In the mirror

Tree leaves and sunlight

Playing the winds symphony

Awed, I lay below




Innocence is found

In the untended garden

Some form still remains
What is consciousness, and what is the unconscious? Can we really judge who is conscious and who isn't? Is it possible that a yet higher level of consciousness, unknown and unfamiliar to our own, envelops itself around our unconscious selves? And could we venture to say that unconsciousness is a necessary dormant and inactive state of consciousness waiting to be activated? Or, could it be that what we're calling "unconsciousness" is, in fact, the other side of consciousness, its antithesis? In other words, if consciousness is an active agent, does it not need a receptive and passive medium upon which to operate that could, indeed, be called an "unconscious" state of being?

Regardless, it is the function of consciousness itself that is important, for if we accept that consciousness is an attribute of Being, then it follows that it is also that part of the psyche that makes us discover and reveal to ourselves and others our own truth and creativity. It does that by expanding and exhibiting every minute detail on which our thoughts and feelings focus, and by helping us unravel our own ever-changing vision of reality.

Let us further propose that the unconscious state is also related to primordial matter. Now, we have already seen that the unconsciousness is inherent in primordial matter and appears to be the antithesis of awareness and consciousness. In other words, it is its own shadow, a complementary and formless part of Being that could be likened to a receptacle in which are subtly exposed the various spiritual archetypal ideas of the higher levels of consciousness. By this, we simply mean that consciousness and unconsciousness are two sides of one unique essence. This essence, or awareness, is obviously related to Being, since only Being can become aware, hence conscious.

We have seen that consciousness and unconsciousness are two opposite poles, and paradoxically, we could add that they need each other to project and express the Divine qualities and attributes of Being. Thus we could say that consciousness and its counterpart, unconsciousness, complement each other and belong together in the world of duality, which is the world governing all of creation.

What does this show us? That consciousness and unconsciousness are the two ethereal and invisible tools that the soul uses to imprint in us and reflect the infinite and incredibly rich variety of expressions of its own unmanifested essence back to the Center of Pure Being. Hence everything that is not yet manifest and that remains hidden or dormant in creation will be revealed at the appropriate moment through the light of consciousness.

Gradually, consciousness is awakened in unconscious matter, and with the unfoldment of the spirit in consciousness, then consciousness awakens in primordial matter. And when spirit is totally incarnated in matter, they both surrender all their powers, letting themselves melt into the ocean of the unknown Void. Formless once more, but united again, they become one unique essence. And so, the Law of Duality has no further dominion over them. Having taken the final leap, reintegration into the unmanifested Center of Pure Being is within reach eternally.