Yoga Vasistha paints consciousness as the timeless, formless ground from which every thought, emotion and world arises. Here’s the lowdown:

1. Pure Witness Beyond Mind
   Consciousness isn’t another mental function but the ever-present spectator (Sakshi). Thoughts and feelings flicker like images on a movie screen, yet the screen itself remains untouched. Even when the mind races like a runaway train, consciousness stands firm—untarnished by its cargo.

2. Sat-Chit-Ananda: Existence, Awareness, Bliss
   Three nails hold this teaching in place. “Sat” (existence) underscores consciousness as the only real, unbroken reality. “Chit” (awareness) points to its self-knowing nature. “Ananda” (bliss) hints at the effortless joy that’s part and parcel of awareness once all mental fluff is swept away.

3. Beyond Cause and Effect
   In everyday life, everything seems caught in a chain reaction. Yoga Vasistha tosses that idea on its head: consciousness is neither born nor does it die, nor does it hinge on anything else. Just like the sky persists beyond every weather pattern, consciousness remains untouched by the storms of thoughts.

4. Source of All Experience
   Every sensory impression, every fleeting mood, boils down to consciousness as the cause. Just as a stage gives rise to actors’ performances without ever joining the play, consciousness allows the universe to unfurl without becoming part of the drama.

5. Modern Echoes
   While neuroscientists at the 2025 Global Consciousness Initiative conference chase brain-wave signatures, Yoga Vasistha insists the real discovery lies in turning inward. Even VR meditation apps can’t replicate that first-hand glimpse of pure awareness—no headset required.

Stripping away layers of illusion, Yoga Vasistha invites a peek behind the cosmic curtain. Consciousness here isn’t a puzzle to solve but the very lens through which every puzzle appears. Once that lens is cleaned of all preconceptions, its effortless clarity shines through—a pearl beyond price.