Transcendental Consciousness is a state of consciousness that is not deep sleep, not dreaming, and not waking. Transcendental Consciousness is initially described in terms of what it is not, because this is the experience. It is literally awareness of nothingness or void that is commonly experienced between the states of waking and deep sleep. It can also be experienced between deep sleep and dreaming, and dreaming and waking, as illustrated in the drawing below.

Transcendental Consciousness is the gap in consciousness that we experience between waking and deep sleep. We remember that we did nothing in particular to go to sleep, other than to stop being active. Sometimes we stopped being active by choice and sometimes, in spite of trying to remain active, we found it impossible to stay awake and suddenly dropped off to sleep.

However, Transcendental Consciousness is much more that simply the gap between two states of consciousness. It is the state of consciousness in which one can be the witness of all other states of consciousness – beyond all common states of consciousness.

It is difficult to convey the experience of Transcendental Consciousness in common words and expressions because it is an experience that is beyond words. Our language, especially the English language, is a waking state derived structure. Because Transcendental Consciousness is beyond waking state, the terms and language of waking state cannot effectively be used to convey an accurate meaning of it.

As mentioned in the section on dreaming, if we lie down, that posture is conducive to sleep and dreaming states of consciousness. We all know that sitting up straight is conducive to wakefulness. There is a specific posture that is conducive to Transcendental Consciousness known as the padmâsana (lotus posture). The padmâsana (illustrated below) is the classic physical expression of the S’rî Chakra – lotus or padma is an allegorical reference to the S’rî Chakra.

To assume the padmâsana, follow these steps:

1. In a sitting position, stretch your legs straight out before you.
2. Bend your right leg at the knee and bring it toward you so that you can take hold of your right foot with both hands.
3. Place your right foot on top of your left thigh. The right foot should be brought toward you as far as is possible so that eventually the right foot is touching the groin. In order to now complete the posture successfully, the right knee will have to rest on the floor.
4. Bend your left leg at the knee and bring it toward you so that you can take hold of your left foot with both hands.
5. Place your left foot on top of your right thigh. The left foot should be brought in as far as possible so that eventually the left heel will also touch the groin. Both knees should eventually rest on the floor.
6. The reverse position, in which the left foot is brought up first, then the right foot is also acceptable.
7. Rest the hands palm up on the knees and touch the index finger to the thumb.

Sitting in the padmâsana will quickly give rise to Transcendental Consciousness, if that is your intention and a specific mental technique for that purpose is practiced. When experienced directly, Transcendental Consciousness can be experienced in two ways, deep inside the mind or outside and above the mind, depending on the specific mental technique employed.

If you can sit in padmâsana and would like to experience Transcendental Consciousness, here is a mental technique that you may practice which will give rise to the experience:

• While seated in padmâsana, close the eyes and look up with closed eyes to a spot that is above the head approximately six inches.
• Within a few seconds you should feel a shift in consciousness and experience Transcendental Consciousness for a few seconds.

You may find it difficult to maintain this experience for more that a few seconds before thoughts arise in your mind. This is normal when the S’rî Chakra is not fully activated. In the book Âtmavedî, Part II we will go into a specific practice for activation of the S’rî Chakra. However, the point to consider now is that Transcendental Consciousness is not confined to just the transition periods between waking and sleep states of consciousness. In fact, Transcendental Consciousness is available at any time with the proper application of a physical posture and mental technique.

However, Transcendental Consciousness is closer to all of us than this – it can be experienced as the super-conscious state that exists between two thoughts.  Even if you have trouble sitting in padmâsana, you can still experience Transcendental Consciousness very easily. Close your eyes and experience thoughts as they arise in your mind. The gap between two thoughts, in which there exists no thought in your mind, is Transcendental Consciousness. In this gap between thoughts, you are aware of awareness itself as a witness to the functioning of your own mind.

An excellent method to begin to experience Transcendental Consciousness is through the practice of Transcendental Meditation^® as taught by a teacher certified by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. You may learn the TM^® technique during a S'rî Vyuha Seven Day Course, or at any one of the many TM Centers around the world. Click here to visit the TM website for information.