What is this mind????

[Guest guest]

Dear EveryONE,

 

Sat Nam!!!!

 

(This is a repost. I originally posted these questions during solstice when

most people were away, and nobody posted an anwser.)

 

So I've been pondering recently over just exactly what and where is the mind. A

question that, when one asks oneself..., can hurt the head a little.

 

Is there a way to compare:

 

-traditional psychology i.e. the existence of the conscious, subconscious, and

unconscious minds,

with,

-Yogi Bhajan's teachings on the positive, negative and neutral minds.

 

*How do the two inter-relate? If at all.

 

*How many different levels of mind actually exist (that we know of)?

 

*Is the mind actually a field of energy (one of the 10 subtle energy

bodies... or does it have a more physical basis as well?)

 

 

For example, I recently did a meditation experiment, an idea that came from

reading one of Sivananda's books 'Thought Power'. In a deep meditative state I

visualised and sent a message to a friend, who I had not spoken to in months,

too call me, I tried to actually see and feel him picking up the phone and

calling. Literally 30 seconds later the phone rang! Obviously no coincidence.

I couldn't answer the phone because I was in a very deep meditative state, I

hadn't considered that it would be him, or that my meditation would have worked

so effectively. He called again, 3 times and the 3rd time I picked up, and when

I heard his voice, gave a friendly laugh and said, "So! I guess you heard me!"

 

It seemed natural at the time as I was talking, since I was still feeling very

meditative and not analyzing the situation at all. But afterwards, I realised

that I should try to be more aware where I send my thoughts! Since they REALLY

do travel!

 

So any input on the traditional viewpoint of the workings of the mind along with

the yogic understanding would be wonderful!

 

Brightest blessings,

 

Krishan Shiva Kaur

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Krishan-

I don't believe that this has a definate answer. However, I can give

you my own understanding/belief. I'm not a psychologist or anything

closely related to one, so this is all purely personal reading,

research, and thought that I've done on the topic.

 

I've read books by Ravi Ravindra, Edgar Cayce, Wilhelm Reich, Sigmund

Freud and Carl Jung. Some dealt with spirituality and/or yoga as it

relates to the mind/human body and others focused on the psychology

of the mind alone.

 

I try to look at things from a macro level first. At a macro level, I

think they all have the same basic concepts. There are essentially 3

types of 'minds'. Call them id/ego/superego,

conscious/subconcsious/superconscious, positive/negative/neutral,

whatever you choose. And, for the most part, the functions of each

type tend to be fairly consistent across the different philosophies.

I think the psychology stops short of relating the types and

functions to a spiritual premise, with the exception of Jung. My

understanding of his philosophy was that ultimately everyone can tap

into what he called the 'universal unconscious' (or maybe it was

universal consciousness - I forget, it's been awhile since I read

him). Which I correlate to the Christ Consciousness that other

philosophies speak of.

 

I believe that all of the theories/philosophies about which I've read

(and it's by no means a complete list of everything out there)

include a concept of 3, or the trinity. I don't remember anyone

speaking of more than 3 minds. And that each type of mind represents

different layers/levels/growth to an individual. I think people in

general tend to focus on the differences rather than the common

concepts. So while some tend to go into more details than others, due

primarily to extending their concepts to spiritual levels, taken

altogether, I understand all of them to have the same common

principles.

 

Again, this is just my understanding. And I've only read about a few

of the philosophies on the mind that are currently available. Others

may have an opinion based on a more comprehensive study of the topic.

 

Hope that helps!

 

Christa