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Exploring Various States of Mind 2
Part 2
Dear Team:
Meditation often induces higher states of consciousness. These states can be extremely difficult to imagine. These mind states are hard to describe because they are personal and internal. They are difficult to not only describe, but to define. But two familiar states of consciousness are the waking and sleeping states. There are also various mind states between these two known mind states. Sometimes we feel drowsy and at other times unusually alert. Certain drugs can effect a person's state of consciousness. Alcohol diminishes alertness, but by removing inhibitions can also lead to increased awareness in some areas. LSD and mescaline can increase one's ability to focus on specific sensations, but can also generate a psychic exit from the body and overall collapse in general psychic orientation.
Often when working on a problem the mind seems to suddenly " lock-on" to the task. At this point solving the problem becomes the most important thing in the world. Every fiber of one's being is concentrated on finding a solution. When one is locked onto a problem there is a tremendous, almost sensual joy in solving it. One often calls forth intellectual resources of which one is usually totally unaware. this is an unusual state of consciousness because a bigger portion of the mind is being utilized.
The difference between intelligence and genius could be a matter of a person's innate ability to " Lock-in " to the work at hand and get into a higher state of consciousness. A locked-on state of consciousness appears to be associated with increased physical energy. Both body and mind are completely involved in the creative effort. There also appears to be another type of problem solving consciousness. This is the relaxation mode type of consciousness. This is when the mind is completely relaxed and the mind drifts to the problem on its own. This is called the bathtub syndrome and a favorite activity of the author. One can be relaxing in the bathtub and the mind wanders freely and hits upon the right answers with surprising clarity.
In both cases hot and cool the mind is greatly EXPANDED. The bodymind is either heated up or cooled down so that POWERFUL focus is attained--and sustained until the creative task is accomplished. There are important links between these two creative modes of mind and higher states of consciousness.
Mantras or chanting sounds can create the relaxed state of mind and as the body relaxes, the mind's activity increases. As the sounds penetrate deeper into the mind powerful and spectacular images--often beautiful and breath-taking can enter the mind and direct the meditator to new and unusual psychic worlds. The deeper the meditator plunges into the mind the more certain images will take on a permanent and substantial form. This kind of controlled visualization is an important indicator that can be described objectively.
The meditator's ability to form images in the mind and concentrate on them at will is a critical level of mental discipline recognized by all advanced meditation schools. When a person learns how to hold an image in the mind he or she can also control the mind's static. As usual NOISE REDUCTION is the name of the game. This is especially significant in the appreciation of beauty in all its manifestations.
Advanced visualizations amplify the solidity and power of mental images when conjured up. The more advanced one becomes in controlling one's mind, the more control one has over what one can see in the mind's eye. THIS IS CRITICAL. The mind's eye is a million more times powerful than one's physical eye and all advanced meditation schools have descriptions of experiences in higher states of consciousness propelled by the harnessing of the mind's eye.
In advanced Jewish meditation there are refernces to " The lamp of darkness. " This appears to denote a darkness that radiates. In the Jewish meditation texts there are multiple references to " black fire. " Ancient jewish teachings concerning the primival Torah describe how the Hebrew letters were originally written with black fire on white fire. This is something that we cannot see with ordinary vision and indeed it is impossible to imagine this in a " normal " state of consciousness. Darkness as a radiant thing seems to be a contradiction in terms. But in the mind's eye anything is possible.
In advanced meditation the perception of beauty can be amplified. Indeed, like a dial on a radio the beauty dial can be cranked up to make the mind particularly sensitive and appreciative of beauty. This mind play is extremely important in the Jewish Kabbalistic tradition which maps out ten different kinds of mind dials that can be used to amplify the experiences associated with them. Beauty is such a dial. Another dial is will. Also learning ability. These dials are called " sefiroth " in Hebrew and are arranged in a complex and ascending configuration in the forbidden texts of the Kabbalah.
Other important phenomena that can be experienced in higher forms of meditation is panoscopic vision.In this higher state of consciousness any object seen by the mind's eye can be seen from all sides at once. One could look at a globe and see Europe and Asia symultaneously. It's hard to describe this sensation to those who have not experienced it. Picasso is a superb example of an artist who tried to describe his panoscopic visions on canvas. Finnegan's Wake by James Joyce is a panoscopic tour de force in words. Harvest of Gems and 2-ss are much milder forms of panoscopic art.
Meditation allows one to break old mind habits learned in childhood and to visualize things in totally different perspectives. Panoscopic vision is even seen in the Bible. The prophet Ezekiel could describe angels having four different faces on four different sides. These angels had human, lion, ox, and eagle faces. Yet these faces did not rotate as they moved. The angels could be seen from one side with all four faces at once. Tibetan and Hindu dieties are also panoscopic phenomena with thousands of eyes and faces.
Even more spectacular is the fact that in an advanced state of consciousness it is possible to visualized more than the usual three dimensions. Four, even five dimensions can be visualized.
Another important phenomena observed in higher states of consciousness is synesthesia. Human senses often tend to be compartmentalized so that different parts of the mind deal with different senses. But in higher states of consciousness the barriers between different senses are lowered. In such states one's sense of sight can be used to percieve sounds. Similarly, one is able to hear colors, see fragrances, and feel sights. This is the experince of synethesia or the mixing of the senses. The sensual spill-over can become quite vivid. Music can become a complex VISUAL pattern. Paintings can become sonic attractors. Bach and Van Gogh are good examples of this.
Another phenomena which can be visualized in a higher meditative state is NOTHINGNESS. This is neither a void, nor simple blackness, nor a vacuum. Blackness or empty space cannot be nothingness since they are THINGS themselves. Nothingness is the absence of everything. Filling the mind with nothingness is a highly effective way of clearing it of all mental perception. Some experiences are so subtle they can only be experienced when the mind is filled with the experience of nothingness. One of the supreme influences that the mind can detect while visualizing nothingness is the spiritual. In such a state the mind can be filled with that which comes from without. Indeed some areas of the minds are particularly receptive to the spiritual experience. Sometimes without warning a person can become awe-struck or exhilerated. Sometimes such an intense experience can have a profound effect on a person's entire life.
Just as beauty can be amplified. So can the sense of the spiritual. This higher mind state is the realm of the saints, prophets, and mystics. The senses are blocked out and all sensation both internal and external is ELIMINATED. The feeling of the divine is strengthened and the most profound and beautiful experiences any human being can have become ultimately attainable.Usually after much personal struggle.
Caution is necessary at this point. These powerful experiences can be so profound that the meditator may not want to return to a " normal " state of consciousness. one can become SWALLOWED up and something is needed to bring the airplane down safely once again. This is the chief role of the master or teacher in ALL universal meditation traditions. Many mystics take an oath to come back before enbarking on such spiritual flights. The Buddhist bodisattvah or the Jewish Zaddik are prime examples. But there are many from all schools and it is the firm belief of the author that these beings know each other and recognize each other. A strong internal discipline is absolutely necessary. If a meditator is in control of his or her actions and emotions in general he or she will also remain in control of his or her sense of " reality." Rather than negate his or her life. His or her meditative experiences will ENHANCE it. Thus adequate preparation is needed. It is not unlike climbing a mountain. Even for the experienced climber there is always an element of danger. A climber with limited experience would not think of climbing Mt. Everest without a giude. To do so would be to court disaster.
AMEN
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THAT ONE: Obama, Surf's UP.....
