The Churning Within: From Infinite Nothingness to the Creative Self

Infinity, in my humble opinion, is an absolute void, an absolute emptiness, an absolute state of non-being. But at the same time, it has potential for anything. It has infinite potential.

So it is nothing as well as everything at the same time.

And this, according to me, is the state that allows the concept of infinity to stand with our limited logical human understanding and reasoning.

Now, just like in the sea you have water all around, but there are individual atoms and molecules, and in other states of being as well, like in the solid state, you have subatomic particles getting defined by a particular atom, then atoms binding together to form molecules, and still bigger structures.

So there is a hierarchical arrangement, an inherently coded order.

Similarly, if we talk about the existence of humans in terms of our consciousness—the basic energy that drives our feeling of self or awareness of being a separate individual entity—then if we take that as the smaller constituent of our identity, it is logical that this particular little ounce of consciousness that drives my sense of being is structurally bound by a bigger arrangement, just like subatomic particles have atoms, and atoms are arranged in terms of molecules and other structures.

So similarly, at the level of energy and consciousness, our individual small consciousness, our bracketed awareness of identity, is also arranged in a hierarchy. There are bigger structures so that it fits into the overall cosmic entity, because nothing can stand in absolute isolation.

Now that also defines infinity: a state of being where each and everything cannot stand in absolute isolation. It has to stay in relation to something else.

So starting from my individual consciousness, where I am particularly, specifically aware of my unique identity, there are things which apparently separate me from others—in terms of primarily my body, then my mind, and body and mind coming together to give me other identities in terms of larger collectives like nationality, caste, race, religion, etc.

And then there are so many other individual, conceptual identities that we derive out of the collective pools of identity-making, in terms of institutions, education, cultural organisations, where I derive my own specific, smaller identity.

So this is what I mean by one's own unique, specific identity, where you are conscious:

'Yes, this is me.'

But beyond our conscious being, we have deeper layers. That is the subconscious.

Now subconsciousness is a transitory zone between consciousness and superconsciousness. Here, the overall unbound, undefined, unqualified pure potential of superconsciousness, of cosmic consciousness, mixes with the forces that drive your identity.

So this is the buffer zone.

And it gives glimpses, but it is not directly driving the cart of our life. It is indirectly, in fact, doing everything, because it is the base on which consciousness is directly supported, and immediately beyond that is superconsciousness.

So here you have your collective pool of karma, memories and inherent proclivities coded into your existence, as per your evolution, as per this particular stream of consciousness or energy that manifests you at this time.

It has a lot of coded software, you can call it.

It has a deep pool of memories, information, data, which defines this particular identity of yours at this phase of life.

And beyond that, of course, is the overall sustaining cosmic sea, the absolute voidness, the perfect nothingness, absolutely full of the fullest possible infinite potential that is churning out these manifestations in the form of everything—from galaxies to microorganisms here on Earth.

The beauty of looking within is that every spiritual tradition, every path that aims to take one closer to the real meaning of life or the real self, talks of going within, getting into a pose, looking within, recognising the higher self within oneself.

They mean becoming, first, more and more aware of the enveloping subconscious around your consciousness—the buffer zone between superconsciousness and your consciousness.

The more you consciously start going into the bigger zone of subconsciousness—which, they say, opens up when we are in deep sleep—the more that conscious grip begins to loosen. Because the practical requirements of our day-to-day life, and the consequent insecurities, fears, ambitions, everything, bracket us into too tight a corner. Because of which we feel the typical restlessness that we talk of, that we feel—all of us—that typical vague, throbbing restlessness that is always there like a shadow, irrespective of where you are placed, what you have created on Earth, whether you travel in chartered planes or you are walking on foot.

That shadow is more or less universal with human beings.

As we consciously release that narrow confine and enter the zone of subconsciousness, we may find that much of that vagueness, that vague restlessness, that inherent state of dissatisfaction and discontentment, irrespective of what we achieve, what we do, what we receive, is born of the jumblement of energies in the transitory zone.

Here lots of information that defines our conscious identity is going around randomly, and it is here that the cosmic void, the super-entity enveloping the superconsciousness, is trying to create a kind of energetic, informational churning which finally gives rise to your identity as an individual. Just like after churning milk, you have butter. But that churning goes on and on in our subconsciousness, which is the collective pool of so many of our experiences, memories, the entire coded information of our endless journey from the unknown to this point. Since it is going around so randomly, it is going around so forcefully, as if it is trying to actualise its full potential, as if it is not happy or satisfied with the butter that it has produced after the churning. 

So the more we go into it, the more we look into the bigger pool of subconsciousness beyond our consciousness, the clearer it becomes to us, because it is a broader platform. It is not a little prison anymore.

The moment you become aware of even those random thoughts, energies, which have been driving your impulses, instincts, making you behave and feel in so many ways that you later feel guilty about or simply don't like, and the more you go there and just stand there as a witness, those random thoughts, emotions and energies which are swirling around our consciousness start getting stabilised.

And the more they stabilise, the more they are in harmony with the surrounding layer at the still higher hierarchy—that is, cosmic consciousness.

So the more we go into our subconsciousness, the more stabilisation there is, the more it comes into synchronicity with the absolute potential of absolute nothingness.

And this, they say, is about becoming enlightened, about having a channel with superconsciousness. And they say it gives absolute bliss and joy.

And the possibility is like this.

Just imagine somebody walking out of the narrow confines of his six-by-six cell in a prison, in utmost isolation, his identity defined by the stone walls, narrow confines, and just the miserable me.

If that person is taken out and suddenly left alone in beautiful mountains, lush green forests, milky streams, cool breeze, birds chirping—it means he is allowed to enjoy life as part of a larger collective.

Obviously, he will feel liberated, let out of the torture of narrow confines.

Now the question arises: how do we stabilise our ever-churning subconsciousness, which keeps producing those vague shadows of discontentment, irrespective of what we do or what we achieve?

In my opinion, there can be a very beautiful technique of doing this.

It is about going into the zone of creation.

Because when you are creating something, be it writing—writing of any genre—or any type of art, be it painting, sculpture, pottery, anything, when you are 100% in the moment, in the present, only then are you in that creative phase as an artist.

It means that when you are thoroughly engrossed and absorbed in the beautiful, joyful spontaneity of that moment, which is not being pulled in two directions by the past and the future, you are on the platform of the subconscious. And it has a big amount of information, data, energy and potential which you can draw out.

So as you are working, when you are writing, or you are producing some piece of art, or you are making anything which drives your passion, you are giving a more specific shape to the random energy which is swirling to seek out a passage in your subconsciousness.

You are giving it an opportunity to acquire a specific, concrete shape, because this is what it has been seeking, and this is what each and every particle of this universe is looking for—expansion in more and more and more specific forms.

So the more we are giving channels and outlets and avenues to the random energies, the whirlpools and swirls and cascading waves of so many past experiences which we have gone through, the more these energies find expression.

When we are making, when we are allowing ourselves into the joyful throes of the Creator, we are little means and tools of Father Creator—call it God, the ultimate cause, in whatever form you want to recognise it.

Those random swirls of energy, those deep whirlpools of memories, those cascading waves of numerous thoughts, emotions, linked to this particular pathway of evolution that has manifested in you, get an avenue to spend their energy and acquire a specific shape.

And the moment it acquires a specific shape, there is relative stability—from a volatile state to a more stable form.

So as an artist, you are providing your boiling energies in the subconsciousness—energies of all types, just piling up to burst forth, just like lava bursts out from huge chambers of unspent thoughts, emotions, feelings, countless experiences related to this particular pathway of evolution.

They are boiling in a destabilised form to acquire a more stabilised shape.

So as an artist, you are giving them a platform to come out and acquire distinct and hence relatively stabler forms.

And when the enveloping entirety around our consciousness—that is, subconsciousness—becomes stabler, it is a more suitable platform for superconsciousness to have direct communication with it, because there is no big differentiating buffer zone between the overall cosmic entity and subconsciousness.

There is still a difference, but the contrast is not too hard.

The contrast is not too big.

And when there is not a big contrast between our foundation, that is our subconsciousness, and superconsciousness, it means we are in more harmony and synchronisation with the absolute state of non-being.

And being in harmony and peace with the absolute state of non-being, our 'being' also feels the utmost rest and peace that, they say, lies there in each and every ounce of this cosmic energy.

So that is why people feel so calm and joyful after meditation and following spiritual techniques.

So, as a humble seeker on the path, I would request you to try to give more specific shape to what lies in your subconscious.

Yes, this world requires practicalities.

You have to take care of your needs, of your family's needs. You have to aim for your dreams. You have to make careers. You have to go into business as well.

Do that.

But never, ever ignore doing and making and crafting your higher self in the zone of your subconsciousness.

If you are giving yourself a larger and bigger and stronger foundation, then the rest of it that you make on the worldly stage will be a logical product of that strength, that inherent inner strength in your subconsciousness.

When you are making the worldly life out of the stabler self it will be nice and joyful. Of course, it is the input-and-output rule.

And the manifestation will be still better.