Tuesday, February 2, 2010

On sleep

The consciousness in the night almost always descends below the level of what one has gained by sadhana in the waking consciousness, unless there are special experiences of an uplifting character in the sleep or unless the yogic consciousness acquired is so strong in the physical itself as to counteract the pull of the subconscient inertia. In ordinary sleep the consciosness in the body is that of the subconscient physical, which is a diminished consciousness, not awake and alive like the rest of the being. The rest of the being stands back and part of its consciousness goes out into other planes and regions and has experiences which are recorded in dreams such as that you have related. You say you go to very bad places and have experiences like the one you narrate; but that is not a sign, necessarily, of anything wrong in you. It merely means that you go into the vital world, as everybody does, and the vital world is full of such places and such experiences. What you have to do is not so much to avoid at all going there, for it cannot be avoided altogether, but to go with full protection until you get mastery in these regions of supraphysical Nature. That is one reason why you should remember the Mother and open to the Force before sleeping; for the more you get that habit and do it successfully, the more the protection will be with you.
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The gap made by the night and waking with the ordinary consciousness is the case with everybody almost ( of course, the "ordinary " consciousness differs according to the progress); but it is no use wanting to be conscious in sleep; you have to get the habit of getting back the thread of the progress as soon as may be and for that there must be some concentration after rising.
You need not meditate at once (after waking in the morning)- but for a few moments take a concentrated attitude calling the Mother's presence for the day.
At night, you have to pass into sleep in the concentration- you must be able to concentrate with the eyes closed, lying down and the concentration must deepen into sleep--that is the say, sleep must become a concentrated going inside away from the outer waking state. If you find it necessary to sit for a time you may do so, but after wards lie down keeping the concentration till this happens.

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