Ātman
A re-creation of the cosmos through generative systems
Bija (the Seed)
Ātman draws inspiration from the principles of Yoga Science, which describes cosmogenesis not as a random or mechanical occurrence, but as a sacred flowering of Consciousness into form. Creation emerges from the self-revealing nature of Consciousness, born from the singular desire of the One to enjoy Itself through the many.
Just as a tree lies latent within the seed, the infinite array of possibilities rests in silent potential within the boundless field of Pure Consciousness. This seed—Bija—is not a material spark, but a metaphysical impulse.
In this vision, the whole is contained within the part, and the part within the whole. The essence of the universe dwells within the atom, just as the fullness of eternity is held within a 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.
In this view, the Self of the individual (jivataman) is ultimately identical to the Self of the cosmos (Paramatman); realization of this truth is the core of spiritual awakening.
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.
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 impressions find their lawful channels of expression and resolution. It orchestrates the dynamic interplay 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)
A Microcosm of the Macrocosm
In this generative cosmology, the artist 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.
In this way, the artist reenacts the sacred event of cosmogenesis, emulating the macrocosmic design on a microcosmic scale.
The Living System
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 complex structure. 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.
The system is designed to reflect 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 structured 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 the universal life force surging through and animating all living beings. Through this vital connection, it becomes an expression of that quintessential essence: born of it, sustained by it, and destined to return to it. As such, the system traces its entire arc—emergence, activity, and dissolution—back to its source in the Supreme Ātman, the Universal Field, completing its own evolutionary cycle.
