[Dyerryjex]

I think (and this is just me supposin') that when we use our brain to think we do it in a 'judging/comparing' manner, and this is called 'conscious'- Like for example, this cloud is green. Should this cloud be green? Have I ever seen a green cloud? *searches memory to see if clouds should be green* comes to a conclusion "no, clouds shouldn't be green" and then goes on to form an opinion as to why the cloud is green (I'm dreaming, I'm projecting, I hit my head, the gov. is doing some awful experiment)- this is called conscious or sequential thinking, and it is deemed a property of the mind as it uses the brain to think. (aka known as left-brained). It uses the brain because it has to immerse itself in physical reality and what it has learned with a brain to form an opinion or a conclusion given the data.
When you speak of the mind in terms of the spirit, the mind doesn't think this way. It just observes, no judgement. It sees a green cloud- "Look, a green cloud"- and that is it.
So in this case, you do need a brain to have consciousness as described in this post. Yes, there are many types of consciousness, and this is the one Ryan is probably talking about.