Mind is the Framework for Perception
Subjectivity is often defined as a state of awareness. But subjectivity is not a state of mind.
Mental states appear within subjectivity, and subjectivity, used here synonymously with consciousness and awareness, is that which knows mental states. In other words, subjectivity is not an experience but the potential for experience. This distinction is important to understand. As the fundamental reality, subjectivity is that by which everything is known.
However, in order to know the world, subjectivity requires a perceptual faculty through which to perceive. Subjectivity without perception is like an empty mirror, capable of reflecting anything but having no perceptual content of its own. So from the vantage point of subjectivity, prior to the mind, there are no perceptions, no objects in awareness, no representations. Therefore, there is no experience.* There is only subjectivity’s infinite potential, the unmanifest ground of being.
The representations within the mind, the “this” and “that,” come into being through the processes of thinking and perceiving. When we look at a tree, light waves interact with our sensory apparatus. This raw sensory data is then filtered through the mind, which creates an image of the tree. The tree seems to be separate from ourselves and from other objects, but the tree itself is not the fundamental reality. The fundamental reality is the subjectivity in which it appears. This is a key step in understanding.
(The next step in understanding is to allow for the possibility that subjectivity is universal, that your consciousness and my consciousness are not two separate consciousness. Rather, private inner experiences are an activity of the mind, a localized limitation within pure subjectivity. So while I may not have access to your mental state, and you may not have access to mine, that which knows mental states is the source of both. Subjectivity is the substance, so to speak, from which all perceptions are made.)
By recognizing the mind’s role in the process of perception, we have the opportunity to see beyond surface appearances to the infinite source that is the heart of existence. ⬚
*Deep sleep is an example of subjectivity empty of experience. The sound of the alarm clock fills the emptiness, and subjective experience unfolds again.
Subjectivity is the Foundation of All Knowing
In the quest to understand the nature of reality, we look for foundational elements, building blocks from which everything else arises. Physical materialism posits matter as primary, with consciousness or subjectivity emerging as a byproduct. According to the nondual understanding, however, subjectivity is not a secondary property of something more fundamental; it is the fundamental reality, the very basis from which anything at all is known.
The most undeniable fact of your existence is that you are aware. This awareness, this feeling of “I am,” is inherently subjective. It is our most intimate and immediate experience. It is the lens through which all other experiences are known. You cannot step outside of your own subjectivity to objectively verify its existence or find something more basic that precedes it. Any attempt to reduce subjectivity to something else inevitably relies on subjective experience itself.
A materialist might argue that consciousness arises from complex neural processes in the brain. But this very assertion, this understanding of neural processes and their supposed link to consciousness is itself a product of observation, interpretation, and ultimately, subjective awareness. The scientist observing the brain or the theorist formulating the hypothesis are operating within the realm of their own conscious experience.
The claim that subjectivity is merely an emergent property of objective matter is like saying a painting is more fundamental than the canvas. A particular oil painting, with its colors and shapes, cannot exist without a substrate. Similarly, all our knowledge, all our understanding of the universe, is painted, so to speak, onto the canvas of our subjective awareness. And to try and reduce a painting to the properties of the canvas alone would be to miss the very essence of what makes it a painting.
Reducing subjectivity to objective phenomena ultimately leads to incoherence. How can the qualitative richness of conscious experience—the feeling of redness, the taste of sweetness, the pang of sadness—be fully explained by purely quantitative descriptions of neural activity? There is an explanatory gap, a fundamental difference in kind between the subjective “what it is like” and the objective “what it does.” This gap suggests that subjectivity is not simply a more complex arrangement of something fundamentally non-subjective.
From the nondual standpoint, the universe is not a collection of inert objects that somehow gave rise to awareness. Rather, awareness itself is the primordial ground, the infinite potential that manifests as the diverse forms we perceive. Subjectivity, the inherent capacity for experience, is not a latecomer to the scene but the very essence of the scene. The objects we perceive, including our own apparent bodies and brains, are themselves expressions within this field of awareness, known by awareness through the perceptual lens of the mind.
The feeling of being a separate subject perceiving an external object is a powerful and persistent aspect of our experience. This duality, however, is a conceptual construct within the larger unity of awareness. The subject and the object are both temporary patterns arising and dissolving within the same conscious field.
Therefore, the search for a more fundamental reality that underpins subjectivity is a search in the wrong direction. Subjectivity is not something to be explained away or reduced. It is experience itself. It is the irreducible core, the light that illuminates all that is known. ⬚
Reality Perceives Itself Through You
Most people instinctively believe themselves to be individual subjects housed inside separate bodies actively perceiving an external reality. As such, their lives are often fraught with a subconscious sense of separation or lack and some form of psychological suffering. But there is another perspective, the implications of which challenge conventional thinking and deeply embedded assumptions. If you are a genuine seeker of truth, and if you are serious and willing to see this other viewpoint through, a fundamental sense of abiding peace is readily available.
The nondual understanding recognizes a single, indivisible consciousness as the ground of all being. In religious traditions this ground of being is commonly called God. Consciousness, or awareness, is not a separate, stand-alone entity or reality. Nor could there possibly be an external entity or reality existing independently of awareness. (This article explores why.)
All appearances of subjects and objects are perceptual experiences within awareness. Without awareness, no subject or object can be known. To use religious language, awareness is the alpha and omega in terms of space and time, although, as we will explore, awareness is not bound by space or time.
For perception to occur, there must be a seer separate from the seen. But in the nondual framework, the idea of a fundamental separation collapses. What we experience as perception is a dynamic interplay within a unified field.
Consciousness, in its inherent dynamism, expresses itself through localized forms. Those perceptual faculties are points of focus, temporary apertures through which consciousness experiences its own multifaceted nature.
When light passes through different types of lenses, the light itself remains pure and undifferentiated, though each lens gives the light a distinct hue and quality. In the same way, consciousness manifests itself through different body-minds to experience unique perspectives within itself. The individual experience of the world—the sights, sounds, smells, tastes and tactile sensations—are not external realities but rather the one reality sensing and perceiving its own limitless potential.
The belief and feelings of separation occurs when the mind’s identification, “I am perceiving this,” arises within a localized expression of consciousness. When this illusory identity softens there is an opening for this recognition: the consciousness that is aware of the perception is the same consciousness that constitutes the perception. In other words, the perceiver and the perceived are not two distinct entities. Both arise within the same field of consciousness, as consciousness, and, by consciousness the perception is known. There is only consciousness knowing consciousness. The activity of the mind divides, labels and conceptualizes experience for practical purposes, but the consciousness that knows this content is one seamless whole.
So the nondual understanding dissolves the sense of being a limited individual surviving in an external world. In reality, the self is a perceptual window through which consciousness experiences itself as the world. It is in this sense that we are one with the universe, not as separate, personal selves but as consciousness, as shared being.
“In reality, the self is a perceptual window through which consciousness experiences itself as the world. It is in this sense that we are one with the universe, not as separate, personal selves but as consciousness, as shared being.”
It is important to note here that such a shift in perspective does not diminish the richness or uniqueness of our individual experience. Quite the opposite. Just as each colored lens presents a distinct modulation of the same light, each life offers a unique perspective of the ultimate reality of consciousness. So while the “you” that you take yourself to be is not the knower of perception but rather the vehicle through which perception is known, the real you, consciousness, is the only knower there is.
True essence, awareness, exists in the timeless now. It is birthless, deathless and unchanging. To embody this understanding is to see through the activity of the egoic mind and to recognize the observable world for what it is.
The world is not happening to you; the world is happening as you. The universe is not something you look at. You are the eyes of the universe. ⬚
Beyond Chance and Predetermination
The human mind is accustomed to linear causality and the comfort of predictable outcomes. We tend to see the world as a collection of separate entities more or less at the mercy of random forces leading to events that are either lucky breaks or unfortunate mishaps. According to the nondual perspective, the universe of space and time is not a rigid, predetermined script. But neither is it governed by mere chance.
Consciousness, the singular ground of being, manifests itself in countless ways, each a different perspective of experience, but intrinsically connected through a unified field of awareness. In the consciousness only model, the idea of a truly isolated event happening purely by chance is untenable.
Every thought, every word, every action, every relationship vibrates within this unified reality. These movements create interference patterns which can involve either constructive or destructive interference. This does not imply a rigid predetermination, a cosmic blueprint laid out from beginning to end within the realm of time and space.
Consciousness, or awareness, is freedom itself. This unfolding reality is an infinite, improvisational expression of boundless potential.
From consciousness's own point of view as open, empty, silent awareness, there is no lack, no reaching out for anything. As self-aware being it is perfect in its inherent fullness and completion. However, from the localized perspective which experiences subject-object relationships, there arises a subtle sense of separation or lack which creates yearning. We may enjoy the challenges and opportunities for growth throughout our physical existence, but ultimately we long for a taste of this freedom, this deep, abiding equilibrium.
All of the desires, attractions, aversions, and seemingly random encounters that shape our lives are the movements of consciousness seeking to recognize itself.
So what may appear as chance from our limited perspective is the naturally unfolding spontaneity of consciousness within itself. The synchronicities, the unexpected connections, the seemingly random opportunities and challenges, are all part of this dynamic process. In other words, it is all there to take you back to your true nature.
To embody the nondual understanding is to move beyond the binary positions of chance and predetermination. It is to trust universal intelligence, and to know that each seemingly random event holds special significance. ⬚
The Role of Meaningful Coincidences in Our Lives
Within the framework of the nondual understanding, synchronicities aren’t just quirky anomalies. They are the natural manifestations of a deeper, unified reality.
The prevailing materialist paradigm, with its clear division between mind and matter, struggles to accommodate the phenomenon of synchronicity. If our inner world of thoughts and feelings is fundamentally separate from the external world of perception, how can there be such direct and meaningful correspondences between the two? Such occurrences are usually relegated to the realm of statistical improbability, or they are attributed to unconscious biases in perception.
However, the problem is resolved when we understand that the apparent separation between inner and outer, between subject and object, is ultimately an illusion. All experience arises within the single, indivisible, seamless awareness or consciousness. There is no “out there” independent of “in here” because all experience is an appearance within consciousness, known by consciousness, and made out of consciousness.
Movies, for example, contain exterior and interior scenes, but every scene is only an appearance on a screen. Likewise, consciousness is the screen of perception in which we are fully immersed. And just as the movie screen itself is not an activity of the movie projector, consciousness is not an activity of the mind; consciousness is the substrate upon which and out of which all mental phenomena are made.
Here it is worth repeating that consciousness is the ultimate ground of being. Consciousness as the basis for all perceptions, all existence, is the ultimate self-evident truth; nothing can be known without it. (This article explores why.)
When a thought aligns with an external event in a meaningful way, it is not a case of external forces manipulating our lives, or some supernatural intervention. It is a reflection of the deep interconnectedness of all things resonating with and mirroring each other.
These reflections between our inner and outer worlds are subtle reminders, then, of the fundamental unity that underpins all of reality. As such, each synchronicity is an opportunity to further ground our understanding and to celebrate the oneness of being. ⬚
Happiness
It is common knowledge that happiness sought within the realm of thoughts, sensations, objects and activities is a temporary endeavor, that these experiences are by their very nature impermanent. They arise, linger, and fade away.
But that which knows perception is ever-present. It is “I am” that remains. During episodes of joy or sorrow, clarity or calamity, aware presence is the silent witness. Aware presence is not dependent upon any mental or emotional state. It is inherently peaceful, boundless and changeless. It is the essential, fundamental capacity for experience itself. Thoughts, feelings, perceptions and the whole phenomenal world arise and dissolve within awareness, but awareness itself remains, unmoved. It is the infinite screen upon which the movie of experience is expressed.
Unhappiness, then, arises not as a fundamental reality of its own but as the consequence of a mental or emotional obstruction or interference within awareness. So we begin our investigation there, into its apparent reality.
Behind sorrow or confusion we always find the belief of being an separate entity, apart from God.
And when we resist the investigation into our true nature, unhappiness will, sooner or later, cast its oppressive shadow. ⬚
How Duality Shapes and Divides Our World, and the Unifying Truth of Nonduality
Our contemporary world culture is built upon the belief in the inherent division between two fundamental components: mind and matter. We are taught and conditioned from a young age, implicitly and explicitly, that our inner world of thoughts and feelings is constructed within the private confines of our minds, a subjective realm distinct and separate from the objective, material world “out there” comprised of objects, other people, and the physical universe. This ingrained duality, while seemingly intuitive, forms the basis of our understanding of ourselves, our relationships, and our place in the cosmos.
Language itself reinforces this divide. We speak of “my thoughts“ as distinct from “that tree,“ “my feelings“ as separate from “her actions.“ Our educational systems present a model of a brain made of matter that somehow produces consciousness, perpetuating the belief of two fundamentally different substances interacting. This dualistic framework shapes our understanding of physics, psychology, neuroscience, and even our spiritual inquiries.
The nondual understanding offers a radical alternative: the distinction between mind and matter, between the inner world of subjective experience and the outer world of objective perception, is ultimately an illusion. This illusion is an appearance within a fundamental, underlying reality—a singular, indivisible field of awareness—from which both the “inside” world of mind and the “outside” world of perception arise. This ultimate reality is not reducible to either mind or matter as we conventionally understand them; it is the very ground of both. This fundamental reality is consciousness.
A useful analogy is that of a dream. Within a dream, you might experience vivid perceptions, thoughts and emotions alongside seemingly solid objects, other dream characters, and landscapes. Yet, upon waking, it becomes clear that both the inner experience of the witnessing presence and the outer world of the dream world were projections of the dreamer's mind.
Our waking experience, with its seemingly distinct realms of mind and matter, arises within and as a modification of this fundamental, unified awareness. The thoughts we experience are not a product of the mind but are dynamic patterns arising within awareness itself. Likewise, the objects we perceive are not composed of separate matter but are also manifestations within this same field of awareness, experienced through the faculty of sense perception. The awareness that is aware of a thought is the same awareness that is aware of a tree; there is no fundamental division in the witnessing consciousness.
The nondual understanding allows us to move beyond the limitations and inherent contradictions of the dualistic worldview. It dissolves the mystery of how a seemingly insubstantial mind can interact with a seemingly solid material world. The interaction is not between two separate substances but is the continuous and seamless unfolding of the one reality in its diverse expressions.
Recognizing the nondual nature of reality can lead to profound shifts in experience. Anxieties and conflicts that often arise from the feeling of being a separate mind trapped in a material world loosen their grip. We begin to sense the underlying interconnectedness of all things, the shared ground of Being that unites the “inner“ and the “outer.“ This understanding fosters a deeper sense of peace, wholeness, and an appreciation for the seamless and miraculous nature of existence, where mind and matter are not opposing forces, but two sides of the same coin of awareness. ⬚
Do you know God?
I do.
How so?
By how it feels.
What does it feel like?
Meditation, quiet celebration.
What is being celebrated here, exactly?
An immersive, inconceivable mystery. Unseen beauty.
What makes it so beautiful?
Love that I know to be true.
You are celebrating beauty, love and truth, then.
I am witnessing beauty, love and truth celebrate itself.
. . .
God's Presence as the Wellspring of Being
Devotion finds its truest, though perhaps not its sweetest, expression in recognizing the very presence of the divinity that is the source of our own being. The impulse to connect, to surrender, to love what we deem sacred arises not from a fundamental separation that needs bridging, but from the inherent recognition of the one, boundless reality that constitutes our very essence. The journey of devotion, therefore, is not a striving towards a distant God, but an unfolding realization of the God essence at the heart of existence.
The insight of the 14th century German theologian, Meister Eckhart, who famously prayed—“God, rid me of God”—illuminates this subtle understanding. His prayer was not a rejection of the divine, but a radical recognition of the inherent unity of being. As long as he stood as a devotee towards God, he perceived a duality, an “I” standing apart from the object of devotion. This very act of devotion, beautiful and heartfelt as it may be, inadvertently asserts a separate being, a devotee distinct from God’s being. In the nondual understanding, such a separation, however lovingly intended, ultimately veils the fundamental truth of oneness.
The longing for the divine is, in essence, the longing of the One to recognize itself in its myriad forms.
The very capacity for devotion, the love that swells in the heart, the yearning for the infinite—these are all manifestations of God's own presence within us. The divine is not the destination of our love, but the very source from which love springs.
The difficulty for the devotee lies in the deeply ingrained sense of individual self, the “I” that feels like a separate actor reaching out. The ego, with its insistence on its own independent existence, perpetuates this sense of duality, making it challenging to perceive the underlying unity. Yet, true devotion transcends this subject-object relationship. It is the recognition that the love we offer is the love of the divine, expressing itself through our finite form.
To recognize oneself as a facet of the one, infinite being, not a subject standing apart from it, is the ultimate act of devotion. It is the whirlpool realizing it is the river.
This understanding dissolves the subtle separation inherent in the devotee-God dichotomy, revealing the seamless unity of all existence in the divine presence. The beauty of devotion remains, but it is now understood as the joyous recognition of our shared essence.
Meister Eckhart's prayer is not about being freed from God. It is about being freed from the limitations of an earthly mind and the constructs built around the concept of God.
The experience of devotion is ultimately the experience of self-recognition, the homecoming of the One to itself. ⬚
When Silence Speaks
Clamor in the mind obscures intuition, veiling an inherent source of wisdom. Stillness, in this context, is not merely the absence of physical movement, but a quieting of the internal landscape. It’s opening a space of receptivity.
Otherwise, lost in the echo chamber of our own conditioned thoughts and fears, we may mistake egoic agendas for authentic guidance, and lose our way.
But in the stillness, our limitations expand, and we are granted access to a broader field of God’s essence and intelligence. ⬚