The universe may have become conscious of itself. If the universe is a conscious universe, then it could be said that the universe came into being when the universe became conscious of itself. Likewise, if there is a "god" then it could be said that God created the universe and became god the creator, by becoming conscious of itself; that is, god became god the creator at the moment god achieved self-consciousness. If there is a "God" and "god" and the universe are "one" then the god-universe became conscious of itself and thus the universe and god came into existence. Consciousness was the creative act. Consciousness creates by becoming conscious. In the Upanishads, it is stated: "In the beginning the atman was this universe. He gazed around; he saw nothing there but himself. Thereupon he cried out at the beginning: It is I." Thus, in the beginning, atman and the universe were a singularity, an oneness. However, upon becoming conscious of its existence, the universe came into existence, but as a duality:
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