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Importance of self awareness
Concept of self awareness
Importance of self awareness
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The study of consciousness and mind is the subject of exploration in the branch of philosophy, psychology, neuroscience and yoga with the quest of nature, function and their results. This study focuses on the nature of consciousness and mind in Samkhya, Yoga of Indian Philosophical systems and modern SKY-Yoga Philosophical Perspective of Vethathiri Maharishi. The focus is also on functional intricacies of bio-consciousness, the network functions of mind, the functional boundaries of mind, and also on whether the consciousness exists independent of physical world with reference to Simplified Kundalini Yoga (SKY). The revelation of Vethathiri Maharishi on the link between the Brahmam, Cosmic consciousness and bio-consciousness supports his hypothesis
Being free from all entanglement in worldly existence, He lives in eternal bliss, without merit or demerit. He is unlimited by time, all-merciful, untouched by taint of imperfection and above the law of karma. Yoga brings Buddhi, Ahamkara and manas of Samkhya in one umbrella termed as Citta or mind, which is the first product of Prakrti. It is unconscious though it becomes conscious by the reflection of consciousness which abides by it. The knowledge results when the consciousness is reflected in the mirror of the thinking substance (citta), and assumes its form. Citta is said to be in five stages, ksipta or restless, mudha or blinded, vksipta or distracted (rajas and tamas), ekagra or single-minded (satva) and niruddha or
Sub Consciousness: All the waves emanated by the activities of mind are imprinted in life force (energy particles) of organism and emerges as memory; this functional state is called sub-consciousness. The sub-consciousness is working through the brain and is the third stage in function of bio-consciousness and also termed as ‘Chittham’ It possesses subtler functional waves, triggers the billions of nerve cells and modifies the bio-magnetic force into pressure, sound, light, taste and smell to the required level for the function of consciousness. If this stage is not functioning, Buddhi cannot operate its cognitive activity. When Buddhi functions, Chittham functions in helping the Buddhi and make impressions of the activities of Buddhi. Chittham functions automatically even when the activities of Buddhi stop or lose its strength. It will function continuously except during sleep. It pulls up the Buddhi and show as an inner vision by spending the energy of body according to the availability of magnetic pressure then and there similar to how the senses spend the bio-magnetic
Chapter 4 discusses the several states of consciousness: the nature of consciousness, sleep and dreams, psychoactive drugs, hypnosis, and meditation. Consciousness is a crucial part of human experience, it represents that private inner mind where we think, feel, plan, wish, pray, omagine, and quietly relive experiences. William James described the mind as a stream of consciousness, a continuous flow of changing sensations, images thoughts, and feelings. Consciousness has two major parts: awareness and arousal. Awareness includes the awareness of the self and thoughts about one's experiences. Arousal is the physiological state of being engaged with the environment. Theory of mind refers to individuals understanding that they and others think,
...e notion of interbeing provides a full picture of understanding connecting different Buddhist ideas such as emptiness, no-self and impermanence together using just one simple word. As Mahayana Buddhism emphasizes the role of Buddhism as a liberating vehicle for the mass of its practitioners, the “heart” of the understanding of the Prajnaparamita Heart Sutra is emancipation from fear. Through the eyes of interbeing and skillful practice of penetration can one attain the “heart of the understanding.”
Proponents of the Transcendental Meditation program initiated by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi have expressed their ideas in various web sites on the World Wide Web, through pages such as The Transcendental Meditation Program at http://www.tm.org and the Scientific Research on Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program of the Maharishi University of Management at http://www.miu.edu/TM_Research. In these sites positive messages are conveyed about the benefits of meditation to its practitioner within the physiological, psychological, sociological, intellectual, and interpersonal realms. Within these sites, the web-browser is presented with an abundance of information relating the vast array of health benefits offered to an individual through the regular practice of what is described as the simplest, most natural form of awareness--what practitioners of the technique term "transcendental consciousness." Through this technique, its advocates assert, one can:
As there are many different schools of Buddhism, each with different principles, there are also many different views on consciousness. First, we'll turn to the "Consciousness-Only School" also known as Yogacara Buddhism. According to the Consciousness-Only school there are eight parts of the consciousness. The five sense-consciousnesses, those related to the senses. There is the sixth consciousness, called the sense-center consciousness, that which forms our conceptions. The seventh is called the thought-center, the consciousness related to will and reasoning. And the eighth consciousness, called the storehouse consciousness. The storehouse consciousness basically "stores" our past experiences. The consciousness are in a constant state of change, the seed is constantly being influenced by the inward flow of perceptions, and the seed itself influences the perceptions (Chan 371). This train of thought is most similar to the existing model of cognition and memory encoding.
In his sixth meditation must return to the doubts he raised in his first meditation. In this last section of his sixth meditation he deals mainly with the mind-body problem; and he tries to prove whether material things exist with certainly. In this meditation he develops his Dualist argument; by making a distinction between mind and body; although he also reveals their rather significant relationship.
I will commence by defining what makes a mental state conscious. This will be done aiming to distinguish what type of state we are addressing when we speak of a mental phenomenon and how is it, that can have a plausible explanation. By taking this first approach, we are able to build a base for our main argument to be clear enough and so that we can remain committed to.
There is some mention of the chakras as psychic centers of consciousness in the Yoga Upanishads (circa 600A.D.) and later in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (circa 200 B.C.). Patanjali's tradition was largely dualistic, however, stating that nature and spirit were separate, and that the goal of yoga was to rise above nature.
Western medicine has recently discovered the powerful affects of meditation, by allowing doctors to treat the body and the mind. In reality, the mind is a very misunderstood and unexplored region of the human existence. Modern science knows more about the composition of the earth than it does about the mechanics of the human brain. Yet, meditation thwarts all notions of modern medicine with its shocking ability to to take obscure visualizations and create physical responses in the body. Mahayana Buddhism, found mainly in the autonomous region of Tibet, has become the main reference and standard for meditation practices in the west. Tibetans have used meditation for centuries as treatment for illness, and now, modern medicine of the western world is just beginning to reap the benefits of this unique and unconventional treatment for a variety of physical and mental ailments. Once a practice reserved strictly for Buddhist monks, meditation has become a worldwide phenomenon. Simply enter “Buddhist meditation” into the any Inter...
Renner, T., Feldman, R., Majors, M., Morrissey, J., & Mae, L. (2011). States of Consciousness. Psychsmart (pp. 99-107). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Nirvana is a word that is commonly used in Buddhism with varied meanings depending on the use. It means the state of blowing out from certain detractors in life. To “blow out” has great meaning and refers wholly to the extinguishing or dispelling of oneself from certain characters that are considered to be iniquitous. It is characterized by peace of mind and it saves man from the sufferings, the cycles of rebirth, and death. Nirvana could only be achieved by individuals who observed the laid down rules and detached themselves from sin. Moksha is a common belief in the Hindu religion and it describes a state where one’s soul connects with god’s soul. In the Hindu religion, achieving moksha removes one from the cycle of life and death, which is the state of reincarnation as one moves from one life to the next. In essence, moksha is a state of unification of one’s soul with that of the creator, therefore achieving oneness of atman and Brahman. This essay discusses the various similarities and differences that exist between Buddhist Nirvana and Hindu Moksha.
“Consciousness is defined as everything of which we are aware at any given time - our thoughts, feelings, sensations, and perceptions of the external environment. Physiological researchers have returned to the study of consciousness, in examining physiological rhythms, sleep, and altered states of consciousness (changes in awareness produced by sleep, meditation, hypnosis, and drugs)” (Wood, 2011, 169). There are five levels of consciousness; Conscious (sensing, perceiving, and choosing), Preconscious (memories that we can access), Unconscious ( memories that we can not access), Non-conscious ( bodily functions without sensation), and Subconscious ( “inner child,” self image formed in early childhood).
Atman supplies light to the intellect itself and therefore it is above all these instruments utilized by it.” Personally, among the three margas (karma-bhakti-jnana) in Hinduism to attain Kaivalya, I am attracted and influenced by the karma marga or also called as kriya yoga. Karma means work or action and involves connecting with God by performing one’s duty. Bhagvad Gita is an example of Karma Marga, Mahatma Gandhi is a great example of the notion. The main idea of Karma yoga is – do your duty and do not be concerned with the results.
Eastern enlightenment religions have been gaining popularity throughout the western world for the past few decades, with many people attracted to a "different" way of experiencing religion. As with many other enlightenment religions, Buddhism requires disciples to understand concepts that are not readily explainable: one such concept is that of no-self. In this essay I shall discuss the no-self from a number of modern perspectives; however, as no-self is difficult to describe I shall focus on both the self and no-self. Beginning with psychological aspects, and neurophysiological research on transcendental meditation, I shall discuss the impact of modern brain science on our understanding of the self and transcendence. Next I will outline the relationship between quantum physics and non-locality, as this gives a western scientific explanation for no-self. Returning to the original source of Buddhism, I will briefly outline the discussion between Siddhartha and Vaccha regarding atman, then discuss the mind and no-self and their relationship to liberation. Finally I will summarize a few issues that the western mindset may face approaching this topic.
The tradition of yoga was essentially passed on through generations by word of mouth and since, has been shared around the world (General Yoga). It is uncertain to know exactly when yoga surfaced but there are traces found that date back to 3000 B.C., or over 5,000 years ago. Yoga is more than just mastering poses and meditation; it is an exercise that means “ Spiritual Discipline” in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. “Yoga is a combination of both physical and spiritual exercises, entails mastery over the body, mind, and emotional self, and transcendence of desire” (Yoga Beyond Asana). “The ultimate goal is moksha, the attainment of liberation from worldly suffering and the cycle of birth and rebirth” (Yoga Beyond Asana). “The whole system of yoga is based on three main structures: exercise, breathing, and meditation” (General Yoga).
Most people have this preconceived notion that yoga is only for the rich and famous. In fact, some people who are a little bit interested in yoga become discouraged even before they start with the discipline because they see it as difficult and very demanding.