Okay, through exploration described so far, and with additional thought, these states of mind emerge:
1. Occupied
While doing work, solving a problem, or creating.
2. Emotional
While feeling an emotion. Perception of the world and subsequent action are colored by this emotion.
3. Peaceful
While feeling blissful and contented
4. Connected
While feeling in touch with Nature's mystery, immensity and order
5. One with the Divine
Where the self no longer is separate from Nature
Now, several questions arise:
1) Is this a useful breakdown of states?
A. We shall see
2) Are these states discernible, and repeatable?
A. This is a question each reader will have to answer for herself or himself. Personally speaking, these states are discernible. Are they repeatable - yes, except for 5, which, I have only felt once.
3) Are these all encompassing? Do these states cover all of human consciousness?
A. These states are broad enough, that I think they do, even though that's a bit presumptuous. Are there states of mind that don't fall into the above? Would love to hear.
Next, this leads to a bunch of research, primarily concerning states 4 and 5:
a) How do these states mesh with formally defined states in psychology?
b) Can state 5 be repeated?
c) What do explorers who have gone before us say?
This, dear reader, is what I will be working on. Please forgive a pause, if there is one, in blogging. Hopefully, this research will not take a life time!
Love and well wishes,
- Jyotishmatee
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Good blog. There are three specific states according to Vedant. Dream, waking and deep sleep. The emotions and feelings you described are primarily in the waking state. For instance I can be in total bliss and be occupied.
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree. I had meant to specify that the states above are only waking states, and that sleep is also a state (and is comprised of several states). Also agree that there are combinations of the above states. But for now, I am focusing only on waking states, and primarily on 4 and 5.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for your comment.
Love and well wishes,
- Jyotishmatee
Nicely done. I tend to agree with the above (waking states). I find the list to be in a helpful order as well. I think 4 and 5 are not attainable, though, without paying attention to the others. Let me explain.. To arrive at a connection with the Divine, I personally have only been able to accomplish this in nature in special places where there are NO human sights or sounds for periods of time. (the occasional airplane flying overhead is difficult to get away from in the contiguous 48 states of this country). So, once I am in this location in nature, then I ensure I have released all emotional reactions to the past or present, and begin to think of nothing but observing my surroundings with all of my senses. Then a peaceful feeling begins to emerge as I become one with the universe. It is as if nature is flowing around and through me. A profound feeling of connectedness begins and can continue for some time. It is hard to attain and hold this state this since we have a tendency to try to figure everything out and I have found myself observing things and starting to wonder "where is that squirrel going? Perhaps he has a family? Maybe I should get back to my family? How late is it anyway? What am I having for dinner? And so on and then you have lost the feeling. Nature only presents itself to us when we are not busy. thanks RB
ReplyDeleteRB, thank you for your beautiful comment. I too have found it easier to get into state 4. when quiet, in nature, and significantly easier to do so in remote places of beauty. A night in Hawaii, sitting alone at the edge of a rain forest, looking across a lava field, with a sky full of stars comes to mind.
ReplyDeleteI wonder what it would be like on the moon :)
I wonder why we cannot hold that one-ness for very long....
Thank you also for explaining the states you went through.
Love and well wishes,
- Jyotishmatee