Ramanisblog

Tag: Consciousness

  • 108 Suvasini Pooja 15 April Sainikpuri Vijaya Ganapathi Temple

    All Suvasinis are welcome.

    Contact Number in the Invite Below

     

    Invite for 108 Suvasini Pooja

    Suvasini is also a Marathi term of courtesy for a woman whose husband is alive, or for a woman of good residence. It can also mean “soft spoken”, “nice girl”, or “well-spoken”. 

    Suvasini Pooja is a ritual that takes place during Sharad Navratri. It is also known as Kumari Pooja. 

    ,

    Devi Upasna on Ramanisblog.in

    If you’re looking to delve into the sacred practice of Devi Upasna, Ramanisblog.in is your gateway to insightful content on Indian religious traditions. The website extensively covers a wide array of topics, including the revered Suvasini Pooja and Devdhis.

    Ramanisblog.in hosts a variety of resources, including a notable PDF titled “Homa List PDF”, encompassing essential rituals such as the Suvasini and Kannika Pooja. Diving deep into the rich tapestry of Indian culture, the blog sheds light on the significance and intricacies of Devi Upasna and related spiritual practices.

    With its comprehensive coverage of ritualistic worship, symbolism, and cultural context, Ramanisblog.in serves as a valuable platform for enthusiasts and practitioners alike to explore the profound realm of Devi Upasna.

    The Srividya Upasna is a sacred and intricate practice that holds great significance in the realm of Tantra and Hindu spirituality. It encompasses the worship of the divine mother, Lalita Tripurasundari, and involves intricate rituals, mantras, and meditative techniques. This profound form of worship is steeped in symbolism and seeks to awaken the practitioner’s spiritual consciousness through the devotion to the divine feminine.

    Srividya Upasna is revered for its esoteric teachings and its focus on the unity of Shiva and Shakti, representing the cosmic principles of consciousness and energy. Practitioners of Srividya Upasna often undergo rigorous initiation and guidance from a qualified guru to immerse themselves in this profound spiritual practice.

    If you’re eager to explore the depths of Srividya Upasna, consider seeking guidance from knowledgeable practitioners or resources that delve into the intricate facets of this revered spiritual tradition. It’s a journey that requires deep reverence, commitment, and a yearning for spiritual awakening.

    I have provided an overview of Srividya Upasna, emphasizing its significance in Hindu spirituality and the profound devotion involved. If you need more specific details or a different approach, feel free to ask!

    Navavarana in Srividya Upasna

    The term “Navavarana” refers to a sacred and intricate aspect of Srividya Upasna, a profound practice central to the realm of Tantra and Hindu spirituality. In the context of Srividya Upasna, Navavarana pertains to the worship of the divine mother, Lalita Tripurasundari, through a structured ritual framework comprising nine enclosures or layers of worship.

    These nine enclosures, or “avarana,” symbolically represent the layers of consciousness and energy within the practitioner, offering a transformative journey towards spiritual realization and transcendence. Each avarana is associated with specific deities, yantras (geometrical diagrams), mantras (sacred chants), and symbolic representations, collectively weaving a tapestry of profound spiritual significance.

    The worship within Navavarana involves the recitation of esoteric mantras, visualization of divine forms, and meditative immersion into the sacred geometries of the yantras, culminating in the awakening of spiritual energies and the expansion of consciousness. This intricate and reverential practice is often undertaken under the guidance of a qualified guru, signifying a deep commitment to spiritual evolution and the profound teachings of Srividya Upasna.

    Exploring the depths of Navavarana in Srividya Upasna unveils a profound journey of spiritual elevation, symbolizing the union of Shiva and Shakti, and the awakening of the practitioner’s divine potential. Delving into the nuances of each avarana and embracing the transformative power of these sacred rituals can lead to a heightened understanding of consciousness, energy, and the divine feminine within the rich tapestry of Hindu spirituality.

    https://ramanisblog.in/2014/09/16/navavarana-pooja-procedure-mantras-part-1/

    Aghora Pasupatha Homa Evil Eye Protection Mukthi

    Removal of Evil eye, Protection from forces that hinder Spiritual development. Protection from Black magic,Animals. Increases self confidence and self assurance. Clarity of thought.. Above all,Mukthi and Gnana are facilitated.

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    Rig Veda Inflenced Civilizations Outside India

    Date of Rig veda in Ramanisblog According to Ramanisblog, the date of the Rig Veda is subject to considerable debate, with modern scholarly estimates generally ranging between 2000 BCE to 1000 BCE[1]. However, Ramanisblog highlights that Hindu tradition considers the Vedas to be timeless and without a specific beginning[1]. Perspectives on Rig Veda Dating Ramanisblog…

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    Navavarana Pooja 1 Guru Stuthi

    Following in the Ai Generated transcript of the Navavarana Pooja Mantras . Recorded and sent to my Shishyas. This is being made public so that this secret knowledge is not lost to posterity. Those who want to be initiated may contact me through mail at ramanan50@gmail.com. Also they can contact through the comment column. If…

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    Blog

    Welcome to a world of limitless possibilities, where the journey is as exhilarating as the destination, and where every moment is an opportunity to make your mark on the canvas of existence. The only limit is the extent of your imagination.

     

    https://ramanisblog.in/2023/09/01/the-sri-vidya-article-i-did-not-write-how-it-came-into-being/

  • Brain Waves Alpha To Delta Hinduism Consciousness Four Stages

    One of the Mysteries of Science is Consciousness.

    Is it Matter or is it in the Realm of the Mind?

    It is of the Mind.

    Brain Waves, Types. Brain Waves, Types.

    Mind, for theoretical purposes, is divided into compartments,

    Conscious and the Unconscious and the Sub Conscious which acts as the Censor(Freudian Theory)

    Do we retain consciousness during the time we sleep?

    Quote on India by Apollonius Tyanaeus.jpg Quote on India by Apollonius Tyanaeus.

    We do though we may not be aware( this is a funny expression as most of the expressions in Psychology are)

    If a Mosquito bites, we kill it  during sleep and we are no aware of it.

    And there are dreams.

    They appear to be real while they last , some more vivid than the others.

    There is a school of thought tha there is no sleep without dreams.

    Only that we do not recollect them.

    Then we have Deep Sleep.

    So we have three stages of sleep.

    Waking state,

    Dreaming state and

    Deep sleep state.

    How does our brain function at these levels?

    1.Beta (14-40Hz) – The Waking Consciousness And Reasoning Wave

    Beta brain waves are associated with normal waking consciousness and a heightened state of alertness, logic and critical reasoning.

    While Beta brain waves are important for effective functioning throughout the day.

    Beta brainwaves dominate our normal waking state of consciousness when attention is directed towards cognitive tasks and the outside world. Beta is a ‘fast’ activity, present when we are alert, attentive, engaged in problem solving, judgment, decision making, and engaged in focused mental activity. Beta brainwaves are further divided into three bands; Low Beta (Beta1, 12-15Hz) can be thought of as a ‘fast idle, or musing. Beta (Beta2, 15-22Hz) is high engagement or actively figuring something out. Hi-Beta (Beta3, 22-38Hz) is highly complex thought, integrating new experiences, high anxiety, or excitement. Continual high frequency processing is not a very efficient way to run the brain, as it takes a tremendous amount of energy.

    2.

    Alpha (7.5-14Hz) – The Deep Relaxation Wave

    Alpha brain waves are present in deep relaxation and usually when the eyes are closed, when you’re slipping into a lovely daydream or during light meditation.

    It is the gateway to your subconscious mind and lies at the base of your conscious awareness. The voice of Alpha is your intuition, which becomes clearer and more profound the closer you get to 8.

    Alpha brainwaves are dominant during quietly flowing thoughts, and in some meditative states. Alpha is ‘the power of now’, being here, in the present. Alpha is the resting state for the brain. Alpha waves aid overall mental coordination, calmness, alertness, mind/body integration and learning.

    3.

    Theta (4-7.5Hz) – The Light Meditation And Sleeping Wave

    Theta brain waves are present during deep meditation and light sleep, including the all-important REM dream state. It is the realm of your subconsciousness and only experienced momentarily as you drift off to sleep from Alpha and wake from deep sleep (from Delta).

    It is said that a sense of deep spiritual connection and unity with the universe can be experienced at Theta. Your mind’s most deep-seated programs are at Theta and it is where you experience vivid visualizations, great inspiration, profound creativity and exceptional insight. Unlike your other brain waves, the elusive voice of Theta is a silent voice.

    It is at the Alpha-Theta border, from 7Hz to 8Hz, where the optimal range for visualization, mind programming and using the creative power of your mind begins. It’s the mental state which you consciously create your reality.

     

    Theta brainwaves occur most often in sleep but are also dominant in deep meditation. It acts as our gateway to learning and memory. In theta, our senses are withdrawn from the external world and focused on signals originating from within. It is that twilight state which we normally only experience fleetingly as we wake or drift off to sleep. In theta we are in a dream; vivid imagery, intuition and information beyond our normal conscious awareness. It’s where we hold our ‘stuff’, our fears, troubled history, and nightmares..
    Delta (0.5-4Hz) – The Deep Sleep Wave

    The Delta frequency is the slowest of the frequencies and is experienced in deep, dreamless sleep and in very deep, transcendental meditation where awareness is fully detached.

    Delta is the realm of your unconscious mind, and the gateway to the universal mind and the collective unconscious, where information received is otherwise unavailable at the conscious level.

    Among many things, deep sleep is important for the healing process – as it’s linked with deep healing and regeneration. Hence, not having enough deep sleep is detrimental to your health in more ways than one.

    5) Gamma (above 40Hz) – The Insight Wave

    This range is the most recently discovered and is the fastest frequency at above 40Hz. While little is known about this state of mind, initial research shows Gamma waves are associated with bursts of insight and high-level information processing.

    Gamma brainwaves are the fastest of brain waves (high frequency, like a flute), and relate to simultaneous processing of information from different brain areas. It passes information rapidly, and as the most subtle of the brainwave frequencies, the mind has to be quiet to access it. Gamma was traditionally dismissed as ‘spare brain noise’ until researchers discovered it was highly active when in states of universal love, altruism, and the ‘higher virtues’. Gamma rhythms modulate perception and consciousness, disappearing under anaesthesia. Gamma is also above the frequency of neuronal firing, so how it is generated remains a mystery. The presence of Gamma relates to expanded consciousness and spiritual emergence.”

    Now to Hinduism’s analysis of Consciousness.

    There are Four levels.

    Jagrat(Waking State)

    Swapna(Sleeping State)

    Sushupti Deep dreamless State) and

    Thuriya( beyond these three states and it is the extension of consciousness at the highest level and the nearest one can reach to Consciousness)

    Consciousnes is called Chit.

    The Stilling of the thought waves is the goal of Yoga.

    At this level, your mind, the brain waves reach the Alpha level and Gamma is just behind it( as of now in Science).

    Hinduism goes further by stating that Thuriya can not be explained and one gets submerged in Consciousness which an attribute of Brahman, the Reality.

    • The parameters of the waves vary and have a tolerance band as in Medicine, as in BP, Diabetes.
    • Citations and References.

    http://www.finerminds.com/mind-power/brain-waves/

    http://www.brainworksneurotherapy.com/what-are-brainwaves

  • Vedas on Consciousness

    Recently a friend of mine, who is a leading Neuro-physician. with whom I was conversing, the topic of Consciousness came up.

    Medically speaking Coma is a State where one loses the Cognitive ability, as observed by the others.

    Essential bodily functions take place.

    Being Consciousness and Bliss.Image.jpg
    Sat Chit Anandam

    ‘A coma is a prolonged state of unconsciousness. During a coma, a person is unresponsive to his or her environment. The person is alive and looks like he or she is sleeping. However, unlike in a deep sleep, the person cannot be awakened by any stimulation, including pain.'(webmd)

    Herein lies the issue.

    One notices consciousness, like air  only when it is absent.

    Some questions.

    Is Life Consciousness?

    If so, medically speaking when one is in Coma,when one’s consciousness is absent, he is said be alive;then what is Life?

    One is not aware of consciousness while in deep sleep, or even during the Dreaming State.

    Where does it go then?

    We recollect, some times, what we have dreamed.

    It is said be, because of Consciousness.

    How does this happen?

    In Psychology, there is a term which normally does not make sense.

    The term is ‘Unconscious’

    How does one say he has unconscious state in his make up, when the very term indicates you are not Conscious of it.

    It is said so because it is inferred and accounts for psychological activities of the Human being.

    Then what is Mind?

    What is Brain?

    The activity of the Brain is Mind,(Science)

    Activity of the Mind is Intellect, activity of the Intellect is Chitta(Indian Philosophy).

    Yoga soeaks of this in the first Sutra,

    Yoga;chitta Vruthi Nirodhithaha’

    The Cessation of the modification of the Chitta is Yoga.

    Mind is like a CPU , it receives sensations /Data.

    No factual or judgemental pronunciations are made.

    The Judgemental portion or the factual certification is made by Buddhi(Intellect).

    How does Buddhi pass judgements or values to an even or sensations.

    It is by the directions of the Chitta, Consciousness.

    Consciousness in an attribute of Reality.

    It is the Subject in the process of Cognition.

    It is not an object of Cognition.

    It can not be known or perceived by any thing other than by itself, Consciousness.

    It is a Sate of Being.(Sat)

    The state of Being has as its attributes Consciousness, which has Bliss or Ananda as its attribute.

    Sat Chit and Ananda.

    ”

    • sat सत् (present participle); [Sanskrit root as , “to be“]: “Truth”, “Absolute Being”, “a palpable force of virtue and truth”. Sat describes an essence that is pure and timeless, that never changes.
    • cit चित् (noun): “consciousness”, “true consciousness”, “to be consciousness of”, “to understand”, “to comprehend”.
    • ānanda आनन्द (noun): “bliss”,”true bliss”,”happiness” “joy”, “delight”, “pleasure”

    “Sat-Chit-Ananda” or “Saccidānanda” is the Sanskrit compound form of the word, which can be translated in various ways:

    • “Eternal Consciousness Bliss”
    • “Absolute Consciousness Bliss”
    • “Consisting of existence and thought and joy

    These attributes ae inseparable from each other.

    These three together constitute the Attribute of Brahman.

    Brahman is the Ultimate Reality.

    It is inferred and is never an object of perception.

    It is the Perceiver, the process of Perception and the Perceived.

    Perception is removal of Nescience or removal of Ignorance, Avidya.

    This Avidya is at the individual level.

    At the Universal level it is called Maya.

    The state of Being, Consciousness and Bliss are expressed as Sat Chit and Ananda in the Upanishads.

    This is the interpretation of Advaita by Shankaracharya.

     

    Prajgnam Brahma (Upanishad)

     

    Brahman ,Reality is Consciousness.

    The one wants to know what Mind or cognition is.

    Cognition happens when consciousness illuminates.

    Consciousness itself is Knowledge.

    “Nirajanam Nishkriam Shantam Nirvadyam Niranjanam”(Shvetashwara Upanishad, 6/19)

    It is not awareness per se.

    Awareness is a part of Consciousness and awareness is not Consciousness.

    Knowledge is awareness as made available by Consciousness.

    How and why consciousness is selective in revealing Knowledge?

    I shall be writing on this in a separate post.

    The Upanishads on conciousness and Brahman.

     

    That thou art.
    (“You are Brahman”)
    (Tat Tvam Asi)

    “The Self (the Soul) is Brahman.”
    Sanskrit:     ayam atma brahma. (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 4.4.5)

    “I am Brahman.”
    Sanskrit: aham brahmasmi. (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 1.4.10)

    “Brahman is Consciousness.”
    Sanskrit: prajnanam brahma. (Aitareya Upanishad 3.1.3)

    All this is Brahman.
    Sanskrit: Sarvam khalvidam brahma. (Chandogya Upanishad 3.14.1)

    All this is, indeed, Brahman. This Atman is Brahman.

    This same Atman has four quarters. (Mandukya Upanishad 1.2) [The first three quarters correspond to the letters of AUM: 1 = A, 2 = U, 3 = M. The fourth quarter is silence.]

     

    SAT (Existence)

    “In the beginning, my dear, this [universe] was Being (Sat) alone, one only without a second.”
    (Chandogya Upanishad 6.2.1 also Aitareya Upanishad 1.1.1)

    “All this that we see in the world is Brahman.”
    Sanskrit:     sarvam khalv idam brahma. (Chandogya Upanishad 3.14.1)

    “Brahman is Reality, Knowledge, and Infinity.”
    (Taittiriya Upanishad 2.1.3)

    CHIT (Consciousness)

    “Brahman is Consciousness.”
    Sanskrit: prajnanam brahma. (Aitareya Upanishad 3.1.3)

    ANANADA (Bliss)

    “Brahman is bliss (ananda).”
    (Taittiriya Upanishad 3.6.1)

     

    “Brahman that is immediate and direct—the Self that is within all.”

    “You cannot see That which is the Seer of seeing;
    you cannot hear That which is the Hearer of hearing;
    you cannot think of That which is the Thinker of thought;
    you cannot know That which is the Knower of knowledge.
    This is your Self, that is within all;
    everything else but This is perishable.” (Br. Up. 3.4.2).

    I will be posting more on this and the view of the other systems of indian Philosophy on consciousness.

    Related articles

  • Detachment Determination Technics Yoga 1.15

    Having provided some hints on Practice, Yoga now explains in detail how one can develop a firm determination in the effort to practice Yoga.

    Practice can be intensified,  followed rigorously if we develop a firm Determination.

    We take many Resolutions on every New Year.

    But they are followed very rarely.

    Why?

    The things we get attached to our Consciousness that it is difficult to shake them.

    We look at sense objects.

    We feel them, either by curiosity , Peer pressure or by what others tell us.

    Before experiencing the objects of the senses, these objects were there , they would be even after we leave them.

    It is only when we attach our selves to them we experience them.

    Like Liquor.

    We take to Drinking, out of curiosity,peer pressure or we hear of it often.

    Before that it was there and it would be if we leave them alone.

    So the experiencing and the subsequent enjoyment is because of our attachments to these objects of senses.

    The operative Principle here is the ‘Attachment‘

    Our seeking objects of enjoyment is of two kinds.

    One, that we attend to because we want to ‘satisfy’ a need, more specifically an ‘urge’

    This demand of ours originates from our Instincts.

    There are these primary instincts.

    Survival,

    Thirst,

    Hunger,

    Sex, and

    Gregariousness(to be with others).

    Satisfaction of these instincts provides  us ‘Relief’ more than pleasure.

    Pleasure comes later when we get used to these objects  when we start accessing them more than we need and start getting pleasure, the next stage of Satisfaction.

    Then this pleasure seeking becomes a Habit and you are hooked.

    One becomes miserable if one does not get these objects.

    had we remained at the ‘Satisfaction Level, this would not have happened.

    In Sanskrit these needs to relieve one’s urges are called ‘Upadhi‘( not the Philosophical term Upadhi)

    You need to relieve yourself, you do it;but you do not persist or crave for it, unless you have a Constipation problem!

    This is applicable to all the sense enjoyment.

    If we can restrict ourselves at the level of satisfaction without graduating into enjoyment,we will have no worries.

    Human nature being what it is, we can not help this without conscious effort.

    How do we go about it?

    Yoga Sutra 1.15 explains.

    Patnjali's Yoga Sutra 1.15
    Yoga Sutra 1.15

    dṛśṭa – visible, perceptible, something you can see with your eyes
    ānuśravika – extra dimensional experiences [lit. to hear (or read) Vedic descriptions]
    viśaya – sense objects
    vitṛśṇarya – from one who is freed from material desires
    vaśīkāra – held under control, subjugated
    saṁjñā –  consciousness
    vairāgyam – detachment, renunciation, dispassion, disinterested

    To be a detached yogi, you must take back control of your consciousness, so that it is free from desire for any material object in this world, or any of the subtler dimensions.”

    When we look at an object we develop impressions of them whether we enjoy them or not.

    If we enjoy them we are stuck with them.

    If not, we remain curious about it.

    But if we remain indifferent to them?

    Explanation of this continues in a separate post.

    Related articles

  • Sleep Stages, ‘Not Absence Of Thoughts’ Yoga Sutra 1.10

    Sleep and Dreams, are the two states of which we know precious little.

    Sigmund Freud, in his attempt to interpret the Dreams, has set up a system of Psychiatry, blames every one for their actions but themselves.

    He had interpreted Dreams only as an expression of Sex and depressed desires.

    Jung professed ‘Freud conceived the unconscious solely as a repository of repressed emotions and desires. Jung agreed with Freud’s model of the unconscious, what Jung called the “personal unconscious“, but he also proposed the existence of a second, far deeper form of the unconscious underlying the personal one. This was the collective unconscious, where thearchetypes themselves resided, represented in mythology by a lake or other body of water, and in some cases a jug or other container. Freud had actually mentioned a collective level of psychic functioning but saw it primarily as an appendix to the rest of the psyche’

    Then we have many Behavioral Psychologists.

    These scholars saw Mind as a Blind seeing An Elephant” seeing a part and interpreting it to suit them.

    Patanjali goes to the basics.

    Since we do not remember anything in sleep, is Sleep ‘Absence of Thoughts?’

    He says NO.

    According to Yoga Sutra 1.10, Sleep is a State where one is not aware of the thought waves.(Deep Sleep)

    This can not be confused with the ‘Yoga Sate where one is devoid of Thought waves”

    ‘Abhava pratyaya Alambana vritti Nidra” Yoga Sutra 1.10

    ‘

    abhāva – absence, non-existence, nullity
    pratyaya – cause, resulting impressions
    ālambanā – support, basis, foundation, cause
    vṛttiḥ –  habits or activities of the mind
    nidrā – deep sleep

    Translation

    “Sleep is the mental habit characterized by the absence of form”

    That is we are not ascribing, in the Deep sleep stage,a Form for the Thought waves, that’s all.

    Indian Philosophy characterizes Four stages of Sleep.

    1.Wakefulness, Jagruti.

    2.Swapna,Dream State

    3.Sushupti,Deep Dreamless State and

    4.Thuriya, The Real Nature of Brahman,Pure Consciousness.

    ”

    Adi Shankara discerned three states of consciousness, namely waking (jågrat), dreaming (svapna), and deep sleep (suƒupti),[web 61][web 62] which correspond to the three bodies:[140]

    1. The first state is the waking state, in which we are aware of our daily world. “It is described as outward-knowing (bahish-prajnya), gross (sthula) and universal (vaishvanara)”.[web 62] This is the gross body.
    2. The second state is the dreaming mind. “It is described as inward-knowing (antah-prajnya), subtle (pravivikta) and burning (taijasa)”.[web 62] This is the subtle body.
    3. The third state is the state of deep sleep. In this state the underlying ground of concsiousness is undistracted, “the Lord of all (sarv’-eshvara), the knower of all (sarva-jnya), the inner controller (antar-yami), the source of all (yonih sarvasya), the origin and dissolution of created things (prabhav’-apyayau hi bhutanam)”.[web 62] This is the causal body.

    A fourth state is Turiya, pure consciousness. It is the background that underlies and transcends the three common states of consciousness.[web 63] [web 64] In this consciousness both absolute and relative, Saguna Brahman and Nirguna Brahman, are transcended.[141] It is the true state of experience of the infinite (ananta) and non-different (advaita/abheda), free from the dualistic experience which results from the attempts to conceptualise ( vipalka) reality.[142] It is the state in which ajativada, non-origination, is apprehended.[142](Wiki)

    What does Modern Science say on this?

    Waves in The Brain during Sleep
    Brain Waves during Sleep.

    Stage 1

    Stage 1 is the beginning of the sleep cycle, and is a relatively light stage of sleep. Stage 1 can be considered a transition period between wakefulness and sleep. In Stage 1, the brain produces high amplitude theta waves, which are very slow brain waves. This period of sleep lasts only a brief time (around 5-10 minutes). If you awaken someone during this stage, they might report that they weren’t really asleep.

    Stage 2

    Stage 2 is the second stage of sleep and lasts for approximately 20 minutes. The brain begins to produce bursts of rapid, rhythmic brain wave activity known as sleep spindles. Body temperature starts to decrease and heart rate begins to slow.

    Stage 3

    Deep, slow brain waves known as delta wavesbegin to emerge during stage 3 sleep. Stage 3 is a transitional period between light sleep and a very deep sleep.

    Stage 4

    Stage 4 is sometimes referred to as delta sleepbecause of the slow brain waves known as delta waves that occur during this time. Stage 4 is a deep sleep that lasts for approximately 30 minutes. Bed-wetting and sleepwalking are most likely to occur at the end of stage 4 sleep.

    Stage 5

    Most dreaming occurs during the fifth stage of sleep, known as rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. REM sleep is characterized by eye movement, increased respiration rate and increased brain activity. REM sleep is also referred to as paradoxical sleep because while the brain and other body systems become more active, muscles become more relaxed. Dreaming occurs due because of increased brain activity, but voluntary muscles become paralyzed.

    The Sequence of Sleep Stages

    It is important to realize, however, that sleep does not progress through these stages in sequence. Sleep begins in stage 1 and progresses into stages 2, 3 and 4. After stage 4 sleep, stage 3 and then stage 2 sleep are repeated before entering REM sleep. Once REM sleep is over, the body usually returns to stage 2 sleep. Sleep cycles through these stages approximately four or five times throughout the night.

    On average, we enter the REM stage approximately 90 minutes after falling asleep. The first cycle of REM sleep might last only a short amount of time, but each cycle becomes longer. REM sleep can last up to an hour as sleep progresses.

    Patanjali Yoga
    Yoga Sutra 1.10

    http://psychology.about.com/od/statesofconsciousness/a/SleepStages.htm

    http://ramanisblog.in/2013/04/21/how-to-communicate-words-patanjali-yoga-1-9/

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