Sorting Out the Nesting "Truths" of the Absolute, Consciousness, and Ego

           Perhaps you are aware of Russian nesting dolls—matryoshka—where a larger doll contains a smaller doll which contains an even smaller doll and so on. I’ve discovered that the absolute and consciousness and ego are like this, which is why there is confusion about which experiences are true and what is the ultimate truth, the absolute.

Let’s begin with the actual only truth, the absolute. Being all, the absolute must contain the idea of its own opposite. Being all, the absolute cannot have an opposite so its opposite can only ever be an idea. It can never be real. Moreover, as soon as the idea of not-absolute arises it is simultaneously undone by the absolute’s all-encompassing nature. In the absolute, there is only the absolute.

So, in the absolute, no opposite actually arises and must be undone. The idea of a truth that must undo its opposite can only be representational. These ideas play out in a “space” we call consciousness. In consciousness, pure consciousness represents the idea of a truth. This idea of a truth is timeless, formless, and seems (but as it is not absolute, cannot be) limitless. Just as consciousness appears in the absolute, the idea of an opposite appears in consciousness. It is an idea we call ego that asserts timebound, limited, diverse forms as reality. Whereas in the absolute the idea of an opposite is simultaneously undone, because of time, in consciousness it seems like the undoing is a process begun long ago that will be complete in some indefinite future.

To egos, pure consciousness is “God”, or the “maker” or “creator” of the material world and egos, as consciousness is the “source” of all that appears and the space in which it all appears. It is thought by many that ego is the illusion to fall away and pure consciousness is the absolute discovered beyond. But, in fact, when ego falls away and pure consciousness is revealed, some, but not all, sense the absolute beyond consciousness, revealing that not just what is appearing in consciousness is an illusion, but consciousness is an illusion as well.

So, the absolute is the one and only truth. And pure consciousness is the truth of consciousness. But ego, too, has a kind of “truth”, what is called self-actualization. This is an ego that has reached its potential in all areas of life, personal, professional, moral, etc. A self-actualized ego accepts its own imperfections and is tolerant of others. Self-actualization is a state of deep personal satisfaction. For many this is considered the goal of spirituality as it is believed that they become fully what “God” (pure consciousness) intended them to be, and they lament those internal and external situations that are obstacles to everyone reaching their full potential, which they believe would bring peace on earth.

So, consciousness “nests” in the absolute and ego “nests” in consciousness. You can see why there is much confusion about these three nesting “truths” (and two nesting illusions):

 

 Self-actualization is what ego desires to be truth as it is ego-validating and the most ego satisfying. Moreover, as pure consciousness (truth in consciousness) rises to conscious awareness depicting the undoing of the denial of a truth, ego matures, becomes more ethical, finds itself in the flow of consciousness, etc. and can seem to be self-actualizing. But this is an incidental effect, not a goal, as ego falls away if truth continues to rise to conscious awareness.

 

 Pure consciousness is so different from ego and the material world that it is easily mistaken for the absolute. It is the source of all that appears, and it is the truth of consciousness, but it is not absolute. The absolute is beyond consciousness and consciousness only represents the idea of a truth.

 

That there is an absolute is sensed in consciousness, but the absolute does not enter consciousness and consciousness does not enter the absolute. (The absolute was revealed here but I have no way to describe what occurred or how it occurred but to say it was “revealed”. Nothing of consciousness was “there” but consciousness became aware of what was revealed “after” the “occurrence”—for lack of a better way to put it.) The absolute is also beyond form, time, and limits (actually, it is of a quality and character wholly unlike consciousness), thus the absolute and consciousness are often conflated and seem to be the same thing usually called “God”.

 

You do not need to concern yourself with the “largest nesting doll”, the absolute, as what is immediately before you are consciousness and what is in consciousness and the absolute never enters this. So, for you, it’s all about the “middle nesting doll” and a truth you can experience, pure consciousness, the rising of which is the liberation from ego that you seek.

 

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