You ever looked into the philosophy of non-dual Shaiva Tantra? Well, actually, just about any non-dual philosophies...

Here, consciousness and awareness is not a concept, but the first principle of the universe -- from which the _concept_ of consciousness reflects upon the first principle (without actually being the first principle). It's a key insight that breaks out the nihilism.

-- By "consciousness", I am speaking of awareness, not the constructed identity that most people calls "consciousness".