Consciousness Was Never Lost, Only Unwitnessed

 Consciousness Was Never Lost, Only Unwitnessed

We live as if consciousness is a treasure hidden somewhere outside us—buried in scriptures, guarded by temples, awaiting rediscovery through rituals. Yet, Abhinavagupta, the Kashmiri mystic-philosopher, whispers something startling: consciousness was never lost. It was only unwitnessed.

Like the sun hidden by clouds, it never ceases to shine. The absence is not of light, but of sight.

The Error of Searching for What Already Is

The tragedy of human seeking lies in forgetting that the seeker and the sought are not two. We wander temples, philosophies, pilgrimages, even complex spiritual techniques, hoping to find what already pulses within us. Abhinavagupta reminds us that consciousness is not an achievement but the ground of all achievements.

It is the canvas on which every thought, every emotion, every longing dances. Losing it is impossible; ignoring it is effortless.

Witnessing: The Forgotten Art

Most of us live like actors so entangled in roles that we forget we are also the stage. We become the anger, the grief, the ambition, never pausing to notice the silent presence in which these states arise and dissolve.

To witness consciousness is to step back—not in withdrawal, but in intimacy. The art is not about abandoning the world but perceiving it as shimmering expressions of the same awareness.

Imagine sipping tea, and for a flicker of a moment, you feel the warmth against your palms, the taste on your tongue, the fragrance rising. Who is aware of this? That awareness—silent, boundaryless—is consciousness itself. Always here, yet mostly unattended.

The Freedom in Remembering

When you realize consciousness was never lost, spirituality shifts from a desperate climb to a graceful dance. Liberation is not about reaching a distant summit but about remembering you already stand on holy ground.

This realization loosens the grip of fear, failure, and urgency. You are no longer chasing light; you are adjusting your gaze. As Abhinavagupta taught, liberation (moksha) is not an escape from the world but a luminous recognition within it.

You were not broken. You were only un-witnessing.

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Practical Daily Toolkit for Modern Seekers

Abhinavagupta’s mystical depth becomes potent when translated into lived practice. Here is a simple toolkit to awaken the art of witnessing:

1. Micro-Moments of Awareness

Set reminders thrice a day. When the alarm rings, pause. Notice your breath, your body, your current emotion. Ask: “Who is noticing this?” Rest for 20 seconds in that silent knower.

2. Reclaim the Ordinary

Pick one routine—drinking water, walking to your desk, switching off lights. Turn it into a ritual of witnessing. Be fully present. Let the act itself remind you of consciousness.

3. Evening Dissolution Practice

At night, replay the day backward for a minute. Watch events as clouds drifting. Instead of clinging to successes or failures, simply observe: “All this appeared in me, and yet I remain untouched.”

4. Language Shift

Catch yourself saying, “I lost myself,” or “I need peace.” Replace with: “I forgot to witness,” or “I am awareness noticing peace and chaos alike.” Language rewires memory.

5. Gratitude for Awareness

Each night, whisper: “Thank you for never leaving me.” This is not gratitude to a deity outside, but to the consciousness within that makes gratitude itself possible.

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Closing Reflection

Consciousness was never absent. The play of forgetting and remembering is what creates the drama of life. The invitation of Abhinavagupta is radical yet gentle: stop searching, start witnessing.

The clouds will pass. The sun was never gone. And neither were you.