Shuddhaanandaa BrahmachariTill one realizes the purity of Mind one quite naturally gets confused between mind and soul. The single purpose of all religions or spiritual traditions of the world is to purify the mind and body. Once the mind and body are purged of all their dross through meditation, like a dusted mirror reflects perfectly, so the mind cleansed and purified through spiritual
practices reflects the Oneness of all that is.
The mind has its levels of conscious, unconscious and subconscious, but the mind also has its subtlest level of Super Consciousness. The mind has its individual level and also its universal or cosmic
level, which is called universal mind or cosmic mind. The difference between the individual mind and Cosmic Mind is the individual mind is deluded and mostly conditioned, full of judgments and confusions. But as the individual mind is polished and trained over a period of time in the art of mindfulness, or continual awareness, and purified through surrender
and devotion to the Universal Self, the mind starts to de-condition itself and return to its most natural intrinsic purity which is one with the Cosmos, the Self or the Soul.
When the individual (mind) dissolves in the Cosmic Mind, it is no longer the mind we are talking about. It is a state of Supreme Consciousness.
It is this calm and friendly mind that is the true refuge and the reservoir of infinite power and potentials. We are using a fraction of our mind power. But when we tune into the right channel, we can access the Cosmic Mind in all its purity and light. As we pause, pray, fill our self with gratitude for the infinite gifts from Universe, and meditate upon the light that shines in our heart, the mind is purified, silence descends and we are in tune with the cosmic intelligence. Peace and joy surrounds us. We become a moving light.
As a sincere practitioner of meditation or devotional worship we pass through phases of inner cleansing. The mind that to begin with appeared to be chaotic and chattering gradually calms down, and in that calmness, the moment expands and gives the practitioner or yogi a glimpse of the luminous world within. The soundless sound of Omkara or other celestial sounds and lights enchant the mind to dip into inner bliss or ananda and that is the beginning of the world of samadhi.
As the yogi or seeker consistently perseveres through the awareness of the inner it becomes more and more natural and spontaneous. We have more of this samadhi state when the mind is absorbed in the essence of Mind itself. The Guru awakens within. The light of the Spirit permeates the inner and the outer world as the yogi comes out of the state of samadhi. The world outside is no longer a bondage of desires and cravings, but is the reflection of the inner state of calm and beauty. The world then appears to be the manifestation of Shakti in its infinite forms and names. Both the inner and outer naturally merges at this stage, giving the yogi the highest state of Sahaj Samadhi, the continual state of God consciousness.
