"Our normal waking consciousness, rational consciousness as we call it, is but one special type of consciousness, whilst all about it, parted from it by the filmiest of screens, there lie potential forms of consciousness entirely different"
- William James
About this Quote
William James is recommending that our regular, logical awareness is only one kind of awareness, and that there are numerous other kinds of awareness that exist beyond it. He suggests that these types of consciousness are separated from our own by a thin barrier, and that they are prospective forms of consciousness that we can access. This idea recommends that there is a lot more to consciousness than what we experience in our everyday lives, and that there are other types of consciousness that we can explore. This quote encourages us to look beyond our typical, rational consciousness and to check out the prospective forms of consciousness that exist beyond it. It suggests that there is far more to awareness than what we experience in our daily lives, which there is much to be acquired from exploring these potential types of awareness.
"Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer's day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time"
