Distinguishing subtle and very subtle consciousness
Our five senses arise when we come into contact with objects and stimuli. Beneath each of the five senses is a consciousness through which information goes to the subtle consciousness and is stored. The subtle consciousness serves as a conduit of information from the five senses to the very subtle consciousness. The subtle consciousness has some sense of "I" and "you." The very subtle consciousness has no "I," no duality. The subtle consciousness is not entirely reliable as a container of information as consciousness moves from life to life, while the very subtle consciousness is reliable.
It is necessary to understand the very subtle mind to understand karma. The essential nature of the very subtle consciousness is not different from one person to another. However, each person’s karmic information, carried by the very subtle consciousness, is different. Modern science, when it talks about mind or memory, talks about the grosser levels of mind, neurons, cells,chemistry, not very subtle consciousness. Very subtle consciousness goes life to life, life to life without changing its essence, going from past to present to future without changing its essence. We are not talking here about a physical location, but movement through time.
Activating clear light of mind, or very subtle consciousness, through meditation Through meditation the clear light of mind can be activated and experienced, through gaining control of the body functions, stopping gross mind and its thoughts. When conceptual thoughts cease during meditation, the mind returns to its natural state, unbiased, neither attracted nor repulsed by anything. Once we have that meditation experience, once we have that control of our mind, we can use special techniques to activate very subtle consciousness. If we understand clear light of mind, we can understand rebirth or reincarnation. In meditative equipose, we learn to remain in clear light of mind. We can become one with clear light of mind and share very subtle consciousness temporarily. But at the end of meditation, we return to duality.
