What will be the consciousness of a God realized Yogi when he sleeps? will it be the same as ours, or will the Yogi still experience the bliss?
—Kailash, Saudi Arabia
Dear Kailash,
Thank you for your question. I would think that a God realized person’s sleep would be entirely different from our sleep state. Since words are inadequate for the state they experience, many have not tried to explain what samadhi is or what the bliss state really feels like.
Paramhansa Yogananda is one who was able to write about this experience. An example is his poem, Samadhi, which he wrote while traveling on a subway in New York City.
Yogananda called the sleep state counterfeit samadhi. This is because the pulse and heart are greatly calmed during sleep. The body is able to recharge and rejuvenate. Since God realized yogis are in a deep state of samadhi most of the time, their bodies and minds are always calm and in bliss. I assume that they are in this state also while “sleeping”.
Our task is to find God in our lives, to live in calmness and joy, to give to others as this increases our happiness, and to be always kind to all whom we meet. Then, possibly in time, we too will understand what the great masters experience.
Joy to you, Seva
