In Indian ideas on psychology and meditation, we envisage, a state of cessation of thoughts.
Even for the theories of conscious, subconscious, and
superconscious states enumerated by western psychological theories, we have no
concrete evidence. Moreover, there can be no concrete evidence in this matter
because the measuring standard is the mind and the thing measured too is the mind.
There can be theories at macro levels.
However, in very subtle matters, only experiences can guide
us. The recording or documentation of such experiences can vary, and can be
faulty too. The error factors abound.
In spite of these limitations, the research by Indian seers
on the mind and thoughts advanced to dizzying levels of insights eons prior to
the time when even people elsewhere recognized even the existence of the art
and science of psychology very slightly.
Even in physics,( I mean the most advanced western science of theoretical physics) whether energy gets transmitted in waves of electrical and magnetic variation or whether the energy is transmitted in disjointed quanta is not yet certain.
In this backdrop, if we take cue from that uncertainty
principle, even if there is a subconscious mind, how can we be sure that that
subconscious mind is functioning continuously in in periodic bouts of activity
and inactivity?
Suffice to say that the Indian
thought system gives great stress to quiescent state of mind, state of mind bereft
of all activity. Moreover, the Yoga the chittavrittinirodha (चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः), of Patanjali and others aim at that state.
