By Ilona Selke

I was watching an interview about the nature of consciousness with a title that intrigued me “Is Consciousness The Final Reality? – Questioning The Material Universe” | Dr. Bernardo Kastrup https://youtu.be/FcaV3EEmR9k?si=CIT8YyFZ3e0ahhRL

Since my earliest years I have tried to figure out the interplay between consciousness and matter, dreaming of becoming a Genie and coming up with experiments so I could prove that thoughts affect our reality. You can read about some of these experiments in my books and the magical experiences I and many students of mine have had over the last few decades. 

We are increasingly facing a new world, wherein consciousness might wind up being reduced to the firing of neurons, like what electrons can achieve on a computer chip, and where we might get fooled, by something that appears to have self-awareness. 

That is what keeps me teaching, writing and reaching out to you right now.

We need to have a lot of awake beings that know the difference between what appears to be conscious, and what actually is conscious. We need to teach our children how to rise beyond what computer chips will soon be able to mimic, so that we will have a future.

We are not just crunching information apparatuses and cognizing reality, we are the interface between the visible and the invisible.

Philosophers like Bernardo Kastrup have offered compelling arguments against materialism, which might sound appealing, by asserting that consciousness—not physical matter—is the fundamental essence of existence. In Kastrup’s view, however, matter only exists as it is perceived through cognition, a perspective rooted in idealism. Tell that to a skateboarder! And, what does that mean later when robots tell us they love us.

While I deeply appreciate his thoughts and his attempt to move us beyond the limitations of materialism, I see his framework equates consciousness too closely with cognition, thereby missing a more expansive and profound layer of awareness: the Superconscious Field.

In this blog post, I’d like to explore this distinction, highlight where Kastrup’s argument might be self-limiting, and offer a broader vision of reality that embraces transpersonal intelligence—an intelligence that transcends thought and cognition yet remains vibrantly alive and aware.

Cognition vs. Superconsciousness: A Huge Distinction

Kastrup’s idealism posits that reality arises as a mental construct perceived through the lens of cognition. How could we argue that, as all we ever know is through our lenses of perception, but which in the end are nothing put the electrical charges in our brain. In this view, consciousness is tied to the thinking mind, where perception and awareness are functions of our cognitive processes. While this perspective elegantly dismantles the materialist notion that matter exists independently of mind, it risks reducing consciousness to the realm of thought and intellectual perception.

But what if consciousness is far more expansive than cognition alone?

In my Superconscious Field Theory, I propose that superconsciousness extends far beyond the cognitive mind. Cognition, while a powerful tool, is inherently limited—it’s bound by language, concepts, and individual perception. Superconsciousness, on the other hand, is a transpersonal field of awareness that operates through direct knowing and being rather than through thought. Think of cognition as a wave on the surface of the ocean: it’s a movement within consciousness, but it’s not the entirety of the ocean itself. Superconsciousness is the ocean—vast, deep, and infinite in its scope.

We see evidence of this in altered states of consciousness, such as deep meditation, near-death experiences, or mystical absorption. In these states, individuals often report a profound awareness that transcends the thinking mind. IONS, the Noetic Science group, founded by the late Astronaut Edgar Mitchell, provides thousands and thousands of experiments that prove that the power of consciousness can MOVE MATTER.

They describe a quality of awareness that can be trained and become more effective at affecting 3D reality. It is also inclusive of intuitive knowing—an intelligence that exists clearly outside of conscious thought. For example, during near-death experiences, people can perceive things in other locations that prove to be true after their return. NDE people frequently recount a sense of universal connection, a clarity of understanding that doesn’t rely on mental constructs. This suggests that there is a fundamental substratum of reality, a layer of intelligence that doesn’t depend on cognition but is instead the very ground of being itself.

Where Kastrup’s Argument Falls Short

While Kastrup’s critique of materialism is a good step, I believe his framework is self-limiting by overly intellectualizing consciousness.

By equating consciousness with cognition, he risks turning consciousness into a mere measuring tool —rather than a field,, which in and of itself is seeking to discover itself. If reality is a mental construct, as Kastrup asserts, then what gives rise to cognition in the first place?

Regarding the assumption that “matter doesn’t exist apart from perception,” I would love to tell him that it doesn’t necessarily mean that “all of consciousness is only cognition.” This leap overlooks the possibility of a deeper, non-cognitive awareness that underlies all experience.

If cognition were the sole determining force of existence, what would that mean for the unborn babies, whose parents often see their baby’s soul in the aether before birth. Or what does it say about people having contact with non-physical beings, or deceased family members, or friends, who still seem to help from the other side?

And I am sure you know that NDEers (people who had Near Death Experiences) can know things that happened outside of the walls of their death-beds, such as experienced and described by Eben Alexander in his books, one of which is called Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon’s Journey into the Afterlife .

And then there are infants, who are by definition still pre-cognitive, or when we are in deep sleep, or in profound meditative states. Would we have to consider these states “non-existent” simply because they don’t involve active thought?

Mystics, yogis, and researchers of expanded states of being would argue otherwise. They point to a level of awareness that exists beyond the thinking mind—an intelligence that is conscious but not thought-based. This challenges Kastrup’s paradigm and invites us to consider a more expansive view of reality.

The Superconscious Field

My Superconscious Field Theory offers a broader perspective—one that embraces consciousness as the primary force, but rather than confining it to a very limited understanding of consciousness, namely only cognition, which in the end will be able to be replicated by AI and Robot, we know that something much larger is at work in the field of life, of creation.

I propose that there exists a universal field of intelligence that transcends the personal mind. This field is alive, aware, and deeply intelligent, yet it doesn’t rely on thought or mental constructs to exist. It’s the source from which cognition arises, but it’s not limited by it.  

We see glimpses of this universal intelligence in phenomena like spontaneous healings, intuitive downloads, and near-death experiences like those described by Eben Alexander. For example, countless individuals report receiving profound insights during moments of crisis or deep stillness—insights that come not through logical reasoning but through a direct connection to a greater awareness. Similarly, spontaneous healings often defy medical explanation, suggesting an underlying intelligence at work that operates beyond the cognitive mind. These experiences point to a level of reality that is conscious, interconnected, and inherently creative—a field I call the Superconscious.

This Superconscious Field is not just a passive backdrop; it’s a dynamic, living intelligence that permeates all of existence. It’s what allows mystics to access universal truths, what enables profound states of unity in meditation, and what connects us all in moments of deep empathy or synchronicity. By acknowledging this field, we move beyond the limitations of cognition and open ourselves to a reality that is far more interconnected and alive than the thinking mind can grasp.

Exploring the Beyond

If I had the chance to engage in a dialogue with Bernardo Kastrup, I would ask him: Have you ever considered that consciousness itself may be self-aware without requiring cognition? Is a dolphin or an octopus not also conscious or intelligent? How does your view account for direct knowing, as described in mystical traditions, where the experiencer dissolves but awareness remains?

Those of you reading this blog likely know that consciousness is not limited to the cognitive mind. Therefore, I invite you to develop your SuperPower of Consciousness.

The Superconscious Field Theory invites us to explore states of awareness that go beyond thought—states where the personal self dissolves, yet a profound intelligence remains. This intelligence is not bound by the individual mind; it’s a universal awareness that exists as the very fabric of reality itself.

I would like to add that we need to expect that in the coming age, we will encounter a lot of convincing arguments that consciousness is just a function of cognition, even from those that deny materialism but reduce consciousness to cognition, a function that a robot could easily do as well.

A Call to Transpersonal Activation

I believe it’s time to move beyond the paradigms of both materialism and cognitive idealism. The Superconscious Field Theory offers a vision of reality that is transpersonal, interconnected, and deeply alive. It’s a vision that honors the vastness of pure awareness—an awareness that doesn’t depend on thought yet is the source of all experience.

By embracing the Superconscious Field, we open ourselves to a deeper understanding of who we are and how we’re connected to the cosmos. We begin to see that we’re not just waves on the surface of the ocean—we’re part of the ocean itself, participating in the unfolding of a universal intelligence that is both within us and beyond us. This perspective not only expands our understanding of reality but also invites us to live with greater compassion, creativity, and unity.

I invite you to explore this Superconscious Field in your own life—through meditation, intuition, or simply by noticing the moments of stillness where direct knowing arises. What might you discover when you step beyond the thinking mind and into the vastness of pure awareness?

Visit my online school to find classes that help you train your consciousness. 

CLICK HERE or here: https://www.ilonaselke.online/

With love and light, and hoping you will join the many awakened souls that help steer humanity into greater awakening!
Ilona Selke