Yesterday, I began to feel a merging of my normal consciousness and a deeper sense of stillness. This stillness, in itself, seems to possess consciousness, and therefore, the individual consciousness (Atman) and this stillness, which could also be called Brahman, which were previously separate, appear to have begun to merge, albeit slightly.

Previously, even when I experienced something akin to a universal consciousness, it was primarily my individual consciousness (Atman) that was dominant.

This is interpreted in various ways by different schools of thought. Some schools use only the term "Atman," arguing that Atman and Brahman are ultimately the same. While this is logically and scripturally correct, it doesn't mean that individual consciousness suddenly becomes the entirety of Brahman. If a person identifies with the individual self, they should use the term "Atman," while if they identify with the totality, they should use "Brahman." Of course, from a Brahmanic perspective, Atman is a part of Brahman, and thus, Atman and Brahman are the same. However, for someone at the stage of individual consciousness (Atman), it is still primarily individual consciousness.

Therefore, it can be said that there are two types of consciousness in the transitional phase. From a Brahmanic perspective, this is an illusion, and some schools argue that there is only one consciousness, so there cannot be two. However, from the perspective of the individual Atman, the individual consciousness (which is an illusion from a Brahmanic perspective) and the consciousness of the totality (Brahman) feel like separate entities. Therefore, it is not incorrect to say that there are two types of consciousness from a sensory perspective.

The basic principle is that when individual consciousness ceases, the universal consciousness becomes apparent. However, eventually, individual consciousness will become subordinate to the universal consciousness.

Yesterday, as the Rudra Granthis began to unravel, I felt that the universal consciousness was becoming increasingly prominent, and I sensed a precursor to a future where the universal consciousness would become dominant.

Previously, I achieved a sense of stillness, tranquility, and peace through meditation and stopping thoughts. However, behind the manifest consciousness of normal thoughts lies a vast universal consciousness, Brahman, which extends beyond Atman. Although it is still limited to a small portion around me, I can sense the vastness of Brahman.

The distinction between what is called Atman and what is called Brahman is subtle. There is a logical argument that Brahman is limitless, so any sense of spatial limitation cannot be called Brahman. Therefore, my distinction between Atman and Brahman is merely a convenience, and even when I say "Brahman," it is not in its true definition (limitlessness), but rather, it is simply a sense of the qualities of Brahman, and that perception is limited. Nevertheless, I believe I have crossed the threshold from individual consciousness (Atman) to the universal consciousness (Brahman).

Some schools might describe this as a transition from individual consciousness to the consciousness of Atman (the true self). Perhaps this explanation is easier to understand: the emergence of a consciousness close to the totality, the consciousness of Atman, from normal, manifest consciousness. However, it is essentially the same thing, just expressed differently.

In any case, since the Rudra Granthis began to unravel yesterday, I have strongly felt a sense of "totality," and I feel that I am being sustained by the "totality," that my individual consciousness is being moved by the "totality," and that my small, manifest consciousness has always been, and will continue to be, subordinate to the "totality," and that the true consciousness has always been the "totality." I have been taught this intellectually and understood it, but I didn't truly feel it until this stage.

At this stage, one realizes that stillness is not merely a sensory experience, but that stillness itself is consciousness, and that consciousness permeates this space. This is the awakening to the universal consciousness.

However, this is just the beginning, and the activity of this universal consciousness is still very small in my experience. In reality, I suspect that I have been sustained by this universal consciousness all along, and that this universal consciousness will continue to be the dominant force, while my manifest consciousness will remain subordinate.

In terms of the Yoga Sutras, the infinite silence of consciousness is what corresponds to "Purusha," which is equivalent to "the observer," while everything else, such as matter (Prakriti) and mind (Chitta), corresponds to "the observed." This aligns with the concept of Purusha purely observing.

However, in terms of feeling, this is not simply a passive observer, but rather has an active will and agency. While the aspect of a pure observer is quite strong, which is not entirely wrong in terms of the Yoga Sutras' concept of Purusha as a pure observer, I feel that it is more accurate to understand it as "consciousness" in the Vedanta tradition, which reflects both the aspect of observation and the active aspect, and is closer to my own experience.

Although there have been similar expressions and stages many times in the past, I feel that I have finally reached the true entrance.