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=== Avasthas or States of Mind ===

=== Avasthas or States of Mind ===

Indian approach to understand psychological aspects included the division of mental states or manasika avasthas into four categories:<ref name=":4" />

Indian approach to understand psychological aspects included the division of mental states or manasika avasthas into four categories:<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":0" />

# Jagrat or awake state

# '''Jagrat or awake state''': In this state the individual interacts with the world. The objects and processes in the world stimulate the individual through the sense organs with which he perceives and he reacts through the motor organs. The whole process is organized and integrated by the four processes: manas (mental), buddhi (intellectual), chitta (here memory) and ahamkara (the self-sense). Thus in this waking state we are aware of the external world and the dependence of the self on the body is predominant. The Upanishads use the terms Bhokta (one who experiences) and Karta (agent of action) which together characterize the conscious activities of the individual.

# Svapana or dream state

# '''Svapana or dream state''': Like the waking state, the dreaming state also involves the functioning of the manas. The sense organs are in a quiescent state, and hence termed as 'senses are united with manas'. While in the waking state the manas receives inputs from outside world and builds them as ideas, in this dream state, the manas creates a world on its own. It uses the impressions from the waking state as material to form the dreams, but the experiences are not like those of memory. During the experience the dream is felt to be as real as perceptual experience; as a result dreams have been described as "perception without sensation".

# Sushupti or dreamless deepsleep state

# '''Sushupti or dreamless deep-sleep state''': In deep, dreamless sleep, the manas as well as senses are quiescent. In this state there is no consciousness of individuality. However, there is a sense of personal identity since on waking one says that one slept well. But during the "sushupti" state itself there is no awareness of oneself or of any object. In this state a pauper or a prince feel the same way. Another characteristic feature of this state is the experience of bliss, even though he recalls it only after waking up. The Mandukya Upanishad describes, in Sushupti we have neither dreams nor desires. In this state we are lifted above all desires and freed from conflicts and frustrations.

# Samadhi or Turiya or the supernormal mental state (Superconscious state)

# '''Samadhi or Turiya or the supernormal mental state (Superconscious state)''': While the first three states are common to all human beings and within the experience of all; the fourth state is an uncommon supramental state experienced by a few. This state resembles the sushupti state in all respects but one. Here also we find that there is withdrawal of normal consciousness, absence of all desires and manifestation of bliss. However, sushupti state is transitional and achieved without any effort on the part of a person without any training, the turiya state is the result of concentration and meditation; it results from personal effort and long training. Turiya state also bears resemblance to the anandamaya state as mentioned in Taittriya Upanishad (2. 1-5) as being higher than the experience of the conscious (manomaya) and the self-conscious (vijnanamaya) levels of life. According to Hiriyanna, one can get some insight into the turiya state of consciousness on the basis of the experience in the sushupti state and anandamaya experience.

An interesting and famous story of Prajapati and Indra in the Chandogya Upanishad, leads one, step by step from the identification of oneself with the body in the waking state, to the identification of one's form in the dream state, to the experience or lack of it in the dreamless state and finally identification with the universe as a whole, from finite to the infinite in the turiya state.  

An interesting and famous story of Prajapati and Indra in the Chandogya Upanishad, leads one, step by step from the identification of oneself with the body in the waking state, to the identification of one's form in the dream state, to the experience or lack of it in the dreamless state and finally identification with the universe as a whole, from finite to the infinite in the turiya state.  

=== Shaktis or Powers of Mind ===

=== Shaktis or Powers of Mind ===

== Methods to Analyze Mind ==

== Methods to Analyze Mind ==