Big Mind Flavors
In listening to and reading books by different advaita inspired/aligned folks, I notice that they often seem to miss a distinction between different flavors of Big Mind.
In my experience, there are several.
One is the Big Mind as experienced within the small self. I awaken to myself as the Absolute - as that which is experiencing, and all the experiences coming from inside and outside of the small self arise within myself as this space & awareness. This is the drop Big Mind, and may have a subtle separation between subject and object, the experiencer and the experienced. All experiences arise within me. Because of some identity left, there is still a sense of "me" and "it". This is a very early form of Big Mind, just a little taste. This drop Big Mind is really the same as the ocean, although still experiencing itself in a limited and local way.
Then there is the drop Big Mind imitating itself as one form of ocean Big Mind. I now see everything arising, as arising where it is - even lightyears away in the case of stars and galaxies - and within me as space & awareness. I am that space & awareness in which all phenomena - internal and external to the small self - arises. The center of gravity is still in/around the small self. Here, there may or may not be a subtle sense of separation between experiencer and experienced. To the extent identity falls away, I become what arises.
Next, the center of gravity moves from in/around the small self to the whole of Existence. Now I really find myself as the space & awareness in which all phenomena arises. And again, to the extent any identity/no identity is dropped, I become whatever arises in the moment.
In all of the previous phases, Big Mind is focused on and works through a particular small self. But there is obviously something beyond this as well. This is a full(er) blown Big Mind centered as its whole and focused nowhere and everywhere. This is closer to the view of God, of the whole of Existence, and it is possible to at least have glimpses of this while still associated with a particular small self (although that association may tend to go away during the glimpse).