A bell without a clapper does not have the experience of being a bell. There is no action, no sound. And so it is with the physical body. Without consciousness, there is no life force. We live on a planet of manifestation. Just as there is no sound in a bell without a clapper, there is no manifestation from just having a thought.
Behind every thought pattern is an element that comes out of the Universe and belongs to the Universe. The thought pattern is the same make-up as Universal Intelligence. This element is called by many names – soul, spirit, consciousness. It is without form and has no beginning and no end. It is the expression of Universal Intelligence as Its smallest point, atomic if you like.
We are going to borrow the word “Consciousness” to identify Universal Intelligence at the point we find ourselves. In metaphysics, we must borrow words as symbols in our attempt to communicate what lies hidden beneath the surface. In the mystical schools, there are ancient and on-going conversations that explore the deeper meaning of Life. The relationship of thought to consciousness is definitely one of those subjects.
If there were a problem with the Universe, it would be Its enormity and infinity. Anything that is infinite can never know Itself because it is forever infinitely aware of an infinite amount that never stops. The way the Universe finds Its elements is by giving the same quality of awareness to Its parts. Some of the parts in the Universe are called Consciousness. There are an infinite number of “parts.” Do they come into being and out of being? No. Like the Universe, they have always been. Have the same number always existed? No, because it is an infinite Universe. It is like the chicken and the egg puzzle. You cannot wrestle with that kind of reasoning. There has always been a Universe. There has always been consciousness. Therefore, if you identify you as consciousness, and as one of these parts, you have always existed. Consciousness has continuity. The big factor regarding your on-going existence is to maintain a continuity of life force in the Universe. This occurs by virtue of the continuity of your experience. The Universe knows Itself by the fact that Its parts go through experiences. For example, we can tell a lot about a car if we take the engine apart and look at the parts. We can tell by the parts that are worn and the parts that are coated just how hard the engine was run, and how efficient it was. In a more refined sense, the Universe can tell about Its history (the worn parts) by the fact that consciousness carries the experience and continuity. Consciousness has well coated experience after experience and efficient wisdom ad infinitum.
The big metaphysical cry has always been, “Well, if I am all of this in consciousness, then why am I not terribly bright and able to do everything?” You can! You just don’t know how to get to it, or in some cases, in getting to it you cannot stand the power involved so you run back to what you consider a familiar safe place. Wisdom has never been denied you. What you need to remember is that we are talking about wisdom. We are not talking about intelligence in terms of learning details. Wisdom is very hard to put your finger on because it is essence. It knows without knowing how you know. In many cases, you find that too intangible so you do not pursue the power in the wisdom.
If I pose a problem to you, you immediately start to solve it. In consciousness you would not start to solve it because it is already solved. The answer, if there is any answer at all, is already there. All consciousness would say is “look in front of your nose. Everything you need and want is there.” There are reasons you do not do this and we will get to that later.
Consciousness is the historian, the recorder, for the Universe. Consciousness does not have a problem with volume. It can store infinitely as a storage unit for wisdom. The Universe does not store Its knowledge. Consciousness stores the parts – the knowledge, of the Universe. It is the parts that tell you what happens when you take apart the car engine. It is the same principle with the Universe. Since the Universe is the totality, it simply feels the parts. You know when you are feeling well. It is the individual cells telling you that they feel great or that they are under stress. When you put the message all together, you know how you feel.
Consciousness is the keeper of the will. Will presages action. You cannot have action without will initiating action just as you cannot have a bell without a clapper. A bell without a clapper is a cup turned upside-down. That is no bell at all! What is will? It is indefinable. It is the characteristic of the Universe that produces action and motion. It is an indefinable Universal energy that has infinite ramifications so there is no way of saying “Will is…….” Will stands on its own, It holds on to the ability to initiate action.
Consciousness sustains Universal Law. Consciousness, as a part, becomes the supporter of the whole in its out-workings. Look at this unique thing that we truly are. Consciousness maintains continuity, it sustains action and it stores wisdom. It keeps and initiates will. It supports Universal Law. Consciousness is, in effect, anything the Universe is, could be, and would ever want to be. What we have are little encapsulations of the Universe living in only a small infinitesimal corner of the room. The very character of Consciousness is magnificent! How could we even presume to let it encapsulate in a body (in this little place) compared to what it is? How can Consciousness express all its wisdom? How can it carry on its continuity? How can it use its will? It is like entrapping a beautiful stallion into space one half the size of a horse. Yet, it is done.
We must not look at Consciousness as if it does not belong here. Of course it belongs here, and it is here willingly. It just has a different methodology in which to exist. It carries with it all the storage information it has. What is does not have is the arena by which it can use and put out all of this energy and knowledge. However, there is no conflict between consciousness and the body. Consciousness sits within the body watching, observing and recording. Your strength and power come from your Consciousness because you have always had the wisdom. You are adding to that wisdom from experience. – Gregge Tiffen, September 2008
To be concluded in October 2016…