Pathways with Joseph Campbell Bonus: Consciousness, Yoga and the sound "AUM"
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Jun 17, 2025 In this enlightening talk, Joseph Campbell, a renowned mythologist and explorer of the human experience, delves into the significance of the sound 'AUM' as it connects to states of consciousness: waking, dreaming, and deep sleep. He emphasizes how yoga serves as a pathway to transcending these states and accessing pure consciousness. Additionally, Campbell shares the captivating story of a samurai who grapples with vengeance, ultimately choosing inner peace over action, blending themes of selflessness and personal mythology into a profound narrative.
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Symbolism of AUM Syllables
- The syllables A, U, and M allegorically refer to waking, dream, and deep sleep states of consciousness respectively.
- These states reflect stages of awareness from past experience, present dream-like reality, to deep unconsciousness.
Dream Consciousness Unity
- Dream consciousness blurs the line between subject and object; gods and demons are aspects of ourselves.
- Heavens and hells exist within, not outside; separation of dreamer and dream is only apparent.
Deep Sleep and Yoga Goal
- Deep sleep (M syllable) is consciousness occluded by darkness, not extinguished.
- Yoga aims to awaken this state of pure, unspecific consciousness beyond waking and dreaming.