Vessel

Humans are currently life forms in an aware state, and life still needs a vessel to carry it. Thus, your vessel in the game is very important:

• You need the vessel to move in space and interact with matter;
• You need the vessel to acquire information about space and matter, such as visual, auditory, gustatory, olfactory, and tactile information;
• At the same time, the vessel maintains consciousness and connects with Spirit.

The vessel in your game can be narrowly understood as the body (including the brain and the physical entity), while broadly understood, it also includes the intangible state produced by the large-scale aggregation and qualitative change of neural networks that can connect to Spirit^[1].

The vessel has a significant influence on consciousness, often swaying your actions. However, players in the game often overlook this; for example, you might think you felt an emotion, conceived an idea, or made a decision, but it is more likely that the vessel sent you signals, or that the vessel acted first and your brain was just interpreting this behavior.

Many times, so-called "free will" is actually the command of the vessel.

In this chapter, we will focus on understanding how the vessel influences you. If you can recognize how consciousness is affected by the vessel, and even perceive this influence, it will become easier to reduce or eliminate such influence, allowing players to more easily awaken and reconnect with Spirit.

Early Development

Over the long course of evolution on Earth, a relatively unique method of vessel generation has developed, maximizing randomness to obtain a broader range of evolutionary directions, allowing life to more easily transition from one local optimum to another.

This method requires two sexes (biological parents, whose meeting and combination is also random), each randomly combining half of their genes to form new genes. During this process, random genetic mutations can occur; the vessels generated from these new genes retain stability (inherited from the genes of previously mature individuals, with similarities to the biological parents) while also exhibiting variability (due to the combination of half genes and mutations). Therefore, vessels will have many similarities in physiological structure with their biological parents, which means you will be partially influenced by your parents.

Further Reading

Genes are the blueprint for generating vessels. For how the blueprint works, please refer to👉 “Guide Knowledge: Genes”.

For humans, the female ovum and male sperm combine to form a fertilized egg, which can be said to be the seed of the vessel. The fertilized egg generally needs to develop in the female uterus for the majority of the time^[2]. The journey from fertilized egg to embryo to fetus to childbirth generally takes about 40 weeks. This period is called the gestation period (pregnancy period), and it is the initial stage of vessel development. Humans require a longer gestation period due to the brain needing more time to develop; however, due to hardware limitations of the vessel (continuing to develop inside, a skull that is too large would be unable to pass through the pelvis for childbirth), birth must occur earlier. Because of this, human vessels require a long period of meticulous care after birth to truly develop.

During the gestation period, the vessel remains in the mother’s womb, connected to the mother’s body via the umbilical cord. As caretakers post-birth are mostly mothers, this creates a more special connection between the vessel and the mother’s vessel. From the mother’s perspective, the female vessel has more structural assurances for the development of the next generation (both bodily and brain-wise) compared to the male vessel.

Further Reading

For a detailed explanation of the various stages of vessel development during pregnancy, please refer to👉 “Guide Knowledge: Pregnancy”.

Vessels take about 12-14 years to reach sexual maturity post-birth (biological adulthood, with females maturing earlier), and it is generally considered that it takes 16-18 years to reach the adult stage (sociologically). This growth process is rapid and intense; not only does the vessel develop quickly, but consciousness and the Self are also growing swiftly. Understanding this growth stage can clarify the roots of some troubles and issues encountered in adulthood. More comprehensive information about this stage will be presented in “Guide: Birth and Growth”.

Nervous System

The nervous system is made up of specialized nerve cells called neurons, forming a network that spans the entire body, acting as a signaling and processing system. The nervous system collects information from the body and the environment, making judgments and processing them, working in coordination with the endocrine system to control muscles and organs, instructing the body to respond and act to ensure survival.

Most life forms on Earth possess a nervous system, varying in complexity; a worm’s nervous system consists of only a few hundred cells, while an elephant’s has around 30 billion cells.

The structure of the human nervous system is as follows:

• Central Nervous System
  • Brain
  • Spinal Cord
• Peripheral Nervous System
  • Somatic Nervous System
  • Autonomic Nervous System

Brain

The brain is a vital part of the vessel, serving as the core of the central nervous system, responsible for controlling and coordinating the vessel's movements and functions. Thanks to the presence of the brain, humans are able to be life forms in an aware state, possessing consciousness, and potentially feel and connect to Spirit.

The brain comprises three main parts:

• Cerebrum: The most significant part of the brain.
  • Responsible for higher cognitive functions such as thinking, memory, judgment, and emotion.
  • Controls the processing of sensory information, such as visual, auditory, and tactile inputs.
  • Is responsible for motor control, coordinating movements throughout the body.
• Cerebellum: Primarily responsible for balance and coordination of body movements, participating in the learning and memory of motor skills, regulating muscle tension and the precision of movements.
• Brainstem: Controls basic life functions such as breathing, heartbeat, blood pressure, and sleep cycle regulation.

The brain consists of a large number of neurons (approximately 100 billion), with each neuron connecting through about 10,000 synapses, yielding a total connection number of approximately 1 quadrillion^[3]. The simple structure at a small scale aggregates to produce a qualitative change at a larger scale, and for humans, this qualitative change is the brain’s generation of consciousness, along with the ability to feel and connect with Spirit^[4].

The brain is a complex organ that has gradually formed throughout evolution to adapt to the Earth’s environment. It is not unique to humans and is not a requirement for life on Earth; almost exclusively, it is found in chordates.

Since the brain emerged in the later stages of evolution, it has continued to develop based on pre-existing evolutionary features, meaning it is naturally influenced by primitive bodily functions (e.g., autonomous nervous system, hormones).

In a similar vein, the brain precedes the emergence of consciousness, and it also influences consciousness. Even before consciousness emerged, the brain was already performing its functions of coordinating bodily activities. The time the brain has been operational far exceeds the time during which human life has produced consciousness. Therefore, consciousness overlays the innate functions of the brain rather than replacing them, and is not fully fused with those innate functions; indeed, consciousness often cannot completely control these original functions, leading to frequent influences on consciousness from those original functions.

Damage to the brain can affect cognition, memory, personality, and bodily control, with more severe cases potentially leading to the disintegration of consciousness.

NOTE

For a more comprehensive explanation of the brain, please refer to “Guide Knowledge: Brain”.
For information regarding the Self and consciousness, please refer to “Guide: Self”.

Spinal Cord

The spinal cord is a slender, tubular structure made up of nervous tissue and is a continuation of the brainstem, primarily responsible for coordinating information transmission between the brain and the peripheral nervous system.

The spinal cord is rich in the cell bodies of interneurons, various motor neurons, and sensory neuron axons, along with numerous glial cells. It is located within the vertebral canal, with the upper end connected to the medulla at the foramen magnum, and the lower end tapering to a cone shape known as the conus medullaris, which continues as a fine filament called the filum terminale^[5], extending downward through the sacral canal to the back of the second coccygeal vertebra. The adult spinal cord has a total length of approximately 42-45 centimeters.

The spinal cord can also locally process segmental information from the trunk and limbs via some complex neural circuits, leading to reflex actions that can be executed without involving the cerebral cortex; such simple reflex actions that can occur through the spinal cord are called unconditioned reflexes, such as the withdrawal reflex, knee-jerk reflex, blink reflex, and urination reflex.

Any injury to the spinal cord will impede the signal transmission between the brain and peripheral nervous system, resulting in impaired bodily movement and visceral control, potentially leading to paralysis in more severe cases.

Somatic Nervous System

The Somatic Nervous System (SNS) connects the central nervous system with voluntary skeletal muscles and skin sensory receptors. The Somatic Nervous System consists of afferent and efferent nerves, where afferent nerves carry sensory information from the body to the central nervous system, and efferent nerves relay motor instructions from the central nervous system to stimulate muscle contractions. Specialized nerve endings known as sensory receptors are responsible for detecting sensory information from both within and outside the body.

Structurally, the Somatic Nervous System is composed of two categories:

• Cranial Nerves: Nerves that connect directly to the brain, primarily serving head and neck areas, consisting of 12 pairs of nerves that control related muscles in the eyes, ears, tongue, nose, and face, along with sensory receptors (vision, hearing, taste, smell, balance, etc.).
• Spinal Nerves: Nerves that connect directly to the spinal cord, composed of 31 pairs of nerves that transmit signals between the spinal cord and the body, primarily governing sensations, movements, and reflexes of the body and limbs.

Autonomic Nervous System

The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) is a part of the nervous system belonging to the peripheral nervous system, responsible for controlling visceral organs, smooth muscles, and glands, regulating basic bodily functions such as heartbeat, breathing, blood pressure, digestion, pupil response, sexual arousal, and metabolism; it serves as the fundamental control system within the body. Its name "autonomic" derives from its degree of autonomy, as it operates largely independently of conscious control; for instance, you cannot consciously stop your heartbeat.

The autonomic nervous system can be divided into three parts:

• Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS): Generally controls behaviors related to stimulation and excitement, such as fight or flight response.
• Parasympathetic Nervous System (PSNS): Responsible for inhibition and rest, such as "rest and digest" or "feeding and reproduction".
• Enteric Nervous System (ENS): Controls functions such as those of the digestive tract^[6].

The functions of the Sympathetic Nervous System and Parasympathetic Nervous System are antagonistic and complementary; the former acts as the accelerator, while the latter serves as the brake—mutually balancing each other to finely regulate organ functions and maintain homeostasis.

Although the Enteric Nervous System must communicate with the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) through both the Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Nervous System, it operates independently of them, affecting emotions indirectly.

Due to this independence and completeness, the Enteric Nervous System is referred to as the "second brain".

The Autonomic Nervous System fulfills its functions through hormones and neurotransmitters, conveying signals from the body back to the brain.

NOTE

For a more comprehensive explanation of the nervous system, please refer to “Guide Knowledge: Nervous System”.

Neurotransmitters

Neurotransmitters are the medium of information transfer in the nervous system, secreted by neurons as signaling molecules, influencing another neuron, gland, or muscle cell through synapses. The nervous system, distributed throughout the body, collects various information from the vessel, and neurotransmitters can transmit and modify information via activation and inhibition.

Neurotransmitter transmission occurs over short distances, is quick-acting, and has fleeting durations. They regulate and control numerous aspects such as appetite, sleep, memory and learning, muscle and movement, emotions, behaviors, and motivation, among others.

Further Reading

For a more detailed classification and explanation of neurotransmitters, please refer to👉“Guide Knowledge: Neurotransmitters”.

Endocrine System

The endocrine system is an important information transfer system composed of hormonal feedback loops, where these hormones are directly released by internal glands into the circulatory system and target distant organs for regulation. The hypothalamus serves as the neural control center of the endocrine system.

The main components of the endocrine system are the endocrine glands and related cells, which produce hormones and directly secrete them into the intercellular space, allowing them to be absorbed into the bloodstream. Major glands of the endocrine system include the pineal gland, ovaries, testes, thyroid gland, parathyroid gland, pancreas, thymus, adrenal glands, hypothalamus, and pituitary gland. Among these, the hypothalamus and pituitary gland are critical neuroendocrine organs.

TIP

The external secretory glands correspond to endocrine glands, where the chemicals produced are expelled through ducts. Examples include sweat glands, salivary glands, mammary glands, tear glands, sebaceous glands, and the prostate.

Hormones

Hormones^[7] are chemical substances produced by endocrine glands or cells, which act on target cells through the bloodstream and play an efficient and widespread regulatory role in metabolic and physiological functions^[8][9]. Hormones regulate and control basic bodily functions; this regulatory mechanism existed even in the life of the primary state and is almost universally present in all animals and some plants, providing a fundamental regulatory approach.

Hormones control cellular growth, activate the immune system, regulate metabolism, manage hunger and thirst, as well as control growth and development, teenage rebellion, and influence your fight, flight, and sexual impulsive behaviors, all of which can directly or indirectly lead to emotional fluctuations. Nearly every aspect of the body is influenced.

Given the differences in hormone secretion between males and females, this leads to behavioral and motivation differences between the sexes.

Further Reading

For a more detailed classification and explanation of hormones, please refer to 👉“Guide Knowledge: Hormones”.

Physiological Instincts

Vessels have certain physiological instinctual responses, controlled by the nervous system, hormones, etc., which evolved through the life process, existing even before the aware state, and are not subject to conscious control.

These physiological instincts are designed to maximize life protection, much like an ESP (Electronic Stability Program) or ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) in a car that operates independently of the driver's control over the accelerator and brakes.

Fight or Flight Response

The fight or flight response, also referred to as hyperarousal, is a natural physiological reaction to perceived adverse events, attacks, or survival threats: the sympathetic nervous system fully activates, preparing for fight or flight.

The center of this stress response is located in the hypothalamus, encompassing many emotional responses. The hypothalamus is sometimes considered the stress center due to its dual functions in emergency events: controlling the autonomic nervous system, and regulating the pituitary gland. More specifically, the adrenal medulla triggers a cascade of hormones, resulting in the production of norepinephrine and epinephrine. Concurrently, hormones (such as estrogen, testosterone, and cortisol), along with neurotransmitters (such as dopamine and serotonin), also affect the organism's response to stress.

There are differences between sexes in the fight or flight response:

• Males are more prone to a "fight" response;
• Females tend to exhibit a "flight" response, seeking help from others or defusing the current danger—"alliances and friendliness". This is particularly true for females who are mothers; they may tend to protect their children and seek assistance during stressful situations.

In response to the fight or flight, the body increases strength and speed. Specific physiological changes include:

• Diverting blood flow from other parts of the body to increase blood flow to the muscles, facilitating quick actions.
• Elevated blood pressure and heart rate increase cardiac output, providing more energy to the body.
• The liver secretes increased blood glucose (glucose) and fat, supplying additional fuel to the body.
• Increased respiration provides necessary oxygen to help burn off excess glucose.
• The body’s coagulation function accelerates to prevent excessive blood loss in case of injuries during the reaction.
• Muscle tension is heightened to offer additional speed and power, potentially leading to shaking or tremors until the tension is released.
• The pupils dilate to allow more light in, enhancing environmental observation capabilities.

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1. Unless otherwise specified, the vessel is understood in a narrow sense. ↩︎

2. If it is an IVF baby, under current human technology, it will spend less than a week developing externally before being implanted ↩︎

3. Recent advancements in artificial intelligence, specifically large language models (LLM) such as ChatGPT, employ artificial neural networks that simulate neuron connections in the human brain. A single connection is termed a parameter, and the scale of these models is typically described in terms of parameter count. The largest current large language models possess about 1 trillion parameters, roughly 1/1000th the scale of the human brain. ↩︎

4. This ability originates from the same principles that govern the composition of matter in the universe; electrons, protons, and neutrons structure atoms, which repeat massively to construct diverse materials, whose properties vary widely from the atoms that compose them. ↩︎

5. The filum terminale is a thin fibrous tissue about 20 centimeters long, extending from the tip of the conus medullaris downward, anchoring the spinal cord and the meninges to the coccyx. ↩︎

6. The digestive tract includes both the upper and lower digestive tracts. The upper digestive tract comprises the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, and stomach; the lower digestive tract includes the small intestine (duodenum, jejunum, ileum), large intestine (cecum, colon, rectum), and anus. ↩︎

7. Hormone, also known as hormones. ↩︎

8. Hormones regulate a wide range of processes, including physiological processes and behavioral activities, such as digestion, metabolism, respiration, sensory perception, sleep, excretion, lactation, stress response, growth and development, movement, reproduction, and emotions, among others. ↩︎

9. Hormones can be described as a chemical messenger that transmits from one cell to another; when a hormone binds to a specific receptor protein in a target cell, it initiates a signaling pathway that usually activates gene transcription, which in turn leads to an increase in target protein expression. ↩︎