Whatever universe contains is bound to be the Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of consciousness.+

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad: ~ Brahman (God in truth) is in the form of the Athma, and it is indeed Athma itself.

The Soul is not limited to the individual. The individuals are many but the Soul is one. The individual exists within the universe. The Soul is the cause of the universe and it itself is uncaused. 

The Soul is not within the human body. The universe is created out of single stuff. That single stuff is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. Thus, whatever universe contains is bound to be the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Like an ornament made from gold is Gold, which is born out of consciousness is consciousness. Like gold is the permanent thing, in ornaments made of gold, similarly, the mind, which is in the form of the universe is born out of consciousness, is consciousness in its essence.

Deeper Self-search reveals the fact that you are not the Self, the world in which you exist is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, but consciousness is specifically not an entity or identity or a thing within the world in which you exist. But it is the cause of the world in which you exist and it, itself is uncaused.

The Soul is hidden within the world in which you exist. The nature of the Soul is the formless, timeless and spaceless existence.

Thus, it is necessary to realize the world in which you exist is created out single stuff, which is consciousness. The consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth. Thus, God alone is real; the world in which you exist is merely an illusion created out of consciousness.   

Remember:~  

To say the universe is an illusion without first examining it and inquiring into its nature thoroughly is to delude oneself. This world is common to every one of us; therefore the seeker of truth must begin his inquiry with it.  

It is only after he has inquired into the nature of the objective world, he realizes the universe which through ignorance appears as of diverse forms, is nothing else but the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness is absolutely free from all the limitations of form, time and space.  

Remember: ~  

Ashtavakra Gita: ~ “The universe rises from the Soul, the innermost Self like bubbles from the sea. Thus know the ‘Self’ to be One and in this way enter into the state of dissolution."  

Sage Sankara said: ~A.A~ 88-When the whole universe, movable and immovable, is known to be Atman (consciousness), and thus the existence of everything else is negated, where is then any room to say that the body is Atman?  

That is why Sage Sankara Says: ~ VC-63 -- Without causing the objective universe to vanish and without knowing the truth of the ‘Self’ how is one to achieve Liberation by the mere utterance of the word Brahman? — It would result merely in an effort of speech.   

What is the use of saying ‘I AM THAT’ without knowing what the ‘Self’ is in actuality? Without knowing the truth of the Self, without realizing the truth of the world in which you exist it is impossible to realize the truth beyond the form, time, and space. By a mere utterance of the word ‘I AM THAT', the truth will not be revealed.   

Sage Sankara: ~VC~ If the universe be true, let it then be perceived in the state of deep sleep also. As it is not at all perceived, it must be unreal and false like dreams.  

That is why Sankara says: ~ “Brahman is the truth the world is unreal everything is truly Brahman and nothing else has any value.  

Sage Sankara says: ~ ‘What is accepted without a proper inquiry will not lead to the final Goal. (Commentary on Vedanta Sutra)  

Sage Sankara says: ~ “The exercise in discrimination between real and unreal and renunciation of the false is real meditation, then why you are indulging in other types of meditation.  

Those who tell you that Brahman is unity, that you can get it only by intuition, that you should not reason, you should not question or inquire, are deluding you. Verification must come by thought.     

Remember:~  

Sage Sankara says in the commentary on Vedanta sutra that what is accepted without a proper inquiry will not lead a person to the final goal. On the contrary, such acceptance will result only in evil, in something detrimental to our spiritual progress.  

Seeker of truth should not believe blindly in Orthodox Advaita without verifying all the facts from every angle. One has to reflect through reasoning over and over again without getting tired of the process.  

Sage  Sankara: ~ “VC~ All this universe which through ignorance appears as of diverse forms, is nothing else but Brahman (consciousness) which is absolutely free from all the limitations of human thought. 

The universe is the product of ignorance. Ignorance is present in the form of the ‘I’. 

Sage Sankara says:~VC-47- All the effects of ignorance, root, and branch, are burnt down by the fire of knowledge, which arises from discrimination between these two—the Self and the non-Self. 

Until you think you are an individual separate from the world and the world existed prior to you and you are born in it afterward the ignorance will prevail as a reality. Till ignorance is there the universe prevails as reality. 

Sage Sankara says: ~ “The exercise in discrimination between real and unreal and renunciation of the false is real meditation, then why you are indulging in other types of meditation. 

A Perfect understanding and realization of ‘what is what’ leads Self-awareness. By holding on to theories one remains in the realm of duality.  

You have to mentally go on dropping what is not the truth through deeper self-search. 

Finally when you become aware of the fact that, your ego, your body, and the world are one in essence then there is Self-awareness in the midst of duality. :~Santthosh Kumaar