Pure bliss consciousness and awareness are just some terms used to describe the fourth state of consciousness. These are the terms Maharishi Mahesh Yogi uses to help us understand this unique partition of awareness.
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (1) is one of this century’s most influential figures. He helped to make meditation an acceptable practice. His popularity increased when The Beatles endorsed him in 1967. His primary goal was introducing the Transcendental Meditation (TM) (2) technique to the West.
The Fourth State of Consciousness
People often ask if this is a separate state of awareness. Yes, it is! This partition has a unique set of physiological attributes which differs from the marks of our three default states: waking, dreaming, and sleeping.
These markers include increased coherence of the brainwave pattern and brain frequency operation in the theta-wave area around 4 to 7 Hz. Heart rate and respiration are lower than the normal sleep range and have higher skin resistance. These markers indicate lower levels of stress. These attributes prove the 4th state is a separate state of consciousness.
Researchers measured heart rate, oxygen consumption, skin resistance, and brainwave activity before, during, and after meditation. They found positive changes in these physiological measures and stayed with the meditator after meditating. Those who have been meditating for more than a year showed these metabolic changes lasted up to an hour after meditating. It indicates mediating reduces the harmful effects of stress.
Teachers from Maharishi, David Lynch (3), Wayne Dyer, to Joseph Campbell discuss how this partition underlies all other states.
“Absolute bliss consciousness belongs to the depths of everyone’s heart.” — Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
“I have been traveling around these years, from one college campus to another, and everywhere the first question asked me is, under what sign were you born? The mysteries of the Tarot pack, the I Ching, and Transcendental Meditation . . . Well, all this is just the beginning, the first signaling of a dawning realization of the immanence of the occult, and of this as something important for our living.” — Joseph Campbell, The Mythic Dimension: Selected Essays, 1959–1987
“Transcendental meditation is like a car, a vehicle that allows you to go within. It’s a mental technique. You are given a mantra – the mantra that Maharishi gives is very specific, and you start to dive into subtler levels of mind, subtler levels of intellect. You transcend the whole show into pure bliss consciousness. From your first meditation, you say, Whoa! It’s a unique experience, but a familiar experience.” — David Lynch
“Meditate. I practice Transcendental Meditation and believe that it has enhanced my open-mindedness, higher-level perspective, equanimity, and creativity. It helps slow things down so that I can act calmly, even in the face of chaos, just like a ninja in a street fight. I’m not saying that you have to meditate in order to develop this perspective; I’m just passing along that it has helped me and many other people, and I recommend that you seriously consider exploring it.” ― Ray Dalio, Principles: Life and Work
“Transcendental Meditation has been practiced for stress relief, mindfulness, relaxing of the mind, and the development of self. Many use Transcendental Meditation to connect with themselves in a way that they can only do through meditation.” ― William E. Joyce, Transcendental Meditation: Hollywood’s Path Towards Happiness, Contentment, and Tranquility
Pure Bliss Consciousness or Bliss Awareness
Both awareness and consciousness describe the same partition. It’s the first separate state of awareness above the default waking, sleeping, and dreaming settings. Regular practice of this state prepares the mind for other advanced techniques. One must be grounded in the fourth state of consciousness to reach these other higher states.
There are many ways to describe this partition of awareness. It is referred to as the fourth state, pure consciousness, pure bliss consciousness, or bliss awareness.
Researchers at the David Lynch Foundation (4) have done multiple studies on the positive effects of meditation techniques like TM. They have conducted a variety of studies looking at everything from high school graduation rates to learning disorders and professional burnout. These studies indicate that using meditation techniques like TM and Japa is one way to improve a vast array of personal and social issues. Research like this shows how consciousness is like a rainbow with many colors.
“The white light flowing from the projector is a metaphor of consciousness. In the awake state, the physical world acts as a roll of film, creating patterns in the light. Your consciousness is filtered by the physical world and you are therefore aware of your surroundings. In the dream state, the role of film is provided by whatever memories or experiences generate your dreams—an interesting topic in its own right, but not relevant here. In both cases, consciousness manifests the objects that are filtered from it—the images on the film in the analogy.
In the case of deep sleep, the plug has been pulled on the projector; there is no white light. Russell argues that the fourth state of consciousness is that of the pure white light itself, not filtered or affected in any way by the objects of consciousness. This pure self-awareness is your ultimate consciousness. It is reported to be a state of peace and bliss—an awareness that the pure consciousness experienced is but a concentration point within a single universal consciousness.”― Bernard Haisch, The God Theory: Universes, Zero-Point Fields, and What’s Behind It All
So this state is an essential building block for spiritual development. So, how do you reach this partition of awareness?
There is a simple universal process for reaching this state of consciousness. We know the generic version of this form as Japa Meditation. This technique comes from the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. So, this process has a rich tradition. Many authorities regard this technique as the centerpiece of the eight limbs of Yoga. Thus, this simple, powerful technique is a building block for consciousness exploration.
Transcendental Meditation (TM) is the worldwide trademark of the TM movement created by Maharishi (2)(3). The generic name for this process is Japa Meditation.
Entering The Fourth State of Consciousness
The best way to reach this state is using Japa meditation or Transcendental Meditation (TM). They are both the same process that uses a Sanskrit Mantra. A Mantra is a vibrational tool enabling us to transcend thought and enter the 4th state of consciousness. You’ll find it at the core of many forms of meditation. In this process, we use a Mantra to travel to the source of our thoughts. This source is the transcendent, pure bliss consciousness.
“Simplicity is everywhere in nature, and meditation is a natural state. Meditation is a state of peaceful equilibrium, the fourth state of consciousness, and is always available to every single human being.” ― Gudjon Bergmann, Baby Steps to Meditation: A Step-by-Step Guide to Meditation
“Om is said to be a four-syllable word in Sanskrit, originally as AUM. A is the waking state. U, the dream state. M, the unconscious state. And the fourth, the silence that surrounds it—wherefrom everything arises and whereto everything inevitably returns. It is the silence that surrounds om that contains everything. It is the silence in your own life that contains and gives birth to everything you have and everything you will ever need. It is this same silence we avoid, overlook, and disregard as nothing. The white space of life we abhor. We fill our lives with noise, drama, screens, people, and stuff to avoid the void that reminds us of our truth—that beyond flesh that once was not, and will inescapably become not, we are eternal.” ― Drew Gerald
Learning Japa (TM) is easy. However, you can’t learn this process from an audiotape. The teacher needs to select a mantra specifically for you. You need to give and receive feedback during the learning process. Many students reach this state of bliss awareness the first time they meditate using this process.
If you are learning the Japa form of the technique, be sure the instruction includes three phases:
- pre-learning preparation/theory, proper use of the Mantra
- personal instruction throughout the learning process
- post-learning follow-up meetings
Last, if you can’t find someone qualified to teach Japa, contact the Transcendental Meditation Center near you. They are more expensive because they provide quality instruction in this technique. Both processes are identical. The only difference is the cost. The generic always costs less but may not be available everywhere.
Benefits of Bliss Awareness
What are the benefits? Most noteworthy, while in this state, the body experiences a profound rest while the mind is alert. This state of restful alertness is one of the unique attributes and benefits. It reduces stress, which can reduce or eliminate the need for medication. It is one of the main building blocks of the eight limbs of Yoga.
Many scholars like Joseph Campbell endorse this technique. It is a safe and effective way to explore consciousness. This state is also a building block for more advanced techniques of spiritual exploration, like the Siddhis of Patanjali. Here, the Japa technique is the platform for its Sutras.
In Conclusion
The point is we want you to learn Japa or TM. Either method is simple to learn, and you’ll be glad you did. It is a life-changing technology. Once you know the technique, it is yours forever. That’s a worthwhile investment.
References
(1) Maharishi Mahesh Yogi:
(2) Transcendental Meditation:
(3) David Lynch:
(4) David Lynch Foundation: