The slide out of consciousness is a mysterious time.
Almost every night I embrace the mind slipping free, the imprecise slide from one state to another, with great pleasure. Once in a rare while, though, it gives me a juddering fear.
I leave the blame for this partly, if not squarely, at the door of the late, great Iain M. Banks.
If you have read his Culture books you'll know that death is, for those of the Culture, a choice rather than a necessity. In the unfortunate case of an accidental death people retain backups of their mind-states which can be reconstituted immediately into another body, making many quite reckless. This life after a death by manner of starting at the last known mind-state is questioned, I think in Look to Windward: is not the new self a facsimile that is falsely convinced of its own history whilst the original is, in point of fact, quite dead?
One day I shall find the precise quote, but the answer given I remember as, "You might ask the same of yourself each time you fall asleep."
Do we die a tiny death each night? Are we reborn each morning, a facsimile of yesterday's consciousness, our history a borrowed patchwork from thousands of prior lifetimes?
Good night.
Good night.
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ReplyDeleteI do not fear sleep as I know God is there to protect me from any harm. I believe he is with me even when I https://domyhomeworkfor.me/biology-homework-help and go to play. He protects me every second from harm.
ReplyDeleteThis piece really made me think about the strange moment right before sleep. I often experience that same drifting feeling, especially when I’m lying on my foldable mattress after a long day. Something about that quiet moment, when the mind begins to loosen its grip, can feel peaceful but also slightly unsettling. Your mention of Iain M. Banks made me reflect on how fragile consciousness seems. Sometimes when I fall asleep quickly, I wake wondering how my thoughts restarted so smoothly. It almost feels like a tiny reset. Maybe that’s why I like simple sleeping setups, like a foldable mattress or a soft foam pad, because the physical comfort helps me transition without worrying too much. Your final question about whether each night is a small “death” is haunting. It’s something I’ll probably think about next time I drift off.
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