Ātman
A Re-creation of Yogic Cosmology through Generative Systems
Ātman is born for the singular purpose of deepening interest in Yoga Science. Through the already awake interest in Art, the semi-awake curiosity for Yoga can be drawn toward higher wakefulness. It is meant to serve as a channel through which Yoga can percolate into already established worldly platforms.
Ātman is both an exploration and a manifestation of Yogic principles through audio-visual form, employing generative systems to translate metaphysical notions into sensory experiences. Each work is designed to function as a window through which Yoga may be further realized.
Bija (the Seed)
Yoga Science describes cosmogenesis not as a random or mechanical occurrence, but as a sacred flowering of Consciousness into form—a process by which the Infinite becomes nested within the finite. Creation emerges through the self-revealing nature of Consciousness, born of the desire of the One to enjoy Itself through the many.
Just as the tree lies latent within the seed, the infinite array of creative outcomes rests dormant within the boundless field of Pure Consciousness. This primordial seed—Bija—refers not to a material phenomenon, but a metaphysical principle through which the whole resides within the part and the part within the whole, allowing the Infinite to dwell within every unit of space and Eternity within every single moment.
Consciousness as the First Principle
At the heart of Yogic cosmology lies the understanding that Pure Consciousness (Ātman—Self) is the Creative Principle—the formless, eternal substratum from which all phenomena arise. Infinite, unmoving, and self-luminous, Consciousness does not come into being, change, or cease to be—it simply is: pure Being and pure Awareness. From this ever-present field, all manifestation flows, like waves from the ocean or light from a hidden source.
Thus, Consciousness is not an epiphenomenon—it is the origin, the container, and the ultimate destination. All that appears is but a modulation of this singular Reality—vibrating in infinite patterns, assuming infinite forms. In this view, the Self of the individual (jivatman) is ultimately identical to the Self of the cosmos (Paramatman); realization of this truth is the core of spiritual awakening.
AUM
Creation begins with a subtle impulse—Spanda—a primordial quiver within the stillness of Pure Consciousness. This inner tremor gives birth to AUM, the original vibration—the audible seed-sound through which the universe comes into being.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things were made by him [the Word or Aum], and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1:1,3)
Though Ultimate Reality is still and unchanging, it reveals itself through this dynamic stirring, whose resonance pervades the entire spectrum of manifestation, linking all forms within the universal structure.
This primordial vibration generates both sound and light—the primary mediums through which cosmic energy manifests and becomes perceptible. Even as sound is produced by the vibration of a running motor, so the omnipresent sound of AUM faithfully testifies to the running of the "Cosmic Motor", which upholds all life and every particle of creation through vibratory energy.
AUM vibrates itself into three realms: the causal realm, or idea-realm, composed of thought; the astral realm, composed of prana, or life-energy; and the physical realm, composed of matter.
The meditating yogi hears AUM through the inner faculty of intuition. By following this perception, the practitioner gradually dissolves the consciousness of matter into the consciousness of energy, the consciousness of energy into the consciousness of thought, and finally, the consciousness of thought into the awareness of Pure Consciousness.
In this way, the soul returns to its source in the Self, attaining Self-Realization—the transcendental enlightenment. Thus is the evolutionary process brought to its end, and the soul is forever freed from the cycle of compulsory reincarnation (samsara).
“Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out.” (Revelation 3:12)
Dharma
The unfolding of the cosmic plan is governed by Dharma—Cosmic Order. Dharma is not imposed from the outside, but inherently contained; like gravity in physics, it is the subtle law that sustains harmony and coherence throughout all levels of creation—from galaxies to atoms, from planetary evolution to the rhythms of human morality. It governs the fundamental principle of cause and effect, through which karmic imprints find their lawful channels of expression and resolution. It orchestrates the dynamic balance between freedom and structure, change and stability, individuality and universality.
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” (Galatians 6:7)
Yoga – The Science of Truth
The main purpose behind the explanation of cosmology, as stated by Yoga science, is to allow the seeker to truly understand the nature of the Self and the nature of Reality. Yoga is not philosophy, but practical science—its principles are universally verifiable. He who knows Yoga knows Truth, for Yoga is the science of Truth as revealed through supramental perception, meaning the Self knowing the Self by the Self. This is direct apprehension, not indirect inference drawn by the body-mind complex, which can only arrive at conclusions through observation and reasoning.
The Self, as previously explained, is stillness itself and functions like a perfect mirror—while the mind, with its ceaseless fluctuations of thoughts and underlying thought-currents, introduces distortions into perception. This is easier to grasp through an analogy: if we seek to understand the nature of the moon, the stars, and all their attributes—position, size, color, brightness, and more—we can accurately perceive them when reflected in a perfectly still, mirror-like lake. If, however, we observe them in a moving lake, the reflections are distorted by its very motions, creating a displacement of information of its attributes, making them differ from reality.
In this way, Yoga teaches that knowledge of the Self and Reality is not possible through the means of the mind—restless by nature—but through stillness: the inner, mirror-like Awareness in which Reality reveals Itself without distortion. The teachings of cosmology are not mere abstractions, but practical instructions guiding the seeker toward direct realization. Through the practice of Yoga, the state of Yoga is attained. This state of Yoga is defined by the sage Patanjali as “Yogas chitta vritti nirodhah,” translated as “Yoga is the cessation of the modifications of the mind-stuff.” Through the practice of Yoga, the inner lake is stilled, the mirror is cleared, and the Self apprehends itself in its pure, undistorted nature.
A Microcosm of the Macrocosm
Through his work, the artist reenacts cosmogenesis, emulating the macrocosmic design on a microcosmic scale via generative systems, in which he assumes the role of Ātman—the creative consciousness animating the system from within. As Ātman is the silent, unseen source behind all manifestation, so too does the artist remain hidden yet wholly present—initiating the process, witnessing its evolution, and silently abiding at its core.
Rather than imposing fixed outcomes, the artist sets the conditions for emergence, weaving the subtle architecture of Dharma into algorithmic form; thus, appearance is not dictated but shaped within a boundary of possibilities, allowing the system to develop its own behavioral nature and responsiveness to input.
In this context, Dharma embodies structural intelligence—the foundational set of guiding principles. As Cosmic Dharma governs universal action, the system is likewise regulated by its own internal order.
Sound and light—manifest here as audio and image—become the mediums of revelation; they are the perceptible aspects of AUM through which the invisible becomes visible. As AUM is the sacred pulse that gives rise to the cosmos, vibration in the form of sound carries that impulse within this microcosmic space, stirring the stillness into motion while light gives it visible expression.
Microcosmic Landscapes
Microcosmic Landscapes is the first series within the Ātman cosmology. It arises from the shaping of the vision on which Ātman is founded: a re-creation of Yogic cosmology manifested through generative systems. In this series, this vision is realized through The Living System, a dynamic framework in which sound, light, and algorithmic processes converge to translate metaphysical principles into generative compositions.
The title Microcosmic Landscapes carries several layers of meaning:
In this context, the series embodies the essence, structure, and principles of the larger macrocosmic system, distilled into an apprehensible form. Each work stands as a self-contained manifestation of the universal design—a microcosm through which the totality of the Cosmic Order may be intuited and contemplated. This understanding leads naturally to the term “Microcosmic,” which refers to something that represents, reflects, or encapsulates the characteristics of a larger system or whole on a smaller scale. It literally means “small universe” (from Greek mikros = small, kosmos = world/universe).
In order to understand the microcosmic vision, it is necessary to consider the concept of landscape at multiple levels—literal, philosophical, and metaphysical.
At a literal level, a landscape is the arrangement of elements across a region—the structured composition perceived by the observer. Here, the concept is not meant to describe physical elements—rocks, trees, mountains, valleys, etc.—but rather refers to the spatial distribution of pixel properties across a digital canvas, shaping the field through which the subtle layers of the work may be further visualized.
Philosophically, a landscape arises through perception; it is not only what exists, but also what is seen, interpreted, and felt. The observer’s awareness molds the terrain, through which vision, thought, and emotion dictate the nature of the experience.
On a deeper level, a spiritual landscape emerges—an inner field where consciousness, memory, and reflection converge. Here, fundamental questions of being—Who am I? What is the nature of my experience?—take root, finding fertile ground through which contemplation, self-inquiry, and the exploration of the Self may develop.
The main purpose behind Microcosmic Landscapes is the cultivation of this deeper metaphysical field.
The Living System
The Living System is a generative model designed to embody the principles of Yogic cosmology while reflecting the qualities and dynamics characteristic of living organisms.
The system feeds on audio data born from real acoustic events, where physical sound waves transform into digital values. These values flow through a network of image-processing algorithms, triggering a chain reaction of generative modulations. The algorithms interpret the sound’s frequency, amplitude, and phase—the three elemental components of all wave motion—reshaping and animating visual information through layers of randomness, probability, and intricate structure.
The system mirrors the dynamics of living organisms, exhibiting qualities analogous to life: direct feeding on energy from the cosmic source, real-time input processing, responsive adaptation to change, and behavior that is ordered yet flexible. This interplay—where the system receives external stimuli, processes contextual information, and responds according to both the nature of the input and its intrinsic logic—enables it to perceive, interpret, and react within a framework shaped by conscious design, embodying the essence of all living systems.
At its core, the system lives on cosmic energy in the form of sound—the direct current of universal life force surging through and animating all living beings. Through this vital process, the system becomes imbued with the quintessential essence. Born of it, sustained by it, and ultimately destined to return to it, the system traces its entire arc—emergence, activity, and dissolution—back to its source in the Self—the Supreme Ātman—completing its evolutionary cycle.
The entire array of possible results is contained in potentiality within the system; it is only at the moment of output generation that this vast field collapses into singular expression. In this way, each output becomes a microcosm of the whole, containing within itself the fullness of the system. As long as sound sustains it, the system plays samsara—birthing new forms, dissolving them back into the source, and summoning them again, transfigured. This eternal rhythm reflects the flow of life and death, echoing the cosmic cycle of perpetual renewal.
Vol. 1 - Bija
Bija is the first volume in the series Microcosmic Landscapes. It stands as the inaugural work of the Ātman cosmology, where the principles of Yoga Science find their first expression.
The term Bija comes from Sanskrit and refers to the essence, the root cause, or the core principle from which something arises.
The naming of Volume 1 as Bija is threefold in purpose. First, it embodies the essence of the idea and inspiration behind Ātman, since its very conception was shaped through the creation of this volume. Second, it represents the seed—the foundational work from which the tree of Ātman will grow. Third, each of the images in it acts as a seed in itself, containing within it the essence of the entire system—a microcosm of the generative field and the principles from which all manifestation arises.
This volume consists of twelve images, each generated by The Living System through sound data drawn from acoustic events created by the artist. The process begins with the system connected to a microphone, enabling it to directly receive the sound-impulse that enlivens it and serves as the informational reference upon which its operational behavior is based. In this way, sound becomes the vital current—the breath through which the system awakens into life and evolves into its different expressions.
The twelve images are derived from a single seed-image, on which the system—guided by the sound-impulse fed to it—modifies the original content. This transformation is carried out by The Living System´s network of image-processing algorithms, whose central principle (inspired by the lakes analogy) is the displacement of information. Pixel attributes—position, size, color, brightness, and more—are shifted from their original state, fragmenting and altering the image to produce new visual outcomes. The resulting image is then further refined by the artist, infusing it with a personal “imprint” that completes the creative process.
The artist generates these acoustic events through the simple act of snapping his fingers. This gesture links artist and artwork, serving both as practical input and as a symbolic act. It echoes the scriptural description of creation itself: “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.” (Genesis 1:3) Here, the artist assumes the role of God (Creative Consciousness), and by a snap of his fingers vibrates stillness into motion, setting into play the universal scheme. The result is light—or perceptible expression—in this case an image output, the perceptible expression which testifies to the generative cosmology being at work.
As a result of this process, each image stands as a memoir of a cosmic event, forever inscribed in the universal fabric.
Bija Works:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1IZOG9lJSF2Rm77LSgGvNw8mVgYaPB7CI?usp=drive_link