Say, let’s admit consciousness is the result of a physical process.
Then say this process only goes “forward” when our time coordinate increases. Just like an egg gets cooked when it’s temperature coordinate increases, but it doesn’t get more or less cooked when it’s temperature coordinate decreases.
This would mean that going back in time doesn’t result in any perceptible change, since your consciousness hasn’t evolved from it’s “former” state.
Thus making it possible for us to be travelling through plenty of dimensions in varied directions, only ever experiencing the brief times when you happen to be moving in increasing time. Or whatever combination of movement along varied dimensions makes it possible for you to be conscious.
TLDR: i need to take shorter showers
This actually reminds me of the theory of quantum immortality (the idea that you’re immortal because your consciousness will always continue on in branches of reality where you survive). It kind of fits with your description of awareness “moving forward” only along certain coordinates of time or possibility.
Ooh indeed, didn.tthink of combining this with the multiple worlds theory to get an even spicier one