24 ■ FLOW
molecules of our chromosomes. At the same time, we should also recog
nize that the way in which consciousness works is not entirely controlled
by its biological programming—in many important respects that we
shall review in the pages that follow, it is self-directed. In other words,
consciousness has developed the ability to override its genetic instruc
tions and to set its own independent course of action.
The function of consciousness is to represent information about
what is happening outside and inside the organism in such a way that
it can be evaluated and acted upon by the body. In this sense, it func
tions as a clearinghouse for sensations, perceptions, feelings, and ideas,
establishing priorities among all the diverse information. Without con
sciousness we would still “know” what is going on, but we would have
to react to it in a reflexive, instinctive way. With consciousness, we can
deliberately weigh what the senses tell us, and respond accordingly. And
we can also invent information that did not exist before: it is because
we have consciousness that we can daydream, make up lies, and write
beautiful poems and scientific theories.
Over the endless dark centuries of its evolution, the human ner
vous system has become so complex that it is now able to affect its own
states, making it to a certain extent functionally independent of its
genetic blueprint and of the objective environment. A person can make
himself happy, or miserable, regardless of what is actually happening
“outside,” just by changing the contents of consciousness. We all know
individuals who can transform hopeless situations into challenges to be
overcome, just through the force of their personalities. This ability to
persevere despite obstacles and setbacks is the quality people most
admire in others, and justly so; it is probably the most important trait
not only for succeeding in life, but for enjoying it as well.
To develop this trait, one must find ways to order consciousness
so as to be in control of feelings and thoughts. It is best not to expect
that shortcuts will do the trick. Some people have a tendency to become
very mystical when talking about consciousness and expect it to accom
plish miracles that at present it is not designed to perform. They would
like to believe that anything is possible in what they think of as the
spiritual realm. Other individuals claim the power to channel into past
existences, to communicate with spiritual entities, and to perform un
canny feats of extrasensory perception. When not outright frauds, these
accounts usually turn out to be self-delusions—lies that an overly recep
tive mind tells itself.
The remarkable accomplishments of Hindu fakirs and other prac
titioners of mental disciplines are often presented as examples of the