The invisible Soul, the Self, is present in the form of consciousness and is permanent and eternal.+

All your questions are based on the dualistic perspective. From a non-dualistic perspective, there are no doubts and confusion because there is no second thing that exists other than the Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of consciousness.

The Seeker has to learn to view the worldview from a non-dualistic perspective to have a glimpse of the Soul, the Self as it is which is hidden by the dualistic illusion( universe).

Our communication is limited to the domain of the dualistic illusion. The Self is hidden by the dualistic illusion. it is the Self, which is in the bondage of ignorance. it is the Self, which has to wake up from its sleep of ignorance.

When the individual reaches the ultimate end of understanding the ignorance vanishes and the Soul, the Self will remain in its own awareness in the midst of the dualistic illusion (universe).

When the Soul, the 'Self' remains in its own awareness in the midst of dualistic illusion, then the reality of the dualistic illusion (universe) fades away. In the same way, the reality of the dream fades away when waking takes place.

Our discussion is a reality within the dualistic illusion. There was no cause for the universe even at the very start. So nothing ever is really born. The entire universe is only an illusion. The universe in which you exist is merely a dualistic illusion created out of consciousness.

The invisible Soul, the Self, is present in the form of consciousness and is permanent and eternal. Consciousness cannot be expressed in words because it is the existence itself. It is eternal, self-effulgent, and unblemished.

The illusion has no value. The universe is the illusory nature of the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. 

Mentally reduce the universe into consciousness by realizing the universe is nothing but an illusion created out of consciousness.

There is no reason behind the illusion! From the ultimate standpoint, there is no illusion at all! Everything is nothing but consciousness.

You are still going by an attempt to establish a sequence of cause-effect relationships. There has to be a touchstone that can establish the correctness or otherwise of the sequence of causes and effects. If we examine based on that yardstick, the causes will evaporate.

For example, doubt is a cause for a question. The cause for the doubt is ignorance. If we can get rid of ignorance, there is no scope for doubt and the later questions.

Remember:~

Ashtavakra Gita: ~ “The universe raises from the Soul, the innermost Self like bubbles from the sea. Thus, know the Self to be One and in this way enter into the state of dissolution."

Sage Sankara says the transparent truth of the Self, which is hidden by the illusion, is to be attained through the instructions of a knower of Brahman, (Gnani).

First, know ‘what is the truth’ and ‘what is untruth’ for sure. Without realizing what untruth truth is, it is difficult to know what truth is.

When the sky, clouds, and the world in which you exist are made of single clay then there is no second thing that exists, other than that clay. That clay is the Soul, which is formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

Reality is hidden by unreality. The world in which we exist hides the truth. Whatever belongs to you is unreal. The words and thoughts belong to you, not to the Soul, which is the ‘self.

Whatever has a name and form and attributes and whatever belongs to form, time and space is an illusion. The illusion hides the Spirit, which is God in truth. The illusion and Spirit are one in essence. Spirit, the God alone is real and eternal. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Mysticism encourages people to be lazy, to think that external objects are created by God and internal objects are created by Jiva.+

Mysticism is dualistic. Mysticism encourages people to be lazy, to think that external objects are created by God and internal objects are created by Jiva. Both God and Jiva are man’s creations. 

The seeker of truth should not waste his time in talks of Jiva and God disputes; rather inquire into the nature of the Soul.

The mystic must become a constant slave to some line of "thought" or rather imagination, and then he will really see visions confirming his imagination.

The mystic who sees God in vision has seen Him during the waking state. The waking experience itself is an illusion. Thus, whatever is seen within the illusion is bound to be an illusion. Thus, the mystic must realize his existence is a reality within the illusion.

Whatever belief of God one is familiar with through his inherited conditioning or samskara that he will see in his visions. When a man is a false Self within the false experience, then whatever he believes is bound to be a falsehood.

God is the Soul the Self. The Soul is present in the form of consciousness. God is not within you, but you and your experience of the world are within God. Self-realization is God-realization because the Soul, the Self itself is God. When you and your experience of the world disappear, then God alone prevails as a formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

Mysticism has its pragmatic value but mystics fail to stop and ask "What is the ultimate meaning of this bliss which they feel in the mystic experience?" Therefore, an inquiry is needed to realize ‘What is the truth?’ ‘What is the untruth?’

The mystic object to introducing inquiry into the quest adopts an attitude as though it were like introducing something that is not sacred.

Mysticism blocks the mystic from realizing the truth hidden by the untruth because he has accepted the untruth as the ultimate truth. He is unaware of the ultimate truth, which is Brahman or God.

The ultimate truth or Brahman or God can be realized only when he realizes the ‘Self’ hidden by the ‘I’. 

The ‘Self the Spirit’ is God, not the ‘I’. Only those who realize the Spirit as the ‘Self’ are real Gnani. ;~Santthosh Kumaar

People must realize the world in which they exist appears as waking (duality) and disappears as deep sleep (non-duality).+

People refuse to accept the world is an illusion. People must realize the world in which they exist appears as waking (duality) and disappears as deep sleep (non-duality).

A person, who stamped his foot on the ground to refute to show the world, is real, ignores that in a dream he would do exactly the same--stamp his dream foot on the ground and assert it to be real.

When people finally realize the ‘Self ‘ is not the ‘I’ but the ‘Self’ is the Soul, the witness of the ‘I’ then they will realize the world in which they exist is merely an illusion created out of the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness.

Thus, people and their experiences of birth, life, death, and the world are merely an illusion created out of consciousness.

Consciousness alone is real and all else is an illusion. Thus, consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

Many Gurus in the past glorified the ‘I’. People got emotionally stuck with their Gurus worshipping them and got entangled with studying the life and happenings of their guru when their Gurus were alive. They forgot their main goal of discovering the truth of their true existence. This following Gurudom trend is still continuing.'

Yoga Vasistha says: ~ ‘Self’-knowledge or knowledge of truth is not had by resorting to a Guru (preceptor) nor by the study of scripture, nor by good works: it is attained only through inquiry inspired by the company of wise (Gnani). One’s inner light alone is the means, naught else. When this inner light is kept alive, it is not affected by the darkness of inertia.

There is no need to condemn Gurus, but there is a need to highlight how they become an obstacle in realizing the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth

Swami Vivekananda said: ~ “You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher, but the Soul.”

The Guru is useless so long as the ultimate truth is unknown, and the Guru is equally useless when the ultimate truth or Brahman has already been known.

A Guru is needed for the religious and the yogic path. There is no need for a Guru to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

There are two kinds of audiences - the ordinary ones who desire the transitory heaven and other pleasures obtained as a result of ritual sacrifices, and the more advanced seekers who seek to know the truth beyond form, time, and space.

The Gurudom is meant for the first audience, to help lead its followers along the way. The Atmic path is meant for those who wish to go beyond the domain of form, time, and space.:~Santthosh Kumaar

The ‘I’ is the cause of the division within consciousness.+

 It is erroneous to identify the Soul, the  ‘Self’ as 'I' or 'I AM' because the Soul, the ‘Self’ is not  HE or SHE. The Soul, the ‘Self’ is that witness of the 'I'.

The ‘I’ is not the expression of the fullness of consciousness.

 The ‘I’ is the cause of the division within consciousness.

The ‘I’ is ignorance.

The ‘I’ is the cause of experiencing the dualistic illusion as a reality.

The ‘I’ is the cause of the experience of birth death and the world.

The ‘I’ is the cause of the form, time, and space.

The ‘I’ is the cause of the universe.

The ‘I’ is the cause of the three states.

The ‘I’ is the cause of the mind.

Remember:~

Without the ‘I’ it is the fullness of consciousness.

 Without the ‘I’ there is no division within consciousness.

Without the ‘I’ there is no ignorance.

Without the ‘I’ there is no dualistic illusion.

Without the ‘I’ there is no experience of birth death and the world.

Without the ‘I’  there is no form, time, and space.

Without The ‘I’ there is no universe.

Without the ‘I’ there are no three states.

The ‘I’ is 

the cause of the mind, which is present in the form of the universe. :~Santthosh Kumaar 

Swami Vivekananda “The wicked are always looking for defects. Flies come and seek for the ulcer, and bees come only for the honey in the flower.+

Some Gurus propagate to be the perfect changeless Light – how can you become changeless light when your existence is illumined by the Soul, the eternal light. Realize the Self is not you but the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

That is why Buddha said: ~ “Believe nothing because a wise man said it, Believe nothing because it is generally held. Believe nothing because it is written. Believe nothing because it is said to be divine. Believe nothing because someone else said it. But believe only what you, yourself judge to be true

Swami Vivekananda:~“The wicked are always looking for defects. Flies come and seek for the ulcer, and bees come only for the honey in the flower. Do not follow the way of the fly but that of the bee.

If you are the truth seeker then you are the bee, follow the way of the bee to taste the nectar of Advaita.

Bhagavan Buddha: - There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth: not going all the way... and not starting.

You are not the witness (Soul) because you belong to the witnessed (world). Do not get fooled by the ornamental words.

You have nothing to do with the Soul because the Self is not you but the ‘Self is the Soul, which is the cause of the world in which you exist and it, itself is uncaused.

Your emotions and sentimental mentality keep you in the domain of ignorance permanently.

If you are seeking truth then it is time to come out of your emotions. You have become a victim of your own emotions. No physical Guru can give you Gnana. You have to walk your own path.

Swami Vivekananda: ~Jñāna Yoga is divided into three parts:~

First:- hearing the truth--that the Atman is the only reality and that everything else is Maya.

Second:- reasoning upon this philosophy from all points of view. \

Third:- giving up all further argumentation and realizing the truth. This realization comes from being certain that Brahman is real and everything else is unreal.

Swami Vivekananda said:~ "The Vedas teach that the Soul is divine, only held in the bondage of matter; perfection will be reached when this bond will burst, and the word they use for it is, therefore, Mukthi - freedom, freedom from the bonds of imperfection, freedom from death and misery."

Remember:~

The Advaitic truth is very simple, but it is very difficult to grasp because of ignorance. You have to only realize the world in which you exist is created out of a single clay. And that single clay is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Thus, you and your body and the world in which you exist are nothing but consciousness because they are merely an illusion created out of consciousness. A perfect understanding of ‘what is what’ is needed.

A Gnani can point at the sky, but the seeing of the star is the seeker's own work. .:~Santthosh Kumaar

Ashtavakra Gita: ~ Know the Self to be One and in this way enter into the state of dissolution."

Ashtavakra Gita: ~ “The universe raises from the Soul, the Self’ like bubbles from the sea. Thus, know the Self to be One and in this way enter into the state of dissolution."

The Soul is light that illuminates the whole cosmos. As soon as you get a glimpse of the Reality of true existence, you will realize the ‘Self is not you but the ‘Self is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

No can one see the Soul as it really is? You see the world that confronts you except the Soul. The illusory universe hides the Soul’s reality.

Swami Vivekananda: This bending the knee to superstitions, this selling yourself to your own mind does not befit you, the Soul. Self is infinite, deathless, and birthless. Because the Self is infinite Spirit, it does not befit you to be a slave. ... Arise! Awake! Stand up and fight! Die if you must. There is none to help you. Self is the entire world. Who can help you?

All accumulated knowledge is of no use in the path of wisdom. Without realizing “What is the truth it is impossible to realize “What is untruth?” Without realizing what is truth and what is untruth it is impossible to assimilate the Self –Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

The seeker must know with full and firm conviction what truth is.

Advatic wisdom consists in knowing the truth, that everything (mind or physical existence) is consciousness.

Freedom (ultimate truth) is always there yet one does not know it. But to those whose reason is turned away from physicality and who have attained the serenity of the Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of consciousness, is quite near to realizing the ultimate truth or Brahman.

Ashtavakra: ~ Diamonds are not many; only pebbles and rocks are so common. A single diamond is enough: ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Religious believers constantly quarreling with one another claiming that their religion is superior to other religions.+

Religious believers constantly quarreling with one another claiming that their religion is superior to other religions.

Religious people haven't the intelligence to understand that in reality there is nothing that exists other than the universal God, which is present in the form of the Spirit. The Spirit is the Self.

The ultimate truth is One and universal. All people are seeking the same Truth..... Everyone is going toward the ultimate Goal. They will all realize the ultimate truth or Brahman or God if they have sincerity and longing to realize it.

Religion causes one to become crippled, Self-mortifying and Self-deprecating is not a religion, but the social system of controlling the populace through psychological deformation and retardation.

One can think only within the waking experience. Therefore, even if one stops thinking he still remains a man without the thoughts. The thoughts will not form without form, feeling, perception mental formation, and consciousness. If one of these things is not there, then the thoughts will not form.

The thoughts will not stop until one becomes aware that, the Self is formless. It is impossible to get rid of the form without understanding ‘What is the mind? is and ‘What is the substance of the mind? ‘What is the source of the mind?

The formless Soul, the ‘Self’, when known becomes an object. The Soul, when realized, then it becomes consciousness. This is the distinction between knowing and realizing.

Remember:~

Religion and yoga deal with lower knowledge. Sages ignored these rituals and went in search of higher knowledge. ... Such rituals and yoga are unsafe rafts for crossing the Ocean of ignorance.

Doomed to shipwreck are those who try to cross the ocean of ignorance on these poor rafts. Ignorant of their own ignorance, yet wise in their own esteem, these deluded men proud of their vain learning go round and round like the blind led by the blind.

Sage Sankara said as much philosophy as you like, worship as many Gods as you please, observe ceremonies, and sing devotional hymns, but liberation will never come, even after a hundred aeons, without realizing the Oneness.

Advaitic wisdom has nothing to do with egocentric Advaitic orthodoxy and other dualistic philosophies.

If you are a seeker of truth nothing but the truth the seeker has to drop all his accumulated knowledge and start afresh.

As the seeker digs into older posts and blogs old as well as new he will start finding answers for all his cobwebs of doubts and confusion.

The Atmic path makes the seeker think independently without outer spoon-feeding. Therefore there is a need to read, reflect, think, and reason again and again umpteen times until it is firmly rooted in the subconscious.

Once the Advaitic firmly takes root in the subconscious then you get the soulcentric vision of the universe. :~Santthosh Kumaar