December 15, 2023
When sleep comes to an end in the morning, what is the first thing that happens to you? Have you experienced this, or asked this question? You say you woke up, but what does it mean to wake up? Do I become aware of myself, or do I become aware of the bed, the pillow, or do I become aware of you, the other, or all these simultaneously? Sages who have examined this phenomenon have said that first the 'I' thought arises: 'I am'. That consciousness was there, even when you were asleep, so that if you were sleeping and I tickled your foot, the foot would withdraw. You were not conscious, but there was consciousness. This consciousness was homogenous, undivided within itself and therefore there was no awareness of itself. When you woke up - which means when sleep came to an end - the first thing that happened was that this consciousness began to be aware of itself- "I am'.
The whole thing happens so fast that you don't notice it. 'I am', then suddenly you feel the pillow under your head, so 'I am sleeping on this bed', or, 'There is somebody sleeping next to me, my husband or wife'. So the feeling, the awareness 'I am' comes, and at the same time almost, 'You are' and 'They are' arises, and the world arises in the same consciousness.
It is not my consciousness and therefore I cannot manipulate this world. People have tried this, especially during the days of LSD experimentation. This world is not the creation of your consciousness, or perhaps there is nothing called your consciousness. This is the work of consciousness. Consciousness dreams here. Consciousness becoming aware of itself as all this, is the universe; and since that consciousness is infinite, it is infinite in every way. Why are there such a variety of faces, colour of hair, skin, size? What a mysterious thing it is. If you have taken a walk in the bush you might begin to wonder, why are there such a variety of leaves? Who is interested in that variety, that diversity? This is merely the work of infinite consciousness expressing itself infinitely without desire.