I need more of and explanation how to even consider myself awareness a religion. Please.

Can having no cancer be considered a type of cancer!
Can not playing any games considered a type of exercise!
Can having no addiction considered an addiction!

I regard religion as sort of like a differential diagnosis in medicine -- there are several characteristics of a religion, not all of which need to be there, but several. You can have religion without gods, for example (Buddhism, Taoism, etc). If I were pressed to describe one factor that HAS to be present, it would probably be some form of supernaturalism, even if only the subtle supernaturalism like that of Deism, with its non-interventionist, indifferent god. But that god is still invisible and responsible for the creation and holding together of the universe, and those are essentially supernatural, non-falsifiable claims.

Since there's nothing supernatural or unreal about consciousness, and people don't generally worship it as a god, and there are no priests or rituals about it, I'm not seeing how you make it into a religion.

As others have pointed out, some people just try to take something that's abstract and not totally subject to scientific reductionism, like consciousness or self awareness or love or the universe, and call that god, but I see this as a non-sequitur circumlocution.

According to definitions I have seen supernaturalism has to be present to be considered a real religion. Tis belief in a deity and after life is necessary for the IRS to get their tax designation (and, so far, to not have to fill out a form 990).
Religion may be defined as a cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that relates humanity to supernatural, transcendental, or spiritual elements.

It seems most religions are based on "Belief" rather than solid evidence. Though Consciousness is more our own experience of it and how we report that, there is yet to be any hard science proving what it actually is or how it works. Like many things previously thought to be magic, witchcraft, supernatural, and what have you are now science. We'll get there.

No... Because it's real...

Anything can be a religion. I could design a religion around a chicken salad sandwich. That's how silly it all is.

I get the feeling you're referring to people who believe everything has consciousness and/or that the universe is conscious. If that's the case, then yes.. for sure. It's for people who think God is silly, but can't truly rid themselves of the belief, so they label God as consciousness and tell themselves they don't believe in God.

If you're referring to the neural activity created by your brain, then no.

All religions are cults.
Anything can, and has, been called a "religion", that doesn't make it NOT a cult.
Consciousness is a state of being. It cannot be a religion, or a cult.
Calling it such is bullshit.

no. why would it be? consciousness isn't a system of deity worship, nor a set or so-called moral precepts. are we now going to redefine consciousness and/or religion, and if so, why?

g

No

Do you mean ‘living consciously’, or just being conscious? I can see living a deliberate life of awareness can be a philosophy, even spiritual. Not religion, imho, either way.