The external powers of the conscious mind reflected in the naturally aroused intellect have played wonders in the progress of the world. Eloquence and sagacity of writers, orators, trenchancy of scientific minds, efficiency of management, creativity of artistic talents, etc, appear amazing at times. One can’t even imagine what could be the nature of superior intelligence? If only the 7 to 10% of the ‘naturally activated’ mental potentials could conquer the material wealth of Nature and architect the shape of the world, what would be the powers of the hidden intellect? With intellectual evolution, this quest has pierced deeper in learned minds and seems to have revived the ancient interest for deciphering the inner, latent, or the unconscious mind.
Growing research in the fields of metaphysics, parapsychology and different branches of extrasensory sciences finds ever-new folds in the mystery of the unconscious mind. Whatever is discovered so far supports the deliberations of the yoga scriptures. Namely, that –– astonishing transformation of the body and the overall personality could be achieved in feasible time, if the activities of the conscious mind are restrained and the vital energy of pr³ña (life force) and willpower is focused at stimulating the unconscious layers of mind. Longevity, access in the extrasensory world, etc could also be attained by arousing the hidden powers of the unconscious (inner) mind.
The acumen the Indian rishis – the scientist of yore had a reach in the hidden roots of Nature and the cosmic expansion of mind. The science of consciousness discovered by them appears to be as relevant today as it was in the pre-historic times. The principles of s³dhan³ compiled and adopted by them could be applied even today and one could attain the superhuman siddhis from the dedicated yoga s³dhan³s, as these sages of yore had.
As discussed earlier, the disciplines and practices of yoga emanate from the basic purpose of restraining the agile flow and dissipation of vital energy and mental powers and simultaneous orientation of these towards refining the mental tendencies and energizing the inner faculties of mind. Those who have experienced the power of consciousness or pr³ña as eternal energy would know that the arousal of hidden powers of mind by the above process is a scientific experiment. The outcomes of this experiment of “citta v–atti nirodha¡” of yoga are manifested in exceptional physical, mental and spiritual powers.
Gradual activation of the inner mind by these s³dhan³s (or spiritual experiments of yoga) eventually results in arousal of extrasensory perception and
supernormal talents of siddhis. Ultimate state of sam³dhi – driven by complete coherence of the mental tendencies and immersion of the very existence of mind in the inner self (in the soul) – endows one with absolute knowledge beyond the dimensions of time and space. The inner consciousness of a yogi who attains this state could also influence the perceivable world of the material existence of Nature as well as the subliminal world of consciousness. Thorough studies and experiments in yoga s³dhan³s reveal that there is nothing imaginary or unscientific about such attainments.
Man is deprived of many extrasensory abilities that seemed to be bestowed on the enormous varieties of other creatures in one form of the other…. It is said that the heat generated by the excessive excitement and extrovert intellectual and agile activities of the conscious mind in humans suppresses the ‘natural energy’
of the unconscious domains. The available active force of the latter is therefore largely used only for the elementary purpose of auto-regulation of the bodily reactions and physiological process and the sundry brain functions. That power, which could have been used for activating the inner mind thus, practically remains suppressed or waned through out our life.
Most of our vital energy, our talents and powers remain engaged as per the limitless aspirations and curiosity of the conscious mind. This is why we can’t enjoy the extrasensory potentials that are actively expressed in the smaller creatures, which are less evolved on intellectual scale. Because of the lack of thinking, the conscious mind of other organisms remains weak and dull, and it therefore can’t perturb the ‘power supply’ to their unconscious faculties.
The exceptional power of cognition through smell found in dogs is among the well-known extraordinary faculties of animals that have offered significant help to humans. The role of expert sniffer dogs in the detective and intelligence operations of security or tracing a criminal cannot be substituted by any intelligent being or sophisticated instrument. The cognitive sensors of a bat seem to resemble that in a radar. These capture the radio waves emitted from any object and can therefore see and recognize everything around even in the darkness of the night. The Teraskin fish found in deep seas emits some kind of radio waves that are spread in the surrounding. The reflections of these waves after collision with other sea animals are received back by the fine sensors of this fish. Its ‘unconscious mind’ in no time recognizes these reflections and hence the type and position of the other organisms in the surrounding volume. This is how the fish plans for defensive or attacking movements.
In view of the zoologists, some creatures have evolved new potentials in their bodies – as per the needs of adaptation and struggle for survival – which were not available to their ancestors. Whether that effect is manifested in a gene or in
terms of some physico- chemical activities, at the root of this ‘suitable’ evolution lies the inspiration of the unconscious mind. A human being who is many thousand times more evolved than other organisms could certainly have attained infinitely more of such supernormal powers, had his vital energy been constructively used in stimulating the suppressed unconscious layers rather than being ‘evaporated’ in the ‘heat’ of the unnecessary activities of the conscious mind.
The science of yoga is developed to provide practical methods for experimenting on one’s own body and mind to – (i) checking the loss and excessive consumption of the vital energy by restraining the agility of the conscious mind;
(ii) refining the mental tendencies; and then (iii) gravitating the latter for focused inducing, edifying and strengthening of the inner domains of mind. Prudent intellectual activities, development of creative talents and the related functions pertaining to the conscious mind are also encouraged in yoga s³dhan³s.
Although, the luxurious or egotist use of mental trenchancy or its misuse in non-consumable passions, sensual pleasures, destructive and baseless activities is strictly prohibited for a disciple of yoga, his creative talents and discerning intellect are protected and accelerated in the s³dhan³ -practices of yoga.
Excitation, depression and abrupt agility of mental domain need to be consistently controlled and avoided. The frequent disturbances due to haphazard thinking and emotional variation are the major causes of such negative effects and fuming of the mental energy. The elementary disciplines and practices of yoga aim at restraining these by augmenting mental concentration.
The realization of deep trance or sam³dhi is reported as the ultimate state of engrossment of the mental power in the inner self. This is an unconscious or dormant state of the conscious mind and an aroused and illuminated state of the unconscious mind. Unperturbed determination and willpower of the s³dhak enable focusing his mental tendencies and vital force (of consciousness) and educing the flow of his thoughts and sentiments towards the inner core of mind.
The successive stages of the s³dhan³s of praty³h³ra, dh³rañ³ and dhy³na are required to be passed before attaining the stable state of focusing the conscious faculties of mind in the inner world of the unconscious mind and then proceeding gradually towards attaining a savikalp sam³dhi. The early practices of meditation help enlightening the conscious and the unconscious layers of mental domain. Elevated mental concentration, alertness and self-determination then help orienting the tejas12 towards the inner mind by higher levels of yoga s³dhan³s.
The essence of yoga s³dhan³s lies in its definition as – “Yogaïcitta V–atti Nirodha¡”, which implies – restraining the agility of mind, controlled and creative use of intellectual consciousness, liberating the inner mind and focusing the vital energy for activating the hidden powers of the unconscious mind. If any one of us practices yoga as a scientific experiment under the adept guidance of siddha yogis, he, the ordinary mortal being, could attain sublime transformation of personality by the super conscious siddhis of the limitless powers of the unconscious (inner) mind.