The Many Lenses of Consciousness

Key points

Consciousness exists across life forms—bacteria, plants, animals, humans—as awareness through unique lenses.

Different organisms perceive reality differently: raptors see farther, dogs smell more, plants sense sound.

Psychedelics, meditation, and flow states alter human consciousness by modifying our perceptual lenses.

What if consciousness isn't something that exists only in complex brains, like our human brains, but instead is a fundamental process that occurs across all life? Recent research suggests that consciousness can be understood as the process of experiencing information through unique filters or “lenses." This ability extends beyond humans to animals , plants , and even bacteria .

The Universal Nature of Awareness

This lens metaphor helps explain how di