I understand that Consciousness—“I”—which is Self-illuminating to be one force. Every living be-ing has the same Consciousness, which enters and exits different mind-body states of matter, whether they are plant, animal, or human. The same object affects different people differently. So the body mind changes but the Consciousness doesn’t changes. Is this correct?
Reply: Think of space. The earth, plants, animals and humans live in, are surrounded by and are actually permeated by space. Proof? Every physical atom making up our physical bodies is made up of 99.9% space. So, when we move from one place to another, does space enter and exit? The answer is NO. Space is the context or medium in which we live and move. Space is always present, never moves. Our bodies move.
That is why space is the best example to illustrate the features of Consciousness. Other metaphors are used but they tend to unconsciously induce a sense of separation, of duality, the idea of ‘two-ness’ where the smaller object joins or merges with a bigger object, eg. a wave and ocean. But with space, there is no sense of separation. The nature of space in a cup or a whole house and is the same nature as intergalactic space. There is no division, only an appearance of division because of the surrounding material. Everything lives and moves and exists in space.
Space does not move. A wave moves not the ocean. Anything which moves has a beginning, middle and end. Waves arise, move and subside in the ocean. This means change, limitation, beginning and ending, birth and death. Intangible sine energy waves travel in a linear way or in a circular way, vortexes for instance. Whatever the type of motion, material waves are different from Consciousness, which doesn’t move.
Consciousness by its mere presence, enlivens or activates the material mind-body instrument which manifests life. Activity of is the signature of Consciousness stamped on Existence, Be-ing. The nature of Consciousness is pure Presence of Be-ing, unconditioned Awareness, completeness/fulfilment. As people we live and move and have our being in Consciousness. We borrow life from Consciousness. When the material body wears out the life goes back to Consciousness.
So, what enters and leaves? The person or subtle body with its tendencies travels to another time and location where it enters another physical body sometime after conception when a fertilized egg is embedded in the uterine wall. Consciousness does not move at all. It is present everywhere, illumining, witnessing, enlivening the new body Instead of the word ‘force’, I think a better word to indicate Consciousness is ‘principle.’ Like the ‘the principle of Be-ing’.
Ben de Silva
