What exists prior to existence?

by Vic Shayne
author
Consciousness: The Potentiality of All Existence: Exploring reality and belief as a subjective experience

The problem with this question — What exists prior to existence? — is that it is posed within the confines of space and time. The question uses the words “exist,” “outside” and “everything,” all of which suggest space and time, and yet the question asks if there is anything more than this within the same field. So we have to leave this field and this line of thinking in order to entertain an answer.

Existence is in consciousness. Consciousness is the totality of all that is, including thought, memories, ideas, experiences, phenomena, creation, destruction, movement, all emotions, and so forth. Therefore, if you ask what exists outside of everything then you are still within consciousness, because this is what the word “exists” implies.

The big problem here is that language and the mind lack a way to even pose an accurate question. We cannot convey any idea without the use of language and dualistic terminology and ideas, and yet the idea itself is within consciousness trying to refer to something outside of it.

We can say, for the sake of discussion, that prior to existence itself — prior to consciousness and not contained within consciousness — is an empty space of sorts. However, even this definition limits the conveyance and turns it into another idea — and all ideas are within consciousness. See the problem here?

The best we can do is say what it is not, and not what it is
What happens before anything happens? What happens prior to the movement that is consciousness? This is something that you can only know by means of astute awareness through observation and without thought or judgment. Just be aware and it eventually becomes clear. There is a great potentiality that is prior to all existence, but this stateless state is not describable. The best we can do is say what it is not, and not what it is.