"I AM" is the Cosmic Ego which emerges as the first 'thought' in Consciousness". All concepts (thoughts) are the reflection of "I AM" the first thought. When thoughts arise, it is collectively known as 'cosmic mind'. Similar is the case with the individual ego and individual mind. An individual with 'Atma', Ego and Mind is the microcosmic aspect of the corresponding "Consciousness", Cosmic Ego and Cosmic Mind.
It can be seen that "I AM" the first thought, is apparently a vibration on the Consciousness, and thoughts arise similar to waves on the Ocean.
The problem of conflict and discord in the life of an individual arises because of a feeling of 'separateness' ('bheda bhavam') entertained (by the individual), thereby conceiving conceptual dualities like spirit-matter, day-night, male-female, good-bad, small-big, knowledge-ignorance etc etc. without understanding the unity behind all these apparent divisions. There may be divisions in our concepts, but essentially there is no separateness. Once this 'understanding' of basic oneness is dawn in the mind of the individual, the individual overcomes conflicts and discord. He realises that all the apparent dualities get synthesised in CONSCIOUSNESS. In Sri Lalitha Sahasranamam, as well as Sri Vishnu Sahasranamam, we can see many epithets praising Devi and Sri Vishnu (both representing Consciousnes) synthesising apparently conflicting dualities. Some of them as in Sri Lalitha Sahasranamam are listed below:
Om Nishkalayai namah (Salutations to Her who is the Partless Unitary Whole)
Om nirvikarayai namah (Salutations to Her who is not subject to change)
Om nishprapanchayai namah (who is beyond the sphere of multiplicity)
Om nir-antharayai namah (Salutations to Her who is without any division)
Om nirbhedayai namah (who is beyond differences)
Om dhyana-dhyatr-dheya namah (Salutation who is meditation, the person meditating and the object meditated upon)
Om dharm-adharma vivarjitayai namah (who transcends both good and evil)
Om nama-rupa vivarjitayai namah(As ParaBrahman is without name and form)
Om vyakta-avayakta swarupinyai namah (manifest and unmanifest)
Om vidya-avidya swaroopinyai namah ((both knowledge and ignorance)
Om chetana rupayai namah (who is Pure Consciousness)
Om jada saktyai namah (manifesting as mechanical force)
Om sad asad rupayai namah (takes the form of both being and non-being
Om dvaita varjitayai namah (without any duality)
Om Brahmatmaikya swarupinyai namah (symbol of oneness of Brahman and Atman)
Om Bhava-abahava vivarjitayai namah (beyond being and non-being)
Om kshara-aksharatmikayai namah (both changeful and changeless)
Om Paraaparayai namah (both Absolute and relative)
Om samarasya parayanayai namah (harmony of all diversities)
Om Pasa hastayai namah (who binds all samsara)
Om pasa-hantrayai namah (who cuts the bond of samsara)
Om Moorthayai namah (who has forms)
Om amurtayai namah (who is formless)
Om karya-karana nirmuktayai namah (not subject to laws of cause and effect)
Om tat-twamartha swarupinyai namah (who is both 'tat' and 'twam' (I & I AM)
Om jnana-jneya swarupinyai namah (both knowledge and object of knowledge)
From Sri Vishnu Sahasranamam the following are listed:
Om Nimishayai namah (who is asleep in yoga-nidra)
Om animishaya namah (who is ever awake)
Om ekasmai namah (who is adwadiya)
Om naikasmayai namah (who has many forms)
Om achalaya namah (who is static)
Om chalaya namah (who is vibrant)
Om Anave namah (who is minutest)
Om Brihathe namah ( who is big enough to be omnipresent)
Om Krisaya namah (who is thin)
Om sthoolaya namah (who is wide enough to cover the prapancham)
Apart from conceptual dualities, an individual is caught in the deception of independent doership and enjoyership, (i.e. 'little ego') thereby he experiences emotional dualities such as attraction-repulsion, pleasure-pain, love-hatred etc. Thus both the conceptual dualities and emotional dualities are the cause for conflict and discord. They shadow the Peace and harmony. While Cosmic Ego is the cause for conceptual dualities, the little ego in the individual brings in emotional dualities.
A few of the emotional dualities (only the negative aspect) as seen in Sri Lalitha Sahasranamam are listed below: Devi (God-Consciousness) has no such dualities caused by the little ego. Further she destroys them in the individual:
Nirakulayai namah (never agitated)
nishprapanchayai namah (beyond the sphere of multiplicity)
niragayai namah (without passion)
raga madanayai namah (destroys passions in the mind of devotees)
nirmadayai namah (without pride)
mada nasinyai namah (destroys all pride)
nishkrodayai namah (without anger)
krodha samanyai namah (destroys the tendency to get angry)
nirlobhayai namah (free from greed)
lobha nasinyai namah (destroys greed in Her devotees)
nishsamsayayai namah (has no doubts)
samsayaghnyai namah (effaces all doubts in Her devotees mind)
nir-bhedayai namah (beyond differences -separateness)
bheda nasinyai namah (destroys the sense of separateness in her devotees)
By wisdom-knowledge gained through 'insight', one can outlive emotional dualities. But only through divine grace (Arul-gnanam) one can outlive conceptual dualities. Peace in the individual is disrupted more by emotions than by concepts. Emotions are caused by Avidya whereas conceptual dualities are caused by Maya. When one feels he is an 'individual' he is caught in 'avidya' and consequent emotional dualities. When one feels he is a part of the Universe, he is still under 'maya' and bound by conceptual dualities. Consciousness as perceived through Maya is the Universe, and as perceived through avidya is an 'individual'
According to 'vedantins' Ishwara with Maya (cosmic ego) expresses conceptual dualities and Atma with Avidya (the little ego) expresses emotional dualities. Brahma Chaitanyam only expresses as 'Ishwara' and 'Atma' i.e. CONSCIOUSNESS. Maya is an illusion and Avidya is a deception. As 'Ishwara' is to the Universe so is "Atma" to the individual and both Ishwara and Atma are the expressions of one and the same 'Consciousness'.
What we seek, pray and crave for is "PEACE" within and "Harmony" with out. Basically we are "Consciousness" (Atma). This Consciousness only appears as I AM, brings in dualities. In one of the Upanishads, it is declared "That Supreme, though one and devoid of any quality, projects various forms with the help of Its own power, for His own inscrutable purpose, and dissolves the whole world of diverse forms in Himself at the end; May that Eternal Effulgent - Being endow us with enlightenment."(Swetha..upanishad) In Yoga Vasishta it is declared "Just as Brahman - Supreme Reality - and the Jivatma (individual soul) are non-different, Jivatma and chitta (mind, intellect and ego) are one and the same, the chitta and the Cosmos are also identical." Such is the Adwaitic Truth declared by the 'Ancients'. The realisation of the truth "I AM THAT" i.e. "I AM CONSCIOUSNESS" is possible only through the Grace of that CONSCIOUSNESS.
Consciousness is similar to day-light and "I AM" is the shadow bringing thoughts. The shadow would ultimately merge with Consciousness ("I"). What best an individual can do is to remember constantly and continuously the Source of "I AM " and the respective positions of "I" and I AM", so long as they appear to be separate, so that 'thoughts' (I AM) wont be of a disturbance to Peace and harmony, to the individual.
To sum-up: "I" is CONSCIOUSNESS, "I AM" is 'thought'. Without CONSCIOUSNESS 'thought' has no existence. In other words, "I" is day-light and "I AM" is a shadow. Light can remain without shadow; but shadow has no independent existence. "I" would ultimately absorb "I AM" similar to Ocean absorbing the waves.
