Time and Consciousness

Let me characterize how I regard Time and its relationship to consciousness.

First of all, there is no "present moment." Time is a stream, not a pebble.

Identifying oneself as a thinker means staying in the past (downstream). Being conscious means remaining present (one foot in water and one foot on land). Simply witnessing appearances means being passed by (upstream).

The thinker appreciates Time from the vantage of the past. To a life let live (witnessing appearances) Time flows inexorably forward. A fully conscious individual appreciates Time forwards and backwards.

Thinking remains bound to the past (while forecasting probabilities). Awareness remains bound to the forward motion of Time (with little or no appreciation of either past or future). Consciousness remains present, bearing both the past and the future.

To "remain present" is only possible for a conscious individual. Awareness does not "remain present" but merely passes on because there is "no one" to remain present.

Awareness, upstream, can be regarded as existing prior to Time. Awareness is prior to thought, prior to the past, whereas consciousness bears Time, remaining present with one foot in Time and one foot outside Time. Awareness, however, has no "feet" to stand on.