Advaita Post #18-06 June 1, 2017
From an Advaita talk with Douwe Tiemersma Hoorneboeg 5 April 2003, part 2
The silent consciousness
The silent consciousness is previous to and beyond thought or thinking, that is, beyond images, because it is a recording function. So, this is not about the images, it’s about the registration of images. What was there before the images and when those images disappear, what remains? A very quiet being-awareness of yourself, without forms. It is a very quiet consciousness like a clear mirror that just reflects everything. You can confirm this for yourself. Also, according to common sense reasoning, there must be a mirroring function somewhere. Otherwise you would never know what you have done. Of course, you can call that memory, but the central point of memory remains that there is a reflecting function somewhere, and that this mirroring itself has nothing to do with the images that it reflects. This mirroring is consciousness. It re-flects everything that has form while it, itself, has no form. And you, yourself, are that consciousness. You are THAT. You confirm, from your own inquiry into perception, but also from a logical point of view, that there is a pure mirroring.
Certainly, you also find forms of consciousness that condition this reflecting function. Of course, you have these forms. But even within these you can make the same distinction again between the images and the reflecting. For the conditioned aspects of consciousness are also images. This reflecting is about a mirroring of everything that has form, even the specs of dirt on the mirror. The ultimate mirror itself has no form. It is a constantly silent awareness that is present, that has knowledge of what is happening, but itself, is not influenced by what is happening, because forms arise and disappear again.
It is the ever-present silent consciousness. You are that, like a silent witness without form, which does not interfere with events. It is a silence of self-being that reflects, a silence in which sounds can arise and disappear again, in which the hustle and bustle of the world can arise and disappear again. You are yourself as witness-being. First there are all kinds of forms. Then these forms disappear. What remains? This mirroring function, this reflecting awareness of yourself. When there’s nothing to reflect, there is emptiness. Self-being as reflecting consciousness has no form. Only when a form arises, then the reflecting function appears to arise. And when nothing arises, then you are yourself without form, without function. And when these forms arise, this silent function of consciousness continues to exist. You, yourself, remain present as silent being-awareness. The forms continue for a while, and later they disappear again.
Once again; what remains? What about yourself now? Just take a precise look at that from an internal lucidity. To say something about the images, the forms, the sounds that arise, still goes – for the most part – quite easily. But take a precise look to see what’s there when the forms and the sounds begin to disappear. Mostly it is experienced and subsequently referred to as a black-out. Then there’s absolutely nothing, nothing at all. But you can also remain clearly present in it as being-awareness. Then there is an internal confirmation: this is it. This is my self-being as empty being-awareness. Take note of what happens there when something arises, for example, the sound of an airplane. Then a thought arises so easily, a train of thought starts up. Then surely there is a registration, but it’s a registration with thinking. Only, when you already determine that it’s an airplane, it’s no longer just registration. Then there is registration with thought. But you know, there is a higher function of registration: just mirroring. When you have recognized that simple mirroring, then there is also the internal clarity to recognize it when the forms actually do disappear. Just take a look in your own experience to see what it’s like with the silence, the re-emergence of forms with the activity of thinking and the disappearance of that activity, so that the silent consciousness in its pure form remains. In Classical Yoga this recognition is deliberately pursued, getting to know all those different forms of consciousness with forms, with the awareness of this silence during thinking, but also when there are only subtle forms and ultimately the internal unity-consciousness without forms (samādhi). That is the silence that constantly remains, even when there are sounds, even when there are active forms.
Be aware of the mechanisms that are at work. For example, when a sound arises in the silence, you can give that sound attention, give it a clear form, give it a name. You can enter into it, so that there is a shifting of your position. From out of the mirroring self-being there is a movement towards a person who establishes: that’s an airplane. If you’re not careful, you immediately keep on thinking. Those who have been here* before, are thinking: Oh, there goes another glider plane again. If you’re not careful, soon you are busy with the properties of the place here, with the previous walks you have made, and so on, and so on. See how that first transition goes and affirm that even as you roll back to that personal, physical point of view, you as conscious-silence always continue to exist.
- “Here” refers to the Hoorneboeg, a nature reserve where this talk took place, which was also nearby to an airport.
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