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Every human being is composed of three
bodies or Spirits. Each body is then comprised of two subtle substances
(latifa, plural latayef). al-nufs al-amara: a.k.a. Animal Soul, lower Self, ruh hevani =Soul(nafs)+ Heart(qalb). al-nufs al-lawwama:
a.k.a. Human
Soul, Ego, ruh insani= Spirit (ruh) + Consciousness (shaur). al-nafs a!-
mutma'inna a.k.a. Contented
Soul, Higher Self, ruh azam - Mystery (khafi)+Arcanum(akhfa).
These six subtle substances (or chakra,
which we are going to call spheres) are further divided into six more layers of
light and pure light (nur). From the three waves of light, diurnal senses are
formed while through three pure-light (nur) waves nocturnal senses are formed.
The layers of light are necessary for the diurnal senses while the pure-light
waves are needed for the functioning of the nocturnal life.
Every one of us wakes up after sleeping.
After waking up when our eves first open, we enter into the conscious senses.
We can call this state as semi-awakening. What we mean by semi-awakening is
that during this stage we are not yet fully entered into consciousness.
However, the moment we wake up from sleeping and enter the first state of
awakening, our soul is inundated by thoughts and actions; meaning that the
awakened styles of thoughts and actions start flowing collectively.
After semi-awakening the second stage
starts. During this stage, our mental alertness deepens. As it deepens the
drowsiness that our brain feels, ends. During this stage, we enter into the
state of exhilaration or slight intoxication (khumaar). This feeling of slight
intoxication goes up and down and it activates the sphere of Heart (gaib). When
the feeling (,I exhilaration gets stronger, it turns into wajdani (Intuitive
ecstasy). This is the third stage of wakefulness. During this ecstasy the
sphere of Spirit (ruh) is activated.
First stage:
Semi wakefulness (initiation of
conscious senses) = Thoughts and action converage into one point = sphere of
Soul activates.
Second stage:
The drowsiness decreases, gives away to
alertness = exhilaration = sphere of Heart activates.
Third stage:
Exhilaration
gets deeper = ecstasy = sphere of Spirit activates.
Just as there are three stages of
wakefulness, there are three stages of sleep as well. The way we enter into
wakefulness by going through three stages, we enter into sleep by going through
three stages as well. The stage between sleep and wakefulness is ghanood
(drowsiness).
During drowsiness the sphere of sirr (conscience) is
activated. The second stage of sleep, which could be labeled as light sleep, is
the movement of the sphere of khufi (mystery). The third and final stage of
sleep, which is often called 'deep sleep', is the movement of the akhfa
(arcanum) sphere.
A
point to ponder is that at the start of all these states we all go through the
state of stillness. When we wake up our mind is usually at peace and is filled
with a feeling of emptiness. Similarly, during other states as well, we go
through this period of brief tranquility. This means to shift from one state to
the other, serenity is essential. Just as during wakefulness every condition
begins with that tranquility; in a same way, drowsiness senses also experience
slight tranquility and after some moment this serenity of senses get deeper and
turns into sleepiness. Early sleep after going through that quiet moment for a
while turns into light sleep and then finally the quiet waves of deep
sleep take over. That is why this influence is called deep sleep.
Laws of vision
Waking
and dreaming are both related to senses. In one state, the speed of senses goes
up while in the other it goes down. However, its condition does not change.
Whether awake or sleeping the same kind and style of senses work. Waking or
dreaming is actually two chambers of the brain or in other words, we have two
brains. When senses are activated in one brain, it is called waking while when
the senses are activated on the other, it is labeled as sleep. This means that
the same kinds of senses are interchanging between waking and sleeping. This
interchanging of senses is in fact life. When one kind of senses becomes
dormant inside the brain, the other
kind of senses simply takes over. During wakefulness the senses start working
right when blinking starts that is the eyelids start hitting the eyeballs. When
this process happens to us, We get out of sleep and enter the waking state. In
our present time, we (an use the example of a still camera as a metaphor. Even
when there is film inside the camera and it has the lens as well, the camera is
not going to work unless the button is pressed, causing the shutter to open and
close within a tenth of a second or so.
In the same manner, unless the eyelids
fall on the eyeballs (blinking) the frontal screen is not going to fall on the
roll of the brain. This is the second stage of beholding during waking stage.
The first stage begins when a thought enters the mind of the person as he wakes
up after sleeping. That very thought becomes the barrier between sleep and
awakening. As this thought deepens, the process of blinking starts and the
scene in front of the eye begins transmitting to the screen of the brain.
The
law of sight is that brain not only receives the picture of the outward image
it also receives the information with it. By seeing, the mind puts meaning to
that information. The image that falls on the screen of the mind through
winking usually lasts for 15 seconds. Before those 15 seconds pass, the other
images one by one fall on the screen and take over the previous image. That
process remains consistent throughout waking period.
During the waking period the vision is
directly linked to the eyeballs. Through blinking the eye camera actually takes
the picture continuously. The rule is that if the blinking is suspended then
the nerves inside the eve would stop working. The senses of the eye nerves work
as long as the blinking process goes on. If the eyelids are forced to remain
open and the movement of eyeball is stopped then the empty space comes in front
of the vision and the picture-making process of the eyes would halt.
The entire Universe and all the
creatures in this Universe are linked together in a cohesive manner. Different
stages of life and the different times seem separated if seen from the outward
eyes. However, the different stages of time and the various stages of life, no
matter how different they may seem, are all linked to the center. Rays or
waves serve as the communicator between the inhabitants of the Universe and the
center. On the one hand, the waves from its central source descend and feed
the individuals of the Universe and maintain centralization. On the other hand,
after feeding the creatures of the Universe, these waves ascend back to their
source. This never-ending process of ascent and descent is life. The distance that
these waves cover ends up making this Universe look like a loop. With ascending
and descending movements, this loop further divides into six more loops. The
first circle of the Universe and the inhabitants of the Universe are called
Soul (naffs). The Soul is like it and from which the light is being emitted.
The light or wave of this lamp is in fact vision or sight.
Evidently
where there is a ray there will be a light and wherever light is, it brightens
the environment. Wherever the lamp-light falls, it observes it. The light of
the lamp is composed of many colors. The more colors it has the more
colorfulness it brings to the environment. Intense light of the lamp goes from
very low, bright to extremely bright. When low-intensity light falls on
objects, whims about them enter our mind. Objects, on which medium-intensity
light falls, create thoughts in our mind. When the high-intensity lights shine
on objects their images form in our mind. Finally, when the extreme-intensity
light falls on things, it can be seen by our sight. In fact, in order to
see anything we go through these four stages.
In
order to see and comprehend anything, first a whim about that thing enters the
mind, meaning a very diminutive sketch is formed. When whim deepens, it becomes
a thought. When a thought goes deep inside the mind, the picture of that object
comes into being. When picture deepens then thought becomes imagination and
when the picture in the imaginative way converts into form and figure
than that object comes in range of our sight.
Cognition points out that to see is an
ability that works even in the dimmest of light. Even the lightest of the
sketch of any given thing, even if it is merely a whim, sends it to the vision,
so that after going through the other three stages that object could be seen in
the dimension of a form and figure with all its colorfulness.
The way we have described the rule of
vision, all senses work in the same fashion. These senses are of smell,
hearing, taste, and touch. All the interests and activities of life, events,
actions, and entire system are based on the same above mentioned rule.
KHWAJA SHAMS-UD-DEEN AZEEMI
In the current information age, the very question of what Man
is, and to what extent his abilities
go, has gained prominence. Metaphysical knowledge tells us
that Man is not just a mass of muscles and bones but in fact is a living
universe or microcosm (a'lam asghar) itself. His life is primarily relying on
information. As a matter of fact his life is nothing but a collection of
thoughts and imagination. His every movement is influenced by information and
thoughts. Every human achievement is circled around the unseen world of
cognition, imagination and creative thoughts. By giving new meaning to this
idea, Man creates and invents new things out of nothing.