Four states of consciousness:

Ordinary consciousness is characterized by three states:

 1. The waking state

 2. The dreaming state

 3. The state of deep sleep However mystics claim that there is a fourth state, called turîya, which permeates and transcends the three states of ordinary consciousness. It is said to witness everything that occurs during the ordinary states (cf. Song of Solomon 5:2: I slept but my heart was awake). While the subject of ordinary consciousness is the ego, the witness of the fourth state is said to be the Absolute Subject. When the fourth state is experienced, the yogi is filled with the Light of the Essential Self (cf. Matt. 6:22).

(See also: Four states of consciousness , Psychic, Psychic Dictionary, Parapsychology, Parapsychology Dictionary)

Svapna (Sanskrit) [from the verbal root svap to sleep]

The dreaming-sleeping state of consciousness, "the state of consciousness more or less freed from the sheath of the body and partially awake in the astral realms, higher or lower as the case may be" (OG 72).

The second of the four states of consciousness mentioned in Yoga philosophy, the others being jagrat, sushupti, and turiya. Svapnavastha is the dreaming-sleeping state.

(See also: Svapna , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body mind and Soul)

Jagrat (Sanskrit) (from the verbal root jagri to be awake)

The waking state of consciousness; the first of the four states of consciousness (avasthas) mentioned in Yoga philosophy. Jagrat is often compounded with avastha (condition, state) as jagradavastha.

See also SUSHUPTI; SVAPNA; TURIYA

(See also: Jagrat , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Waking State The state of human consciousness when perceiving the physical world, conscious of other people and things. Termed the jagrat state in Hindu philosophy, it is the lowest of the four states into which human consciousness is divided: jagrat, svapna, sushupti, and turiya.

The reason we cannot remain continuously in the waking state, but must seek another aspect of consciousness during sleep, is that "our senses are all dual, and act according to the plane of consciousness on which the thinking entity energizes. Physical sleep affords the greatest facility for its action on the various planes; at the same time it is a necessity, in order that the senses may recuperate and obtain a new lease of life for the Jagrata, or waking state, from the Svapna and Sushupti. . . . As a man exhausted by one state of the life fluid seeks another; as, for example, when exhausted by the hot air he refreshes himself with cool water; so sleep is the shady nook in the sunlit valley of life. Sleep is a sign that waking life has become too strong for the physical organism, and that the force of the life current must be broken by changing the waking for the sleeping state. Ask a good clairvoyant to describe the aura of a person just refreshed by sleep, and that of another just before going to sleep. The former will be seen bathed in rhythmical vibrations of life currents -- golden, blue, and rosy; these are the electrical waves of Life. The latter is, as it were, in a mist of intense golden-orange hue, composed of atoms whirling with an almost incredible spasmodic rapidity, showing that the person begins to be too strongly saturated with Life; the life essence is too strong for his physical organs, and he must seek relief in the shadowy side of that essence, which side is the dream element, or physical sleep, one of the states of consciousness" (TBL 58).

Human beings, animals, and plants die not because of a lack of life, but because their vehicles become finally worn out, precisely because the life-currents within have become too strong, and the building power of the vehicles less able to repair the damages of the life-force. Paradoxically, it is the life-force which itself brings about both sleep and death, and thus life repairs its own damage, both building and destroying.

(See also: Waking State , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body mind and Soul)

Sleep In sleep the ego becomes unconscious on the physical plane in its brain -- except in the cases of dreaming; the connection between the mind and the bodily senses is quiescent and there is no direct self-conscious cognition of physical objects and events.

In short, the ego is functioning on a different plane of consciousness. On awaking, we have confused recollections of experiences of the state of imperfect sleep which fringes the waking and sleeping states, but the sleeping state is not a single state. Many planes of consciousness are enumerated, of which what we call the waking state is one.

One Hindu system has a fourfold division of consciousness into

1)    jagrat, the waking state;

2)    svapna, the dream state;

3)    sushupti, the state of dreamless sleep; and, highest,

4)    the turiya, which is relatively complete egoic or spiritual consciousness on interior planes.

From this last state of perfect awakenment, the jagrat or physical waking state is the farthest removed; what is to us the dream state (svapna) is a closer approach; and sushupti, which to us is complete loss of physical brain-mind consciousness, is actually the closest approach to the complete consciousness experienced by the ego in turiya. Turiya is the complete oblivion to the outside world, for the ego is functioning in its spiritual vehicle of consciousness.

These four distinct states of consciousness into which the human egoic self can enter, are the manifestations during imbodiment of what takes place on a more profound and radical scale at death. Sleep is a small death, and death may be called a larger sleep: in both, the ego, liberated successively form various bonds, travels inwards and upwards through different grades of consciousness and reaches the experiences proper to those planes.

Sleep is also used figuratively, in contrast with waking, to denote a state of nonmanifestation, when there is no contrast between subject and object; the term so used is relative, and sleeping on one plane may coincide with waking on another.

(See also: Sleep , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Cancer The Crab. Fourth zodiacal sign, being watery, cardinal, feminine, and the only house of the moon; in astrology it corresponds to the stomach and breast. Its symbol is a crab; in Sanskrit it is called Karkataka, and is dedicated to Surya, the god of the sun.

In the Hebrew allocation of the signs to the 12 sons of Jacob, it is give to Benjamin, who is said to ravin as a wolf. This sign is that of the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere and is associated with heat, but in the southern hemisphere it is at the winter solstice, and we are told of times when the earth's poles were inverted so that the south pole was in Cancer.

According to Subba Row (Theos 3:42), Cancer represents the sacred Tetragram; the Parabrahmatharaca; the Pranava resolved into four separate entities corresponding to its four matras; the four avastas or four states of consciousness; the four states of Brahman, etc.

(See also: Cancer , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Sushupti susupti (Sanskrit) [from su well, good, fine + shupti from the verbal root svap to sleep]

Fast asleep, deep sleep; the deep sleeping state when human consciousness is plunged into profound self-oblivion, "when the percipient consciousness enters into the purely manasic condition . . ." (OG 72). Sushupti is the third of the four states of consciousness mentioned in yoga philosophy, the others being jagrat, svapna, and turiya.

Sushuptyavastha is the sleeping state or condition.

(See also: Sushupti , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body mind and Soul)

Avastha (Sanskrit) (from ava down into + the verbal root stha to stand)

State, condition, position, situation; applied to the four states of consciousness (jagradavastha, svapnavastha, sushuptyavastha, and turiyavastha). The Greek equivalent is hypostasis, that which stands under, supports, carries, or bears a superior. Thus the superior is born or manifested by its hypostasis or avastha.

(See also: Avastha , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Pradosha Vrata

The Pradosha worship is to be done in the evening twilight on the 13th day of each lunar fortnight. It is the worship of Lord Shiva for victory and success in all undertakings, and the fulfilment of all your heart's cherished desires

From Hindu Fasts & Festivals by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Pradosha Vrata: Hindu Worship - Pradosha Vrata

Tirumantiram: (Tamil) "Holy incantation."

The Nandinatha Sampradaya's oldest Tamil scripture; written ca 200 bce by Rishi Tirumular. It is the earliest of the Tirumurai, and a vast storehouse of esoteric yogic and tantric knowledge. It contains the mystical essence of raja yoga and siddha yoga, and the fundamental doctrines of the 28 Saiva Siddhanta Agamas, which in turn are the heritage of the ancient pre-historic traditions of Saivism.

As the Agamas themselves are now partially lost, the Tirumantiram is a rare source of the complete Agamanta (collection of Agamic lore). Its 3047 verses were, as legend has it, composed in a rather extraordinary way. Before writing each verse, Tirumular would meditate for an entire year, then summarize his meditation in a fourline Tamil verse. He did this for 3,000 years! The allegory is said to mean that 3,000 years of knowledge is compacted in this one book. The text is organized in nine parts, called tantras, summarized as follows:

1)    basic rules of religious morality;

2)    allegorical explanations of Saiva mythological stories; five powers of Siva, three classifications of souls;

3)    a complete treatise on raja yoga;

4)    mantras and tantras;

5)    the essential features of the Saiva religion; the four forms of Saivism, four stages, unorthodox paths, conduct to be avoided;

6)    the Sivaguru, grace, renunciation, sin, penance, jnana, worthy and unworthy persons;

7)    siddha yoga, more on grace, mudras, control of ida and pingala, worlds reached by different classes of yogis after death, refinements of yoga, the satguru;

8)    essential theology: five sheaths, eleven states, three padarthas (Pati-pashu-pasha), 36 tattvas, four states of consciousness, three malas, three gunas, ten karanas, etc.;

9)    the fruits of realization, liberation, jnana, Siva's dances, meeting of the guru.

See: Tirumurai, Tirumular.

(See also: Tirumantiram , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Uttara Mimamsa or the Vedanta philosophy of Vyasa or Badarayana is placed as the last of the six orthodox systems, but, really, it ought to stand first.

The Uttara Mimamsa conforms closely to the doctrines propounded in the Upanishads. The term Vedanta means literally the end or essence of the Veda. It contains the doctrines set forth in the closing chapters of the Vedas. The closing chapters of the Vedas are the Upanishads. The Upanishads really form the essence of the Vedas.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Vedanta Philosophy: Hindu Philosophy - Vedanta Philosophy

The astanga aryamarg or the Noble Eight-fold Path was propounded by the Buddha, Prince Siddhartha Gautama nearly 2500 years age, in 500 BC. It is still a beacon, shining brightly, to help and guide the suffering sentient beings. The eight-fold path is an antidote to the state of suffering existing in cyclic existence to explain which the Buddha also explained in the doctrine of the four noble truths. If you are seeking a true and meaningful existence, the astanga aryamarg or the noble eight-fold path will certainly help you.

Read more here: » Buddhism: The Noble Eight-Fold Path

In this article, Kiara Windrider, author of “A doorway to Eternity” share his experiences with the teachings of Golden Age Foundation headed by Kalki in India. Kiara Windrider was one of the teachers at the first Oneness Festival that took place August 2-8 2003. The Oneness Festival is a collaboration between the Golden Age Foundation in India and the Experience Foundation in Sweden.

Read more here: » Kiara Windrider on Enlightenment, Kalki and the Golden Age Movement - I

An in-depth article presenting enlightenment from the personal view of Anette Carlström as well as from other sources and scientific research on the brains function. The article has been published in the Swedish magazine Sökaren (The Searcher).

Read more here: » Enlightenment: When enlightenment came to Sweden…about Anette Carlström

In the laboratory of Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research (PEAR) at Princeton University/USA, research on the topic "mind-machine-interaction" has been ongoing since the late 1970s. As far back as the late 80s, extensive studies proved that diodes with white noise might be used as an interface between man and machine. Since 1998, worldwide about 50 such diodes with white noise have been measuring not only the consciousness of individuals but also the global consciousness of mankind within a study called "Global Consciousness Project". The results have been published and indicate synchronized reaction of all diodes to incidents of worldwide interest such as the war in Iraq, Lady Diana’s funeral or the terrorist attacks of September 11th 2001 on the World Trade Centre in New York.

Read more here: » Morphic fields can now be measured scientifically!

 Over the years, I've known a lot of ministers, healers, mediums and other spiritual folk. Just like all people, some were prosperous while others struggled with material lack. One group was not more selfish and the other more "spiritual." In fact, those who were adept at creating what they needed on a physical level also tended to be those who were able to create better health, relationships and general happiness for themselves. They were also better skilled at helping others to create the same in their lives, and they had the energy and resources to help others in this way. The difference between the two groups can be summed up in a now common but powerful term: Prosperity Consciousness.

Read more here: » Prosperity Consciousness: Introduction to Prosperity Consciousness

A dictionary Of Siddha Yoga Terminology. From Abhanga to Yogini.

Please note that all words in grey, like "enlightenment" or "kundalini" are hyperlinked to archives further explaining the term. At the corresponding archive you will also find articles related to the term.

Swiss scientists have recently discovered that sending a very weak current to the back of the right side of the brain triggered an out-of-body experience (OBE) for the patient.

This OBE could be produced at will whenever a particular part of the brain was stimulated by an electric current. OBE is also one of the major outcomes of yoga and is mentioned in the vibhuti pad of Patanjali's Yoga Darshan . Naturally a yogi has to practise years of tapasya or meditation before she can achieve an OBE and sense of levitation. Interestingly, technology seems to allow this pleasurable experience quite easily.

(See also: Out-of-body experience , God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Out-of-body experience: Significant Gravity Of Deep Thought  

Meditation Experiences by Sarasvati Buhrman PhD - Part II

Sometime after 350 B.C. a great yogi sage wrote the "Yoga Sutra". This brief translation should wet your appetite. This describes the transformation of mind that will unfold over a course of sadhana (spiritual practice), focusing on the relationship between the mind and the object of meditation.

Read more here: » Meditation Experiences: Meditation Experiences According to the Ashtanga Yoga Tradition with Commentary on Patanjali's Yoga Sutra - Part II

Part One

• How to Recognise a Crystal Child
• The Crystal Child and its Physical Incarnation
• Their Special Abilities
• Some Problems Encountered by Parents of Crystal Children
• A Crystal Story

Part Two

• The Mission of the Crystal Child
• Parenting a Crystal Child: The Conscious Parenting Process
• Different Kinds of Crystal Children

Their Gift to Us: Now and in the Future

(See also: Indigo Children, What is Indigo Children, Parenting Indigo Children, Adult Indigo, Indigo Children Channeling)

Read more here: » Indigo Children: Warrior of the Heart - The Way of Crystal Peacemaker