[Melchior]

Originally Posted by Anagogy

In observing my own consciousness, I see the "shape" or "state" of consciousness as being a function of what I choose to place my awareness on. Attention in other words. Though, practically speaking, this "choice" is not necessarily consciously deliberate but just the most convenient or naturally associated thought object. As a new focus (or thought object) is achieved, the prior shape, object, or reality attenuates. The attenuation is necessary for cognitive energy conservation reasons.

It's interesting how you use the term attenuate for the moving away from prior focus. By the same token I'm guessing that there must also be a gradual shift to the new focus then too?

It can assume any shape, with the caveat that it is large enough to accommodate said shape. The power, strength, intensity, or size of consciousness seems to be a factor of shape also, albeit a more subtle or subconscious focus. For example, as my consciousness is currently entertaining the shape or "information structure" of a physical brain, it is limited to the preconditions of that shape in much the same way as the expression of a light shining through a blue lens is filtered or conditioned by that shape. The base shape or focus conditions or limits all future shapes.

We might even call these base shapes "identities".

So to go into a higher level of consciousness base shape, you'd have to discard the current one altogether? Perhaps this is what happens when you 'die' and get reborn (reincarnation and such). This was my thought too, as the brain does have it's limits, but that which we may 'build' so to speak might not have as low of a set of limits.

Practically speaking, this means my brain has a certain amount of "RAM" and that limits the scope of what is is possible to be aware of whilst consciousness is "shining" through or "conforming" itself to that particular structure. This would be the cognitive energy limits of the information structure.

In order to conform its shape to something bigger or more complex than the scope of what the physical body is capable of cognizing, it would need to first release that shape before taking on another one. This would be a matter of changing the focus -- not only of the broad or "conscious" level, but the deeper or more fundamental subconscious identity levels as well.

In other words, we can't really transcend our structure while remaining in our structure. Create a new identity. Of course, this would suppose that there were separate focuses in the first place. It's at around our immediate scale of consciousness. From this point of view, my task would probably then be to figure out and construct this more advanced information structure.

When the consciousness is not entertaining ANY shape, it is not constraining itself to ANY limits, and is an "unbounded essence" as it were. This, from my perspective, would be a state of infinite energy or awareness.

In other words, God.