A few days ago, I was startled awake by someone. It took about 5 to 10 seconds to realize that the blobs of color & texture in front of me was a person. I'm not sure if that's a sensory processing thing, or a conceptual thing, though. Those moments are brief and rare for me, in either case.
At times due to depression, I have felt my brain to be "flat-lined" in a way (no thoughts; not even feeling bad; just sort of existing), but I don't know if that's the same as what you mean.
I used to sprint about 8 miles up some hills on my bike (years ago), and by the time I'd get to the top of the highest one my mind would be clear of everything except the wind, my breathing, the vibrations from the road, the scenery going by, and so forth. (What was weird was that my ability to read/write (and other things) would be messed up for days afterwards. My doctor at the time called it "CFS," but I don't know about that, anymore.) But, again, I'm not sure if that's the same as what you mean.
There is a part of my brain I (think I) could turn off, that reminds me not to, say, lay down in the street to press my cheek against the warm asphalt on a sunny day. -- A part that reminds me that I am walking on a "road," and "cars" come by on "roads," and "cars" can hurt "pedestrians." I guess that's all conceptual, as I'm imagining being hurt by a car even if one isn't there.
I'm not sure I've ever "turned that off," though (since childhood, anyway), as it seems incredibly dangerous (if not due to cars, due to maybe doing weird things that might cause people to call the police). Not sure if that's related to what you mean, either, though.
So, I'm not sure. :s But I'd guess that I probably spend at more time in idea-land than not if I had to pick an answer other than "not sure."
Last edited by Apple_in_my_Eye on 13 Mar 2011, 9:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.