From this blog, I shall write my conclusions, rather than interpretations of various books, saints and scientists. That would make the process faster. In case, anyone would like to go into further details, they just have to Google, or ask me, and I could suggest more reading material. Once, I am through explaining Reality, I would like to ruminate on my views on various subjects and trust me, these would be pretty original and interesting.
The materialists’ model of existence is bottoms- up or upward causation. It postulates the cause rising upwards, starting from elementary particles to atoms to molecules, to cells (including neurons) and so on to the more complex conglomerates that include the brain. In this view, consciousness is a brain phenomenon whose efficacy comes solely from the elementary particles – the base level of matter. But, in my view, existence is created by consciousness and is thus top-down and not vice versa.
Light or Energy contains the wave-particle duality. So, light is either wave or particle, it cannot be both at one time. The wave function represents the probability of finding a given particle at a given point. These probability equations can diffract, interfere, and exhibit other wave-like properties, resulting in a final probabilistic wave function that exhibits these properties as well. In other words, the probability of a particle being in any location is a wave, but the actual physical appearance of that particle is the collapse of the wave. When we observe the waves of light, they collapse into observable particles.
“Observations not only disturb what has to be measured, they produce it….We compel the electron to assume a definite position…. We ourselves produce the results of measurements.”
Pascual Jordan
Therefore, what we see are sets of particles that come about due to collapse of waves of certain frequencies. Therefore, reality is created by consciousness, as consciousness causes the collapse of the wave function that in turn causes reality to “occur”. Thus, manifest reality is a sequence of collapses of wave functions.
Let me explain the above paragraph in a little more details, as it is the crucial understanding of existence.
Space is full of energy of extremely high magnitude in wave form, which is not yet manifested. It is spirit. Our consciousness collapses a composite set of waves into particles in the material world, which can be observed with our five senses. The spirit transforms into matter. This collapse is in the form of slowing down of frequencies or involution. The slowing down of frequencies change the state of matter, like for examples, the subtle water vapour (air) slows down to form the more gross water (liquid) and still slower to form the grossest matter – ice (solid).
Therefore, as understood in the earlier blog, space or the most subtle state contains high frequencies , and by the process of involution or densification manifests the creation.
So, in space, we have Brahman or the zero-point energy, which is just an unmanifested spirit and very subtle. This is considered in Samkhya Darshan, one of the 6 Hindu schools of philosophy, as being made up of two parts – Purusha and Prakriti. Purusha, is the unmoving, still, masculine part, while prakriti is the dynamic, female source of involution. Prakruti becomes denser and slows down to form the universal consciousness or universal intelligence (Mahat) . Mahat, then slows down to form individual intelligence (Buddhi). Buddhi’s subtle frequency slows to form individualized awareness (Ahamkara), densifying still more to form the tool of consciousness (Manas) and the emotional mind (Chit). The Manas and Chit then form the five senses of knowing (Jnanendriya) – hearing, touch, vision, taste and smell using ears, skin, eyes, tongue and nose. The manas and chit also create the five organs of action (karmendriya) – reproductive, excretory, speech, hands and feet. Finally, the five gross elements and state of matter are created consisting of ether, air, fire, water and lastly, earth.
Thus we see a subtle space with extremely high energy slowing down or getting dense and gross by a process of collapse to form a form, whether human, animal, bird, plant or insect. Each of the atom manifested by the collapse contains all the frequencies including the five elements in varying proportions. Thus each part of existence, be it stone, plant, animal or humans have consciousness in differing measures. More consciousness pervades a plant than a rock. Still more from plant to animal and still more from animal to human. Human is the highest state. While there are other animals, mammals etc that have some form of intellect, the cognitive and the analytical intellect of humans make them special.
Therefore, each human contains all parts of the energy from the highest to the grossest. From Brahman or zero point energy to the grossest, which is the human physical form. Now let us try and divide the entire frequency into five parts beginning from the slowest or densest or most gross. So, the physical body, with frequency so slow that it can be measured by machines is the first one called the “Annamaya kosha” or the sheath operating by food, which includes the five elements and five organs of action. Like the Russian doll which can fit into one another, the next sheath or layer is the “Pranamaya kosha” or the energy body containing the jnanendriya and consisting of the entire prana or energy system of the human body. The next larger Russian doll is the “Manomaya kosha” which includes the tool of consciousness and the emotional mind (Chit and manas) which is all about attitude, behaviour and mindset. As the frequency increases, the next level of energy is the buddhi(individual intelligence) and ahankara (individualized awareness) layer called the “Vijnanmaya kosha” or the sheath of knowledge. Then comes the highest sheath or the most subtle layer of “Anandmaya kosha” consisting of the universal consciousness or universal intelligence and would lead one back to the Prakriti and Purusha.
Other school of thoughts are the findings of Ken Wilber’s theory of involution, Sri Aurobindo’s theory of involution and the Kashmiri Shaivism detailed understanding of the 36 tattvas of creation beginning from Siva, the male form and Shakti, the female, dynamic force of creation, slowing down to form the five elements.
So, to a large extent, I have tried to explain “Who am I?” and “What is existence”. After the next blog, which will be about the energy body of humans and others, I shall attempt to explain the next crucial questions of “What is my role in existence” and “How can I play that role”.