Before embarking on further discussion on Dreams, lets get to know all the four states of consciousness.I already wrote about the first two states of consciousness according to the Upanishad which are :
1. Waking state of consciousness when our organs are wide awake and interact with the external world.
2. Dreaming state of consciousness in which we view symbolic transformations of the real world.
The two other states of consciousness are:
3. The unmanifested third state of consciousness:
This is a state of deep sleep in which the mind neither is awake or is dreaming, but the mind remains drowned in perfect bliss. This is the state where the mind experiences void. Void in its truest sense. We can never think “ nothing” when we are awake or even in the second dreaming state of consciousness. Can we? At least, I cannot. Some thought or the other keeps on invading our mind. Even if we don’t want to. This third unmanifested state is when the mind attains a state of void.
4. The fourth absolute state of consciousness:
They say that fourth state transcends the three other states. If waking is the bright day, and deep sleep is the dark night, dreams are the connecting twilight : and all these are relative with respect to the Sun, which itself is the Fourth absolute state. In our life, we are the Sun itself, and the states of consciousness are relative with respect to our mind- our day, our night and twilight with respect to us . It’s the same Self , passing through different states of consciousness.
One advice from me- Enjoy the journey. Enjoy the states of consciousness - which ever you can.
6 comments:
Sometimes it happens with me that if I wish to see a dream as per my own way,as per my own style and passion, I think about it before going to sleep,then I can see the exact dream at my sleep.What do u call it? Is this the bridge to connect to the real life and the dream? If so, then our soul has so much power that if we can transform our reality to our dream, then the vice versa should be true too..Have you ever thought about it? Am I clear what I am trying to mean?
Another nice post.Explaining states of consciousness from Mandukya Upanishad in a lucid style deserves appreciation.
Mandukya Upanishad with it's rich content and metaphoric style is a great treasure to me.The explanation and categorization of the four primary states of consciousness is a great aid in the introspection of consciousness.But the way individual states are seperated from each other it seems they always exists in isolation.
But I have a feeling that this states can exist in an apparantly superposed form in the daily life of an individual.Superposition may not be technically correct term. I mean to say states in a intermingled form where duration of a state can be momentary or of very short duration.As we flow along with our stream of consciousness the state of wakefulness and then dream last for longer period.That's why we fail to take notice of momentary voids and epiphanies in our regular life.
When we say somebody has achieved the higher states of consciousness then he/she is actually able to prolong that state compared to normal wakefulness/dream.
@ blogmaster: yes, u r very clear.This happens with anyone. If we think deeply about something or someone before going to sleep, we often see that same thing in our dream.
According to psychology, that thought is still active in your mind and hence it appears and reappears in yr dream.And evn when you wake up the next day, u think abt the same thing and remember ur dream too.
More than a bridge to connect to real life and dream, its controlling yr mind and thoughts.In this case, the dream is an extension of your thought.
But interestingly, what happens in the dream may not be according to ur choice. It might be anything.
For example, u like a girl and u want to see u guys get together just before sleep and then go to bed. In your dreams, its very possible u wud see the same girl but might end up seeing u guys r not made for each other.
@ sankarsan,I must thank you for bringing up such interesting discussions. U very right rightly said that "states in a intermingled form where duration of a state can be momentary or of very short duration" are possible. You dont always have to sleep and actually dream. Once can flow in a trance and experience the other state while awake too.
Coming back to psychology,a similar occasion is the "Freudian Slip".
When for a second the subconscious mind takes over the conscious and one calls his wife by another name(his girlfriend or the ideal woman to him).
Thanks Rupsa for explaining so lucidly. I must say that I amazed to see the depth of your mind. All your posts are great mental stimuli that surely compel me to think, to rethink, to debate and to dive into the deepest corner of my mind to quench my thirst to explore this unknown world, the unsolved mysteries within ourselves….Excellent job Rupsa. You have great potential to go a long way. Wish you all the best through out your journey my friend. Carry on…
Hi,
It was by chance I came across this topic.............. haven't thought about it enough though.
But what would you say about another state of consciousness..
perceiving the world through someone else, as in case of a blind man or a mother (through her child)!!!
I might be off track totally but there is something these people feel which we ignore.
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