Microsoft Word - Taimni - The Science of Yoga.doc

The fact is that Svapna and Nidra do not refer to the condition of the brain dur-
ing sleep but to the subtler vehicles into which consciousness passes during the period
of sleep. When we go to sleep the Jivatma leaves the physical body and begins to func-
tion in the next subtler vehicle. Very partial contact is maintained with the physical
body to enable it to carry on its normal physiological activities, but the conscious mind
is really functioning in the subtler vehicle. Many people called psychics have a natural
capacity for passing out of the physical body into the next subtler world and bringing
back into the physical brain more or less vague knowledge of their experiences in that
world. The common man, though he is in the same subtler world during sleep cannot
generally bring back any memory of his experiences because his brain is not in that
peculiar condition required for this purpose. If any mental images are transmitted they
become distorted and mixed up with the images which are produced by the automatic
activity of the brain and the ordinary chaotic and meaningless dream is the result.
Sometimes, the Jivatma is able to impress some idea or experience on the brain and a
significant dream results but this is very rare. All such mental activity is included in
the Svapna state.
There is a deeper state of consciousness underlying the Svapna state corre-
sponding to a still more subtler world into which a person may slip during sleep. This
corresponds to the higher sub-planes of the astral world or in rare cases to the lower
sub-planes of the mental world. When this happens the physical brain is completely
cut off from the activities of the mind and naturally becomes a blank. This state is
called technically Nidra. It will be seen that though in this state the brain is blank the
mind is working at a higher level and dealing with phenomena of a subtler nature.
Now, it is possible by special training and practice to bring down into the
physical brain a memory of experiences undergone in these subtler worlds correspond-
ing to the Svapna and Nidra states. Under these conditions the brain is able to transmit
the mental images without any distortion and the knowledge obtained under these cir-
cumstances is reliable. When this can be done a great deal of useful information can be
gathered and work done on these subtler planes during the period of sleep. The waking
life gradually merges with the life in so-called sleep and there is no abrupt break
which usually takes place on leaving the body or coming back to it after sleep. It is
this definite and useful knowledge about these superphysical planes which can be ac-
quired during sleep that is referred to in this Sutra and not the chaotic dreams or the
condition of void which are experienced by the ordinary man. The gathering and bring-