As this state of consciousness grows, all the physical senses become refined. Through every channel of perception—sight, sound, smell, taste, touch—we experience the subtlest, most celestial values. Every perception becomes nourishing, a wave of joy. We enjoy greater harmony, evenness, and intimacy in the quality of our vision, our emotions, the whole of our life.

The following passage, reported by an advanced practitioner of the TM technique, describes the experience of increasingly refined perception: “Generally, whenever I put my attention on an object (e.g., when looking at scenery out the window or sitting in the kitchen), I become aware of the subtler qualities of the objects around me. For instance, when looking at a tree, I first become aware of the object as it is—a concrete form bound in space and time. But then I perceive finer aspects of the object coexisting along with its concrete expression.“ On this subtler level, objects are perceived as almost transparent structures of soft, satiny light (unlike harsher, normal daylight) through which the very essence of life appears to flow. This flowing field of life underlies and permeates the objects of perception. Perceiving these finer aspects of creation completely nourishes the finest aspect of my own being.”

Another TM practitioner describes refined perception and a growing intimacy with the surrounding world:“I noticed an ever-increasing evenness, balance, and concrete smoothness developing. The contrast between meditation and activity grew less and less, and my focus on difference began to recede as harmony and smoothness began to predominate…“Often I would have long periods of the day when everything I saw seemed to be glowing with divine radiance. Sometimes I would even be able to see the tremendous energy at the basis of every object, minute particles of energy (light?) moving very rapidly at a different rate and pattern for every object, yet unified somehow in a ‘unified field.’”