Few days back, I visited my friend’s Clinic who is a Neurologist and his wife is also a Neuro doctor. A neuro related clinic and true to my expectation, there were Doc Talks going on with big words like Brain, Intelligence, Memory, Mind, Neurons, Coma, Anesthesia  and my favorite of all “The Consciousness”. I felt like a sheep amid wolves. But I was all ears, for the constant use of the word consciousness.

After a while of discussion, the couple eyed toward me as to what my thoughts were in context to this.  Now for me biology and medical science is something I am very much in-cognizant of. The only way i knew anything about biology was through my experience or logic or scriptures here and there.

When i need to describe my views in English it becomes really tough at times. English language is very good to describe and define external things. But when it comes to defining the dimensions of internal aspects or the depth of who we are; it becomes very limited.  So when the word consciousness was used in the above conversation; I took it as Jaagruti or ‘State of Awakeness’ or ‘Wakefulness’. Now for me wakefulness is not consciousness. It’s simply a state of the body, mind and the bio energy within us.

Lets understand a bit first.

I believe the importance of the brain developed during Pre-Renaissance in Europe before which no one was allowed to think but just followed laws. And during this era when some liberty was given to think little freely, it looked like absolute liberation for the people. And this hangover still remained in the education system or other fundamental sciences too. Whereas according to scriptures of Vedic Sciences, there is no attached significance or consequences to thoughts.

That’s why in India, when someone thinks or talks something, most of the times we don’t listen or bother to listen. We just feel the thoughts, without attachments. Let me tell u very bluntly a thought is recycling of the data that we are already having or gathered in the form of memory. Thus no thought is absolutely fresh.

Now let me explain my concept of consciousness.

Jaagruti

Now, there is a difference between Consciousness and Wakefulness. Jaagruti means you are awake. Lets say 10 people go to sleep. Not all 10 will be awake at the same time. Even though they are awake the same time, not all of them will be equally awake. Some will be awake instantly while others may take a few minutes or hours. Different levels of wakefulness. This is not consciousness, this is ‘Jaagruti’.

Swapna

The next dimension of consciousness could be ‘Swapna’ or the State of ‘Dreams’. The Dream state can be far more vivid for different people than the Jaagruti state. Its like going to a cinema. The key factor of the impact of any film is cause of turning off the lights. If we don’t turn off the lights , the movie would not be good no matter how well it is made or who is acting or who has made it. Hence Turning off the light is important. Once the lights are off you are a part of the cinema. And you realize the film is over only when the lights are on.

Exactly this turning off the lights resembles closing of eyelids. The world is off. Now we are into our own world. So the Dream state is like the cinema, its far more impactful. People love their cinema stars more than the people they have lived with together for 25 years. They may not have seen their heroes; they just saw a play of sounds and lights. But that’s the impact the state of Dreams makes. Jaagruti is important to carry out action. But the state of Swapna is more closer to consciousness.

Sushupti

Then comes the next dimension which is ‘Sushupti’ or ‘Sadhana’ or a dreamless sleep state. There is no dream, there are no thoughts, and there is no cinema. You close the eyelids. You are mentally and physically asleep but your conscious is still awake. Your memory and intelligence are still working and awake. Let me explain you this way. Brain in Neuro sciences is the most important factor. But it isn’t very significant in other sciences. I observe intelligence is right across the body and the system.

I believe the combination of memory and intelligence is considered as mind. If this is true, then the cells in our body overall carry much more memory then our entire brain can carry. These cells in the body remember what was the past even a century ago. Something like the skin tone of your forefather without any confusion. So the DNA and cell’s memory are carrying capacity in immense.

Also if you try and understand the chemical dimension or the intelligence carried in each cell, it’s far more complex to figure out using your entire brain. Like we don’t think how to circulate blood to one hand and not to other or different way to digest junk food and healthy food or learn how to breathe. All the systems carry their own intelligence to carry the function out.

Thus Sushupti is conscious sleeping. Where your intelligent is not only focused on external thing like in Jaagruti nor is it inwardly focused like in Swapna state, but its travelling all along.

Turiya

And then we have ‘Turiya’, or what is called ‘The complete consciousness.’ This is awakening, meditation, being Conscious, transcendental, and in control of your intelligence and memory for the entire bodily system. Also referred to as “The Enlightened State of Mind.” So the body is awake mentally and physically without thoughts or dreams and intelligence travelling for externally and internally simultaneously.

Consciousness is the most common word used by many in day to day life with a thought of simple meaning but it has vivid dimensions and expressions. What are your definitions of the often used word what we call as ‘The Consciousness?‘