Download PDF - Stillness Speaks

essence, the object of meditation, there is no space. The evolution of thecosmos requires a subtle material medium and "space" is it, according to thistheory. 60Before the cosmos began there was only Consciousness, the Self -infinite, eternal Being. Then, for whatever reason, space, the invisiblesubstance that pervades the whole creation, emerged from the womb of theInfinite. After which, space split to make the air element and, having divideditself and recombined with a part of the space element, made the fire elementwhich went through the same procedure to become water which, repeatingthe process once more, becomes the earth element.Although matter ultimately evolves from Spirit, it passes through anintermediate or subtle state. The material elements are said to derive from thesubtle elements, but where do the subtle elements come from? To find theanswer we have to back up a bit more and dig around in the macrocosmicmind. Just as a mighty oak potentially exists in a tiny acorn, the universepotentially exists in an invisible or unmanifest "seed" condition in themacrocosmic mind, the finest level of existence, comprised of three primaryenergies. When these energies, 61 light (sattva), activity (rajas), and inertia(tamas), are undifferentiated there is no cosmos, a condition or state ofperfect potential energy. When disturbed, for whatever reason, the subtle andgross elements come into being and unfold the universe. 62Subtle elements make up mind, 63 an interface between PureConsciousness and the material world. They are fine energetic abstractionsof the material elements that sustain themselves in Consciousness with thehelp of Chitta, an extremely subtle form of Consciousness that stores thefootprints of mind and matter as they evolve the universe. You can glimpsethem in the human personality which might be fiery (passionate), airy(intellectual), earthy (practical), or watery (emotional) or any permutation orcombination thereof.An inquiring mind might ask how, if Consciousness is unchanging, Itchanges to become the universe, and the answer, in the last metaphysicaldigression before we return to our analysis of experience, is that it can and it60 The idea of the grossification of the elements is taken by Vedanta from Samkhya, an early “science” ofconsciousness.61 This idea,. which has found its way into Vedanta, Yoga, and Bhakti comes from Samkhya one of Vediccultures oldest and most scientific philosophies.62 This may be the first formulation of the “Big Bang” theory of evolution.63 The Subtle Body49