A Glimpse Of Consciousness

In deep sleep, we assume a body called the causal body, kāraṇa śarīra. In turīya state, we experience boundarilessness, bodylessness. There we have pure 'I' consciousness, with 'I' but without thoughts.

Vivekananda says, 'If you experience even a single glimpse of this consciousness when you are alive, the same thing automatically repeats when you leave the body. You leave the body in samādhi.' All spiritual practices directly or indirectly aim at achieving this state where we exist with the awareness of 'I' , but without the consciousness of body and mind. That is why Kṛṣṇa says that if we experience at least one moment of consciousness beyond the body and mind, we can choose our next life in a relaxed way.

If we have not lived a single moment of our life without the feeling of being the body and mind, we cannot be without the body and mind once we die. So once we die, we immediately try to catch hold of another body.

Even a glimpse of consciousness, a moment of realization, a single moment of thoughtless awareness, when you live with the body and mind is enough. Actually, if you achieve one glimpse of thoughtless awareness, you achieve whatever has to be achieved in life.

Impress upon the students that if you experience even a single glimpse of this thoughtless awareness or pure consciousness when you are alive, the same thing automatically repeats when you leave the body and you do not take rebirth. GOALS: