Page 315 - The Path of Grace

APPENDIX I - KOSAS
ahankar. When the self as witness looks within it is called the soul or Atman. During deep absorbency abiding as witness the soul reflects the non-dual witness state. One of the preliminary goals of meditation is to, realize the real witness called by many names though in reality it is only our higher Self, it is the same witness that continues till it grows into the state of being the Ultimate Witness. It should be noted however that Vijnanamaya Kosa is not the Ultimate. It has been observed that the Vijnanamaya Kosa is a product of Sattva Guna of the Prakrti reflecting perfectly as a mirror. It is not the Witness but the Self is the witness of this sheath. Being closest to the Atman, this sheath reflects the self the most. The self here sees itself as the doer due to this sheath though actions and reactions go on, on their own. If by diligent practice the aspirant moves in the path, the Asmita samadhi develops into Sahaj samadhi in our system. Negation is the means for achieving this state.
One of the essential precautions we have to have in sadhana is not to be guided entirely by the intellectual sarira or the Vijnanamaya Kosa. It can
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