have naturally transpersonal experiences. Each of us swims in an ocean of transpersonal endogenous mental states (e.g., thoughts, emotions, instincts, etc.). The physical world—used in the conventional sense—simply represents how such experiential states constituting the world as it is in and of itself manifest to our perception. We share a transpersonal and mental external world of which the physical world merely represents an image. Ostensibly, the world as it is in and of itself is more akin to a transpersonal inner experience than anything else. The Role of the Dissociative Boundary Transpersonal mental states (i.e., reality's true substance) impinge on the dissociative boundaries of each individual within the field of consciousness. Mental activity bidirectionally impinges on the dissociative boundary. For, an individual's inner dissociated mental activity affects the transpersonal mental state of universal consciousness through impinging on the dissociative boundary, influencing other conscious individuals. Furthermore, an analysis of brain activity signals indicate that the dissociative boundary becomes porous during empyrean entheogenic journeys. Therein, otherwise unregistered transpersonal experiences may percolate through the more porous dissociative boundary, which is increasingly sensitive to transpersonal experiences. The Fabric of Mind The Hyper-Dimensional Membrane Consider the following: imagine our experiential patterns as the vibrations of a hyper-dimensional membrane (i.e., a membrane in more than 3 dimensions of space). Imagine the entire set of reality's phenomena as a dynamic painting unfolding on a certain canvas, which we shall henceforth refer to as the fabric of mind. Imagine the fabric of mind as a hyper-dimensional membrane that supports incalculably myriad modes of vibration: visualize a 2-dimensional, flat membrane vibrating in different modes. Instead of a world outside of mind, the fabric of mind itself vibrates in unfathomably complex modes to produce these experiential patterns. Formation and Function of Localized Loops Furthermore, suppose that different parts of mind's hyper-membrane can "fold in" on them themselves to form (partially) closed loops, producing unique "local loops" of mentation. Whether recursive or fractal (i.e., loops on top of loops on top of loops...etc.), loop formation changes the natural mode of vibration within the loop similar to how pressing a guitar string anywhere changes its note. Only certain modes of the broader, unfolded hyper-membrane resonate within the loop, while others get filtered out. Moreover, because of its specific topology, the local loop could support entirely new oscillatory modes that, even, the broader hyper-membrane may deem alien. These peculiar modes of oscillation within loops may leak out and influence the broader membrane. The loops modulate experience but do not generate, for the broader hyper-membrane's vibrations alone excite the vibrations within the loops. Additionally, consider these loops as areas of self-reflective awareness in the mind, so they are analogous to our egos. Although there is only one universal fabric of mind, the illusion of individuality arises when localized loops of self-reflective awareness form on this fabric. Each has its own vibratory characteristics, but all stem from the same fundamental source. A loop's topology may fluctuate over a lifetime because certain vibrational modes interfere with its structure similar to how a musical instrument can resonate with itself. Altered states of consciousness partially or temporarily alter the loop's topology, potentially enabling access to more modes from the collective unconscious that lead to transpersonal yet non-local experiences. The Collective Unconscious in the Membrane Finally, unfolded areas of the broader hyper-membrane represent the collective unconscious. Experiences exist (i.e., oscillations occur) there, but they lack self-reflective loops. Some vibrational modes in the collective unconscious get filtered out, and others form the shared "data stream" underpinning our consistently shared experience of reality. Vibrations within individual loops (i.e., egoic experiences) can leak out via resonance to influence the collective unconscious. Regular Patterns Natural laws describe patterns according to which subjective experiences regularly flow. For example, the laws of physics capture the vibrations within the loops that most humans ordinarily perceive. Science discards statistically insignificant peculiarities because every loop may have slight variations. Natural laws merely describe commonalities of oscillation across loops. Idealism, The Superior Hypothesis Potential Metaphysical First Principles Your conscious perceptions exist. Other living entities have different conscious perceptions from your own that also exist. Things exist independently of and outside of conscious perception. Things that exist independently of and outside of conscious perception generate conscious perception. The Idealist Stance qualification: nature may behave as if the following model were true but not literally or ontologically true Materialists grant all four principles; agnostic realists, the first three; idealists, the first two; and, solipsists, only the first. Thus, as an idealist, i only grant the first and second principles but neither the third nor forth. Only subjective experiences themselves exists, so there's no world outside of mind that modulates your subjective experiences. Strictly speaking, there exists no proof of a world outside of or independent of experience because verifying such a proof necessitates experience. We infer an external world because it explains why different human beings report similar and mutually-consistent experiences. If everything subsists in mind, it may be all in your mind; yet, despite the lack of deductive proof, you can reasonably accept that other people also have minds. Separately, although i deny principle three, i do not deny that other people have inner lives. Instead, i affirm that you have an inner life—a personal stream of experiences within consciousness—that i cannot normally access. Recognizing each other's inner life necessitates accepting a broader variety of experiences than those we can ordinarily access within our individual streams. Idealists deny the existence of anything outside of consciousness. They grant that countless experiences exist outside of an individual's inner life, but these experiences are also streams of consciousness. The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts. ~ Marcus Aurelius, Meditations A viable alternative to materialism as our cultural narrative's underlying ontology requires a coherent, unambiguous and explicit system that accomplishes 3 objectives. First, it explains everything that materialism explains. Second, it explains empirically verifiable observations that materialism does not explain. Third, it accomplish the first two objectives with fewer ontological categories than materialism. Such a system that necessitates faith because it enables us to extend our single certainty (i.e., self-evident truth of subjective experience within mind) beyond its face-value individual boundaries. Some Loose Ends how can you explicitly or implicitly affirm beliefs without experiencing them? if the universe solely consists of experience and nothing outside of it, how can a model of such a universe accommodate apparently different minds? why do all these apparently different minds seemingly share the same reality if there's no common "outside world" modulating their experiences how does one coherent model reconcile all of this? On Qualia and Transpersonal Binding If one claims that qualia exists in the world rather than inside our heads, the world necessitates at least one non-personal/transpersonal experiencer. The crux of the debate rests on whether the experiencer is human or non-human, embodied or disembodied. I affirm that the nature of such an experiencer underscores the ontological necessity for The Holy Trinity, but let's set aside that discussion for another day. We cannot explain how different people experience the same world unless we infer a transpersonal binding that unifies disparate personal experiences. Like inferring transpersonal binding, we analogously infer that the Earth extends beyond the horizon to explain the cycles of day and night. Ch. 3 | Breadcrumbs... Now, the above discussion represents not the end of my investigations but yet another beginning. Below, i've loosely sketched out two different trails of breadcrumbs on which i'll amble as i explore this topic for the rest of my life 🙂 Holy Orthodox Fathers One day, i hope to read St. Gregory Palamas, who explored the concept of The Uncreated Light and the profound dimensions of spiritual experience. I hope to continue reading: St. John Chrysostom, whose sermons often illuminate the relationship between the inner spiritual life and the external world; St. Isaac the Syrian, who poetically meditates on the unseen and ineffable elements of Divine Consciousness; St. Maximus the Confessor, whose emphasis on Mystical Union and the role of the Inner Divine Light hints at an underlying transpersonal reality; and, St. Symeon the New Theologian, who stresses direct personal experience of God and the transformative quality of Inner Light. Non-Orthodox Philosophers One day, i hope to read: Plotinus, who discusses The One and how the mind emanates from The Ultimate Source; Hegel, who explores how The Absolute and Spirit (Geist)—a transpersonal dynamic—unfolds through history; Carl Jung, whose development of the collective unconscious and archetypes directly influence transpersonal psychology; Ken Wilber, whose integral theory bridges the personal, transpersonal and collective dimensions of mind and reality. Appendix Appendix A: vScribble 🙂 shoutout to St. Ephrem the Syrian! 😊 Appendix B: Table of Contents prologue scene 1: inhale 01 father of 4 (intro) 02 city of stars act 1: falling in scene 2: enigmatic potential 03 mystery lady 04 chham se 05 say something 06 i was made for lovin' you scene 3: essential pulse 07 be my lover 08 i confess 09 take control 10 full moon 11 jacob's ladder scene 4: alchemical affinity 12 henny 13 sugar 14 shadow dancing 15 say my name (remix) 16 LOUD 17 just stay the night scene 5: mosaic volatility 18 dangerous 19 pressure 20 lacchi gaani pelli 21 hair down 22 down for me (interlude) act 2: falling out scene 6: dissonant denial 23 bluffin 24 SPLIT DECISION 25 what did you say 26 let the music play 27 what you've done to me 28 tears on the dance floor (DJ edit) scene 7: unrequited desire 29 missing you 30 strangely sentimental 31 hrudhayam scene 8: irrational ire 32 love again 33 biggest regret 34 wicked game scene 9: epic acceptance 35 better by myself 36 mufasa dies 37 my love is gone (interlude) act 3: falling again scene 10: substantial stirring 38 phases (4am remix) 39 underwater 40 o baana modagale 41 amali thumali 42 sì 'a cosa cchiù bella 43 about u scene 11: invigorating allure 44 honey boy 45 you boy (remix) 46 into you 47 aaja soniye scene 12: affective cadence 48 resonate 49 girl you got my heart (remix) 50 my dil goes mmmm 51 coming home scene 13: vulnerable embrace 52 call my name 53 layla (acoustic live) 54 invitation scene 14: transcendent synergy 55 where you are (watching sunsets remix) 56 together 57 music is better (club edit) epilogue scene 15: exhale 58 still miss my {boys} 59 war baby (outro) Bibliography Mind as a hyper-dimensional membrane ~ Bernardo Kastrup The heart of the matter ~ Bernardo Kastrup Notes i'll reserve another day for an in-depth discussion of "the meeting". Alternatively, you can think of these as scientific art projects 😇 both work, so pick your poison LOL. first time reading? please check out the sailing manual for helpful guidance! ## Publication Information - [trnqlbnvvnt // noah](https://paragraph.com/@trnqlbnvvnt/): Publication homepage - [All Posts](https://paragraph.com/@trnqlbnvvnt/): More posts from this publication - [RSS Feed](https://api.paragraph.com/blogs/rss/@trnqlbnvvnt): Subscribe to updates - [Twitter](https://twitter.com/trnqlbnvvnt): Follow on Twitter