#77 Consciousness is Universal

Consciousness is the essential quality in all bodies. There is no difference anywhere. Therefore, everything is made of the same consciousness. By understanding this, a person is victorious over worldly existence.

Verse 100, Vigyan Bhairava Tantra

Consciousness & Energy

Mystics have always maintained that all matter, all bodies are composed of energy. Energy comes from consciousness, therefore all bodies are essentially consciousness. When you understand this, you stop identifying with the gross form of your body. Instead you identify with consciousness. Then, you immediately become aware. You become peaceful. You are able to live your life, without being affected by any external event. Whatever is happening is happening to your body. All your worries used to concern the body. Now these will end. Now, you identify with awareness.

It does not matter any longer which way your life works out, because ultimately none of this affects you. You are consciousness, not your gross body or your ego. To practice this, believe you are awareness. You will then be aware. Continue to be aware, continue to be a witness. You will start identifying more and more with awareness, and less with your ego or body. Ultimately your ego will disappear, and you will be free. This process does not take long. The Ashtavakra Gita says that it can happen in an instant. All it takes is for you to believe that you are consciousness. That the gross form of your body that you see is not real. Your body is actually nothing but consciousness. When you believe you are consciousness, your belief will turn into reality. When it does, you will be free. Consciousness is God. Therefore, this verse can also be read in the following way –

Therefore, everything is made of the same God. By understanding this, a person is victorious over worldly existence. When you understand this, your whole life will change. When everything is made of the same consciousness, or the same God, how can one thing be superior to another? Everything is Divine. We normally consider ourselves superior because of our money, achievements, race, country religion, gender, caste, etc. This verse points out that none of these divisions are real. We are not Hindu, Muslim, or Christian. We are not Indians or Americans, or Chinese, or any other nationality. We do not belong to any caste or gender. We are all consciousness or God. Everything in this universe is made from consciousness. That means that human beings are not superior to birds, or to animals, or to any other objects. All objects, animate or inanimate, are composed of consciousness. Nothing is superior or inferior because they are made of consciousness – they are all made from the same thing. We normally treat a rich or famous person with greater respect than a poor or an unknown person. In truth, no one is superior to anyone else. They are all made from the same consciousness. The feeling of superiority leads us away from God. When we feel superior, we strengthen our ego, and that only makes it more difficult to realize our self. People who feel superior often behave in the most inferior ways towards those they consider inferior. There are countless examples of this. In Hinduism, people of upper castes treated members of the lower caste in a terrible way. This was also practiced by the fundamentalists of most religions. They treated minorities in a terrible manner. In truth,