English has a major lack of terminology for certain stages of development.
One of the key aspects of spiritual development revolves around our sense of being. Early on, we recognize I Am. I exist. More deeply, we awaken to our nature as pure being, pure consciousness. With Unity, we become all that is. We could describe these as stages of recognition of our being. Iness, Amness, Isness.
But with the Brahman shift, we go beyond all of the above – the existence that arises from the dynamics of consciousness. Consciousness is no longer the knower of its own existence.
Beyond consciousness, the knower becomes Brahman itself. We can be said to be beyond consciousness and beyond existence.
Some describe Brahman as nothing (no thing). Yet it is not emptiness or a lack in any way. It is more than the wholeness of being, the infinity of consciousness. Yet this more does not make it something.
And yet Brahman can be said to have a quality of existence. But it differs greatly from that of consciousness. What does it mean to exist beyond existence? It is a kind of para- or meta-existence. Brahman is itself. Brahman is the knower of Brahman.
And because it is completely inclusive, the opposite of the above is also true. Brahman also has no quality of existence.
Of course, I can write all these things but they are essentially meaningless even in Unity Consciousness. Only Brahman can know Brahman. But I do have readers in Brahman and other readers will be as well. It remains useful to explore. Just try to avoid thinking you know something because you read about it.
Davidya
Last Updated on June 16, 2016 by
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“Just try to avoid thinking you know something because you read about it.”.
No problem there David, I have No idea what you are talking about with Brahman, and no desire to try to figure it out. I can only imagine that one day it will either unfold … or not. Either way, it seems to be completely out of my control {actually, I’ll include everything in my life and in the universe to that last statement 🙂 }
🙂 That’s the right approach.
Enlightenment is part of the process of every being. So it will unfold one way or another.
But the way that unfolds? Who can say? Not everyone will live Brahman in a human form. So many possibilities.
Hi David – very intriguing –> what do you mean when you say not everyone will live Brahman in human form? Is it not inevitable for us all, or are you talking about from one generation to the next?
Hi Jim
I would not describe Brahman as inevitable. If there is enough time for it to flower, yes. But I’ve known people who have died after waking. In one case, they where helped into Unity on their death bed.
But these are stages of Human development. After death, the process will continue but in a different context. The process would not be seen or experienced the same way.
Even a different age creates a different experience of the process. Patanjali’s description of Kaivalya and some of it’s features would be a good example.