Inquirer: Is there a point where the subconscious
becomes conscious, so that there is no more un-consciousness
left in that individual?
David Spero: Yes. But let me clarify.
First of all, the subconscious is not unconscious
(in the sense of being dumb or stupid, i.e., without
awareness), so in that sense it does not need to
be "made conscious." "Sub" simply means
under, in the sense of being deeper. It's the
deeper or underlying aspect of the (waking-state)
mind. When we take one step further and say "unconscious," we
are pointing to a still deeper level of the mind. The
words subconscious and unconscious, therefore, can
be misleading, since they refer to
simply deeper levels of mind (or attention)
.
I feel it's more accurate and intelligent to speak about
gross and subtle levels of the mind rather than subconscious
and unconscious, for even when Consciousness permeates
the entire structure of the mind (in enlightenment),
the waking-state-mind is not destroyed. It is simply
permeated, from subtle to gross, with Pure Consciousness
- the way a plant is permeated, internally and externally, by
invisible sap.
The mind continues to function on both gross and
subtle levels after enlightenment or awakening,
one "part" ("part" is used metaphorically
here) of it actually merged into Transcendental
Undifferentiation. To say, as many have said (including
myself from time to time), that the mind is dead, killed
or eradicated after enlightenment is an inelegant
over-generalization, kind of like hitting a fly
with a sledge hammer. Sometimes that sledge hammer (of
exaggeration) works well as a teaching device, though,
in instantly communicating something of the
great Power (Shakti) of the Absolute to permeate
(and yes, dissolve) the entire mind.
We must also remember that to talk about this
stuff is to wander into a dangerous area, since
the law of non-contradiction may come as so
many “sharks” (various angry voices) attempting
to bite off our arms and legs for expressing such un-absolute
things - the only things that can, unfortunately, be
said. So, the "truth" is that the mind
(and various levels within it) continues and does
not continue to exist in, during and after enlightenment,
but that answer not only makes no real sense, but ends all
prolonged discussion on this topic.
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