Jagrat Avastha (Waking State)

Jagrat Avastha (Waking State) is the first state mentioned as part ofTraya Avastha (Three States).

In Jagrat Avastha, the waking state, our mind is fully active, filled with thoughts, feelings and emotions. The five sense organs are in full alertness and our Consciousness is focused outwards. Our ego, I and the sense of me and mine are fully manifest, are in full force and we identify ourselves with our Sthula Sharira (physical body). All our traits, characteristics, habits, personality, etc., are fully manifested.

In this waking state as we are involved in interacting with the world, in this state the Consciousness is called Vishwa (world) and as the sense organs are always directed outwards, we try to seek pleasure from everything present in the outer world.

Our normal experience in the waking state is that we are continuously hit by barrage of thoughts and the mind is incessantly engaged in thinking. We are not able to keep the mind silent and quiet. We have hands and legs. But we do not move them continuously. We use them only when we need to and at other times our hands and legs are at rest. Unfortunately, when it comes to the mind, right from the time we get up and until we go to bed and fall asleep we use the mind continuously. That's the folly. We should learn to use the mind only when we need to and at other times it should rest in silence.

In the waking state keeping the mind silent is easier said than done. According to the Upanishads, keeping the mind silent is the challenge that needs to be won and they assure that with constant practice it is indeed possible.

What do we gain by keeping the mind silent? Well that is called Self-Realisation. Why should we try to attain Self-Realisation and what are its benefits are the subject matter of other articles where we shall explore them in detail.

In Jagrat Avastha, the waking state, we identify "I" with our body and mind. We even point to our body and say this is "I". At other times we strongly identify "I" with the thoughts we have constructed about ourselves. These thoughts about ourselves are collectively called as "Personality". When we identify "I" with our personality we are identifying ourselves with the thoughts generated by the mind.

Just a simple reasoning with an open mind is sufficient to convince ourselves that we should not identify "I" with our body and mind.

When we are dreaming, the dream appears real and we all know clearly that "I am the dreamer". That means "I" existed during the dream and it is "I" who experienced the dream. But during the dream our physical body had been taking rest, it was completely absent during the dream and did not take any part in the dream. That means even though the physical body was absent during the dream, "I" definitely existed during the dream. This clearly proves that for "I" to exist the physical body is not necessary. So during our waking state if we identify "I" with the physical body then that is a great mistake we are making.

When we are sound asleep, in undisturbed, peaceful, dreamless deep sleep, after we get up, we normally say "I had a nice sleep". That means there is no doubt that "I" existed during the deep sleep and it is only "I" who experienced the peaceful sleep. But during deep sleep the mind was taking rest, not taking any part, completely absent and hence there were absolutely no thoughts. This clearly proves that for "I" to exist the mind is not necessary. So during our waking state if we identify "I" with the mind then that is a great mistake we are making.

If I am not the body and I am not the mind then Who am I? This is the single most important question which everyone should ask during the waking state if one is interested in knowing the ultimate Truth.

Let us say, a person just passed away and the doctor declares the person as dead. Then what is that which is missing in the dead body that was present a moment ago? What was that which was energising all the cells in the body and making all the organs function?

Just like the electrical energy makes various devices function, definitely there is something responsible for all the cells to function. Let us call this as Life Energy. This Life Energy energises every cell in the body. When this Life Energy powers the eyes they get the seeing ability. When it powers the ears they get the hearing ability. When it powers the mind the mind gets its Thinking Ability, Sentience, Consciousness. Hence this Life Energy can be called as Sentient Life Energy.

It is this Life Energy that is present in all the three states, the Traya Avastha. It keeps all the cells and organs functioning continuously without any break.When it powers the mind it gets the Thinking Ability. Using the Thinking Ability the thoughts are generated. Hence we should not identify "I" with the thoughts and instead identify "I" with the Thinking Ability.

Upanishads call this Sentient Life Energy as Atman. When Atman energises the mind it shines as Consciousness in the mind. We should identify "I" with the Consciousness, the Self, the Atman.

In the Jagrat Avastha, the waking state, we need to do the above reasoning, understand that we are not the body and the mind, identify "I" with the Atman and everyday for few minutes "be" with the Thinking Ability, Atman, Consciousness, Silent Awareness.

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