Contents

Part One: The Place of Experiences in the Practice of Yoga

Section One: The Nature and Value of Experiences

Experiences and Realisations

The Difference between Experience and Realisation

The Yogi and the Sadhak

Subordinate and Great Experiences

Feelings as Experiences

Love, Joy and Experience

Imagined Experiences

Mental Knowledge and Spiritual Experience

Mental Realisation and Spiritual Realisation

Spiritual Experience as Substantial Experience

The Value of Experiences

Experience and Development of Consciousness

The Importance of Small Beginnings

Inner Experience and Outer Life

Subjective Experience and the Objective Existence

Experience and the Change of One’s Nature

Inner Attitude and Outward Things

The Power of Creative Formation

The Danger of the Ego and the Need of Purification

Spiritual Experiences and the Ego

Purification and Preparation of the Nature

Mixed and Confused Experiences

Purification and Positive Experience

Purification and Consecration

Purification and Transformation

Conditions for the Coming of Experience

Suggestions for Dealing with Experiences

Letting the Experiences Develop Naturally

Thinking about Experiences

Observing Experiences without Attachment

Observing Experiences without Fear or Alarm

Speaking about Experiences

The Difficulty of Keeping Experiences

Section Two: Vicissitudes on the Way to Realisation

Variations in the Intensity of Experience

The Up and Down Movement in Yoga

Alternations, Oscillations, Fluctuations of Consciousness

Fluctuations in the Working of the Force

Lulls, Pauses, Interim Periods

Drops or Falls of Consciousness

Fatigue, Inertia and Lowering of the Consciousness

Variations during the Day

The Need for Periods of Assimilation

Emptiness, Voidness, Blankness and Silence

Periods of Emptiness

Emptiness—A Transitional State

Emptiness, Blankness and Silence

Emptiness, Voidness and the Self

Part Two: The Opening of the Inner Senses

Section One: Visions, Sounds, Smells and Tastes

The Value of Visions

Vision, Experience and Realisation

Sensing Supraphysical Things

The Importance of Visions

Visions Not the Most Important Thing

No Reason to Fear Visions

Wrong Visions and Voices

Kinds of Vision

The Inner Vision

Stages in the Development of the Inner Vision

The Diverse Nature and Significance of Visions

Representative and Dynamic Visions

Seeing Forms of the Divine and Other Beings

Cosmic, Inner and Psychic Vision

Subtle Physical Visions

Subtle Sights, Sounds, Smells and Tastes

Sights and Sounds of Other Planes

Subtle Smells and Tastes

Section Two: Lights and Colours

Light and the Illumination of the Consciousness

Different Forms of Light

Two Visions Explained

The Symbolism of Colours

White Light with Light of Other Colours

Whitish Blue Light

Gold-Green Light

Golden Red or Red Gold Light

Pink or Rose Light

Purple and Crimson Light

Section Three: Symbols

Symbols and Symbolic Visions

Different Kinds of Symbols

The Effect of Symbolic Visions

Some Symbolic Visions and Dreams Interpreted

Sun, Moon, Star, Fire

Fire and Burning

Sky, Weather, Night and Dawn

Rain, Snow, Clouds, Lightning, Rainbow

Water and Bodies of Water

Pond, Lake, River

Earth and Patala

Gods, Goddesses and Semi-Divine Beings

Parvati-Shankara

Narayana, Vishnu, Brahma, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ananta

Mahakali and Kali

Durga on a Lion

The Human World

Parents and Relatives

The Animal World

Deer and Antelope

Snake or Serpent

Crow, Eagle, Kite

The Plant World

Aswattha or Peepul Tree

Pyramid and Sphinx

Cross and Shield

Wheel, Disc or Chakra

Mirror, Square and Triangle

Incense Stick and Tobacco

Numbers and Letters

Letters (Writing)

Part Three: Experiences of the Inner Consciousness and the Cosmic Consciousness

Section One: Experiences on the Inner Planes

Experiences on the Subtle Physical, Vital and Mental Planes

Subtle Physical Experiences

Vital Experiences

Influence or Possession by Beings of Other Planes

An Experience on the Mental Plane

Exteriorisation or Going Out of the Body

The Experience of Exteriorisation

Going Out in the Vital Body

Section Two: Experiences of the Inner Being and the Inner Consciousness

The Inward Movement

The Importance of Inner Experiences

Becoming Aware of the Inner Being

The Piercing of the Veil

The Movement Inward

The Inner Consciousness and the Body

A Transitional State of Inwardness

The Growth of the Inner Being and the Inner Consciousness

Living Within and the External Being

Acting from Within on the Outer Being

The Double Consciousness

The Inner Being and Calmness, Silence, Peace

The Inner Being and the Inmost or Psychic Being

Inner Detachment and the Witness Attitude

Inner Detachment

The Witness Attitude

The Witness Purusha or Witness Consciousness

The Purusha and Change of the Prakriti

Inner Experiences in the State of Samadhi

Samadhi or Trance

Trance Not Essential

Kinds of Samadhi

Samadhi and the Waking State

Samadhi and Sleep

The Trance of Mediums

Three Experiences of the Inner Being

Opening into the Inner Mental Self

The Awakening of the Inner Being in Sleep

A Touch of the Inner Self

Section Three: Experiences of the Cosmic Consciousness

The Universal or Cosmic Consciousness

The Terms “Universal” and “Cosmic”

The Nature of the Cosmic Consciousness

The Cosmic Consciousness and the Overmind

The Cosmic Consciousness and the Transcendent

Spiritual, Cosmic and Ordinary Consciousness

The Widening of the Consciousness

The Cosmic Consciousness and the Cosmic Self

The Cosmic Consciousness and Self-Realisation

Aspects of the Cosmic Consciousness

The Cosmic Ignorance and the Cosmic Truth

The Cosmic Harmony and Discords

The Cosmic Will

Opening to the Cosmic Mind

Opening to the Cosmic Life

The Cosmic Consciousness and the Physical

The Universal or Cosmic Forces

The Nature of the Universal or Cosmic Forces

The Universal Energies and the Divine Force

The Cosmic Force and the Overmind

The Entry of the Universal Forces

The Universal Forces and the Individual

Time Vision and the Cosmic Movement

Section Four: The Dangers of Inner and Cosmic Experiences

The Intermediate Zone

The Nature of the Intermediate Zone

The Dangers of the Intermediate Zone

Avoiding the Dangers of the Intermediate Zone

Inner Voices and Indications

The Nature of Voices

The Danger of Following Inner Voices

Part Four: The Fundamental Realisations of the Integral Yoga

Section One: Three Stages of Transformation: Psychic, Spiritual, Supramental

The Psychic and Spiritual Realisations

The Fundamental Realisations

Four Bases of Realisation

Three Realisations for the Soul

Foundations of the Sadhana

The Central Process of the Yoga

Conditions of Transformation

Realisation and Transformation

The Three Transformations

Preparation for the Supramental Change

Section Two: The Psychic Opening, Emergence and Transformation

The Psychic Being and Its Role in Sadhana

The Importance of the Psychic Change

The Role of the Psychic in Sadhana

The Psychic Deep Within

The Psychic and the Mental, Vital and Physical Nature

The Psychic Awakening

Living in the Psychic

The Psychic Opening

The Meaning of Psychic Opening

Conditions for the Psychic Opening

An Experience of Psychic Opening

The Psychic Opening and the Inner Centres

“Opening” and “Coming in Front”

The Emergence or Coming Forward of the Psychic

The Meaning of “Coming to the Front”

Signs of the Psychic’s Coming Forward

The Psychic and the Relation with the Divine

Means of Bringing Forward the Psychic

Obstacles to the Psychic’s Emergence

Experiences Associated with the Psychic

The Psychic Touch or Influence

The Psychic Condition

The Psychic Fire

The Psychic Fire and Some Inner Visions

Agni and the Psychic Fire

Psychic Tears or Weeping

Psychic Yearning

Psychic Intensity

The Psychic and Uneasiness

The Psychic and Spiritual Transformations

Psychisation and Spiritualisation

The Psychic and the Higher Consciousness

The Psychic and Spiritual Movements

The Psychic Consciousness and the Descent from Above

The Psychic and the Supermind

Section Three: Spiritual Experiences and Realisations

Experiences of the Self, the One and the Infinite

Peace, Calm, Silence and the Self

The True Self Within

The Self and the Sense of Individuality

The Disappearance of the “I” Sense

The Self and the Cosmic Consciousness

A Vision of the Universal Self

The Self Experienced on Various Planes

The Self and Time

The Self and Life

Experiences of Infinity, Oneness, Unity

Living in the Divine

Experiences on the Higher Planes

The Higher or Spiritual Consciousness

Breaking into the Spiritual Consciousness

Wideness and the Higher Consciousness

Degrees in the Higher Consciousness

The Higher Planes and the Supermind

Levels of the Higher Mind

An Illumined Mind Experience

Overmind Experiences

Overmind Experiences and the Supermind

Reflected Experience of the Higher Planes

Trance and the Higher Planes

Living in a Higher Plane

Section Four: The Spiritual Transformation

Ascent and Descent

The Meaning of Spiritual Transformation

A Double Movement in the Sadhana

Both Ascent and Descent Necessary

The Order of Ascent and Descent

Ascent and Descent of the Kundalini Shakti

Ascent and Descent and Problems of the Lower Nature

Experiences of Ascent and Descent

Ascent to the Higher Planes

Contact with the Above

Ascension or Rising above the Head

Ascent and Return to the Ordinary Consciousness

Ascent and Dissolution

Ascent and the Psychic Being

Ascent and the Body

Ascent and Going out of the Body

Fixing the Consciousness Above

Ascent and Change of the Lower Nature

The Descent of the Higher Consciousness and Force

The Purpose of the Descent

Calling in the Higher Consciousness

Preparatory Experiences and Descent

The Order of Descent into the Being

The Effect of Descent into the Lower Planes

The Descent of the Higher Powers

The Descent of Peace, Force, Light, Ananda

Peace, Calm, Quiet as a Basis for the Descent

The Descent of Peace

The Descent of Silence

The Descent of Force or Power

The Descent of Fire

The Descent of Light

The Descent of Knowledge

The Descent of Wideness

The Descent of Ananda

The Flow of Amrita

Descent and Other Kinds of Experience

Descent and Experiences of the Inner Being

Descent and Psychic Experiences

Descent and Other Experiences

Feelings and Sensations in the Process of Descent

Sensations in the Inner Centres

Drizzle or Shower

Difficulties Experienced in the Process of Descent

Alternations in the Intensity of the Force

The Need of Assimilation

Pulling Down the Force

Shaking or Swaying of the Body

Headaches Due to Resistance

Fear of the Descending Force

Desires and Descent

Tiredness, Inertia and Sleep

Mixing with the World

Descent and the Lower Nature

The Resistance of the Lower Nature

Descent into the Mind and Vital

Descent into the Physical Consciousness and Body

Experiences in the Subtle Body and the Physical Body

Descent into the Subconscient and Inconscient

Note on the Texts