Hi Joe,
Consciousness has many different labels I like to call it awareness. But for an explanation we will stick with consciousness.
Consciousness sits behind everything you do, see, touch and smell. It’s what is always there, first there is consciousness, space if you like, that allows everything to appear and disappear. You cannot understand it, because it is before thought, we can only point to it with words.
Your mind (ego) hates that feeling of losing control that you mentioned, so it makes you think that you are losing it, this brings you back under its control, its a master at making you uncomfortable, you then have to rely on the "ego" to support you.
So, what is consciousness? Right now, before you entertain your story of who you are and before any other thought arises, there is a basic awake, non-conceptual presence that is here.
Try this, this short paragraph changed my whole outlook..
Do not force thoughts to stop. As the next thought you have comes to rest naturally, simply and gently notice the non-conceptual space that is left once the thought falls away. Rest there for one moment, without labelling your experience or having to know anything at all about life. That is consciousness.
When we stop like this even for one moment, it shows you that life doesn’t stop. Consciousness is what allows the present moment to effortlessly be as it is.
Notice that when you are not thinking consciousness simply allows, for example, the chair in your room to be as it is. It naturally allows a chair to be as it is. It naturally allows the air in the room to be as it is. It takes no effort to let everything be as it is.
Humans are accustomed to relying heavily on thoughts, both for a sense of self and for information about others and the world. But this habitual tendency to rely on thought creates a belief that we are separated from everything around us. It’s the reason we experience ourselves as separate people in a world of other separate people and things.
Recognising consciousness is not stopping your life as it is, it’s a common trap that puts many people off. You carry on as normal, study, work, and play. But understanding that you are not really your thoughts and emotions it allows you to see the inherent freedom that we were all born with.
Consciousness is the space that allows everything to be as it is. That space is always present and allows you to do as you wish.
Our only job is to start looking into the present moment and recognise that consciousness is inherent in our experience no matter what is appearing to consciousness.
At first, this consciousness (awareness) may not seem like a big deal at all. Perhaps thoughts rush right back in very quickly, one after the other, and take over your attention. But that one glimpse of life without thought is actually monumental. It is nothing short of a doorway to this inherent freedom, love, peace, compassion, and wisdom.
I waffle too much...hopefully someone will have a clearer explaination for you
Peace
Linear Mode
