Beyond the Brain: Understanding the Boundaries of Consciousness

Q: Dear Todd, space-time does change (Einstein's relativity) and consciousness depends entirely on the function of the physical brain. Bonk someone on the head and they lose consciousness. Give them a general anesthetic and they lose consciousness. States of dreamless sleep lack consciousness. When the brain dies and its function ceases, the consciousness of that being is permanently extinguished. Any thoughts?TODD ANSWERS: Yes indeed, space-time bends and warms all the…

Can Spiritual Awakening Change Our Karmic Debt?

Q: Dear Todd, if you did immoral things before you were awakened to the universal truths will you be held accountable for those things in this life or future lives?TODD ANSWERS: Is a tiger responsible for killing a gazelle? I don’t think so. I think it is a creature living out its own nature based on its past karma/cause-and-effect. When we act with unawareness, we are not in control. Only…

How Can We Escape the Illusion of Time?

Because we have clocks everywhere — our phones, microwaves, TVs, cars, etc… — we live in a mindset of time. I’ve seen people in the woods and for the first time in their lives they’ve actually not known the time. At first, they say, “I wonder what time it is.” Then later, “What time is it? Should we eat?”Soon they realize that their body will tell them when they’re hungry…

How to Stop Absorbing Other People’s Emotions

Q: Dear Todd, I suffer daily because I work with animals - wildlife and domesticated. I see their suffering as a result of human beings every day. I don't know how to live my life without being in pain emotionally. How can I continue helping without suffering 24/7?Todd Answers: You are a warrior and a very kind-hearted empath. I know it can be so hard to be a warrior and…

Can I Be My Own Role Model?

Spirituality is a word that means something different to just about everyone. Some people think spirituality is about being kind to others at the expense of ourself. They think it means being taken advantage of, letting governments and people do anything they want, being passive, inactive, and naive. Other people think spirituality is all about selfish interests, self-love, self-care, and selfishly feeling happy despite the many problems in the world.…

How Do You Accept That Bad Things Happen in the World

Someone recently asked me how I can suggest that even people in Ukraine respond with love when they're lives are in danger. The person went on to tell me that they struggle with spirituality because "we have fear for a reason and if a bear is charging at you, it doesn't care if you respond with love or not, it will still eat you. If you respond with fear, maybe…

How to Go From Reacting to Reflecting

Q: Dear Todd, What Are Your Thoughts On Negativity?TODD ANSWERS: The thing about negative thoughts is that they are neither good nor bad, but clues to something going on below the surface.Like anything else that's undesirable, when negative thoughts arise, we can either get mad or sad about it. Or, we can be totally fine about it, accept it, investigate it joyfully, and be at peace with it. It's all…

Does Desire for Self-Improvement Align with Spirituality?

Q: Dear Todd, they say that desire goes against spirituality. Then, how can I aim to become a better human being because it also stems from a desire for betterment?TODD ANSWERS: There is a difference between selfless desire and selfish desire. Selfish desire is about instant gratification at the expense of our future. Selfless desire is about planting the seeds for a better future for all beings, including ourself. There…

What Will Happen to Our Consciousness in Future

The future is coming at us fast. If we look at the trend of where technology is headed, we can see robotics and software becoming smarter, faster, and smaller. In many ways, computers are smarter than humans, but a computer still can't design a computer better than humans can. They lack the creativity and the conscious awareness that humans have. So, if the seemingly inevitable merger of humans and machines…

Is Oneness Scary? Will It Make Me Suffer for Others?

A near universal experience as people begin to go down the spiritual path is that they discover that when they are no longer disconnected from the rest of the universe, they become highly sensitive and empathetic. This can be a very uncomfortable experience at first simply because it is so new and different. Some people wonder if this means that the spiritual path is bad or not meant for them.…