Hare Krishna
I've been puzzling over something. If we are "I am," ego, not identified with the body, beings of pure consciousness, then how could we ever *lose* consciousness? If I am essentially consciousness, consciousness could never be separated from me. But I lose consciousness when I sleep and under many other circumstances.
Your servant,
Doran
Replies
awareness of the surroundings is consciousness right? body has awareness of to maximum to some extent. To certain distance you can see things, to certain level of sound frequencies you can hear also. you can feel different textures and react to cold and hot, warmth , medium warmth also. THIS ALL AWARENESS which we spoke about is only relating to Body.
By far dog is more conscious then us humans., that is why we pet that animal. It is said a dog can hear very low frequencies of sound and can see what human eyes cannot see in the dark also, they have more evolved senses Right??that is why we pet that animal. Becoz it can safeguard us from dangers.. as it has more conscious body and senses ( working outwardly) then us....
A person who diverts his senses outwards to be more aware of himself externally he is said to be very well focused person in material life.
A person who diverts his senses, mind internally to make aware of HIS own SELF is a Conscious soul.
Body awareness is not felt during sleep and when u fall unconscious as in shock. Body awareness is less.. not completely lost when you sleep or lose consciousness as in shock.
Here in Spirituality we are speaking of awareness of the Soul. Awareness of the SELF( SOUL) OR ATMAN. Awareness of the Relationship between ATMA AND PARMATMA.
This happens only when u turn ur awakened senses..internally...Not externally. A person maybe unconscious bodily...but could be...Fully conscious of HIS SELF( SOUL).
Hare Krishna.
So awareness, then, is only awareness of bodily states? A devotee friend of mine says we have a level of awareness only available to us when we have re-awakened to our true identity. Our ordinary "I am" awareness is just in relation to the body. Our real "I am" is something else.
Does that sound right?
Haribol.
SB 6.4.47 — Before the creation of this cosmic manifestation, I alone existed with My specific spiritual potencies. Consciousness was then unmanifested, just as one’s consciousness is unmanifested during the time of sleep.
What can you infer from this?
If u could understand let me know.
Hare Krsna Prabhuji,
PAMHO.
Thats right. "I am" awareness is mostly in relation to the body. If someone asks you "who are you?", whatever answer you give (name, nationality, male, father, designation at work, educational qualification, resident of so and so etc) are all related to the body and changes/ can change in our lifetime itself. However, when we answer the question "who am I" from the spiritual point of view, ie, the true identity of the individual, then and only then we get the correct answer which transcends our bodily condition or situation.
To answer your original question in the Discussion Forum, Consciousness is a symptom of presence of soul. It is not soul. Once our consciousness is purified, even an act of sleeping can be an offering to the lord. Purification of consciousness means our consciousness shifts from material objects to our true identity of being servant of the lord, of being soul, part and parcel and subservient to supersoul.
Haribol,
Your servant,
Radha Rasamayi DD
"I am" awareness is the awareness of the ture identity that is ur soul atma.
I think i have explained it. " I am" is not awareness of body.
when senses are diverted inwards....you can be aware of ur self or soul.
Hare Krishna.
Nice question. Simply, consciousness and soul are two different things. Consciousness being the basic symptom of the soul. That consciousness, its qualities, purity, intensity, etc can vary.
Hare Krishna,
That makes sense. I've gotten the idea in my readings that the soul, the real identity of the person, is the sense of "I am" or pure conscious awareness, but now I see this may have been a mistaken notion. When I become unconscious, after all, I am of course no longer conscious of the sense of "I am." But from that it does not follow that I am no longer this same being who was conscious and now is unconscious. So consciousness could not be constitutive of my identity.
Interestingly enough (as you probably know) this same idea exists in the West. It can be found in Plato and Aristotle.
Thank you for your insight.
Haribol
Hare Krishna
I think I understand what you are saying. Since we are of the same substance as God, and God is never unknowing or unconscious, there must be at least an aspect of us that is the same. Does that sound like the right way to put it?
Haribol
Hare Krishna
Much to ponder here, and I am very grateful for your help in overcoming this difficulty.
Your servant,
Doran
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