Spiritual traditions in the East, including Yoga, Tantra, Taoism, and Jainism, agree that the phenomenal universe (the universe of qualities that evolves and involves through time-space) is only apparently real.
This constantly changing universe is called Maya in Sanskrit, the sacred language of India. Maya is said to have six parts; it has no beginning; it’s terminated by Jnana (knowledge); it veils the truth and/or consciousness and projects; it cannot be defined since it only has the appearance of being real; it’s the nature of phenomenal existence and is located in the Jiva or in Brahma (which only appear to be different).
The field of Maya contains all the constituent elements necessary for phenomenal existence, i.e., finite consciousness, energy, and physical matter in its material and subtle forms, all of which evolve and involve within an expanding (at least for the moment) and contracting field of time-space.
Fields of consciousness, energy, and subtle matter that exist within the field of Maya have individual qualities and take the form of atmospheres, pools, waves, and cords. Because they evolve and involve through time-space, they have individual qualities that include state (solid, liquid, and gas), size, shape, density, polarity, level of activity, surface texture, and – in some cases – color. Normally, consciousness, energy, and subtle matter with individual qualities contained within atmospheres, pools, waves, and cords are limited to a narrow spectrum of frequencies and therefore have distinctive qualities, which differ from the qualified fields surrounding them.
These fields, which are known as chitta in Yoga, make impressions on the minds of people perceiving them. These impressions, which are animated by the life-force, vary in complexity and have functions that include individual will, consciousness, and resistance. They must be considered animate because they perceive their environment and interact with it in a variety of ways that can influence human beings.
Even the least complex animates have a structure that includes a vehicle, field, and surface boundary.
The vehicle is the animates’ center of awareness and expression. The field supplies the vehicle with nourishment and provides it space to perform its essential life functions. The surface boundary serves as a both structural and functional boundary, which separates the animates’ body of consciousness, energy, or subtle matter from the external environment.
Everyone Has Creepy Crawlies in Them
In both the physical-material and non-physical universe, all fields with individual qualities are saturated by the life force, which means that they have a character or ‘flavor,’ no matter how insentient they may appear. The character or ‘flavor’ of a field is the product of its location, resonance (which is a function of its mean frequency, density, and polarity), and complexity.
It’s the concept of the ‘Animate Universe’ that explains how both physical and non-physical fields of consciousness, energy, and subtle matter can influence your well-being, relationships, and spiritual journey.
In your non-physical field, animate fields with individual qualities are laid down as sediment (karmic baggage) throughout your body space (the space on non-physical dimensions that interpenetrates your physical-material body) when you become attached to them.
Animate fields that you’ve carried from lifetime to lifetime are called Samskaras. They form the basis of your personality (dominant persona). Animate fields that have been laid down as sediment in your present incarnation are called Vasanas. If there are enough Vasanas in your subtle field with a resonance that differs from your Samskaras, they will form one or more subordinate personas that can oppose your dominant persona. This duality can create internal conflicts by producing incompatible thoughts, feelings, and sensations that are difficult to integrate into a strong and stable identity. This can lead to confusion and a loss of self-control as dominant and subordinate personas vie for control.
Evolution of Qualified Energy
As the process of evolution progressed, the field of maya become more diverse and complex on both the physical-material plane and the subtle dimensions of consciousness, energy, and subtle matter. The explosion of complexity prevented our hominid ancestors from experiencing ‘oneness,’ which is the essence of Self-realization and a function of involution. However, with the help of extraterrestrials, who tinkered with our DNA, the physical-material bodies of our hominid ancestors became vehicles for advanced souls.
The advanced souls that incarnated in the genetically engineered bodies of our hominid ancestors created a new species. Individual members of this species (homo sapiens) had enhanced capabilities that allowed them to release karmic baggage and attachments to people, places, and things, reintegrate their subtle vehicles, and learn to direct their mental attention inward rather than outward. That’s when the individual process of evolution gave way to involution. From then on, the lives of those homo sapiens yearning for transcendence became less complex, and the myriad of self-limiting ideas, emotions, and feelings that emerged from their individual mind and ego declined dramatically. As the process of evolution draws to a close and union with the Self becomes a person’s moment-to-moment experience, the Self-realized adept of this remarkable species will recognize that:
“It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.”
(William Ernest Henley)
The Kali Yuga and Qualified Fields
Although there has never been a time when the field of maya did not exist, the quantity, quality, and level of activity (the intrusive force exerted by atmospheres, pools, waves, and cords) has varied. Variation in the quality and quantity of qualified fields and the force they exert as they intrude into human affairs has been the subject of religious myth and literature for generations. Interestingly, there seems to be an unusual amount of agreement that, for the greater part of human history, the field of maya has been out of balance,with a higher proportion of evil than good, dark than light, and fields with individual qualities that are tamasic rather than ragistic or sattvic.
According to Vedanta, subtle fields with individual qualities come in three varieties based on their density and their effect on human beings. The most dense and self-limiting are tamasic fields; ragistic fields are less dense and self-limiting but more intrusive; sattvic fields are the least dense and least self-limiting.
A preponderance of dense, tamasic energy in humanity’s collective field will disrupt intimate relationships and promote self-limiting core values and patterns by veiling Self-awareness and the pleasure, love, intimacy, and joy that emerge from it.
The present epoch, which is called the Kali Yuga, has coincided with a dramatic increase in the quantity of tamasic fields in the field of maya. This has been so disruptive that even enlightened beings have been unable (for generations) to completely shed their ego. This has forced modern masters to clarify the definition of Self-realization presented by the ancient masters of Vedanta.
In the earliest sacred texts, Self-realization was primarily associated with freedom from rebirth. But it quickly became associated with the dissolution of karma, freedom from suffering, and radiant good health. But for those who are enlightened or have been born in the light (bodhisattvas and avatars), the limitations imposed by the Kali Yuga have become abundantly clear. The renowned Indian master Shri Ramakrishna explained, at the end of the nineteenth century, that there are three levels of enlightenment available to aspirants during the Kali Yuga. For an enlightened master on the lowest level, the authentic mind (spirit, intellect, and soul) will be able to discern the difference between Self and non-self and experience union with the Self. But a remnant of karmic sediment will remain in their subtle field, which means their individual mind and ego will remain active and some attachments to the field of maya will limit their ability to radiate freely. Thus, an adept on the lowest level of enlightenment may not suffer, but they may still feel pain and need more time to achieve complete control of their subtle field. An adept who has progressed to the second level of enlightenment will experience union with the Self. Because less karmic baggage and fewer attachments limit their ability to radiate freely, they will be able to share more life-affirming consciousness and energy with the people they love; they will enjoy the world without significant attachments to people, places, or things – and although they may be aware of pain in the external environment, they will not experience it personally.
Having reached the third level of enlightenment, an adept will experience union with the Self. Life-affirming consciousness and energy will radiate freely through their subtle field and physical-material body. Such a master will experience complete equanimity regardless of their circumstances. Karmic baggage will have no effect on them, and Sat, Chit, Ananda (eternal life, all knowledge, and bliss) will be their moment-to-moment experience.