Next is what connects us to the environment, which gains its highest potential of observinghood, thanks to the refinement of the machinery of perception that has just been described and reaches its height in God Consciousness, or Glorified Cosmic Consciousness.

When the Observer is known in its infinite value—that is, the Self knows itself as Pure Consciousness—and the machinery of perception, the mechanics of knowing, also rises to its full capability and is able to perceive infinite value in all aspects of one’s interactions and all objects that one observes, then Unity Consciousness is automatically attained. This is when the following Vedic aphorisms become not just beautiful words but a living reality—“I am That, Thou art That, all this is nothing but That, That alone is.”

Unity is complete enlightenment, the spontaneous uncontrived ability to look at nature and the entire creation from the perspective of Wholeness.

We have reached the threshold of the highest level of human development, which in Maharishi’s model, he calls Unity Consciousness, a state of being that corresponds in every way with our thesis that Consciousness is all there is.

In Vedic Science, Unity Consciousness is indicated by several time-honored, classic sayings. Perhaps the most famous is, “I am That, thou art That, all this is That, That alone is,” where “That,” of course, is Consciousness. And “this” is the entirety of the relative creation, now seen in its true nature as That. Another great saying is aham Brahmasmi, “I am Brahman,” a word best translated as “the Totality,” the wholeness of all that is, Absolute Pure Being/Consciousness along with all existent and possible relative values. This is expressed in the Chhandogya Upanishad as sarvam khalvidam Brahm, “all this is Brahman, the Totality.”

In Unity Consciousness, the individual perceives everything in terms of wholeness. All is truly One Unbounded Ocean of Consciousness in motion.

In the development of higher states of Consciousness in an individual, all three “components” of what truly undifferentiated Consciousness is—Observer, Process of Observation, and Observed—steadily evolve toward the ultimate level that we discussed early in the book—infinite, unbroken, primordial Consciousness, or Singularity. The first of these three components to reach this supreme level is the most intimate part of our Self, the perception of our own ego, the Observer. The supreme level of observerhood is attained by the repeated experience of Pure Consciousness during transcending, and the gradual stabilization of that unbounded awareness in Cosmic Consciousness.

Transcendental Consciousness, which the mind experiences during TM practice, is referred to in the Vedic literature as “the Fourth,” a rich addition that provides a stable yet dynamic basis to the daily cycle of wakefulness, sleep, and dreaming. The next higher step in the growth of Consciousness, called Cosmic Consciousness, occurs when, over time and through the repeated experience of transcending and coming back to ordinary activity, time and again, a person finds that awareness of the Self is not ever lost, not only during waking but also in deep sleep and dreaming.

Alongside these three states, or underlying them, is the ever-present awareness of the Self. Thus, all three common states of consciousness no longer have the same quality but are supported and enhanced by the expansive silence of Pure Consciousness. This state, in which inner silence co-exists with outward activity, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi called Cosmic Consciousness, a fifth state of Consciousness.

An individual’s evolution from this stage onward involves increasing refinement of perception toward the ability to perceive Singularity or wholeness in the objects of perception as well as in oneself, to raise the objects of perception to the same infinite value as the subject. This is accomplished by elevating what we might call the “perceiving ability” of the Observer, through refining the process of observation. This is a very beautiful and rewarding phase of growth, in which the richness and splendor of the subtler realms of nature and creation begin to be perceived and enjoyed, and a sixth state of Consciousness unfolds: Glorified Cosmic Consciousness, or God Consciousness.

Yes, it really is. The TM technique is different from other techniques in many ways, but here are three in particular:

• It is simple and easy to practice.
• It gives the experience of a unique neurophysiological state of restful alertness and brainwave coherence.
• Its effects have been scientifically researched in hundreds of published studies showing benefits for health, intelligence, creativity, work, relationships, and more.

Here we’ll just take a closer look at ease of practice.Unlike other forms of meditation, the TM technique is completely effortless. This means it does not involve any concentration or control of the mind, or any contemplation or monitoring of thoughts.Scientists categorize TM as a type of meditation called Automatic Self-Transcending because it allows the mind to settle down and experience quieter levels of awareness spontaneously and effortlessly. The two other categories of meditation—Focused Attention (e.g. concentration) and Open Monitoring (e.g. contemplation)—involve mental effort. Mindfulness meditation includes both these approaches.

The TM technique is effortless because it utilizes the natural tendency of the mind to move spontaneously towards greater happiness.

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the Founder of the TM program, explains effortlessness in this way: “The principle of Transcendental Meditation is simple: Being is bliss in its nature. It is infinite happiness. The mind is always moving in the direction of greater happiness. It is the experience of everyone that wherever the mind goes, it moves in the direction of greater happiness. And because the nature of inner Being is bliss, infinite happiness, during Transcendental Meditation the mind takes that inward course in a most spontaneous manner.”

One of the core values of TM is that one can practice the technique in anyway they want to. For example, if they don’t have time in the morning, one could meditate in the afternoon and in the evening; or perhaps, they don’t have a set TM chair, but meditate in bed: these different ways of practicing TM are not wrong. That’s why TM is so easy: you don’t have to adapt to TM, but rather, TM adapts to you and your lifestyle.

Research has shown that regularity of TM practice—twice a day for 20 minutes for most adults—offers much greater benefit than meditating less.As Dr. David Orme-Johnson, one of the world’s leading researchers on the Transcendental Meditation technique, explains: “Multiple studies have shown that the benefits from the TM technique are directly proportional to regularity of practice. These include: greater decrease in neuroticism, heart attacks, strokes, and even death. Regular TM practice also leads to greater gains in autonomic stability (an indicator of less stress), resilience, intelligence, and sociability.” 

The best length of time to meditate is the time you were instructed by your TM teacher, which is usually 20 minutes for adults. In addition, be sure to take enough time to come out slowly before returning to activity. This routine offers the right balance of the deep rest of TM with daily activity. If you don’t have 20 minutes, meditate as much as you can, even 10 or 15 minutes, rather than skipping your meditation entirely, then finish later. Or try rescheduling, such as in the afternoon on a work break or later that evening when you get home. The busiest times are when you need it the most! Many people find that it helps to schedule their TM sessions as appointments “with my Self” every day, such as “6:00 to 6:30 a.m.: TM to start the day” and “5:00 to 5:30 p.m.: TM to recharge.” This ensures they make time to meditate.

One has to perceive Tm not as something they should do if they have time, but rather a set time of day that improves their physical and mental well being. After all, one wouldn’t skip a vital meeting with others, so why should they skip a vital meeting for themselves?

The most important thing is to meditate twice a day. The best times to meditate are once in the morning and once in the afternoon or evening.

For most people, I recommend that you meditate soon after waking up—before the never-ending onslaught of emails, texts, phone calls, and daily responsibilities begins. Having said that, Robyn Field, a full-time mom and part-time professional photographer says: “My mom duties start from the second I wake up: making breakfast, preparing lunchboxes, getting everyone dressed and armed with their school work and off to the buses. Suddenly, the house is quiet. I put the phone in airplane mode, slip into my favorite chair, and dive within.”

In other words, find the best times for you and your schedule.

Personally, when I do Tm I usually go into my bed, set the pillow upright, utter my mantra and close my eyes. It is the perfect combination of relaxation, but also keeps you awake. Your Tm setup would really depend on your preferences.

My Dan Bon also reminds me of my physical achievements as a Soo Bahk Do practitioner. In every class, our instructors make sure to include a couple of rounds of push-ups, sit-ups, planks, jumping jacks, burpees, and many more exercises that strengthen my core, laterals, and flexibility. For example, one student may do only 8 push-ups instead of ten. This might not sound like a big difference, but that laziness builds up overtime: part of a practitioner’s mentality is to have Chung Jik, or honesty and complete the full requirements of the exercise. Another form of a physical achievement that I take pride in is my hand techniques. Doing a proper hand technique requires a sturdy stance, meaning that your legs are firmly planted on the ground and that your arms are firmly in place, and good eye contact. I found that good back posture is the most important part of having a good stance: a straight back indicates neatness and a clean technique. A practitioner must not only practice their back posture while doing forms, but also while sitting at the beginning of class. Furthermore, forms are also a very important part of my training as a Soo Bahk Do practitioner. The forms that I am performing for my EE Dan, Jinhto, Naihanchi E Dan, Chil Sung EE Ro hyung, and Du Moon. In these forms you must be able to have good hand techniques, stance, and posture. Jinhto mainly focuses on good balance, speed control and good posture, as the form is based on the crane. Naihanchi EE Dan focuses on weight distribution and good stance/posture. Chil Sung EE Ro Hyung focuses on tension and relaxation and control of power as well as speed control. Du Moon focuses on tension and relaxation and control of power. All in all, my physical achievements during my EE Dan training have shown my mental and physical growth as a Soo Bahk Do practitioner.

Transcendental Consciousness is referred to in the Vedic literature as “the Fourth,” a rich addition that provides a stable yet dynamic basis to the daily cycle of wakefulness, sleep, and dreaming. The next higher step in the growth of Consciousness, called Cosmic Consciousness, occurs when, over time and through the repeated experience of transcending and coming back to ordinary activity, time and again, a person finds that awareness of the Self is not ever lost, not only during waking but also in deep sleep and dreaming. Whether in the quiet of meditation, where subtle impulses of mantra or thoughts are accompanied by the soft presence of pure awareness; or in the most dynamic phases of activity; or during the varying colors and shades of dream and sleep, awareness of the Self persists more and more steadily, as if “sticking” to the mind, until the day comes when one realizes it has become permanent.

Pure consciousness continues, through all the changes in one’s daily feelings, perceptions, and interactions, a steady inner presence of stability and calm. In fact, “deep sleep,” in the sense of the total obliviousness that is most people’s experience, no longer exists for such a person, because inside, unbounded awareness—the lively sense of one’s deepest being—does not ever shut down, even though physiologically, sleep continues to be completely restful.

Both the wakeful state and dreaming are different, too, because alongside them, or underlying them, is the ever-present awareness of the Self. Thus, all three common states of consciousness no longer have the same quality but are supported and enhanced by the expansive silence of Pure Consciousness. This state, in which inner silence co-exists with outward activity, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi called Cosmic Consciousness, a fifth state of Consciousness.

Like transcendence, experiences of Cosmic Consciousness have been enjoyed and described throughout history. Below, without much comment, are a few examples. I include these because I remember how descriptions of higher states of awareness were inspirational for me, helping me to persevere on my own path. Perhaps it will be helpful to you to hear other people, some prominent and some not, including individuals who have experienced higher states of consciousness through regular practice of the TM technique, speak in their own voices about how higher consciousness dawned for them and influenced their lives.

In Cosmic Consciousness, awareness of awareness continues, but in a rather remarkable way—to experience it does not require “transcending” the relative field of objects, nor do the objects obliterate the inner wakefulness—the two fields of life, absolute inner silence and outward dynamism, co-exist. The endless finite values of the ever-changing relative field of living are supported by the infinite value of Singularity. In the midst of any activity, the individual perceives himself or herself to be Pure Consciousness.

There is abundant scientific evidence that something unusual and significant is taking place during transcendence, not merely in the mind—it’s not just a subjective, “psychological state”—but in the body as well. As we have seen, any state of consciousness has a corresponding constellation of physiological parameters. Just as in sleep, dreaming, and wakefulness, the fourth or transcendental state also has its own unique pattern of mind-body functioning.Metabolic and biochemical changes indicate an extremely deep state of relaxation and rest, actually more profound than sleep, as measured, for example, by very shallow natural breathing and periods of unforced breath cessation, with no compensatory over-breathing afterwards. Naturally, such a deep state of restfulness has a wide range of health-giving consequences, which have been extensively documented.

Yet—and this is of particular interest to me as a neuroscientist—simultaneous with the deep state of physical restfulness, awareness is lively, and a unique pattern of neurological activity appears, marked by a high degree of brain wave coherence or integration that signals an unusually balanced activation of the total brain.This state of transcendence, known as Samadhi in the Vedic tradition, could well be considered a kind of “ground state” or foundation for higher states of Consciousness. The goal of spiritual practice is not merely to have periods of time (or, as it is subjectively felt, timelessness), when inner silence and unbounded awareness are enjoyed, but to carry that expanded and blissful state of being into all activities and relationships, to enable a true state of enlightened living. This begins as soon as transcendence is added to a person’s repertoire of experiences, and grows steadily as higher states of consciousness unfold, reaching its peak in what we’ll be calling Unity Consciousness.

Since Consciousness is indeed all there is, then in its pure state, in itself, as Transcendental Consciousness, it would have to be the source of all the creativity, intelligence, and power displayed everywhere in the universe and in our individual lives as well. In support of this understanding, throughout history we find artists, poets, mathematicians, scientists, and visionaries across a wide spectrum report that it is just this experience of unboundedness, silence, bliss, and light that has inspired their unique creativity and profound insight.