If the mind can become fully awake for short periods of time, as it does in Transcendental Consciousness, can it remain fully awake permanently? The answer is: it can. And with repeated transcending, it does.

Gradually, with regular experience of Transcendental Consciousness through the TM technique, the mind and body become accustomed to this style of functioning. One spontaneously maintains unbounded awareness, the fully expanded state of mind, at all times, along with waking, dreaming, and sleeping. The physiology becomes free of stress, and brain functioning remains integrated throughout the day.

In Cosmic Consciousness the mind is fully expanded and awake, along with waking, dreaming, and sleep statesWith regular TM practice, Transcendental Consciousness becomes permanent, forming an underlying continuum that coexists with waking, dreaming, and sleeping. These three states continue to come and go as before. But the underlying continuum of pure consciousness is never broken. The experience of inner silence is never lost—the inner light of the Self is never extinguished.This is a fifth state of consciousness, altogether different from waking, dreaming, sleeping, and Transcendental Consciousness.This fifth state Maharishi terms Cosmic Consciousness. Cosmic means all­ inclusive, all­ encompassing. In Cosmic Consciousness, the mind is fully expanded. The ocean of consciousness is awake to its depth.