Tattva Bodha - Post 19

DREAM STATE

Jaagrat avasthaayaam, yad drishtam, yad shrutam,

tat janita vaasanayaa

nidraa samaye yah prapanchah prateeyate

saa svapna avasthaa

Sookshma shareera abhimaanee aatmaa “Taijasa” iti uchyate.

In the waking state, whatever is seen or heard,

from the impressions formed from that,

that world which, at the time of sleep, is projected –

that is the dream state.

Identifying Itself with the subtle body, the Self is called “TAIJASA” in this state.

Svapna Avastha – Dream State 

This is also called the Dream State of experience. In Sanskrit it is called Svapna Avastha. And with regard to Svapna Avastha also, we have to see the three factors. 

Mind

During Svapna or dream, our memory faculty alone is functioning. Whatever experiences we have been gathering in the Jagrat Avastha, they all get registered in the memory-slab of the mind. 

Whatever emotions we experience in dream, are not freshly received emotions but are only replaying the recorded emotions experienced in our waking state. 

Therefore, in dream state, everything that happens in dream is only from memory and hence, the other faculties are not functioning: 

- The Manaha or emotional faculty for gathering fresh emotions 

- Rational faculty does not function 

- Ego faculty does not function. Even the ego experienced in the dream is the memory based ego and the fresh ego is not functioning. 

Nature

In dream, we experience a world which is internal. Because this world is generated out of my own personal private memory and therefore it is not something existing outside, there is no connection between the dream objects that I have and the surroundings that I have. I may be sleeping in a place but my dreams may be connected to another place. 

In dream, the world available for me is not accessible to other people. This is a subjective universe. 

Sometimes we may get a doubt – 'Sometimes I experience a rare dream that I have not experienced in the waking state'. If you say so, there are only a few possibilities: 

- One is, you create a new dream by combining various things experienced in the Jagrat Avastha. New objects cannot be created. This is because objects are memory-based or thought-based, and thought being highly fluid the objects are highly fluid in Svapna Avastha. Therefore, since they all get jumbled up, we get mixed dreams. 

- Sometimes whatever we imagine in the Jagrat Avastha, they get registered and they can be thrown out. Whatever is fantasized or imagined or read in books or seen in movies leading to imagination, they all can come in Svapna. 

- Sometimes even if I have not experienced in this Janma, the experience of the previous Janma also can come. 

Three aspects of the second level: There are three aspects of the second level of reality: 

1) the Dreaming state of consciousness, 

2) the Unconscious state of mind, and 

3) the Subtle realm of manifestation.

These three are all operating at the same level of reality or existence. 

The Dreaming state of consciousness: The second of the three states of consciousness is the state where the Unconscious mind is most active. The Conscious mind has receded and awareness is directed toward the seemingly endless stream of images and impressions of the Unconscious or the Subtle realm. 

The conscious control of attention available in the Waking state is less available here, where attention is easily drawn into the streams of images and impressions flowing in the Unconscious field of mind, or coming from the Subtle realm. 

The Unconscious aspect of mind: The second of the three states of mind is the Dreaming state, where one is aware of objects from the internal stream of thought patterns or the images and objects of the Subtle world. The Conscious aspect of mind has receded while the Subconscious is providing a constant flow of impressions to feed into the Dream process. 

The Subtle realm of manifestation: The second of the three stages of manifestation is the Subtle realm. Its endless stream of alluring or fearful objects is the focus of attention for the Unconscious mind, used in the Dreaming state. 

Swami Sivananda roars,

"Learn to be the witness of your thoughts in the waking state. You can be conscious in the dream state that you are dreaming. 

You can alter, stop or create your own thoughts in the dream state independently. You will be able to keep awake in the dream state. If the thoughts of the waking state are controlled, you can control the dream thoughts also.

You dream that you are a king. You enjoy various kinds of royal pleasures. As soon as you wake up, everything vanishes. But you do not feel for the loss, because you know that the dream creatures are all false. 

Do not allow the mind to run into the sensual grooves. Fortify yourself by developing the intellect through enquiry of Brahman, reflection and contemplation. 

When you know the real Tattva, Brahman, the waking consciousness also will become quite false like a dream. Even in the waking consciousness if you are well established in the idea that the world is a false illusion, you will not get any pain.

Wake up and realize, my child!"

Love.