Our experiences with the external world are possible mainly through vision, hearing, taste, touch, and smell providing us a sense of reality. How the brain is able to seamlessly integrate stimuli from our external and internal world into our sense of reality has yet to be adequately explained in the literature. We have previously proposed a three-dimensional unified model of consciousness that partly explains the dynamic mechanism. Here we further expand our model and include illustrations to provide a better conception of the ill-defined space within the self, providing insight into a unified mind-body concept. In this article, we propose that our senses "super-impose" on an existing dynamic space within us after a slight, imperceptible delay. The existing space includes the entire intrapersonal space and can also be called the "the body's internal 3D default space". We provide examples from meditation experiences to help explain how the sense of 'self ' can be experienced through meditation practice associated with underlying physiological processes that take place through cardio-respiratory synchronization and coherence that is developed among areas of the brain. Meditation practice can help keep the body in a parasympathetic dominant state during meditation, allowing an experience of inner 'self '. Understanding this physical and functional space could help unlock the mysteries of the function of memory and cognition, allowing clinicians to better recognize and treat disorders of the mind by recommending proven techniques to reduce stress as an adjunct to medication treatment. allows us to experience an internal representation of the external environment. In the following sections we discuss the purpose of brain oscillations in consciousness, and further explain the formation of our previously proposed 3D default space theory, see [11]. Brain oscillations and the 3d default spaceWe consider brain oscillations dynamic because sensory and cortical information is organized around the thalamus which allows us to experience the external world. Alpha, gamma, retinogeniculo-cortical, and corticothalamic oscillations are essential in forming the 3D default space because they allow constant and continuous communication between the brain and the body-without them, we do not think that consciousness can emerge.Alpha oscillations vibrate at 8-14 Hz, strongly influencing brain activity [12,13] It is through these fast alpha and gamma oscillations that we suggest an 'internal' neural space is formed, providing an infrastructure for visual consciousness. Neuronal synchronization with the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) through oscillations at 60-120 Hz is indicated by oscillatory activity in the retina, LGN, and cortex [21,22], which allows the brain and retina to receive and process visual stimuli as one organ. These retinogeniculocortical oscillations assist in the formation of the dynamic template that reduces external space into our internal world space we call the 3D default space. These fast oscillations an...
Consciousness is the unified, structured, subjective experience that we all share. The Default Space Theory has been proposed as a unified theory of consciousness that includes the brain and body in describing the infrastructure of consciousness. We have presented the theory in journals with a variety of academic specialties; however, the model is continually being developed. Due to the current state of science on the nature of conscious experience lacking hard data, the theory's concepts must thoroughly explain and shoulder phenomenological observations including the phenomenology of deficits of consciousness. According to the theory, the thalamus serves as a central hub which networks the globally distributed, and continuous fast oscillations not only among the brain, but also the eyes, ears, skin, and other sensory organs. These oscillations form the virtual template of external space within the mind in which external sensory information is integrated into this pre-existing, dynamic space. In this article, we explore phenomenological support for our theory of conscious experience in which such experience resides entirely in such a virtual space, termed the default space. In order to provide such support, we discuss simple personal experiments and observations which anyone can partake along with phenomenal symptoms of clinical deficits. We encourage readers to perform the personal experiments we describe in order to gain an understanding of the various concepts of the theory. The neurological deficits we elucidate not only support the theory but clarify obscurities surrounding these conditions. We assert the support we give in our theory here will advance the uphill struggle many paramount theories face in gaining initial acceptance. Further research is needed in order to acquire empirical evidence for the veracity of our theory.
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