NATURAL MEDITATION  : THE EIGHT-STAGE THEORY, PROPONENT : DILIP KUMAR PUROHIT

NATURAL MEDITATION  : THE EIGHT-STAGE THEORY

PROPONENT : DILIP KUMAR PUROHIT

THE FUNDAMENTAL PURPOSE OF HUMAN LIFE IS NOT MERELY TO ACHIEVE MATERIAL SUCCESS, BUT TO CONTINUOUSLY EVOLVE HUMAN CONSCIOUSNESS. PARAM PUJYA MAHARISHI MAHESH YOGI PRESENTED THE THEORY OF SEVEN STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS THROUGH TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION. ACCORDING TO HIM, THROUGH REGULAR PRACTICE A PERSON CAN PROGRESS FROM WAKING CONSCIOUSNESS TO UNITY CONSCIOUSNESS.

DILIP KUMAR PUROHIT, A DISCIPLE OF MAHARISHI MAHESH YOGI, PROPOSED AN EXPANDED PHILOSOPHICAL APPROACH INSPIRED BY THESE TEACHINGS. HE CALLED THIS APPROACH “NATURAL MEDITATION”. THIS THEORY IS NOT PRESENTED AS A REPLACEMENT OF MAHARISHI MAHESH YOGI’S TEACHINGS, BUT AS AN EXTENSION INSPIRED BY THEM.

ACCORDING TO THIS VIEW, AFTER THE SEVEN STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS THERE EMERGES AN EIGHTH STATE CALLED “NATURAL MEDITATION” OR “THE NATURAL STATE.” IN THIS STATE, MEDITATION IS NO LONGER LIMITED TO A SPECIFIC PERIOD OF PRACTICE; RATHER, LIFE ITSELF BECOMES MEDITATION.

FIRST STAGE : WAKING CONSCIOUSNESS

THIS IS THE ORDINARY STATE OF HUMAN LIFE. A PERSON EXPERIENCES THE WORLD THROUGH THE SENSES, THINKS, MAKES DECISIONS, WORKS, AND PERFORMS SOCIAL DUTIES. MOST PEOPLE SPEND THEIR ENTIRE LIVES WITHIN THIS LEVEL OF AWARENESS.

IN NATURAL MEDITATION, THIS IS CONSIDERED THE FOUNDATION FROM WHICH THE JOURNEY OF CONSCIOUSNESS BEGINS.

SECOND STAGE : DREAM CONSCIOUSNESS

THIS IS THE STATE OF SUBTLE MENTAL ACTIVITY. DREAMS ARE NOT ONLY NIGHTTIME EXPERIENCES; THEY ALSO REPRESENT THE CREATIVE POWER OF THE MIND. THE MIND CONSTRUCTS WORLDS THROUGH MEMORIES, DESIRES, AND IMAGINATIONS.

ACCORDING TO NATURAL MEDITATION, IMAGINATION IS THE GREATEST HUMAN POWER, AND IT EVENTUALLY BECOMES THE MAIN TOOL OF SPIRITUAL PRACTICE.

THIRD STAGE : DEEP SLEEP CONSCIOUSNESS

THIS IS THE STATE OF COMPLETE REST. THE MIND BECOMES QUIET, THOUGHTS SUBSIDE, AND THE PERSON EXPERIENCES DEEP RELAXATION.

NATURAL MEDITATION INTERPRETS THIS STATE AS A REMINDER THAT THE TRUE NATURE OF HUMAN BEINGS IS NOT CONSTANT THINKING, BUT INNER PEACE.

FOURTH STAGE : TRANSCENDENTAL CONSCIOUSNESS

THIS IS THE CENTRAL STATE DESCRIBED IN TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION. HERE THE MIND GOES BEYOND THOUGHTS AND EXPERIENCES PURE CONSCIOUSNESS. THERE IS DEEP INNER SILENCE WHILE AWARENESS REMAINS PRESENT.

NATURAL MEDITATION REGARDS THIS AS AN IMPORTANT TURNING POINT IN THE EXPANSION OF CONSCIOUSNESS.

FIFTH STAGE : COSMIC CONSCIOUSNESS

AT THIS LEVEL, INNER BALANCE BECOMES MORE STABLE. EXTERNAL CIRCUMSTANCES CONTINUE TO CHANGE, YET INNER PEACE REMAINS. THE PERSON BECOMES A WITNESS RATHER THAN A SLAVE OF CIRCUMSTANCES.

ACCORDING TO NATURAL MEDITATION, THIS IS THE STAGE WHERE ONE BEGINS TO UNDERSTAND THE LAWS OF NATURE.

SIXTH STAGE : GOD CONSCIOUSNESS

IN THIS STATE, THE PERSON BEGINS TO EXPERIENCE DIVINITY THROUGHOUT CREATION. LOVE, COMPASSION, BEAUTY, AND SENSITIVITY INCREASE. RESPECT FOR EVERY LIVING BEING AND EVERY ELEMENT OF EXISTENCE ARISES NATURALLY.

NATURAL MEDITATION HOLDS THAT THE EGO GRADUALLY WEAKENS AT THIS LEVEL.

SEVENTH STAGE : UNITY CONSCIOUSNESS

THIS IS THE STATE OF ONENESS. THE PRACTITIONER EXPERIENCES LESS SEPARATION BETWEEN SELF AND THE UNIVERSE. ALL EXISTENCE IS PERCEIVED AS AN EXPRESSION OF ONE CONSCIOUSNESS.

NATURAL MEDITATION CONSIDERS THIS A VERY HIGH DEVELOPMENT OF HUMAN AWARENESS.

EIGHTH STAGE : NATURAL MEDITATION (THE NATURAL STATE)

THIS IS THE CORE OF DILIP KUMAR PUROHIT’S THEORY. WHEN A PRACTITIONER MATURELY EXPERIENCES THE PREVIOUS SEVEN STATES, MEDITATION IS NO LONGER CONFINED TO A SPECIAL PRACTICE SESSION. THE WHOLE OF LIFE BECOMES MEDITATION.

IN THIS STATE, THERE IS NO FEELING OF NEEDING TO “DO” MEDITATION SEPARATELY. EVERY ACTION BECOMES MORE AWARE, SPONTANEOUS, AND ALIGNED WITH NATURE.

UNLIKE MANTRA-BASED PRACTICES, NATURAL MEDITATION EMPHASIZES “NATURAL IMAGINATION.” THIS MEANS CULTIVATING THOUGHTS, FEELINGS, AND INNER IMAGES RELATED TO NATURE, BALANCE, COMPASSION, TRUTH, CREATION, AND HARMONY.

THE PRACTICE CONTINUES WHILE WALKING, SITTING, WORKING, EATING, RESTING, AND LIVING DAILY LIFE. OVER TIME, THOUGHTS, BEHAVIOR, DECISIONS, AND LIFESTYLE BEGIN TO CHANGE NATURALLY. ANGER DECREASES, PATIENCE INCREASES, DECISIONS BECOME MORE BALANCED, AND LIFE FEELS MORE EFFORTLESS.

THE IDEA OF “BECOMING NATURE” IS NOT PRESENTED AS A LITERAL OR BIOLOGICAL TRANSFORMATION. RATHER, IT REFERS TO A SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE OF DEEP HARMONY WITH UNIVERSAL CONSCIOUSNESS, NATURE, AND LIFE AS A WHOLE.

HOW NATURAL MEDITATION WORKS

THE PRACTICE IS DESCRIBED AS SIMPLE:

• DO NOT FORCE THE MIND.
• ALLOW POSITIVE AND NATURAL IMAGINATIONS TO ARISE.
• IMAGINE YOURSELF FLYING, FLOATING, EXPANDING, OR EXPERIENCING JOYFUL POSSIBILITIES.
• KEEP THE IMAGINATION GENTLE AND EFFORTLESS.
• PRACTICE WHILE WALKING, SITTING, EATING, WORKING, AND RESTING.
• IF NEGATIVE THOUGHTS APPEAR, GENTLY RETURN TO POSITIVE IMAGINATION.

IN THIS VIEW, THE PRACTITIONER LIVES IN A CONSCIOUS WORLD OF POSITIVE IMAGINATION WHILE REMAINING ENGAGED WITH LIFE.

THE PATH OF PROGRESSION

ACCORDING TO THIS THEORY, CONTINUOUS PRACTICE OF POSITIVE, NATURAL IMAGINATION HELPS THE PRACTITIONER GRADUALLY EXPERIENCE THE SEVEN STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS DESCRIBED BY MAHARISHI MAHESH YOGI. EVENTUALLY, THE PRACTITIONER ENTERS THE EIGHTH STATE — THE NATURAL STATE — WHERE LIFE ITSELF FLOWS IN HARMONY WITH THE LAWS OF NATURE.

FOUNDATIONS OF NATURAL MEDITATION

• CONTINUOUS POSITIVE AND NATURE-ALIGNED IMAGINATION.
• AWARENESS IN EVERY ACTION.
• HARMONY WITH NATURE.
• TRUTH AND ETHICAL LIVING.
• COMPASSION AND SERVICE.
• SIMPLICITY AND DISTANCE FROM ARTIFICIAL LIFESTYLES.
• UNITY OF THOUGHT, SPEECH, AND ACTION.
• SEEING EVERY MOMENT OF LIFE AS AN EXTENSION OF MEDITATION.

NATURAL CREATION CAMPAIGN (NATURAL UNIVERSE MOVEMENT)

DILIP KUMAR PUROHIT ASSOCIATES THIS PHILOSOPHY WITH A BROADER VISION CALLED THE “NATURAL CREATION CAMPAIGN” (NATURAL UNIVERSE MOVEMENT). THE AIM OF THIS MOVEMENT IS TO ENCOURAGE HUMAN BEINGS TO LIVE IN GREATER HARMONY WITH NATURE, DEVELOP INNER DIVINITY THROUGH CONSCIOUS LIVING, AND CREATE A SOCIETY BASED ON BALANCE, COMPASSION, AND NATURAL VALUES.

CONCLUSION

THE EIGHT-STAGE THEORY OF NATURAL MEDITATION IS PRESENTED AS AN INDEPENDENT SPIRITUAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE BY DILIP KUMAR PUROHIT. IT USES THE SEVEN STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS DESCRIBED BY MAHARISHI MAHESH YOGI AS A FOUNDATION AND ADDS AN EIGHTH STATE CALLED NATURAL MEDITATION.

THE CENTRAL MESSAGE OF THIS PHILOSOPHY IS THAT MEDITATION CAN EVOLVE FROM A LIMITED PRACTICE INTO A COMPLETE WAY OF LIFE, WHERE A PERSON EXPERIENCES DEEP HARMONY WITH NATURE AND ALLOWS EVERY ACTION TO BECOME MORE NATURAL, BALANCED, AWARE, AND BENEFICIAL TO ALL.

DILIP KUMAR PUROHIT

PROPONENT : NATURAL MEDITATIONFOUNDER : NATURAL CREATION CAMPAIGN