From a site visitor: You might remember that I ordered a copy of FROM THE I TO THE ABSOLUTE not long ago. I agree with Tyla that it’s the most important book I’ve ever read, but two questions came up while I was reading. 1. When the manifesting is taking place, the conscious-energy, as you referred to it, is moving from the field and headed toward manifestation in some physical form or matrix. You show its movement happens like this: from the Absolute to the True Self/Pure Witness to the witness to the Child Ignorance stage, etc. First, what is the difference in the True Self/Pure Witness and the witness? 2. Also, it seems that the True Self and witness would come after the Child Ignorance stage. Why do you teach the reverse? (This is not to debate your teaching, just to understand it.) Thank you. Randall
F.: Yes, I recall your order, Randall. Thanks for writing. How refreshing that you’ve ask a question rather than trying to display spiritual knowledge or foment argument.
Now, it is understood why you might believe that the conscious-energy manifests first as a plant food body before the Pure Witnessing or subject-object witnessing can happen; however, if that were the case, that would also mean that, during the unmanifesting phase, witnessing and True Self would disappear before the Child Ignorance stage. Do you see the impossibility of that scenario? Secondly, it suggests that your belief is that the conscious energy manifests first as human body rather than as plant. You already understand that’s not possible, either. That is simply not the way that these phases occur in their cyclings.
F.: Yes, I recall your order, Randall. Thanks for writing. How refreshing that you’ve ask a question rather than trying to display spiritual knowledge or foment argument.
Now, it is understood why you might believe that the conscious-energy manifests first as a plant food body before the Pure Witnessing or subject-object witnessing can happen; however, if that were the case, that would also mean that, during the unmanifesting phase, witnessing and True Self would disappear before the Child Ignorance stage. Do you see the impossibility of that scenario? Secondly, it suggests that your belief is that the conscious energy manifests first as human body rather than as plant. You already understand that’s not possible, either. That is simply not the way that these phases occur in their cyclings.
Where were You during those days or weeks prior to conception? You were manifested in a plant that was later consumed, that allowed the elements to take the form of human sperm cells and human eggs, and that would allow a lie to be taken as truth, namely that “Randall was born and has parents.” Your questions do, however, provide an opportunity for (1) a review of the manner in which the consciousness does cycle and (2) a review of what cycles and what does not. (NOTE: These discussions this week will not be for those in the wet charcoal or dry charcoal stages, nor for those practicing kindergarten spirituality. This is for proteges at the gunpowder level who are ready for the understanding to explode into awareness.)
There are several keys to understanding the actual order of occurrence and the difference in “levels” of witnessing. For true clarity, realize that “the subject-object witness” is a term used for discussion at a certain level; however, know also that at the ultimate level the more accurate term would be “witnessing” rather than “witness.” Ultimately, there is no witness; witnessing merely happens. Also for exactness, realize that the term “True Self” is used for discussion at a certain level but at the ultimate level can be more accurately pointed to with the term “Pure Witness” or even more clearly with the term “Pure Witnessing.” You asked what the difference is in “witnessing” and “Pure Witnessing.” Take the witnessing to be a raw apple and the Pure Witness to be the ripened apple. They are the same “substance,” but there’s a slight variance in their levels of purity. (The "sweetness," the AS IF peaceful existence and the re-purified consciousness, manifests with the ripening...with the re-purification process being complete.)
There are several keys to understanding the actual order of occurrence and the difference in “levels” of witnessing. For true clarity, realize that “the subject-object witness” is a term used for discussion at a certain level; however, know also that at the ultimate level the more accurate term would be “witnessing” rather than “witness.” Ultimately, there is no witness; witnessing merely happens. Also for exactness, realize that the term “True Self” is used for discussion at a certain level but at the ultimate level can be more accurately pointed to with the term “Pure Witness” or even more clearly with the term “Pure Witnessing.” You asked what the difference is in “witnessing” and “Pure Witnessing.” Take the witnessing to be a raw apple and the Pure Witness to be the ripened apple. They are the same “substance,” but there’s a slight variance in their levels of purity. (The "sweetness," the AS IF peaceful existence and the re-purified consciousness, manifests with the ripening...with the re-purification process being complete.)
The “subject-object witness” can look at the other stages among “The Seven Steps” or phases—including religious and spiritual personas, including all other personas/personality, including the “mind,” and including the physical body—and conclude, “I am not that.” That is, the subject (“I”) stops believing that is it that “object” (such as "a body"). The Pure Witnessing, conversely, does no subject-object witnessing. It sees only the unicity, the wholeness. Whereas the witnessing can realize "I am not that," the Pure Witnessing can realize, "I Am THAT."
It is at this point of the most subtle part of these teachings where protégés on the “path” often stumble. It must be grasped that the atman, the Self, is beyond all form and all embodiment, contrary to some interpretations. It must be grasped that both witnessing and Pure Witnessing happen for a period without embodiment as human form. (Again, for purposes of this discussion, the focus will be on humans, though the same facts apply to birds, fish, mammals, etc.) Yes, it could be argued that the manifestation in the matrix of a plant is already “embodiment,” but that is not embodiment in the form or space of a human that is being discussed. Further, such detail is not required for understanding the cyclic phases that you're asking about. More to the point, some protégés have asked this during satsanga sessions: “How can witnessing happen if the conscious-energy is manifested in a plant but the plant has not yet been consumed by a human or animal that can witness?” Consider three factors here:
(A) First, it should be seen why the term “witnessing” is more accurate than “witness.” To use the term “witness” suggests to most protégés that the reference is to some “one” who is a witness. There is really no witness. To say “I am a witness” is merely assuming another role. “Witnessing” is happening. The consciousness is witnessing. When not totally pure, it witnesses objectively in a subject-object mode. When pure, it “sees” only the Oneness…only that unity beyond the imagined multiplicity.
(B) How else can witnessing happen if no body—for purposes of this discussion, a human body—is present? It is known that every morning before sunrise, the movement of the conscious-energy accelerates as the vital force begins to circulate through all plants. It is known that all plants make a micro-millimeter adjustment each morning so that their leaves are not facing where they faced the morning before but are facing that exact spot where the sun will soon be rising. That is done in order for the leaves to maximize the quantity of light/energy they are exposed to and in order for the plant to gather as much of that energy as possible. Apply that to the pointer above: "both witnessing and Pure Witnessing happen for a period without embodiment as a human." The conscious-energy that is manifested in the plants is already witnessing before the plant is ever caught up in the cycling of elements that can eventually lead to the formation of a plant food body.
(C) The fact that witnessing happens without human embodiment is also pointed to in discussions of a gross body vs. some subtle or causal stage as consciousness transitions through phases during the un-manifesting process. This site does not focus on such discussions except to acknowledge that it can happen. The nisarga “path” leads to Full Realization without any requirement of such talks.
Neither the so-called witness nor the Pure Witness—that is, neither the witnessing nor the Pure Witnessing—has any defined form or any defined shape. The energy behind the face plate on the kitchen wall is there, millimeters away. That energy “knows” how to function—and how to function in a natural manner that is in accordance with the principles that govern the functioning of the totality—if the plug of a blender is inserted into the two slots and then the motor of the blender is activated. Yet that energy has no observable form or shape, even though it is present and “knows” what it “knows.” Similarly, witnessing “knows” and witnessing happens without any form or shape required and without any observable form or shape. These two witnessing states are the transitional stages between (a) embodiment + I-Amness and (b) that unadulterated, Absolute state in which no “I-Am consciousness” is present, in which no being or Being or self or Self is present, and in which not even a state of non-beingness exists. Please enter the silence of contemplation. [To be continued]
