Friday, December 12, 2008

‘MANDUKYA’ UPANISHAD ON SLEEP & STAGES OF HUMAN AWARENESS

Sleep remains one of the most unsolved of mysteries of human life & living. And why humans – sleep is one activity universal to all living entities, including plants.
Mandukya Upanishad expounds beautifully on the four stages of human existence, including sleep.
For the reader’s easy understanding, I have tried to summarize the four stages of human existence in the most scientific manner, as I understood it.

FIRST STAGE : WAKEFUL STATE ( जाग्रत अवस्था )
The body & mind are fully active.And even though body might be passive, Mind is always active – full of thoughts, because one is always reacting to the world around.

SECOND STAGE : DREAM STATE ( स्वप्न अवस्था)
Body being gross, gets tired easily ; loses its momentum & falls ‘dead’ – asleep. Mind continues, being subtle with its momentum & plays out the ‘real’ life dramas, perceived as dreams.

THIRD STAGE : DEEP SLEEP STATE ( सुशुप्त अवस्था )
Ultimately MIND also loses its momentum & ‘falls’ asleep- leading to the refreshing Deep state of sleep.

And the DRAMA once again begins after so called waking up as if in a reflex conditioned manner, taking up from where we left night before , apparently life after life which we obviously do not remember.
BUT if YOU have decided enough is enough, “ STOP THE WHEEL , I WANT TO GET OFF IT “ , the fourth stage begins.

FOURTH STAGE : TURIYA ( तुरीय )
Body & Mind stop running in a reflex conditioned manner – they are at ease all the time, in all the circumstances with an Awareness , said to be in Yoga. Thus never getting ‘exhausted’ the Yogi “ACTS” in life (not “REACTS” all the time ), really awake for the first time in ( so called ) wakeful , working state & never asleep in the ( so called ) Dream & Deep Sleep states. Turiya (meaning fourth) stage – You have truly Arrived in Life ! - Editor.



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