What is beyond this life experience? What is the nature of reality? Profound questions. These have always been an integral part of the who and the what I am. The search for Meaning. Questing for the instruction manual to life 101. To that end – or beginning, so much information and awarenesses have taken place from personal experiences. Some answers, flashes of insight, or, oh, that wasn’t helpful after all. But each finding a place in the blender that is my mind.
What I can say, with a very high degree of assuredness, is that there is an incredible vastness taking place “behind the scenes”, creating that which we take as reality. Those who stop to think about it, cannot escape from the questions that are inherent in life. What causes our bodies to function with such organization? How is it we are able to communicate and comprehend? And why is our dream world so real? (I do not accept that dreams originate from random brain neurons firing off.) These fundamental aspects of life don’t just happen.
I cannot say that I have any absolute answers. Everyone is unique, having their own journey through this life experience. Especially in this time of sensory overload. Quantity of information overwhelming our poor brains. But what I can also say with some certainty, is that old forms, old ways of perception, mindsets, required new definitions. The concept of a God being, for example, has become so filled with projected attributes and expectations, all claiming to be the truth. This calls out for a more comprehensive approach to the subject. Or perhaps simplifying to the basics.
Discoveries in science and theoretical physics, quantum mechanics, have dissolved much of the old solid Newtonian physics and understanding of creation, of matter itself. On a subatomic level, what appears to be solid, real to us, is not. It is a state of energy, of frequency, particles popping in and out from other dimensions. The observer interacting with the observed helps to define what will takes place. Here too new definitions, new theories are taking place.
Based on scientific research, based on the digital revolution, and based on the expanding nature of personal perception, awareness of transcendence experiences, converge in a quest to discover a unifying concept. What do they have in common? Consciousness. We accept we are aware, conscious beings, with minds and thoughts. But what is that consciousness? So fundamental, yet mostly ignored by mainstream scientific considerations. And most organized religions may, at best, consider it a secondary attribute. But what if that Is The question? What if that Is the Answer? My understanding is that Everything emanates from / as consciousness. As Oneness, as the connectedness generating form, and the cohesion, direction, and information (data), manifesting into what we take as reality. Consciousness being the source of reality, as we know it.
“All matter originates and exists only by virtue of a force which brings the particle of an atom to vibration and holds this most minute solar system of the atom together.
We must assume behind this force the existence of a conscious and intelligent mind. This mind is the matrix of all matter.”
― Max Planck
“I regard consciousness as fundamental. I regard matter as derivative from consciousness. We cannot get behind consciousness. Everything that we talk about, everything that we regard as existing, postulates consciousness.”
― Max Planck
Any level of consciousness, and capital C Consciousness, in conjunction with what we experience in this earth manifestation, implies an organizational structure, process, knowing. Look at the amazing integration of the elements making up not only us, but all the building blocks of the cosmos. Just because we cannot physically measure what goes into production, does not mean they doesn’t exist. This is especially so with the term Consciousness. It cannot be considered a “thing” in itself, thus not a measurable quantity for science to dissect. It can only be known by its attributes.
I often link consciousness with awareness. What is awareness? I am aware of something. And that something can be a measurable quantity. Awareness is like an empty glass, ready to be filled. It is the potential to contain that which has not yet manifested itself. If this is the case, and Consciousness is the Source of all that is, and yet cannot be measured, then there is an inherent limit to what we can confidently know about the nature of reality. At least at this time with the tools on hand.
In esoteric circles, there is a term called the veil of unknowing. Simply put, in order to maintain the unique nature of life, the free will to make decisions, requires an unknowable aspect to what we take as real. If we understood the true nature of existence – call it our divine nature, the mystery of this adventure would be lost. Knowing the outcome of a mystery would ruin the story. The availability of absolute truth cannot be found in this particular system, dimension.
Fortunately, breadcrumbs can be found in this fairy tale. We are offered hints pointing to the availability of a broader, transcendent state of being. We are called to investigate the subtle, but at the same time obvious, aspects of this earth experience. How is it that we have consciousness, awareness? Where do thoughts arise? Why are dreams so “real”? Why did I have an awareness of my grandmother, at the exact time of her passing, although hundreds of miles away? Even just considering these questions, begins to pull the veil back on the mystery of life. Exiting: do we hit a wall? Or do we find a door?
Where do the breadcrumbs lead?
8/31/2024 A.S.
