Thanks for the question. There is a little bit of trouble with calling this consciousness and awareness because it makes a person think of general awareness. For example, I am consciously aware and then someone hits me and I am knocked unconscious.
But this is not the consciousness that is nondual.
The consciousness of nonduality is unchanging. It is unaffected by anything. It is present in a stone, a cloud, and water. How can Consciousness be in things that have no consciousness? Because they are the One that is Awareness, present as stones, clouds, water… and people.
We are not a “we”. We are One Thing appearing as us. And it is Awareness.
If this body is knocked unconscious, Awareness still is.
I hope this helps… but to be honest, if it is thought of intellectually as yes it does help, or no it doesn’t - neither of those is quite correct.
You are born with this Awareness and no amount of learning or understanding is added to it. And equally, no amount of stupidity and foolishness detracts from it.
:)
Further Question Following the Above
Thank you. It appears that your description of consciousness is synonymous with “aliveness” or existence itself, whether or not self-awareness is present. Is that right? If that’s correct, then consciousness pervades the entire universe and all things, like somewhat of a life-force energy.
From my understanding of Eastern philosophy, consciousness is awareness without self-reference. It is awareness of being, without the content of personality, memory, etc. just an all encompassing experiential open awareness of experience that is NOT subject to the brain. If this is true, wouldn’t you expect to have some sort of experience of oneness-consciousness under general anesthetic, when all self-referential faculties of the brain are shut down?
Answer
When I am under GA, which I have been, there is the presence of the One here. I would describe it as an endlessly dark stillness, that also seems somehow vibrant. It is silent, alone, undisturbed, and not really anything, yet is there.
I recall coming out of GA and it seemed to me that an energy was coming out of that black to return to me. Sadly, at the time, I wasn’t interested in anything spiritual, and just as I was wondering if this “spark” was me, I remembered I had had an operation, and that drew me back into normal consciousness.
What I didn’t question was what was noticing the spark and asking the question. This could not have happened if my brain was shut down, however, presence would still be present.
This doesn’t really answer your question but further experiences may. When unconscious, for example, while under GA, this One is experiencing the unconsciousness. When I regain consciousness, it then experiences consciousness “as me”. This is the opposite of how you have posited it. It is experiencing unconsciousness through me (which is itself) rather than my conscious being unconscious and yet conscious of Consciousness. It is all the “things” in the universe simultaneously, as them. But they are not a “me” and “them” they are itself.
When I die, my body, brain, and conscious awareness, and who people refer to as “me” will disappear. But the still, dark, silent, utterly peaceful (and beautiful) One will be present and unchanged. That is in “me” and its energy powers me. When that energy dissipates and I die, the Truth of what I am (and you are) still is. And is no different.
The fact that my brain shuts down alters nothing of Consciousness. It alters “my” consciousness. But “my” consciousness rests against a backdrop of Consciousness.
In day-to-day living, I mostly ignore my conscious thinking. Thoughts come and go but “I” do not appear and leave when they do. Something is still present looking at thoughts. It was there before and after thought. And it is outside of “me” also.
I can see it in anything that I look at. But only it is seeing itself. So, for example, a friend might look at a tree and see what most people recognise as a tree. The One is recognising the tree and is also the tree. When I look at it, I see the same tree but notice Presence. The One is recognising itself, the tree and also is being the tree and me.
Logically speaking we might expect to be conscious during unconsciousness, and perhaps parts of our body are - but this is not logical. Because most of us are not experiencing Consciousness while conscious. So, experiencing it while unconscious is even less likely. And also considering that everything is One, would your argument apply to the ability to experience the consciousness of a dog, or a tree, or a life form at the other end of the universe that no human knows of? No. Because human consciousness is limited by the human experience, whereas Consciousness is Limitless.
Not sure if any of this helps.
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