The Process of Awareness Entering the Spiritual Realm Based on Thought Patterns as the Lamp of the Heart
Author,Jacob Ereste
Freelance Journalist
Human consciousness almost never emerges suddenly, but often proceeds through biological and psychological processes based on past experiences, built together by all of the aforementioned components. It is a complex interaction between the brain and the heart, synchronized in dialogue or a kind of deliberation to reach a consensus, choosing the right decision, based on a pure attitude and awareness of the choices made.
The sensation of sensory stimulation begins in the brain when it receives input from all five senses, which provide input through various sources—seen, heard, and felt. The brain then constructs the most appropriate interpretation, ultimately related to the impulse of will within memories and turbulent emotions, until awareness arises of something—a scent, a sound vibration, or a touch, the feeling of the presence of a particularly impressive figure or atmosphere.
The state of awareness of something begins with heightened attention, leading to understanding, which awakens awareness through conversation, thinking, or feeling something that touches the heart.
The next process can be mediated by self-reflection—self-awareness—through one’s own feelings, which provide consideration for conscious choices, along with clear, sincere, and genuine inner motivations without any pressure.
As usual, through language and concepts, self-awareness can be expanded, allowing us to articulate thoughts, feelings, and imagination—as constituents of consciousness—and can increasingly complexly enter a wide-open moral and spiritual realm, allowing us to choose from a variety of possible options. Such is the process of human consciousness; it doesn’t emerge suddenly, but rather through a lengthy inner struggle—after reflection and sedimentation—to become a decision that is believed and trusted as the right choice. Essentially, the mind will build a logical framework before the heart solidifies its choice. This is because the mind always weighs pros and cons, right and wrong, and cause and effect. But rational thought can still be overpowered by the heart, or feelings. Therefore, in the spiritual realm, many people who have not yet delved into spiritual practice speak irrationally. They are often even called superstitious.
The mind essentially has a significant influence on the mood or feelings present at that moment. Therefore, someone about to make a crucial decision needs time to deliberate and reflect on it to ensure the right decision, while considering the various potential impacts of either action or inaction as a choice that must be made immediately. This is how it begins: reflection, which builds a construct of consciousness within each person, can mature the resolve of the heart, not the resolve of the mind. This is because in the mechanism of thinking and contemplating something, the power of the heart is dominant, while also being able to minimize the intervention of emotions, which are completely under the heart’s control.
This is how human consciousness develops through a long, tireless process of continuously striving to maintain biological interactions—brain function—psychological (emotions and experiences), and spiritual intelligence from the inner reflections that reside within the soul. Therefore, the stimulation of the senses, continuously processed and honed in the brain, is harmonized with emotions and desires coordinated in memory to establish a mature decision. Therefore, thinking with the brain will not always be linear with daily thoughts. However, rational thought can be defeated by the heart’s convictions, which guide the final decision-making process. Intellectual intelligence always lags behind spiritual intelligence.
It is from this awareness of understanding that decisions are made with sufficient contemplation to consider both positive and negative impacts. The same is true for choosing attitudes in spiritual practice, to gain enlightenment through thinking, thus becoming a guide for the soul. As the ancient Datuks’ advice, always remembered, states that thinking is the lamp of the heart. Because the driving force of all spiritual energy is the heart. Maia, even among spiritual practitioners, is more popularly known as thinking with the heart, rather than thinking with the brain. To the point, the term “wangsit management” has become part of the linguistic treasury and is considered commonplace.**
Banten, July 20, 2025
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