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In my last blog, I wrote about the relationship between ‘pure’ consciousness and mind and the methods (reflection and limitation based) to understand this relationship. In this blog, I further explore the mind or mental activities that this the cause for experience also called reflected consciousness.

My moment to moment life experience happens in the light of consciousness. Its not ‘my’ consciousness that is limited by my own thoughts, but it is pure consciousness that is omniscient and all pervasive that exist before death, during life and after death, that which also exists in my waking, dream and dreamless state. In sanskrit, pure consciousness is called sakshi chaitanya or witness consciousness that illumines all the activities of my mind. When there is illumination, there must be reflection that causes my varied emotional states. Cessation of activities of my mind means that there is no reflection or experience and consciousness can see itself.

So when there is nothing to experience due to the cessation of the activities of my mind, the experiencer also cease to exist. At the end of the day, the experiencer is also the part of my mind. Experiencer becomes the experienced. This state of being of awareness of pure consciousness is called sat-chit-ananda in sanskrit.

However, it is certainly a herculean undertaking to cease the mental activities that is a combination of mind (that which notices), intellect (that which reasons), ego (that which attaches ‘I’ ness to all objects) and memory (stored knowledge and experiences) . In sanskrit, this combination of mind, intellect, ego and memory is called antahkarana (inner instruments). Anthakarana feed on constant stream of thoughts for its existence. And thoughts are created through outer senses of sight, speech, smell sound and touch and experiences stored in my memory.

So how does this anthakarana operate ? When the mind sees an object, it takes the form of that object, then intellect with the help of memory determines the object, then ego attaches itself to that object causing attachment and identification. Ego or ahankara is a function of the anthakarana that identifies with the objects of mental activities that can include possessions, title, relationships, feelings, body and so on.

Ego’s tendency to attach itself with the mental activities is due to the power of projection which i hold, called vikshepa shakti. As long as i project objects on my mental screen and my ego identifies itself with the object thinking it is real. Mistaking a hanging rope for a snake in a dark alley is a classic example of vikshepa shakti.

Would like to end this blog with the famous quote from sage Pathanjali “Yogah Chitta Vritti Nirodha” (cessation of mental activity is possible through yoga)