"The absolute and the relative belong to one and the same Reality" (Ramakrishna).
"The Tao is the origin of all things" (Lao-Tse. The Book of Tao).
"All is Consciousness" (Sri Aurobindo)
The Primal Source
Throughout the ages, numerous thinkers have postulated a key idea, perhaps the most important idea possible: that all reality as we know it comes from a single original source. This source has been given numerous names, including the following (in alphabetical order):
Absolute (Metaphysics).
Akasha and Brahman (Hinduism).
Anima Mundi (Platon).
Akashic Field (Ervin Laszlo).
Zero Point Field (Quantum Physics).
Unified Field of Consciousness (Maharishi).
Absolute Consciousness (Ramana Maharshi).
Pure Consciousness (Frank Kinslow).
ECK (Eckankar).
The Field (Lynn McTaggart).
Spirit (Ken Wilber).
Holy Spirit (Christianity).
Geist (Hegel).
Quantum hologram (Michio Kaku).
Cosmic Intelligence (Stanislav Grof).
Keter (Kabbalah).
The Force (Jedi Church).
Logos (Ancient Greeks).
Matrix (Max Planck).
Divine Matrix (Gregg Braden).
Mind of Nature (Edgar Mitchell).
Universal Mind (Sri Aurobindo, Rhonda Byrne, Paul Davies).
Implicate Order (David Bohm).
Omega Point (Teilhard de Chardin).
Shunyata or emptiness (Buddhism).
Supermind (Sri Aurobindo).
Tao (Taoism).
One (Plotinus).
Unus Mundus (Jung and the ancient alchemists).
Here we will simply use the name "Absolute".
The Absolute and its properties
The term "Absolute" derives from the Latin verb "solvo" (to let go) and has the meaning of unbound, unattached, unconditioned, free and independent. The preposition "ab" adds the idea of total separation. The absolute is the real, the first cause, the transcendent. Everything else has a relation of dependence with the Absolute.
The Absolute is ineffable and unknowable, but we can intuit some of its properties:
It has no attributes and has all possible attributes.
It has no attributes because to assign attributes to it is to limit it, and the Absolute has no limitations. We can also affirm that it has all possible attributes, even if they are contradictory, for the Absolute transcends the relative world, which is dual in nature.
It is the source of all possibilities.
The Absolute contains all possibilities of manifestation and non-manifestation. The Absolute is both unmanifest and manifest.
It is the source of all that exists.
The whole manifest world, the world of forms, proceeds from the Absolute. When it manifests, the Absolute undergoes a descent or "fall," which is but a play of the Absolute itself to know itself.
It is pure consciousness.
All that exists is consciousness, manifest or unmanifest. There is only one consciousness, which is the Absolute, the pure, basic, fundamental consciousness.
It is dual and non-dual.
The Absolute is devoid of opposites (it is nondual). It also includes or encompasses the opposites, for the world of duality, the manifest world, is an expression of the Absolute, the foundation of the opposites.
It is immanent and transcendent.
It is immanent because it is inherent and present in everything created. And it is transcendent because it is hidden deep within the manifest world.
It has form and it has no form.
The manifest Absolute is the world of forms. The unmanifest Absolute lacks all form.
It is subject and object.
Subject and object are two distinct (dual) ways of approaching manifest reality with the mind. But the Absolute is object and subject at the same time. When the subject-object duality collapses, only pure, non-dual consciousness remains.
It is emptiness and fullness.
The Absolute is emptiness because it has no attributes, it is the essence of everything. Behind the world of forms is emptiness. But the Absolute is also radical fullness because it contains everything, it lacks nothing.
It is free.
The Absolute is free, that is, it is not limited or conditioned by anything, it is liberated from everything, including space and time.
It is omnipresent.
The Absolute encompasses everything, is present in everything, including the unmanifest world and the manifest world. In turn, in the manifest world it is in every object or phenomenon, at every point in space and at every moment in time. The metaphor of the sea is very illustrative: the Absolute is like the sea, which is present in the deep and in the waves, the surface manifestations.
It is the only thing that exists.
The Absolute is the only thing that exists, it is the only reality. Nothing exists outside the Absolute. Everything possible already exists. Its manifestations are not true reality. True reality underlies all that exists. "The only thing that exists is Spirit" (Ken Wilber).
It is the essence of everything.
The Absolute is the deep, perfect, subtle essence that resides in all things. It is the nature of natures, the being of all beings, the condition of all conditions. This essence pervades all reality, for it is the foundation of all things.
It is Unity.
The Absolute is the essential unity of all. In the Absolute there are no boundaries, no parts, no separations, no demarcations. Everything is unified, everything is the same thing. We conceptualize, categorize, and classify, thus establishing boundaries between things, but we must not confuse the map (a product of the human mind) with the territory (reality).
It is the Totality.
The Absolute is the Totality, present in all that exists. Moreover, each level of manifestation of the Absolute is also a totality, a holon, according to Ken Wilber, in such a way that a totality or holon is included in another greater totality or holon of a higher level. Each level is neither a part nor a totality, but a totality/part, a holon: part that is totality and totality that is part. "Everything is a context which, in turn, is within another context" (Ken Wilber). This hierarchical structure of manifested reality is what is called the "Great Chain of Being".
It is self-reflective.
The Absolute is primordial consciousness, pure consciousness, i.e., self-consciousness. The Absolute sees itself as Absolute in all its manifestations. In every act of consciousness, the Absolute contemplates itself. The Absolute is self-knowledge: the object of knowledge is itself, that is, there is identity between object and subject.
It is simple.
The Absolute is the simplest thing that exists, the supreme simplicity. "In the deepest depth lies the simplest" (Ken Wilber).
It is ineffable.
The Absolute cannot be expressed in words because it is beyond words, beyond language. And it is ineffable, not because it is too complex, but because it is too simple, too obvious, too close and too evident to be expressed.
It is invariable.
The Absolute does not change, it is not subject to time. It is like a mirror in which changing forms are reflected but which always remains unchanging.
It is the Center of everything.
A phrase attributed to St. Bonaventure says that "God is a circle whose center is everywhere and whose circumference is nowhere". The same can be affirmed of the Absolute, the center of everything.
He is the primordial witness.
The Absolute is the primordial witness, the pure witness behind all phenomena, including our consciousness, thoughts, emotions and sensations.
It is invisible.
The Absolute cannot be seen, just as we cannot see our own eyes. The Absolute is pure essence, without form or substance. The things that can be seen are of the dualistic type. You cannot see the Absolute because it is the Absolute that sees with your eyes.
It is the highest.
The Absolute is the highest (or deepest) level of the spectrum of existence and consciousness, and it is also the foundation of the entire spectrum. In the metaphor of the ladder, the different rungs represent the spectrum of consciousness. The Absolute is the top rung, situated at a point that transcends or is above all manifested form. The Absolute is also in the rungs and in the space between them.
It connects all things.
The Absolute, as the primordial essence of all that exists, connects all things, for everything has a common origin, a common foundation.
Dwells in us.
The Absolute dwells within us, but we are not a "part" of it, we share its essence.
It is the absolute power.
The Absolute is the power behind all that is manifest and the possibility of manifestation from the unmanifest. It is the power that sustains everything. That same power resides also in the deepest part of ourselves.
It is spatial and timeless.
The Absolute does not exist in space. Space is a manifestation of the Absolute. It is like a point without extension. But, as Plotinus said, it is nowhere, but there is no place where it is not.
The Absolute does not exist in time, for time is also a manifestation of the Absolute. It belongs to eternity, understood not as an infinite duration but as the absence of time or as a moment without duration or eternal present. The present does not exist in time, it dwells in eternity, it is the timeless and eternal present. Eternity is present in any instant. The only thing that exists is the "now", the omnipresence of the present. In the present we can find fulfillment.
It cannot be reached and we have already reached it.
The Absolute cannot be attained because to attain it we would have to pass from the relative world to the Absolute. But although it cannot be reached, we can approach it through contemplation. In contemplation or deep perception (without thoughts, without analysis of what is perceived) time stops, everything becomes quiet, activity is suspended. "All direct perception is perception of the timeless" (Ken Wilber). When we perceive something related to a circular form, whether natural or artificial (such as a mandala), we are evoking the Center, the Unity, the Totality, the Absolute. At that point you can intuit its power, see the deep connections between all things and experience beauty, perfection, freedom and creativity.
We can also consider that we have already reached the Absolute (even if we ignore it) because everything relative contains its essence and dwells in us. Moreover, it is impossible to escape from it because it is in everything. Relating it to the present/eternity/non-time, we can say that it makes no sense to "enter" eternity because we are already in it, for it is in the present that the totality of being dwells.
It cannot be experienced.
Being unattainable, the Absolute cannot be experienced. Moreover, all experience implies a limitation, for experiences limit us, they contract us. If the Absolute were experienced in a concrete form, we would be limiting it, for experiences belong to the phenomenal or relative world and are bound to time. But the Absolute transcends time and all particular experience. The Absolute is the transcendental and universal experience, the foundational experience of all particular experiences. The Absolute, however, is conscious of all experience, but in itself is no experience. But, as we can approach it, we can have certain sensations of freedom, of lack of limitations and conditioning, and intuit that in that realm there is no separation, no death, no fear, no pain.
It cannot be known.
The Absolute knows itself, but it cannot be known, for if it were, it would limit it, and the Absolute has no conceptual limits, it transcends all our concepts, for it is pure consciousness. However, we can intuit certain properties that bring us closer to its nature. Moreover, we can follow the path of ascent from the many (the world of forms) to the One, which is the "path of wisdom", a path of transcendence, which sees that behind the diversity of phenomena lies the One. And, once a certain level of wisdom has been achieved, we can take the path of descent, the "path of compassion", where the One, through us, embraces the many, all forms. It is therefore necessary to unite the ascending and the descending, to dwell in emptiness and embrace all forms.
It is creative intelligence.
The Absolute is supreme intelligence, which we perceive as intuition. And it is creative intelligence because creativity is the ability to relate and the Absolute connects all things. "Creativity is part of the substratum of the universe" (Ken Wilber).
It is the supreme stability.
Only unity is stable. Everything else is unstable and tends to go to unity, to the search for equilibrium. Everything has gone out of unity and tends to return to it. Unity is the goal of everything.
At the manifested level everything is vibration. Nothing is still, everything vibrates. Matter appears (manifests) by its lowest vibratory frequency. If the vibration would increase, it would pass to an invisible dimension. When entities from other deeper levels lower their vibratory frequency, then they manifest as matter or physical phenomena in general.
It is supreme meaning.
There is nothing but one thing: unity, the state that contains everything, that connects all things, all their manifestations. From unity there is nothing to explain, for there is a unified consciousness, where everything is the same thing and where everything acquires meaning.
Some Conceptions of Transcendental Reality
The Unified Field of Consciousness
Unified field theory is a physical theory that attempts to unify all forces of nature into a single theoretical framework. It is based on the belief that the four fundamental forces (electromagnetic, gravitational, strong nuclear, and weak nuclear) are simply different aspects or manifestations of a single fundamental field, a field from which all laws of nature arise and which is the basis and essence of all phenomena in the universe.
Physical forces can be described by fields. A field refers to a physical quantity that has different values over a region of space. Historically it was introduced to explain the action at a distance of the gravitational, electric and magnetic forces. The term "unified field" was coined by Einstein, who tried (during his last years), without success, to unify the theory of general relativity and electromagnetism.
A unified field theory is also called "Theory of Everything" (TOE), although it really should include all manifestations of existence and not only the physical ones, in order to deserve such a denomination. At present, TOE lacks the integration and harmonization of the theory of general relativity with quantum mechanics. In recent years, the search for TOE has focused mainly on string theory.
By analogy with physics, it has been proposed the existence of a unified field of consciousness, a holistic and transcendental field, whose manifestations would be the different aspects or states of consciousness, including the physical and mental aspects. It would be the true "theory of everything".
The unified field of consciousness, according to Vedic Science
The unified field of consciousness is described in the so-called "Vedic Science", a discipline created by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi from the ancient teachings of the Vedic literature:
It is transcendental consciousness, the home of our own being and of all the laws of nature.
It is the source from which all forms, phenomena and laws of nature arise, including the laws of physics, mind and thought. The entire universe is the manifestation of this unified field.
It manifests in all levels of creation, which share the same essence. It is a compact source that unfolds like the growth of a tree from seed.
It is a space of freedom, where limits and boundaries disappear. It is the field of all possibilities.
It is a space of creativity, of creative intelligence.
It possesses unlimited organizing power.
It is pure intelligence and pure knowledge. Pure knowledge is the state of consciousness in which consciousness has nothing but itself.
It is self-referential. Consciousness is conscious of itself. This is the most basic property of consciousness. The self-referential structure of consciousness unifies the three aspects of knowledge: the knower (Rishi), the known (Chhandas) and the process of knowing (Devata).
It is consciousness in movement, but movement within itself, a dynamic structure within its eternal silence. It is a dynamic process because it interacts with its own presence. This dynamicity has two aspects:
Sounds or mantras. They are structures of pure knowledge, the sounds of the Veda. They are vibrations within consciousness that are experienced as a sequence of sounds within the deep silence of the mind.
Brahmana. They are the dynamic structures, the intelligence that structures and organizes the mantras.
For Maharishi, "The discovery of the unified field of consciousness and its structure is the most significant discovery of our time."
Ken Wilber's unified field theory of consciousness
Ken Wilber has developed an integral theory of consciousness, a theory of the Unified Field of Consciousness, which encompasses philosophy, mysticism, psychology, anthropology, General Systems Theory, etc. Because of his integrative vision, Wilber has been called "the Einstein of consciousness". His theory is a worldview, a synthesis of various philosophical, psychological and spiritual traditions, both Western and Eastern, including:
Buddhist philosophy of the Madhyamaka school. Wilber is a follower of Buddhism.
The Advaita Vedanta and Ramana Maharshi philosophy.
The philosophy of Sri Aurobindo (on cosmic evolution).
The Perennial Philosophy and the Great Chain of Being.
The philosophy of Plotinus.
Wilber compares consciousness to the electromagnetic spectrum. Just as there are different manifestations of the same electromagnetic phenomenon (infrared light, ultraviolet light, radio waves, gamma rays, etc.), in the same way there is a wide spectrum of manifestations of consciousness: from one extreme (unconsciousness) to the other extreme (complete consciousness or enlightenment), passing through different intermediate states, which represent truths, visions and more or less partial perspectives. All this spectrum of consciousness is integrated in a holistic field, in a universal entity that Wilber calls "Kosmos" (to distinguish it from the Cosmos, which is an exclusively physical level):
It is a non-dual universe, it has no opposites. It encompasses all manifest and unmanifest existence. It is a nondual unity of void and form.
It is constituted of "perspectives," which are the different types or states of consciousness.
There is a set of "primordial" perspectives that, by successive iterations, generate the Kosmos. (I believe these primordial structures can be identified as primordial archetypes).
It is a mandala (of 4 quadrants) and we are this mandala, the consciousness that establishes and manifests this global matrix.
The fundamental building block of the Kosmos is the "holon" (a concept borrowed from Arthtur Koestler), an entity that simultaneously integrates the whole and the part:
Every entity and concept is a holon because it shares a dual nature: as a whole in itself and as part of another totality.
All creation (the manifest) is a holon. The unmanifest (the void) is not a holon.
There is a hierarchy of nested holons (holoarchy). Reality is a set of holons structured in a great holarchy of being, consciousness, matter and life.
On the other hand, Wilber refers to the Absolute by its properties:
It is the highest state of existence and the very substance of all that exists, the highest rung of the ladder and the very wood of which it is built.
It has nothing outside of itself, nothing exists apart from itself and nothing is distinct from it-
Absolute truth resides in the void, in the unmanifest. Relative truths are in the forms, in the manifest. The form evolves. Emptiness remains unchanging.
The totality of manifest reality (the form) is only a ripple on the ocean of the unmanifest (the void).
Only "formless consciousness", the simple sensation of being, exists absolutely. This formless consciousness, conscious only of itself, Wilber calls "Spirit."
Wilber claims that his theory brings to light a dimension of reality that Western thought has ignored since the Renaissance. A dimension he calls "depth. He advocates a science that integrates all manifestations of consciousness.
The One, by Plotinus
Plotinus was a Greek philosopher and mystic, considered the highest representative of Neoplatonism. He merged the Greek philosophical tradition and Orientalism. His doctrine is a theory of the trinity: the One, the Nous and the Soul.
The totality is reduced to the One, the Absolute (which is non-mutable and non-manifold), from which the finite reality (changeable and manifold) emanates. The One is the greatest and the unity of all things. It is indescribable.
From the One emanates the Nous (the intellect), the Soul (which is immortal) and finally Nature, the multiplicity of physical entities.
Man can identify himself with the One by an ascending process of purification.
The Supermind, by Sri Aurobindo
Sri Aurobindo introduced the concept of evolution into Vedanta thought. He taught an "integral yoga," a method of evolution.
There is a Supermind, a unitary mind of which our individual bodies and minds are tiny subdivisions.
The Supermind is an active, evolving principle.
Humanity is not the last step of evolution.
The Field, by Lynn McTaggart
According to Lynn McTaggart, there is a deep global field of energy that she calls simply "The Field" that sustains and gives coherence to the universe and interconnects all things.
Everything is connected through the Field. It connects not only the physical world, but also people, with their thoughts and intentions. The Field can be influenced by thought and intention.
Nothing has meaning in isolation but within the Field. Quantum particles are not isolated because in isolation they have no meaning. They can only be understood in their relationships. Fundamental reality is an indivisible network of interdependent dynamic relationships.
The Field is a unifying vision that harmonizes science and spirituality.
The Divine Matrix, by Gregg Braden
The Divine Matrix is an energy field quite similar to the McTaggart Field:
It is an energy field that connects all of creation and interacts between bodies and holds them together and communicates with each other.
It is the container that holds the universe, the bridge between all things.
It is the mirror of what we have created and of our beliefs.
It is the source of all that exists and the source of all possibilities.
It is a non-local and holographic field. Each part of the field is connected to all others, and each part reflects the whole on a smaller scale.
We all interact with each other. The experience of one member of a group is shared by the other members of the group, to some degree.
Something that has bonded remains connected forever, regardless of its physical position.
Focusing our consciousness on something, by choosing among the existing possibilities, is an act of creating a new reality.
Past, present and future are intimately linked.
We communicate with the field through the language of emotions.
Cells and DNA communicate through this energy field. Emotions have a direct influence on DNA. DNA is a code that connects us with the energy of the Divine Matrix.
Addendum
The Vedas and Hinduism
"Veda" is a Sanskrit term meaning "knowledge". But not a partial knowledge, but a unified, absolute, transcendental knowledge, the true knowledge and intelligence of nature and all creation. Veda is the "Constitution of the Universe".
"Veda is the root and science of all natural laws" (Vedic text Manu Smriti 2.6).
The Vedas are the sacred books of Hinduism. They are written in Sanskrit and their origin is between 1400 and 400 B.C. They are considered a sacred doctrine, a knowledge revealed by the gods. They are structured in four collections or texts (Samhita):
Rig-Veda. Collection of hymns to the gods, composed by the priests.
Sama-Veda. Compilation of Rig-Veda chants adapted for liturgical use.
Zadzur-Veda. Compilation of formulas for sacrifices.
Atharva-Veda. Compilation of magic formulas and incantations.
The Hindu Vedic literature includes, besides the four Vedas, Brahmana (commentaries and interpretations of the Vedic hymns), Arañaki (appendices to the Brahmana, oriented to meditation in the forests) and Upanishad (speculative and philosophical treatises on the Vedas and the teachings of the masters).
Hindus believe in an eternal, absolute, infinite reality, unique principle, cause and foundation of all creation: Brahman. It is impossible to know or define it. The different gods are only intermediaries or ways of approaching this ultimate reality. The diversity of contradictory things and events that surround us, are but different manifestations of the same ultimate reality called Brahman.
Transcendental Meditation
According to Maharishi, the unified field of consciousness can be experienced through a specific technique: Transcendental Meditation (TM). It is performed through a recursive process (repetition of a mantra), until the transcendental (or self-referential) state of consciousness is reached. TM is a process of progressive internalization, from the surface of the mind (where thoughts appear) to the deep (pure consciousness, where there are no thoughts). During meditation, one experiences a state of alertness, deep rest and elimination of tension. It also unfolds intelligence and creativity, as it connects with the unity and essence of all nature.
The Perennial Philosophy
It is a metaphysics whose main argument is that there is a universal set of common and eternal truths of a mystical kind that underlie all the world's religions, even though they express them in different ways. The term was first used by Leibniz and popularized by Aldous Huxley in his book "The Perennial Philosophy".
In the Perennial Philosophy there are four fundamental dogmas:
There is a divine foundation which manifests itself in the diversity of the phenomenal world.
Human beings can perceive this divine foundation by direct intuition.
Man possesses a dual nature: a phenomenal and temporal being (the ego) and an eternal being (the spirit).
Man's life has the sole purpose of identifying himself with his eternal being.
One of the fundamental axioms of the Perennial Philosophy is the "Great Chain of Being" which runs from matter to spirit. In this chain man occupies the highest place (though below the angels).
Advaita Vedanta
"Vedanta" is a Sanskrit term meaning "end or aim of the Vedas, of the Vedic literature, dealing with the unity of reality and knowledge." "Advaita" is another Sanskrit term meaning "non-dual". Advaita Vedanta is the Hindu philosophy of nonduality. In Western philosophy it is called "monism."
Reality is neither physical nor mental. It is a manifestation of a supreme reality: Brahman, the Absolute.
Brahman is the only reality, which is transcendent, supreme and ultimate. Brahman is infinite, omnipresent, omnipotent, pure knowledge. It has no attributes and no form. It is self-existent, absolute and imperishable.
All that is other than Brahman is false, pure illusion (maya).
It is not possible to describe this supreme reality, it is only possible to express indirect references. But it can be experienced through mystical union with the Absolute.
We are ignorant of our true self, because we see through maya. This ignorance makes us feel separate from Brahman. But the soul (Atman) is never separated from Brahman. "Atman is Brahman". The soul is exactly the same as Brahman. It is not part of Brahman, but the same Brahman.
Adi Shankara, the most important philosopher of Hinduism, was the first to establish the principles of Advaita Vedanta. Ramana Maharshi, one of the great mystics of Hinduism was a follower of Advaita Vedanta.
The reality of emptiness of Buddhism Madhyamaka
The Mahayana ("the great vehicle") school, the school followed by Ken Wilber, is one of the two great divisions of Buddhism (the other is Hinayana ("the small vehicle"). The Mahayana school is divided into two philosophical streams:
The first is the anti-metaphysical Madhyamika or dialectical school, which emphasizes the negation of all phenomenal reality, through a kind of "reduction to the absurd", in order to reach the ineffable absolute of Emptiness (shunyata), which is the only reality.
The second school is the Vijnanavada or "doctrine of consciousness," which uses the experience of meditation to demonstrate that all reality ultimately is consciousness.
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