Transition Points in Meditation

Posted on November 24, 2023 by George Boyd

Q: Are there discrete markers for mastery of meditation?

A: We can describe the initial transition states that mark the entrance into a new stage of meditation:

You are caught in the bubble of the Conscious mind and you have no awareness of anything outside of it.
You have your first awakening experience. You passively move your attention out of the Conscious mind, but this experience is not under your control. This occurs, for example, when you ingest a psychedelic drug, or you have a spontaneous astral projection experience.
You have an awakening experience that is under your control. You consciously collect your attention to achieve the state of mindfulness—you are fully present, aware, and inwardly alert. You become aware of your present time experience in the waking state of consciousness.
You first experience moving your attention along the thread of consciousness. You become aware of your experience at the focal points of the Conscious and Subconscious mind.
You have your first contact with your attentional principle. You awaken as your intentional consciousness.
You have your first contact with the Self at the core of the Metaconscious mind. You experience the activity of volition.
You have your first contact with your spirit. You activate your spirit’s love and devotion, and the conative principle that operates in the spirit, the wish.
You have your first conscious union with the Soul. You experience the operation of the transpersonal will.
You have your first experience of working on your personality with your attentional principle using a meditation technique.
You have your first experience of generating transformation at the level of the Soul and its associated vehicles of consciousness.
You have your first experience of making Light attunements with your attentional principle.
You have your first experience of being able to translate the Soul and lead the spirit into the channels of the Nada.

We can describe the steps of inner awakening:

Before people awaken, they are in stage (1). They are not aware of anything outside of the waking state of consciousness.

The Neophyte stage begins when people have an opening experience at stage (2). Those who do not retreat in terror when they have this experience move into the Aspirant or Seeker stage.

Many people have been introduced to stage (3), mindfulness, through popular magazines or yoga classes. They learn how to relax and collect their attention, and they become aware of their experience in the present time.

Stage (4) begins when you gain the ability to move your attention along the thread of consciousness and can contemplate the focal points of the Conscious mind—and later, the Subconscious mind. We teach this method in our Introduction to Meditation class.

Stages (5), (6), and (7), bring about awakening of the three immortal essences—attentional principle, spirit, and the Soul; (8) the Self, the integration center of the entire personality, and (9) confer the ability to do work on the personality and (10) in the Superconscious mind. We teach these techniques in our intermediate meditation classes, the in-person Mudrashram® Master Course in Meditation and the by-mail and online Accelerated Meditation Program.

We teach the technique to make attunements (11) in our Light Sittings, and in the Attunement Meditation workshop. Those who take Teacher Training One at the Form of the Disciple level of the Bridge Path learn to make many different attunements, both with the personality and also with the essences that dwell in the Superconscious mind.

Those that are empowered at the Mahatma stage of the Bridge Path gain the ability (12) to send the Light to translate the Soul and manifest the guide form to the attentional principle and the spirit. These abilities are gained when the advanced disciple takes Teacher Training Two.

We encourage you to become familiar with each of these transition points, and learn to master the proficiencies of each stage. Learning targeted meditations for stages (4) to (12) facilitates moving to the deeper states of contemplation beyond mindfulness—you are trained in these methods in our Introductory, Intermediate, and Advanced meditation classes.

Expanding Consciousness

Posted on October 27, 2023 by George Boyd

Q: People talk about expanding their consciousness. If consciousness operates in the brain, how is that possible? What the heck are they talking about?

A: There are several viewpoints on what expanding consciousness is. There are two major types of this change in perception that occurs when consciousness expands:

Attentional – This type is predicated upon the movement of attention and the concomitant opening of awareness.

Transformational – This type looks to the unfolding of the Soul and the changes that occur in its vehicles of consciousness: this is most pronounced in the brain center of the Soul’s essential vehicle.

In both types, there is a new perspective:

In the attentional type, your attention moves to a new place on the thread of consciousness and views from that standpoint.

In the transformational type, your ensouling entity moves, and it opens an area of the unconscious mind that was formerly behind the ensouling entity, and can now clearly view the contents of this reclaimed level of the Superconscious mind.

To bring about attentional expansion of consciousness, we teach Raja Yoga in our intermediate meditation classes—the in-person Mudrashram® Master Course in Meditation and the by-mail and online Accelerated Meditation Program. To generate transformational expansion of consciousness, we impart to you a transformational mantra in our intermediate meditation classes.

In the waking state of consciousness, which is the ground state of your attention, you witness the activity of your brain. Many people mistake this activity of consciousness that operates in the living brain as consciousness itself; those who meditate, however, learn to isolate the attention and discover this inner witness. This collection of your attention leads to the isolation of the “attentional sphere;” this is the state of witnessing mind—or as the Buddhists call it, mindfulness.

Revisiting the Three Threads

Posted on July 29, 2023 by George Boyd

There are three threads that connect with your deeper nature that you can access from your waking state of awareness. These are:

The thread of faith
The thread of consciousness
The thread of intuition

You access the thread of faith when you pray and you ask your Higher Self and the Divine for help. You access the thread of consciousness when you meditate and practice mindfulness. You access the cord of intuition when you ask your Higher Self for answers to your questions, and you seek guidance and direction for your life.

You can differentiate these three threads through several parameters:

Where your eyes are directed for each thread – Your eyes gaze down at the heart, your eyes gaze up at the point between the eyebrows, your eyes gaze up to the brain
What you are doing in each state – Prayer, contemplation, inner listening
What is motivating you in each state – Asking for help, cultivating awareness, reception of guidance
What is your mindset is in each state – Believing, experiencing, knowing
What is the outcome of cultivating this state – Faith, mindfulness, enlightenment
What initiates this state – Ego, attention, Soul
What is the emotion associated with this state – fear and need, aspiration and seeking, love
In what time frame does this state operate – present looking towards the future, experiencing the present moment, eternity

You can learn to utilize each of these aspects to support you in your time of need, to gain greater knowledge and insight, and to connect with your Soul. Depending on where you are in your life right now, one of these modes may predominate:

When you are in a state of struggle and need, the cord of faith will be most active.
When you are peaceful and contemplative, the cord of consciousness will activate.
When you are helping others, the cord of intuition will become engaged.

We encourage you to utilize the thread that is appropriate for your current situation to get the help and support you need, to explore the levels of awareness, and to share your Soul’s wisdom.

We train you in the rudiments of accessing the thread of consciousness and introduce you to the thread of intuition in our Introduction to Meditation Program; we go deeper into the exploration of these two threads in our intermediate meditation programs, the in-person Mudrashram® Master Course in Meditation and the by-mail and online Accelerated Meditation Program. We guide you into even deeper levels of these two threads in our Mudrashram® Advanced Course in Meditation. We invite you to study with us to learn to utilize these two threads.

Concerning the Three Threads

Posted on November 25, 2022 by George Boyd

Q: You speak of three threads that connect with the Superconscious mind. What are these threads? Can you explain how these threads function?

A: The three threads are the thread of faith, the thread of consciousness, and the thread of remembrance, also called the Antakarana.

The thread of faith connects you with the Self, the Soul and the form of God in the First Mesoteric Initiation. This is activated when you believe in your Self, your Soul, and God. This thread is associated with praying to God.

The thread of consciousness is the track on which attention travels in meditation. It passes through each level of the mind and every level of the Continuum. It runs through each vehicle of consciousness and through each active ensouling entity. The attentional principle and spirit can be accessed along this track. Raja Yoga meditation trains you to move your attention along this thread.

The thread of remembrance contains your insights, revelations, realizations, and inner experiences that you have had at each nodal point of the Path. When you open this track, you contemplate upon the knowledge and understanding that you have gained at each step of the Path. In response to your questions, this thread gives you answers. It can channel its knowledge through you via automatic writing, intuitive transmission, and inspired speech. Jnana Yoga meditation taps into this thread, and allows you to access its intuitive knowledge for each of its seven chords:

The first chord accesses the conscience. You activate this chord through introspection and values clarification.
The second chord opens into the intellect. You utilize this chord through study, using problem solving skills, conceptual thinking, and review and testing.
The third chord unlocks your worldview. You enter into this level through philosophical inquiry, journaling, and inner dialog.
The fourth chord channels your psychic guidance to inform your decisions and promotes finding meaning and understanding of your life experiences. You turn on this chord when you ask for guidance for your life, using Reflective Meditation.
The fifth chord taps into your Soul’s wisdom to gain insight into the meaning of ideas, symbols, and archetypes. You awaken this level when you reflect on the meaning of symbols and archetypes, scriptural passages, or evocative ideas, applying Reflective Meditation and contemplation.
The sixth chord brings remembrance of the true nature of the Soul. You commune with this chord when you use advanced Jnana Yoga practices that promote discernment, enlightenment, and Gnosis.
The seventh chord tracks across the unconscious mind. It connects you with the origin of your vehicles of consciousness, your spirit, and ensouling entity. You go through this thread when you practice advanced Jnana Yoga practices and consciously move through the unconscious band of the mind.

You learn to employ the thread of faith in religious groups, who train you how to pray and invoke the form of the Divine known in that tradition.

You can learn how to activate the thread of consciousness and the thread of remembrance in our intermediate meditation classes—the in-person Mudrashram® Master Course in Meditation and the by-mail and online Accelerated Meditation Program.

Eight Meditation Themes

Posted on September 2, 2022 by George Boyd

Q: People meditate, but they don’t appear to have a similar experience. Can you shed some light on why this might happen?

A: Depending on what pathway you are focusing your attention, it evokes different content from the Higher Mind. Here are eight major meditation themes you might encounter:

Direction – In this theme, you receive guidance for action. This comes from the Soul communicating its purpose to the personality. In advanced disciples and Initiates, they may receive the impress of the Divine Will (Agya). This is associated with the First Ray, which taps into the Will Stream.
Visualization – In this type, you obtain an image or seed thought upon which you contemplate. This might appear as an image that will help you focus your attention on a spiritual essence—attentional principle, spirit, nucleus of identity, or ensouling entity. Sometimes, this might employ revealing a mystery that veils a spiritual essence. This Second Ray meditation theme draws from the Intuitive Wisdom Stream.
The Wellspring of Love – This type opens into the virtue, unconditional love, and compassion of the Soul. It is associated with Agni Yoga, which sends healing attunements, and Nada Yoga, in which the spirit travels back upon the tracks of the Nada and unites with the Divine Beloved through love. Loving kindness meditation and meditations that enhance virtue and improve character also access this pathway. This alternative Second Ray meditation draws from the Love Stream.
Inspired Discourse – This explains spiritual ideas to promote insight and understanding. It may also act as a voice over in guided meditation, which leads attention into union with a selected spiritual essence. This Third Ray pathway channels the Vocal Stream.
Experience – This views the present time unfolding of life at different levels, and becomes fully aware of the content of the mind, wherever attention is focused. Mindfulness and Vipassana enters this track, and allows you to be aware of your present time experience; Raja Yoga moves attention along this inner corridor through the levels of the mind and lets you become aware of the content at each focal point. This Fourth Ray immersion in experience leads your attention upon the Thread of Consciousness.
Analysis – This carefully studies spiritual forms or vehicles of consciousness to reveal their structure and function. It identifies the major landmarks and content of the Continuum of Consciousness through the four bands of the mind. The Mudrashram® Correspondence Course utilizes this approach. This Fifth Ray path of study contemplates Form and Structure.
Invocation – This calls upon a spiritual being—an angel, a spiritual guide, a god or goddess, or a form of the Divine—to fulfill a fervent desire, to ensure success in an endeavor, or to receive Grace, Blessings, or Divine Comfort. This Sixth Ray aspiration activates the Thread of Faith.
Synthesis – This ties together disparate insights or revelations to create comprehensive understanding: it constructs a global picture that places each idea or insight into an ordered context. This Seventh Ray perspective draws upon the Intuitive Thread (Antakarana).

These eight different meditation approaches evoke different aspects of the Higher Mind. Different systems of philosophy and meditation emphasize one of these pathways:

The Will Stream is prominent among Karma Yogis, who seek to know the Divine Will and enact it.
The Intuitive Wisdom Stream uses evocative images, spiritual ideas (seed thoughts), metaphors, parables, and stories to spark meditation and inspire contemplation. Many religions and spiritual groups embed parables and stories in their scriptures and their commentaries to provide guidance and inspiration.
The Love Stream taps the healing love of the Divine to awaken the heart. Nada Yogis immerse their spirit into the river of the inner light and sound, and travel back to their Divine Beloved. Agni Yogis taps this everlasting fount of love to minister the Light to others. This immersion in Light awakens the love and devotion of the spiritual heart.
The Vocal Stream gives rise to satsang or preaching. It directly communicates spiritual revelations to teach and guide others.
The Thread of Consciousness is the native track of the attention, and enables the meditator to experience each level of the mind directly. Vipassana and Raja Yoga practitioners interiorize along this pathway.
Contemplation of Form and Structure enables exact knowledge of the forms through which the immortal essences of consciousness—attentional principle, spirit, and ensouling entity—operate. It facilitates the construction of maps of consciousness for each of the levels of the mind. This enhances discernment: it helps you know exactly where you are in meditation.
Awakening the Thread of Faith allows you to remember and commune with selected spiritual beings. Most established religions emphasize this pathway, and adopt some form of prayer and worship to connect with the spiritual source that they invoke. Bhakti Yoga practitioners commonly adopt this approach to worship God and dedicate their lives to serve the Divine.
Contemplation of the Intuitive Thread leads to Enlightenment and Gnosis. The Soul reveals its essential nature and accesses the layers of insights and discoveries it has experienced along its inner journey of spiritual evolution. Jnana Yogis gravitate to this track.

We recommend that aspirants and disciples learn to access each of these eight themes. They can use these pathways to:

Get direction
Receive ideas for contemplation
Become immersed in healing love
Tap into spoken words of guidance
Directly experience the levels of the mind
Study the levels of the mind and the Continuum of Consciousness
Call upon the Divine for succor and support
Achieve a complete understanding of their station on the Path and realize their Soul

We teach ways to access approaches (2), (3), (5), (6), and (8) in our intermediate meditation courses, the in-person Mudrashram® Master Course in Meditation and the by-mail and online Accelerated Meditation Program. We introduce you to approach (1) and go deeper into approach (8) in our Mudrashram® Advanced Course in Meditation. We invite you to study with us to learn to connect with these different meditation themes.