A Yoga master once said, “The human mind is as restless as a monkey, drunk with the wine of desire, running blindly from one sense pleasure to the next. Stung with scorpions of jealousy, greed, and pride, it lashes out with furious hatred. So the greatest conquerers on earth are those who have conquered their own minds.”

How can one calm the turbulent waves of the conscious and subconscious minds, and attain the indescribable peace and bliss of the super-conscious state?

Yogis have divided the levels of the mind into five layers, or kosas between the body and mind. In each layer there is a more joyful and expanded awareness; the higher layers contain vast reservoirs of energy and knowledge.

The goal of yoga and of life itself is to elevate the mind through these five layers until one achieves, or becomes aware of, the infinite, blissful Self within.

To begin to reach this state of consciousness, one must use the physical body and practice yoga positions.

Beyond all the layers of each individual’s mind is the realm of spirit or infinite consciousness, the pure Self within. In the state of perfect peace, beyond all conflicts and contradictions of the lower mind dissolve. When one attains this state, even for a moment, one’s entire existence is flooded with inexpressible joy.

People in the Western world sometimes do not realize their innermost self. They experience only the lower two layers of the mind- the conscious and subconscious. However, some individuals penetrate through these levels and touch for a moment the subtler, all-knowing super-conscious mind. Thus, meditation begins with the subconscious mind.

Meditation is a way to know oneself, to understand the meaning of life, and to be free from the material desires of power, wealth, possessions, and fame.

Generally, everyone wants infinite happiness, but achieving that state can be challenging. The physical world is sometimes limiting, but through meditation, one can achieve happiness and peace of mind. That can be done through the pineal glands, which is a master gland secreting melotonin and serotonin.

If one practices meditation regularly by focusing totally on oneself, one can achieve true spirituality and the spirit of giving to others.

This article was originally published in Richland Chronicle