stream of consciousness
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here is a curious thought: the person that coined the term "stream of consciousness" was probably in a stream of consciousness when he or she coined it.
i love this expression. stream of consciousness is a perfect combination of words. a stream is a small flowing source of water, a babbling brook, a creek, a rivulet. and consciousness is, is...um, ahh, let's see, well what the heck is consciousness anyways? it's a little more difficult to pinpoint but, for me, it has something to do with awareness, not just of my environment but also an awareness of the activity of my mind outside of my own self. people who are on diets are good examples of consciousness. they say things like, "i can't go down that street because the chocolatiere is there and i won't be able to resist going in." they are aware of the coercive power that their mind has over their behavior and recognize that they cannot give it an inch or it will take the proverbial mile.
so stream of consciousness is an activity, a license of free rein for the mind. in my view it is an exercise that helps to keep my mind expanding...thinking outside the box...flowing into the great unknown.
everyday, mornings and evenings, i take my dogs for a walk. it is during this time that i allow free rein to my mind. thoughts both ridiculous and sublime bubble up. for me, the most compelling observation is the recognition of the associative nature of my mind: every image is a trigger for another thought and every thought is a trigger for another image. in this way there is a process of fluidity...moving thoughts and images, non static, which is why stream is such an apt description. beyond the engagement with this activity, this mindful exercise yields freedom. why freedom? because it encourages the dissolution of the logical or rational framework of language. the use of language in everyday living suffers from severe limitations, is used mostly in dry and descriptive ways. breaking down this structure revitalizes me by expanding my horizon of perception far beyond the mere illusion of what i see.
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