The Bergel Institute

Overview

Consciousness is more than just awareness; it is the connective tissue of life. Understanding consciousness has profound implications for how we relate to one another and understand our interdependence.

The Institute's focus on consciousness is based on the recognition that the more we see our interconnectedness, the less likely we are to allow the human suffering present all around us and due in large part to a fragmented view of how we exist.

Key Issues

The Nature of the Mind

Developments in Western science and medicine have reinforced what Eastern philosophies have long stated: the brain and the mind are not the same. Given that, where is the mind, and, further, where is consciousness?

Levels of Consciousness

Psychologist Carl Jung proposed both individual and collective levels of conscious and unconscious thought. If true, his work provides clarity on our deep connection to one another. The degree to which this is provable is one of the aims of our work in this subject area.

Broadening our Perspective

The Institute examines individual consciousness, collective consciousness, and the interplay of dimensions beyond the four traditionally accepted (length, width, height, and time). We explore concepts such as time, space, and other human or mathematical constructs to which we assign definitiveness.

The Importance of Consciousness

The primacy of studying consciousness lies in its explanatory potential. The degree to which we see how connected we are, the more possible it is that we will live in accord with that.