Experiences of enlightenment in world literature
by Linda Egenes

Enlightenment Magazine    Translate This Article
7 July 2012

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In a recent interview, Dr Craig Pearson, Executive Vice-President of Maharishi University of Management, describes his research on the expression of higher states of consciousness in the works of great philosophers, saints, scientists, artists, and writers.

One of several examples Dr Pearson gives:

'The great English poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809-1892) seems to have had experiences of transcending, the fourth state of consciousness, starting from boyhood and lasting throughout his life. For example, he describes:

When I have been all alone. . . . all at once, as it were, out of the intensity of the consciousness of individuality, the individuality itself seemed to dissolve and fade away into boundless being, and this not a confused state, but the clearest, the surest of the sure . . . utterly beyond words. . . . It is no nebulous ecstasy, but a state of transcendent wonder, associated with absolute clearness of mind. [1]

'I could give many more examples of such experiences of higher states of consciousness,' Dr Pearson says. 'The point is that experiences of these exalted levels of human development are natural and universal—and they can now be systematically cultivated through the technologies of consciousness Maharishi Mahesh Yogi has brought to light from the ancient Vedic Tradition.'

Enlightenment magazine: So Maharishi's vision is that enlightenment doesn't belong only to the great seers, it can be experienced by every person?

Dr. Pearson: 'Yes. All human beings have the natural ability to transcend, to dive within and experience the infinite sea of pure consciousness deep inside—and from there to rise to higher states of consciousness, to enlightenment, and realize their full potential. This, Maharishi emphasized, is the birthright of every human being, the destiny of everyone. And this is why he brought the Transcendental Meditation technique out of the Himalayas and made it available to everyone on earth.'

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1. Hallam Tennyson, Alfred, Lord Tennyson: A Memoir by his Son, Volume I (London: Macmillan, 1897), 320.

© Copyright 2012 Maharishi Foundation USA



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