“What we call ‘natural gas’ is a colorless, odorless* substance. The asterisk is there to remind us that some creatures, insects, plants and animals… probably some humans, too, can detect its presence in the local atmosphere at various concentrations.

It is toxic to humans and many other animals; it causes suffocation. It is widely used in various functions of our everyday experience, and this has long been the case.

Because it is extremely difficult to detect, another chemical (tert-Butylthiol (t-butyl mercaptan)) is added to it so that humans will detect the scent (again, along a gradient of local atmospheric concentration).

Without that additive, many people would die. And there would be (more) explosions.

There is an analogy here to representational cognition; it’s extremely useful for a relatively narrow range of highly representational behaviors and relationships, but it’s also extremely toxic (and perhaps explosive) when concentrated.

Even in a single mind.

And there’s no additive to alert us to the problem. In fact, we’re using the problem to think with. And this guides or inhibits our sensing. Especially around this problem.

But if we are aware of this, we become capable of sensing that the concentration of… a way of thinking… in consciousness… has become toxic. There’s no oxygen left in it. It’s uninhabitable… perhaps even disembodied.

And, sensing this, we can shift the root of awareness back toward the possibility of balanced sensitivity. Presence in our bodies and the essence of our minds, rather than their oft-confused or over-compelling produce.

Awareness, rather than explanations.”

— WS 761 0789213