Source of consciousness

There is a central question. Is Consciousness different from consciousness of being a particular person?
The consciousness of being a person or an animal or a God or a worm or a stone or a tree etc. seems to be the defining characteristic of existing entities.

For example, a person called Peter has the consciousness of being Peter. Another person called Helen has the consciousness of being Helen. So is this Peter-consciousness different from Helen-consciousness.
Thus, there seem to be an infinitely larger number of consciousness's. The source of this consciousness is however singular. It has no identity of its own. It has no name to identify with. It is not different in different entities. The source of consciousness is beyond the grasp of individual consciousness. It cannot be claimed by anyone. It does not say 'I am'. But enables the individual to have a powerful sense of 'I am' which to the individual seems very real.

Since the source of consciousness is beyond the grasp of individual consciousness, it seems as though it does not exist. Yet, it cannot be denied.

The source of consciousness is infinite. Completely outside the realm of time, space, dimension and causation. Being infinite, it leaves no room for another individual consciousness. Thus, there is in reality no individual consciousness. Thus individual consciousness is an illusion like water in a desert mirage. It only appears to be, but there is in reality no individual consciousness. There is only the infinite, identity-less One.

Soothing the mind

Your belief about the people around you is central to your peace of mind.
To have constant thoughts of malice and hatred towards those around you is a most depressing way of living life.

Instead, wish for the peace of all minds. Wish well for those around you.
Wish that they might be able to find peace in their hearts.

This is greatly soothing to the mind.

Self interest

The hardest decision you make is to stop acting out of self interest.
But once you make this decision, everything in life changes.
And peace will be yours.

Regret

A sense of fear seems all pervasive. There is this emotion of regret. It binds the body and the mind into its own chamber. When regret strikes, it strikes deep. It seems that there is nothing in the whole world but this sense of regret. And all our actions are just means to escape from this sense of regret that holds the mind enchained. And we seek to fall into actions which are irrational. Which are just a means of escape from the mind. The actions which have no appeal for a clear mind begin to attract the mind filled with regret. Regret intensifies fear. And thus the mind falls into darkness.

Another aspect that comes with regret is paranoia. We start feeling paranoid. Believing that something horrible will happen because of act committed. In order to deal effectively with regret, you must be willing to live through the consequences of all your actions and thoughts whatever they might be. Do not seek to avoid facing the consequences of your acts. And even if the consequence is such that it leads to your destruction, embrace it completely.

The chief thought which causes regret seems to be this --> 'I wish to enhance my survival'...' I want to ensure my sustenance '....' My personal desires are THE most important things'

Personal desires are what drive us and what cause us the most suffering.

In the end, it is acts based on personal desires that cause deep regret.

Yet, no mistake is ever final. Only a dead person makes no mistakes. As long as you live, you will commit mistakes and some of these mistakes will give rise to a deep sense of regret.

The deepest regrets are with regard to those actions which you perceive will lead to your perceived downfall. It may be a loss of career, a loss of relationship, or a loss of dwelling place. Who knows, maybe this loss might turn out to be a blessing. Who knows, maybe this attachment to self interest will weaken. And finally that is life's primary lesson. To sacrifice self interest.

The best sacrifice is the sacrifice of self interest. This is what regret reminds us.

Being obsessed with self interests causes enormous suffering. Although, we might intellectually delude ourselves that we have given up acting out of self interests, regret reminds us that this belief is not true.

Sometimes, selfless acts may also lead to slight regret. But eventually, it leads to liberation.

All are already liberated

Every single being in this universe is already liberated.

There is absolutely no ignorance.

There is only liberation.

Even now, all beings are already liberated. When this truth is forgotten, that itself is ignorance and sorrow.

Misery arises

The most intense misery is to be aware of the existence of 'other people'.
The notion that there is a 'self' and there are 'others' i.e. not-self generates misery.

When One alone exists, from where does this notion of 'others' become so deep rooted?

It is in the stories that we tell ourselves that we create the notion of the existence and hence reality of other people. Yet I can only feel 'my' existence.

To whom does this notion of the existence of other people arise? The perception of diversity is itself misery.

To see the 'many' and forget the One is the root cause of every misery.

One alone

Let us begin with the premise that One alone exists.

This means that there is only One. There is never in any sense two or more.
That means there cannot be a self and the world. For that means two separate things, self and world.

Thus, the One is neither the self nor the world.

That One must be formless. For form implies boundary, hence two i.e one inside and other outside.

Thus, the One is absolutely without form. Neither physical nor mental form.

There is thus no perceiver, no witness, no perceived.

Since there is no perceiver, there is nothing to perceive. Hence no space.

Can it have time then?

Time implies a consciousness of past. A sense of the passing of moments. A sense of memory of having a previous existence. Hence by inference, a future existence. If there is a sense of past, i.e memory of previous existence. Infact, the absence of time cannot even be conceived. For any conception requires time. But, if there is only One and time as well, then there must be memory as well. But since there is only One, there cannot be memory. Hence there is no time. Hence no conception of beginning and ending. Since there is no memory, there is no identity. Since there is no time, there is no change. Hence there is no cause and effect. There is hence no creation. No experience.

At this point, it becomes difficult to go further. The One is pure existence itself. Absolute presence. With no conception of any identity, past, or concept. No cause. No self. Absolute doubtless existence.

Time and space can only exist outside it, yet there is no outside. Thus time and space are mere illusions. Having no reality. Only appearances which appear real only in ignorance. There is no cause for the appearance of time and space and the notion of a self.