Nature of Consciousness - Advaita

[Elizabeth Lisot]

Namaste, John

Very well said. The only point that I might contend with is when you stated
that it is not possible to be awake in the dream. Just as we may experience a
moment of self awareness that we are indeed dreaming while sleeping and be
conscious of the act of dreaming, so the awakened or enlightened soul may be
fully aware of the non-dual state while still functioning in the material
plane. You could say, yes, for them the dream is over - in that they no
longer experience any separation from ultimate reality, yet they are at the
same time manifesting a presence in the maya as their projected body....It
does get a bit difficult to think of because of its paradoxical
nature...normal trains of thought don't take us there.
As far as any speculation on enlightened states by those as yet
unenlightened....As all of us are ultimately One, the origin of that
speculation comes from that same source.  However, Time (the appearance of
physical change in the material universe) is also a part of the "dream", so
in truth what appears to be a linear progression toward spiritual
enlightenment, is rather a game of hide and seek concerning our own
awareness. We are already awake....but haven't decided to acknowledge or
access this "real" state of our being. How do we know if what we are thinking
is delusional or real? There is only one place to go for that answer....to
the throne of our most inner state of consciousness...and if the answer is
not clearly found there...find a being who is enlightened...and ask them.
(ultimately both are the same...Guru is Brahman is Atma) Fortunately there
are some in bodies on the planet right at this very moment who are very
compassionately helping souls cross the ocean of samsara.
'Enjoyed the discussion,
Salutations and Jai Ma,
Parvati