Some similarities and differences between an atheist's view of consciousness/awareness and my view as a Hindu theist

In the process of putting up and later updating my previous post on Sam Harris interview video, I happened to write about some similarities and differences between how Sam Harris, an atheist, views experience of consciousness/awareness and how I, a Hindu theist, view it. I thought that I should now put up a separate post (this one) on these similarities and differences which is based on some of the contents of my previous post, https://ravisiyer.blogspot.com/2023/06/rationalist-sam-harris-on-consciousness.html , but omits some parts which are not directly related to this topic. 

Note that there probably are more similarities and differences between Sam Harris' view and my view on consciousness/awareness but this post deals with only that related to one section of the video. That is why in the title of this post, I have used the phrase, 'Some similarities and differences'.

1) Both Harris (atheist) and I (Hindu theist) hold the view that almost all of life is impermanent including various joys, spiritual peak experiences and life itself but that the experience of consciousness/awareness is always there (permanent).

2) For theists, communion with God is another 'always there' (permanent) experience and which may not need any meditation or thoughtless state and associated experience of consciousness/awareness. Given below is a related extract from my previous post: 

I think for people of great faith in God (Note1), communion with nameless and formless God or their favourite deity with name and/or form (Note2), in their hearts and minds, say through prayer to deity/God (Note3), are "indelible" and happy/joyous experiences that can be re-obtained anytime. Such persons, IMHO, do not need to meditate on, or experience, consciousness for them to experience an ever-present ground truth of their living, as for them God/deity is an ever-present ground truth of their living and who can be communed with anytime they want through prayer.

In my own case, prayer to Sai Baba (Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba and Bhagavan Sri Shirdi Sai Baba) through "Om Sai Ram" chanting - Namasmarana (Note3) - almost always, if not always, results in a conviction that Sai Baba is present in my inner being and, depending on the situation and my prayer, is giving me courage as well as guidance (through intuition) and help to face any problems I may be facing, or simply guiding me through intuition in my spiritual efforts or is showering grace and joy on me etc.

Notes:

1. Great faith in God is more specifically, great faith in God being available/accessible to them, say through prayer.

2. Favourite deity with name and/or form is Ishta Devata in Hindu context.

3. Prayer to God includes Namasmarana (chanting the Lord's name) in the Hindu context.

--- end extract ---

3) For Hindu theists, consciousness/awareness is the Atma which they believe (and some experience) is part of Paramatma/God/Universal consciousness. Given below is a related extract from my previous post:

For a person with faith in Hindu Vedanta (which includes me), the ever-present consciousness or awareness is the Atma, which, as per Vedanta, is part of Paramatma/Brahman/Parabrahman (formless God who created, sustains and will destroy the universe/creation), and the Atma's essence is the same as the essence of Paramatma/God. So by being in consciousness or awareness without thought, one is connecting to Paramatma (God) and one can try to merge/dissolve in, or become one with, this Paramatma (get into samadhi state) to experience more of Paramatma (than what one experiences as Atma). An example of (more) experience of Paramatma would be as the universal consciousness which permeates whole of creation or, in other words, experiencing oneself in all and all in oneself. Note that some self-realized mystics claim to have experienced samadhi states of various kinds and so do not have to try to merge/dissolve in Paramatma/God but spiritual aspirants like me have not experienced such samadhi states and are in the stage of trying to achieve those state(s). My own current sadhana in this context is described in my recent post: Viewing Awareness-I as essence or part of God in my meditation and trying to dissolve or merge into God (experience oneness with God), https://ravisiyer.blogspot.com/2023/06/viewing-awareness-i-as-essence-or-part.html .

About Paramatma from wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paramatman : "Paramatman (Sanskrit: परमात्मन्, IAST: Paramātman) or Paramātmā is the Absolute Atman, or supreme Self, in various philosophies such as the Vedanta and Yoga schools in Hindu theology, as well as other Indian religions like Sikhism. Paramatman is the "Primordial Self" or the "Self Beyond" who is spiritually identical with the absolute and ultimate reality." ... "Hindus believe in one God, who is known variously as Paramatman, Parameshwar, Parabrahman, Purushottam and so on."

--- end extract ---