STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS- A Broad Sketch

“Asato mâ sad gamaya

Tamaso mâ jyotir gamaya
Mrityor mâ amritam gamaya”

(May we move from total unconsciousness to total consciousness through the practice
of dharma (virtue, religion, morality) and yoga (spirituality, communion, surrender).
May we move from the dark levels of unconscious, semi-unconscious and semi-
conscious to the effulgent levels of Atman, Vishvatman and Paramatman. May we
move from the mortal spheres of unconscious, semi-unconscious, semi-conscious and
normal conscious to the supraconscious immortal states of Atman.)

Nothingness
PURPORT
Imagine you do not exist yet. If you are not there, nothing is there for you (Asat). No
universe, no parents, no country, no name, no identity, just absolute nothingness or
Unmanifest (asat).

Now, imagine you are just born, emerging gradually from asat, gradually moving from
unconsciousness into semi-unconsciousness (tamas). You are still quite immersed in the
darkness of ignorance and semi-unconsciousness and unconsciousness.

Then, gradually you move into the semi-conscious state (rajas), when your senses start
capturing stimuli from the world. There are a number of sensations bubbling around and
within. Now, experience starts happening and gradually experiences create a sense of
ego, of individual being linked to the body, senses and brain.

Then, as you mature further you become more and more conscious and aware (sattva).
This is the natural progression of all beings. Through proper education, socialisation and
moral edification, you learn to follow a path that would maintain you in a state of
conscious awareness, self-determination and self-responsibility, which is full of light and
delight.

All through your life through experiencing, thinking, feeling and acting in the world and
in relationships you keep changing states of consciousness. Sometimes you become semi-
conscious, when passionate and excited; sometimes you become semi-unconscious when
you dull, unthinking, intoxicated, dreaming, sleepy; sometimes you become unconscious
when asleep, swooned, in coma; sometimes conscious when mentally alert and sensitive
in the present moment, when morally and intellectually alive to situations, people, things,
choices, decisions and responsibilities.

This is the cycle of life which starts with asat from birth and finally ends in asat at death.
Those whose minds have been full of conscious awareness and moral energy, they remain
filled with light and delight. Dying becomes a lightful and delightful final experience
with beautiful and joyful images and sounds as they gradually move back into asat.
Those whose minds continuously swing between conscious, semi-conscious, semi-
unconscious and unconscious, they keep chasing and collecting shadows and sorrows.
Dying becomes quite a dreadful and smoggy experience characterised by a succession of
shadowy and sorrowful images and sounds as they gradually sink back into asat.

Those who through the light and delight of conscious awareness have sensed that there is
a State Beyond these fleeting states of consciousness and unconsciousness and set off on
a spiritual journey to reach That, they gradually move from religion, morality and virtue
into spirituality, surrender and spiritual communion through silence of the mind and
stillness of the body.

As they get anchored into that mysterious State they gradually get the feeling of a
Timeless, Imperishable, Absolute State which pervades their innermost being, the whole
cosmos and whatever lies beyond. This Spiritual Feeling is called Atmabhava or
Enlightenment. Enlightenment uproots consciousness from asat and maintains it into the
State of Satyam, the Absolute Consciousness which is constantly in touch with the
Ultimate Beyond.
 TEACHINGS BY THE BHAGAVAD GITA- CHAPTER 14
The 3 Gunas of Prakriti

14.5 The three gunas (aspects of consciousness and unconsciousness born out of Prakriti)
are Sattva (balance, peace, light), Rajas (agitation, passion, shadow) and Tamas (dullness,
ignorance, darkness), which are born out of Prakriti, the Great Nature driving the whole
of existence into motion. These three forces bind the Immutable Consciousness reflected
in an individual being (Atman) to a specific body as an embodied person.

14.6 Among these three, Sattva (conscious mind) is the shining and healthy aspect owing
to its clear and untainted nature. It binds the reflected consciousness to a state of normal
happiness and awareness. The person feels: “I am happy and conscious.”

14.7 Rajas, the semi-conscious mind, is known to be of the nature of passions, generating
longings (trishnâ) and attachments (sanga). It binds the reflected consciousness
(dehinam) to a state of constant activity. The person feels: “I am the doer, enjoyer,
sufferer.”

14.8 Tamas, the semi-unconscious mind, is known to be rooted in ignorance and

unawareness. It generates delusions in all beings. It binds the reflected consciousness to
a state of negligence, indolence and unconsciousness.

14.10. In the individual mind, there is a continuous battle among the three forces; each
one competes for psychic energy in order to predominate over the others.

14.11 Sattva is predominant when through every senses of the body and every experience
pervades the light of conscious awareness.

14.12 Rajas predominates when the mind gives energy to greed (lobha), materialism
(pravritti), activities and projections (karmanâm ârambhah), restlessness(ashamah) and
longings for enjoyments (sprihâ).

14.13 Tamas predominates when the mind is subjected to the forces of unawareness,
thoughtlessness, negligence/heedlessness and irrational delusions.

14.16 A sàttvik person is said to perform virtuous/moral actions consciously (by living in
the present moment) as a result of a pure mind. A ràjassik person performs
passionate/egoistic actions (by living in the future) that result in pains and sorrows (to
self and others). A tâmassik person performs unthoughtful and negligent actions (by
living in the past) as a result of ignorance and mental dullness.

14.17 Thus from Sattva arise awareness and knowledge; from Rajas comes greed; and
from Tamas are born negligent, irrational and unconscious actions.

14.18 Those established in Sattva rise to the upper layers of consciousness (towards the
light of awareness). Those abiding in rajas stagnate at the middle plane (in the shadows).
Those steeped in evil and dark tendencies fall into the lowest levels of consciousness (in
the darkness of the unconscious).
14.19 When through pure awareness, the seer recognises that it is the different gunaic
forces, born out of Prakriti, that are acting and perceives one’s Self (Atman) as beyond
the grips of the gunas, that person is fit to attain the divine state of “I-ness” or plenitude.

14.20 The seer, through the light of pure awareness, having transcended the gunas, born
out of the organism, attains a state of immortality that is free from the sufferings
associated with birth, death and decay.
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It is important to note that Tamas, or the semi-unconscious state is the abode of the six
evils forces (Shadripu), namely: Kâma (immoral sexuality), Krodha (aggressiveness),
Lobha (greed), Moha (delusion), Mada (pride) and Matsarya (jealousy). These six foes
continuously invade the Rajas dimension in order to obtain immediate gratification. The
Tamas state is rooted in fear and insecurity.

Rajas, the semi-conscious state, is the abode of egoism and gratification. It is involved in
constant activities and plannings for immediate pleasure, power, profit, possession, and
pain-avoidance. It is subjected to the light of conscious awareness and the darkness of
unconsciousness. Hence, it is said to be the world of shadows and sorrows. Given its
self-centred motivations, it often creates sufferings for self and others and is gnawed by
self-pity and regrets that become translated into nightmares.

Sattva, the conscious awareness state, is the abode of happiness and virtue. Living in
conscious awareness and sensitivity, one develops the sensibility or intelligence of
knowing what is right and what is wrong. Through education and edification, one learns
about the ten virtues or dharmalakshanam, which are: Dhriti (patience). Kshamâ
(forgiveness/tolerance), Damah (self-restraint), Asteyam (non-stealing, non-cheating),
Shaucham (cleanliness, hygiene), Indriya-nigraha (control over the senses, deferred
gratification), Dheer (alertness, mindfulness), Vidyâ (knowledge, evidence), Satyam
(truthfulness, integrity), Akrodham (non-aggressiveness).
The practice of these virtues elevates the level of the mind to the state of pure awareness
or meditation, which is full of light. Through meditation, one attains the eternal
dimensions of plenitude culminating into the Absolute Consciousness.

The Absolute Unconsciousness, known as the Womb, is the Unknowable Beneath or

Source. The Absolute Consciousness, known as the Being, is the Unknowable Beyond.

koosradha@gmail.com

May 2010.