In Unity we discover how deeply true it is that all we experience – ourselves and the world – arises in consciousness. And all of this flows from consciousness becoming self-aware or aware of itself. All expression is thus a response to Consciousness or the Self recognizing itself, of cosmic self-awareness.
But is this true? Does anything ever actually happen?
Usually, it takes some time for consciousness to fully recognize itself in all things and come to a place of wholeness where it has seen itself fully enough that it begins to notice more. Then it shifts from looking in on itself to looking beyond itself. Before that, this idea can seem preposterous.
And that is the very curious nature of the shift from being everything to being nothing, from Unity into Brahman. Only when we look beyond everything can we return to the total reality beyond itself. Beyond I am. Beyond Oneness. Beyond all sense of being or existence.
This is more paradoxical and primordial than Oneness and takes us beyond even Advaita. (non-duality)
Curiously, the whole purpose of the appearance of existence turns out to be so consciousness can discover what is beyond itself. So Brahman can be known. This reality is so unbelievable and so not understood. But there is no way for an individual mind to comprehend what even the cosmic mind does not understand.
And yet the unbelievable becomes the perpetual experience, the living reality. The Vedas call it the Great Awakening. There is nothing more pure, simple and innocent.
Just as no individual is ever enlightened, no individual becomes it. All aspects of the former apparent individual have evolved to become deeply recognized as cosmic. Even the physical body has by this time become recognized as the cosmic body.
Without pure consciousness aware of itself, intelligence has not become intelligent. Existence is not yet existing or aware it exists. It is beyond all the That’s of Unity (I am That, Thou art That, All this is That, That alone is).
In spite of past phases like God Realization, only now can God be understood.
At least, that is the new perspective.
Davidya
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have you encounter anyone that knows of this nothingness or beyond consciousness before the experience of unity is recognized individually. I feel like this was me. When I was 15 I was taken to the hospital with a kundalini awakening that made my eyes go crossed with flashes of bright light. (I figured out this was kundalini much later) Ever since then with out being able to really speak of it I knew I am beyond all of it. I could see all that existed was in relation to something yet not on it’s own. this knowing/feeling grew to a very dry space. about 10 years later the knowing/feeling that all is one and one is all started to be recognized. and now (at 34 years old) for the last year or so my physical body and the experience of it is going through a notable transformation. I would appreciate your thoughts on this 🙂 <3
Hi Gayanee
Sorry for the lag in responding. I just got back from a conference.
Words can be a little tricky on such subjects as they’re descriptions of things many don’t have an experiential reference for. It is not uncommon to experience the initial shift into what is commonly called Self Realization or Cosmic Consciousness as a shift into a “no-self” or emptiness.
This is very distinct from the nothing I refer to here. It is beyond a me or sense of small self but it is not beyond consciousness.
However, it may not be experienced as consciousness due to insufficient clarity. In fact, if it is clearly experienced as the pure consciousness that it is, it would be described as a fullness rather than an emptiness. Not as a fullness of something but as a fullness of being.
This is a little like dreaming at night. Most of the time, most people are not very conscious of dreams even though they are conscious in dreams.
It’s useful to note that this process is inside out, so it begins in consciousness, descends to the intellect, mind, emotions, and then the body. What exactly is going on with your body I can’t suggest without more detail. You may want to use the Contact form instead if you’d like to share more. (see the Contact tab above)
If you want a larger view, here’s an article on the stages to put the above in some context.
https://davidya.ca/2014/01/25/stages-of-development-in-consciousness/
(and sorry if my language is a little abstract – It’s not always easy to get nuances in another language)