The word consciousness is formed by two Latin words, con and scire, meaning to know.
Consciousness is the meeting ground for inner and outer reality. It is the common denominator of the objective world and subjective experience.
Consciousness is not the same as thinking because we can be aware of thoughts, which is proof that they take place within consciousness and therefore are secondary to it. Likewise, we can be aware without having any thoughts, only perceptions. But again, they are secondary to the field of awareness in which they occur.
Many people confuse consciousness with simple awareness, but consciousness does not just mean that we are aware, but that we are conscious of being aware.
Consciousness is the medium through which we can know reality.
Consciousness alone is primary and cannot be explained in terms of anything else. It can only be experienced.
What is Consciousness?
Professor Ashok Sharma, a former Indian professor of Applied Physics, who was also a scientist at Harvard University, has formulated some path-breaking theories and postulations based on the ancient Vedic Sciences that give us some powerful insights into the gray regions of the human mind, and help us understand our consciousness.Consciousness, according to Prof Sharma, is a non-physical entity, which is essentially different from the four basic entities of space, time, energy and matter of the conventional science. Consciousness does not have any physical attribute or property or action, but is endowed with autonomous will power of creation, retention and annihilation of the knowledge of an individual or that of the universe.
Prof. Sharma says that consciousness itself is non-differentiable, inactive, placid, indescribable and non associative: But consciousness manifests itself in the form of knowledge. As a point of interest, scientists are investigating how to integrate consciousness with science as we read in the following statement.
Bridging the Gap.
Here Prof. Sharma quotes Prof Wigner — "The very study of the physical world leads to the conclusion that the concept of consciousness is an ultimate reality and, all the possible knowledge, concerning objects can be given as its wave function" — and concludes that the gap between Vedic and scientific systems of knowledge has been considerably reduced and scientists have started realizing the necessity of integration of consciousness with the conceptual structure of science.
It becomes clear, that we cannot really define what consciousness is without placing limits on it? Who knows where it begins or ends? Animals are conscious, however, not self conscious.
Some religious and philosophical traditions including yoga hold that all creation, even inorganic matter, has a form of consciousness. From this perspective, consciousness is everywhere and is the foundation of all experience. It is the organizing principle behind the physical universe, often called the Logos, the Tao, or God.
In the Rig Veda (1:164:39) we read that knowledge is structured in consciousness, and our knowledge of absolute truth is directly proportioned to the degree to which we can step outside ourselves and purify our consciousness.
To step outside ourselves, we have to know what we step into, what the self, or ego is. Only human beings have a sense of separate self, personhood, private individuality. This concept of identity, according to psychology, begins to develop at about age 2 because of various biological and social factors. The result is a self image we carry within our minds which we normally consider being our true self but which is none other than ego, the I am this or that.
Then what is consciousness?
Although we cannot clearly define consciousness, yet everyday living confirms its reality. Being conscious is the self evident dimension of all knowing, all perceptions, and all states of being.
We experience, that the boundaries of our personal awareness constantly shift like changing images on a movie screen and with it change our perceptions and our understanding of objective reality.
This reflection leads to an awareness of awareness through the integration of the conscious with the subconscious mind, leading to super-conscious or cosmic conscious states of existence often referred to as samadhi in yoga, satori in Buddhism, mystical union in Christianity, the peace that passeth all understanding. Philippians 4:7.
Acknowledgement of the human potential for higher consciousness is imperative for humanity and earth to survive. Humankind finds itself at a critical juncture, where it has to decide to embrace an immediate radical change in thought and behavior, or the result could be disastrous for the current or future generations.
Perhaps the unrest we presently experience in many countries and societies is the sign of an impending consciousness revolution, even though it may not be defined as such.
Philosophy, religion, esoteric psychology and the humanities have been concerned with the study of the nature of consciousness for hundreds of years, but for changes in consciousness of the masses to occur, the interest has to flourish on broad levels of society.
What is needed is a kind of consciousness revolution which implies a turning back to the root of our existence, to truth, by asking the question: Who am I, where do I come from, what is the purpose of my being here on earth?”
We need to go beyond the I, the ego, to the Self, to our essence and embrace a philosophy of life that frees us from the fetters of convention and adopt an attitude that respects all life with an aim to realize one’s highest potential.
This may sound very idealistic, but the aim of all life forms is fulfilled only, when it has achieved perfection. Scriptures speak of reclaiming the Garden of Eden, where perfection reigns. This potential is within all of us.
We must not ignore the profound wisdom in human convention, but to appreciate it, we have to step out of it, view it from a higher perspective, embrace that which is of the highest value and discard all what impedes an upward evolutionary spiral from the material to the ideal, from matter to spirit.
But first we need to realize our true nature as spiritual beings rather than competing separate ego bound individuals seeking happiness and fulfillment in the material where it has only a temporary existence.
From that perspective, the consciousness revolution is also an evolution. It is not just a nostalgic retreat to the past, but rather an upward spiraling quantum leap in awareness.
Regression merely negates; transcendence is progressive because it includes what was before, but with a larger understanding which corrects past errors, imbalances and that which was seen as incomplete.
Humanity needs to realize its interdependence and interconnectedness. It is time to live responsibly and righteously, our survival depends on it. It begins with a higher way of thinking and being of everyone. We do not require a new system, only a greater vision.
