Knowing Meditation - Part 9
There are three main states of consciousness: the waking state, the slow wave sleep state, and the deep sleep state, often known as the de-synchronized sleep state. Each of these reflects different levels of sleep intensity.
The depth of consciousness is vital when it comes to meditation. We experience three main states of consciousness: the waking state, the slow-wave sleep state, and the deep sleep state, often known as the de-synchronized sleep state. These states reflect different levels of sleep intensity. Likewise, the intensity of meditation can fluctuate depending on an individual’s ability to navigate their consciousness. Mikhail Gorbachev once expressed, “The root of humanity’s troubles run very deep. There is no simple prescription to overcome them. What is needed is change in consciousness, in relations between people…in their attitudes toward nature.” This underscores the notion that the quality of our consciousness directly influences the quality of our meditation practice. For meditation to be truly effective, it's crucial to establish a strong connection with pure cosmic energy, which is fundamental for creation and sustenance in our universe. This cosmic energy, often referred to as Brahman or God, appears in various forms—speech, sound, vision, and light. No matter one’s personal beliefs, this cosmic energy is present all around us. Recognizing the original source of this energy is part of our spiritual quest. To embark on this path, one must seek deep knowledge that goes beyond traditional learning. This understanding cannot simply be acquired from books or lectures; it calls for inner reflection and self-inquiry, prompting questions like, “Who am I?” As Ramana Maharishi eloquently pointed out, “The flower has to blossom before bees can enter it. If the petals are closed, how can they enter? Once the flower blossoms, the bees do not have to be invited. They will come automatically. Similarly, if the ego veils the self (individual self), how can we have Self-knowledge?”
Achieving a true meditative state takes consistent effort and practice. By immersing oneself in meditation, one can access a deeper level of consciousness. For example, the awareness we experience during waking hours and the slow wave phases of sleep involves both our external environment and internal thoughts. In contrast, during deep sleep or a de-synchronized state, awareness turns entirely inward, making us oblivious to what’s happening around us. In the early phases of meditation, we’re aware of both our surroundings and our inner selves. As we progress, our thoughts start to quiet down, leading us to focus solely on our internal experiences. At this point, external distractions fade into the background, allowing us to maintain a deep, singular focus. This represents the true onset of meditation, reaching what can be considered the fourth level of consciousness—beyond wakefulness, shallow sleep, and deep sleep. This fourth level can be further broken down into two sub-stages: shallow and deep meditation, which are quite distinct. In the shallow stage, practitioners typically experience a soothing effect lasting from just a few seconds to several minutes, often accompanied by a feeling of relief. During this time, desires tend to diminish, giving way to a burgeoning sense of happiness that foreshadows a more profound blissful state. Once individuals experience this initial stage, they often feel drawn to return to it, motivating them to invest more time in the practice. Thus, while it may be tough to reach the first stage of meditation, once achieved, the path to deeper experiences tends to unfold effortlessly. More insights into the subsequent meditation stages will be provided later.
As you deepen your meditation practice, you’ll likely notice that your experiences start to enhance, leading you toward a sense of liberation and self-realization. This liberation, similar to enlightenment, is a natural result of your meditative journey. You can measure your progress in meditation by how long you can stay in a state of deep awareness. While it's not easy to put an exact figure on it, you can gauge your level of focused awareness by how relaxed and happy you feel. Making the shift from just a few seconds of awareness at the beginning to several minutes shows significant improvement. However, this doesn't mean that meditation should be confined to just a few minutes. Consider meditation like an airplane taking off—it ascends to greater heights before eventually coming back down. In the same way, your consciousness starts from a basic level (the everyday awareness we have while awake), climbs to a peak state, holds that peak for a little while, and then comes back to a more typical state of awareness. The quality of your meditation depends on how quickly you can reach that peak consciousness and how long you can maintain it. The brain plays a vital role in exploring these different states of consciousness. While meditation is backed by scientific research, its true power lies in your personal experience. Several factors influence how effective your meditation practice will be, such as the type of awareness, its intensity, your personal journey, perception skills, the duration of practice, level of detachment, positive mindset, and the transformations you achieve. For someone dedicated to their practice, all these elements can come together quite rapidly.