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Credit: DH Illustration
In yogic practice experience of being in oneness (laya or yoga ) varies for everyone. Unlike physical and psychological benefits of yogasanas higher yogic experiences are not the same for everyone--we are primarily talking about the intrinsic nature (swa-bhaav) of oneness of the consciousness. Union, unison and communion may be visualised as the three stages of the consciousness experienced by yogis whose individuality has attained the stage of indivisibility. Upon initiation and acceptance into the guru-disciple relationship of our choosing, as we wholeheartedly immerse ourselves into sahaj smriti yog or such other practice, we gradually come to recognise, understand and realise the various stages of consciousness.
Are the subtle kriyas like Kundalini Jaagaran, and shaktipaat, measurable and verifiable experiences? What is their utility? Yes, these are just as real as the diverse levels of consciousness. Though not measurable as yet, they are verifiable by the experiencers. The utility of these kriyas is in attaining the fulfilment in life which no amount of money can buy and for which no money is needed.
Spiritually, our being human may be defined as, ‘that precious duration of consciousness in which it can evidently verify its own existence materially’. Human frame is the living example of the material form of consciousness. As consciousness attains higher stages within us during our human lifespan, it experiences the fulfilment of a higher order. The encounter with the supreme consciousness of one’s own being transcends the realm of senses and human perceptions. However, it becomes possible to catch a brief glimpse of it, and this ending of perceptions and meeting the reality is the mystery; this incident happens in a guru-shishya relationship. It is nothing but the kriya of imparting One Self to oneself. And, this kind of oneness is possible only between an adept guru and a worthy disciple.
Many among us who are limited to seeing everything within the realm of reasoning, can’t comprehend the reality of imparting one-self to one-self. But it happens when one transcends the materialistic attachment beyond a certain threshold point through rigorous discipline. As long as we reside in lower levels of consciousness, dualities dominate our perception, but as we ascend to subtler realms of consciousness, it becomes evident that ‘oneness’ serves as the fundamental substratum for all that exists. All the kriyas that we undertake are evidence of sharing that ‘oneness’.