I've always been fascinated by the brain, mind, consciousness. It's amazing a mind can surprise itself. I came across an article entitled "Why Great Minds Can't Grasp Consciousness." Check it out:
"...the mind is made up of the physical connections between neurons. These connections evolve slowly and are influenced by our past experiences and therefore, everyone's brain is unique.
But whereas the mind is rooted in the physical connections between neurons...consciousness is an emergent property of the brain, similar to the 'wetness' of water or the 'transparency' of glass, they emerge from -- the actions of individual molecules.
A conscious experience occurs when a stimulus -- either external, like a sensation, or internal, like a thought or a memory -- triggers a chain reaction within the brain. Like in an earthquake, each conscious experience has an epicenter, and ripples from that epicenter travels across the brain, recruiting neurons as they go."