Ashtanga yoga – THE HIGHLANDS AND LOWLANDS OF MIND

THE EIGHTH LESSON.

THE HIGHLANDS AND LOWLANDS OF MIND.

The Self of each of us has a vehicle of expression which we call the Mind, but which vehicle is much larger and far more complex than we are apt to realize. As a writer has said “Our Self is greater than we know; it has peaks above, and lowlands below the plateau of our conscious experience.” That which we know as the “conscious mind” is not the Soul. The Soul is not a part of that which we know in consciousness, but, on the contrary, that which we know in consciousness is but a small part of the Soul–the conscious vehicle of a greater Self, or “I.”

The Yogis have always taught that the mind has many planes of manifestation and action–and that many of its planes operated above and below the plane of consciousness. Western science is beginning to realize this fact, and its theories regarding same may be found in any of the later works on psychology. But this is a matter of recent development in Western science. Until very recently the text books held that Consciousness and Mind were synonymous, and that the Mind was conscious of all of its activities, changes and modifications.

Liebnitz was one of the first Western philosophers to advance the idea that there were planes of mental activity outside of the plane of consciousness, and since his time the leading thinkers have slowly but surely moved forward to his position.

Taken from “A SERIES OF LESSONS IN RAJA YOGA” by YOGI RAMACHARAKA

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