Observations placeholder
Yoga Sutras of Patanjali - Book IV - 04. States of Consciousness
Identifier
008312
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
The Sutra is shown as a heading, the comment underneath is by the translator, in this case, Charles Johnston, [1912]. I have included the comment simply because it provides an interesting perspective on the sutra.
A description of the experience
4. Vestures of consciousness are built up in conformity with the feeling of selfhood.
The Self, says a great Teacher, in turn attributes itself to three vestures: first, to the physical body, then to the finer body, and thirdly to the causal body. Finally it stands forth radiant, luminous, joyous, as the Self.
When the Self attributes itself to the physical body, there arise the states of bodily consciousness, built up about the physical self.
When the Self, breaking through this first illusion, begins to see and feel itself in the finer body, to find selfhood there, then the states of consciousness of the finer body come into being; or, to speak exactly, the finer body and its states of consciousness arise and grow together.
But the Self must not dwell permanently there. It must learn to find itself in the causal body, to build up the wide and luminous fields of consciousness that belong to that.
Nor must it dwell forever there, for there remains the fourth state, the divine, with its own splendour and everlastingness.
It is all a question of the states of consciousness; all a question of raising the sense of selfhood, until it dwells forever in the Eternal.