What is Consciousness through the lens of pre and perinatal psychology?

Consciousness refers to the state of being aware of and able to perceive one's surroundings, thoughts, feelings, sensations, and experiences. It encompasses the subjective experience of being alive and aware, including the ability to introspect, reflect, and make decisions. Consciousness is a complex phenomenon that remains a subject of philosophical, scientific, psychological, and mystical inquiry. It's often associated with the functioning of the brain and nervous system, but the exact nature of consciousness and how it arises from physical processes is still not fully understood. Some theories propose that consciousness emerges from the integration of various brain activities, while others suggest that it may involve quantum processes or other non-material aspects, and others point to the knowledge of consciousness held within ancient wisdom traditions. Despite ongoing research and debate, the essence of consciousness remains a profound mystery.

Yet we know that whatever your state of mind is in defines your reality. So how do the beliefs and emotional responses arise within us and filter our perception of reality that is unique to the eye of the beholder?

From the perspective of pre and perinatal psychology, belief systems and states of emotional well-being arise from your earliest experiences that are even shaped by the epigenetic imprints passed on through the ancestral lineage. The foundational principle of birth psychology explains how babies are conscious, sentient beings who are forming their belief systems and states of consciousness through the input of the energetic field they marinate within, which includes the astronomical amount of information they are receiving at all times through physical and spiritual senses. But how are they retaining this information if they do not have fully developed brains?

Through the vast amount of birth regression research and studies outside of traditional academic psychology and psychiatry, pre and perinatal psychology embraces the idea that the human psyche is not limited to postnatal biography. As an organization in conjunction with many other organizations exploring the frontier of consciousness, APPPAH has collected empirical and anecdotal data in the Journal of Pre and Perinatal Psychology over the past few decades that demonstrates through transpersonal psychology and birth regression research that people retain memories from their prenatal life and even altered states of consciousness during near death experiences. Through the collection of anecdotal experiences, pre and perinatal psychology professionals also demonstrate expansion of self-identity, where individuals explore experiences of ego transcendence and feel connected to something greater than themselves, such as a higher power, universal consciousness, or collective humanity.

In this module, you will read about methods to alter states of consciousness in order for people to regress to their earliest experiences of life induced by various practices such as meditation, movement, prayer, psychedelics, mantras, yoga, field dynamic facilitations, somatic-experiencing, craniosacral therapy, spiritual experiences, and more. These altered states can lead to profound shifts in perception, cognition, and self-awareness, offering insights into the nature of consciousness; and are often used as tools within a professional's toolkit to help individuals repair ruptures during their birth journey, even stages that took place at time of conception, implantation of the blastocyst within the uterine lining, and all of the subsequent stages that follow in prenatal life and the perinatal journey of birth. You do not have to be a psychologist to bring about repair or shifts in states of consciousness. With mind-body skillsets, you can help an individual change their state of being in their nervous system. We encourage you to practice the skillsets presented collectively in the previous modules and the forthcoming modules to experiment with what arises for you on a personal level.

The content herein views personal growth and healing as holistic processes that encompass not only psychological and emotional well-being but also spiritual development and self-transcendence, encouraging individuals to explore their inner landscapes, cultivate mindfulness, and develop greater self-awareness to understand more about the factors that have shaped you and your individual consciousness.

What is the link between consciousness and cellular consciousness?

The link between consciousness and cellular memory is a complex and controversial topic that intersects neuroscience, psychology, and even metaphysics. Cellular memory refers to the idea that cells within the body can retain memories or information from past experiences, independent of the brain. As stated above, this is a foundational premise for understanding conscious awareness that arises in prenates before they have reached full-term development. This concept has even been proposed to explain various phenomena, such as organ transplant recipients reporting memories or preferences associated with their donors.

However, the scientific validity of cellular memory remains highly debated. While there is evidence to suggest that cells can store information and adapt to past experiences through processes like epigenetics (changes in gene expression without changes in DNA sequence), the idea that this constitutes memory in the same sense as neuronal memory in the brain is not widely accepted in mainstream science.

Consciousness, on the other hand, is a multifaceted phenomenon involving awareness, subjective experience, self-awareness, and the ability to perceive and respond to one's environment. While the brain is considered central to the generation of consciousness, the exact mechanisms by which it arises remain poorly understood.

Some theories propose that consciousness emerges from complex interactions among neurons and neural networks in the brain. These interactions give rise to higher-order cognitive functions, including memory, perception, and self-awareness. However, the precise relationship between brain activity and conscious experience is still a subject of ongoing research and debate.

In summary, while there may be intriguing connections between cellular processes and consciousness, the nature of these links and their implications for our understanding of memory and consciousness are still not fully understood and remain a topic of scientific inquiry. We hope to present compelling information within this module for you to assess the information yourself and explore in greater capacity within your own life and professional practice (if this applies).