Feb. 24, 2026
The Lack of Transcription or Bridges of Consciousness Prevents Awareness of the Waking Consciousness of Experiences of Deep Sleep and Other Alternative States of Awareness
reference: Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 5, Physical Consciousness — Subconscient — Sleep and Dream — Illness, pg. 102This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2026/02/22/the-lack-of-transcription-or-bridges-of-consciousness-prevents-awareness-of-the-waking-consciousness-of-experiences-of-deep-sleep-and-other-alternative-states-of-awareness/
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More information about Sri Aurobindo can be found at www.aurobindo.net
The US editions and links to e-book editions of SriAurobindo’s writings can be found at Lotus Press www.lotuspress.com
#Sri Aurobindo #yoga #integral yoga #spirituality #sleep #yoga nidra #samadhi
1
00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:03,960
Where does the consciousness go
when we are deep asleep?
2
00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:08,360
Numerous reports tell us that it
can go out to other planes or
3
00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:14,920
realms, or down into
subconscious levels, or up into
4
00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:19,600
superconscious levels.
When we awaken from sleep, we
5
00:00:19,600 --> 00:00:23,280
generally are unable to describe
what we did during sleep, or
6
00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:27,720
where we went or what happened
to us while we were asleep.
7
00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:31,720
There are other statuses of
consciousness into which an
8
00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:36,040
individual can enter and upon
returning to his waking
9
00:00:36,040 --> 00:00:39,080
consciousness which he cannot
describe.
10
00:00:40,040 --> 00:00:45,240
For example, certain hypnotic
states, trance states, certain
11
00:00:45,240 --> 00:00:49,000
states of coma, certain states
of physical trauma.
12
00:00:50,040 --> 00:00:53,200
Clearly, the consciousness
remains alive and the waking
13
00:00:53,200 --> 00:00:57,760
consciousness can and generally
is reinstated following these
14
00:00:57,760 --> 00:01:01,920
various states.
Assuming that the coma or trauma
15
00:01:01,920 --> 00:01:03,880
are not permanent or lead to
death.
16
00:01:05,400 --> 00:01:09,200
What they all seem to have in
common is that the consciousness
17
00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:13,520
departs temporarily from the
waking ego personality.
18
00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:18,640
In certain of these states, such
as in the trance known as
19
00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:22,560
samadhi, consciousness is aware
and concentrated.
20
00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:27,280
Yet when the individual shifts
from the trance to the waking
21
00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:32,520
state, as also in the transition
from deep sleep to waking, he
22
00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:36,960
does not generally remember.
Or if he does remember, he
23
00:01:36,960 --> 00:01:42,400
cannot adequately describe the
experiences as he does not have
24
00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:46,760
the words or the conceptual
framework to translate the
25
00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:50,480
experience of 1 realm or status
into another.
26
00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:55,760
In some cases, when he retains
some memory of the state he
27
00:01:55,760 --> 00:02:01,680
experienced, he is forced to use
imagery or poetic language to
28
00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:06,960
try to convey what happened.
In other cases, the experience
29
00:02:06,960 --> 00:02:10,560
was traumatic in some way that
causes him to block it out of
30
00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:15,880
his conscious awareness.
In yet other instances, he is
31
00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:20,120
given a message or teaching that
he is asked to disseminate.
32
00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:26,200
In her book Out on a Limb,
Shirley MacLaine recounted
33
00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:30,000
several experiences with
psychics who could channel other
34
00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:33,120
personalities while in a certain
type of trance state.
35
00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:36,880
They could not remember what
occurred during that state,
36
00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:42,120
while the channelled presence,
if it returned at a later period
37
00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:47,200
of time, had total recall of the
events of the prior occasion.
38
00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:52,840
An individual reported that
after doing some extensive
39
00:02:52,840 --> 00:02:56,720
chanting and deep meditation
practice, he entered another
40
00:02:56,720 --> 00:02:59,960
state of awareness which he
could not describe.
41
00:03:00,880 --> 00:03:05,440
He felt somehow that if he
continued and went any further
42
00:03:05,560 --> 00:03:09,320
he would dissolve.
He could not tell exactly what
43
00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:14,280
had happened or where he had
gone in his awareness, only that
44
00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:18,800
he experienced fear.
Reading later reports of others,
45
00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:23,160
he identified the status of the
ego awareness, recognizing that
46
00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:27,680
its dissolution was going to
occur if he kept going.
47
00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:32,480
It was not about physical death,
but ego death.
48
00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:37,560
Another aspect of the discussion
revolves around what are known
49
00:03:37,560 --> 00:03:42,920
as out of body experiences, near
death experiences or astral
50
00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:46,560
travel.
The individual in such instances
51
00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:49,880
generally returns with a quite
detailed remembrance of his
52
00:03:49,880 --> 00:03:54,840
experience and can recount it as
to what he saw, what he heard,
53
00:03:55,040 --> 00:03:57,600
what he felt, what he
experienced.
54
00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:02,320
Somehow in these cases, the
waking consciousness maintains a
55
00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:07,240
type of bridge to the
alternative awareness state,
56
00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:13,960
Triorobindo observes.
Quote the sleep you describe, in
57
00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:17,240
which there is a luminous
silence, or else the sleep in
58
00:04:17,240 --> 00:04:19,560
which there is ananda in the
cells.
59
00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:22,320
These are obviously the best
states.
60
00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:27,440
The other hours, those of which
you are unconscious, may be
61
00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:30,520
spells of a deep slumber in
which you have got out of the
62
00:04:30,520 --> 00:04:33,800
physical into the mental, vital
or other planes.
63
00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:39,160
You say you were unconscious,
but it may simply be that you do
64
00:04:39,160 --> 00:04:42,800
not remember what happened.
For in coming back there is a
65
00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:46,880
sort of turning over of the
consciousness, a transition or
66
00:04:46,880 --> 00:04:51,480
reversal in which everything
experienced in sleep except
67
00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:55,720
perhaps the last happening of
all, or else one that was very
68
00:04:55,720 --> 00:05:00,800
impressive, recedes from the
physical consciousness and all
69
00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:05,680
becomes as if a blank.
There is another blank state, a
70
00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:10,920
state of inertia, not only blank
but heavy and unremembering.
71
00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:14,880
But that is when one goes deeply
and crassly into the
72
00:05:14,880 --> 00:05:18,760
subconscious.
This subterranean plunge is very
73
00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:25,080
undesirable, obscuring,
lowering, often fatiguing rather
74
00:05:25,080 --> 00:05:28,440
than restful.
The reverse of the luminous
75
00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:33,080
silence.
End Quote reference.
76
00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:36,720
Srioro Vindo Bases of Yoga
Chapter 5.
77
00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:41,040
Physical Consciousness,
subconscious Sleep and Dream
78
00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:43,760
Illness.
Page One O 2.
00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:03,960
Where does the consciousness go
when we are deep asleep?
2
00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:08,360
Numerous reports tell us that it
can go out to other planes or
3
00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:14,920
realms, or down into
subconscious levels, or up into
4
00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:19,600
superconscious levels.
When we awaken from sleep, we
5
00:00:19,600 --> 00:00:23,280
generally are unable to describe
what we did during sleep, or
6
00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:27,720
where we went or what happened
to us while we were asleep.
7
00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:31,720
There are other statuses of
consciousness into which an
8
00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:36,040
individual can enter and upon
returning to his waking
9
00:00:36,040 --> 00:00:39,080
consciousness which he cannot
describe.
10
00:00:40,040 --> 00:00:45,240
For example, certain hypnotic
states, trance states, certain
11
00:00:45,240 --> 00:00:49,000
states of coma, certain states
of physical trauma.
12
00:00:50,040 --> 00:00:53,200
Clearly, the consciousness
remains alive and the waking
13
00:00:53,200 --> 00:00:57,760
consciousness can and generally
is reinstated following these
14
00:00:57,760 --> 00:01:01,920
various states.
Assuming that the coma or trauma
15
00:01:01,920 --> 00:01:03,880
are not permanent or lead to
death.
16
00:01:05,400 --> 00:01:09,200
What they all seem to have in
common is that the consciousness
17
00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:13,520
departs temporarily from the
waking ego personality.
18
00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:18,640
In certain of these states, such
as in the trance known as
19
00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:22,560
samadhi, consciousness is aware
and concentrated.
20
00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:27,280
Yet when the individual shifts
from the trance to the waking
21
00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:32,520
state, as also in the transition
from deep sleep to waking, he
22
00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:36,960
does not generally remember.
Or if he does remember, he
23
00:01:36,960 --> 00:01:42,400
cannot adequately describe the
experiences as he does not have
24
00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:46,760
the words or the conceptual
framework to translate the
25
00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:50,480
experience of 1 realm or status
into another.
26
00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:55,760
In some cases, when he retains
some memory of the state he
27
00:01:55,760 --> 00:02:01,680
experienced, he is forced to use
imagery or poetic language to
28
00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:06,960
try to convey what happened.
In other cases, the experience
29
00:02:06,960 --> 00:02:10,560
was traumatic in some way that
causes him to block it out of
30
00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:15,880
his conscious awareness.
In yet other instances, he is
31
00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:20,120
given a message or teaching that
he is asked to disseminate.
32
00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:26,200
In her book Out on a Limb,
Shirley MacLaine recounted
33
00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:30,000
several experiences with
psychics who could channel other
34
00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:33,120
personalities while in a certain
type of trance state.
35
00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:36,880
They could not remember what
occurred during that state,
36
00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:42,120
while the channelled presence,
if it returned at a later period
37
00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:47,200
of time, had total recall of the
events of the prior occasion.
38
00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:52,840
An individual reported that
after doing some extensive
39
00:02:52,840 --> 00:02:56,720
chanting and deep meditation
practice, he entered another
40
00:02:56,720 --> 00:02:59,960
state of awareness which he
could not describe.
41
00:03:00,880 --> 00:03:05,440
He felt somehow that if he
continued and went any further
42
00:03:05,560 --> 00:03:09,320
he would dissolve.
He could not tell exactly what
43
00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:14,280
had happened or where he had
gone in his awareness, only that
44
00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:18,800
he experienced fear.
Reading later reports of others,
45
00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:23,160
he identified the status of the
ego awareness, recognizing that
46
00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:27,680
its dissolution was going to
occur if he kept going.
47
00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:32,480
It was not about physical death,
but ego death.
48
00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:37,560
Another aspect of the discussion
revolves around what are known
49
00:03:37,560 --> 00:03:42,920
as out of body experiences, near
death experiences or astral
50
00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:46,560
travel.
The individual in such instances
51
00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:49,880
generally returns with a quite
detailed remembrance of his
52
00:03:49,880 --> 00:03:54,840
experience and can recount it as
to what he saw, what he heard,
53
00:03:55,040 --> 00:03:57,600
what he felt, what he
experienced.
54
00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:02,320
Somehow in these cases, the
waking consciousness maintains a
55
00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:07,240
type of bridge to the
alternative awareness state,
56
00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:13,960
Triorobindo observes.
Quote the sleep you describe, in
57
00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:17,240
which there is a luminous
silence, or else the sleep in
58
00:04:17,240 --> 00:04:19,560
which there is ananda in the
cells.
59
00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:22,320
These are obviously the best
states.
60
00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:27,440
The other hours, those of which
you are unconscious, may be
61
00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:30,520
spells of a deep slumber in
which you have got out of the
62
00:04:30,520 --> 00:04:33,800
physical into the mental, vital
or other planes.
63
00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:39,160
You say you were unconscious,
but it may simply be that you do
64
00:04:39,160 --> 00:04:42,800
not remember what happened.
For in coming back there is a
65
00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:46,880
sort of turning over of the
consciousness, a transition or
66
00:04:46,880 --> 00:04:51,480
reversal in which everything
experienced in sleep except
67
00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:55,720
perhaps the last happening of
all, or else one that was very
68
00:04:55,720 --> 00:05:00,800
impressive, recedes from the
physical consciousness and all
69
00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:05,680
becomes as if a blank.
There is another blank state, a
70
00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:10,920
state of inertia, not only blank
but heavy and unremembering.
71
00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:14,880
But that is when one goes deeply
and crassly into the
72
00:05:14,880 --> 00:05:18,760
subconscious.
This subterranean plunge is very
73
00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:25,080
undesirable, obscuring,
lowering, often fatiguing rather
74
00:05:25,080 --> 00:05:28,440
than restful.
The reverse of the luminous
75
00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:33,080
silence.
End Quote reference.
76
00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:36,720
Srioro Vindo Bases of Yoga
Chapter 5.
77
00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:41,040
Physical Consciousness,
subconscious Sleep and Dream
78
00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:43,760
Illness.
Page One O 2.
