Consciousness cannot be described
Consciousness cannot be correctly described as this or that. In fact, Consciousness can never be known as an object of experience because it is the very field that experiences everything. In other words, the Consciousness cannot be described as something because it is the very foundation of reality.
Consciousness has been described using various names, including Presence, Awareness, Non-Duality, God, Truth, Brahman, All That Is, True Nature, Emptiness, The One, The Source of All, The Center of All, etc.
All these terms are failed attempts to approach a truth that cannot be described within our conceptual reality. Consciousness is not the effect of the world, but its very cause. Consciousness has no attributes or form. It is Self-existent, Absolute and Imperishable. Consciousness is. We can't say more than that. Because Consciousness is infinite and without attributes, we can only say what it's not, not what it is.
Consciousness has no attributes
Consciousness is our absolute nature, without features or attributes. That is, it is not innately good or evil. It's not moral or spiritual. It has no preference or take sides. It doesn’t prefer that you be good or evolved, and it doesn't feed on praise or adoration, it doesn't judge or care.
Love isn't better than hate, goodness isn't better than evil, pleasure isn't better than pain. Consciousness is not just truth, it is Truth. There is only that which is infinite, without attributes.
The empty nature of Awareness
We say Awareness is empty because there is no content. Awareness is not something you can grab a hold of. Awareness is. And since there is no form to it, it’s empty. One could never observe Awareness just as the eyeball cannot see itself. It’s nature is emptiness.
Awareness just is, is non-local. You can’t find it. Not localized somewhere. This is why we say awareness is empty. It is not in one location as opposed to another location. It is not inside your heart, or behind your head, or under your feet, just awareness is, is universal.
Consciousness is essence, not personal attribute
“Consciousness is what I am; essence, not attribute. To ask, “Why I am conscious?” is to assume a distinction between self and consciousness, to assume the possibility of one without the other.
Being conscious is not a facet of some larger, independent me, it’s my very me-ness and there is no larger anything. It’s not that I am conscious, it’s that I am Consciousness.”
- Jed McKenna -
“You are Conscious Awareness. Consciousness is not something happening to you, or something you posses or something you are doing. Awareness is. Presence is.
That's the shift. And that happens just by giving your attention to consciousness. Not trying to figure out what it is, that’s not necessary, just giving your attention. That’s all you have to do.”
- Adyashanti -
The self aware nature of Awareness
It’s nature, your nature, is self aware. A quality of lucidity. Awareness is self aware, it knows that it is. It is intelligent in other words. This quality is so familiar that people don’t notice it. The mere fact that awareness is self aware is amazing. Nothing else can do that.
Only awareness is aware of itself. Only awareness is aware. Nothing else is aware but awareness. And without awareness nothing else is.
- Adyashanti -
The compassionate nature of Awareness
Awareness has a tremendous sense of love, compassion, a sense of goodness, well being. That’s why when you come into your true state as awareness, or spirit, there is a sense of well being, a great sense of all is well. Not only for oneself but a well being that overflows, that’s what love is, that’a what compassion is. It is in your nature.
Discovering real goodness comes from appreciating very simple experiences. We are speaking here of the basic goodness of being alive. The inherit goodness natural flow of existence. The compassionate flow of basic goodness.
Awareness and illusion
In reality there are only two things, Awareness and illusion. Awareness is Consciousness, while illusion is the apparent content of Consciousness, all the content of your individual universe. Consciousness is true while the content is not.
Consciousness is the One, the whole and the only reality. Other than Consciousness, everything else, including the universe, material objects and individuals, are false.
The Ying-Yan symbol
The Yin-Yang symbol represents the universal harmony and balance of duality -the dual opposite nature of reality, always in harmony- in a finite universe.
The circle represents containment which means the whole and the finiteness. Without the element of containment, the opposite elements could not exist, much less maintain their balance. The container is what defines the whole.
The illusion of opposites -good and bad, love and hate, should and shouldn’t -these aren’t available out in infinite reality, only in bubbles. Consciousness is beyond opposites. Duality is a dream.
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