The Spiritual Attainments

Beyond the physical or subtle are the inner or spiritual Attainments which bear the same names and are but higher aspects of the same process.

(1) ANIMA, THE ATTAINMENT OF THE MOST SUBTLE. The senses are more subtle than the body, mind more subtle than the senses, intellect more subtle than the mind, the Self than the intellect. Thus the Self is the limit of subtleness and Anima, the Attainment of the most subtle, implies the Attainment of the Self. This takes the form of realizing that "I am Anima, the most subtle is present in me, I am not distinct from the most subtle".

(2) LAGHIMA, THE ATTAINMENT OF THE MOST LIGHT. The lightest of all things is the Self. The experience that "the supremely light dwells in me" is Laghima, the Attainment of the most light.

(3) MAHIMA, THE ATTAINMENT OF THE MOST VAST. Space and Time are the measures of vastness, yet they only exist as emanations from the Cosmic Intellect, the Arch-principle of existence (Mahat-tattva), itself greater than Time and Space. The Cosmic Intellect or Arch-principle of existence is itself in its turn but a radiation from the Self which is therefore still more vast. Thus "the most vast" is but another name for the Self.

The vastness of space-time is perceived as distinct from the individual self, even the vastness, the pervasiveness, of the Cosmic Intellect or Arch-Principle of existence, is perceived as distinct from one's self; but the greatness of the Self, whose form is undifferentiated being, is perceived as ever present beyond all differentiation.

Without the reality of the Self, not even the Arch-principle of existence, the Universal Intellect, has reality. Supreme Vastness is, therefore, only in the Self. The experience of this Vastness is Mahima, the Attainment of the most Vast.

(4) PRAPTI, PERVASIVENESS. Prapti is the experience "I am existence itself, I am all that exists". "I am the Self, the giver of that vibration which is existence." "If I do not radiate this vibration, nothing exists."

(5) PRAKAMYA, THE FULFILLMENT OF DESIRES. The yogi who has conquered existence sees that nothing exists but desire. It is desire which is the supreme ruler of all creation, subsistence and destruction. Desire is the Self manifest in the form of the "I".

"She is the resplendent goddess who dwells in all beings in the form of desire."

But, possess desire itself and no object of desire remains to be desired. Such is Prakamya, the Attainment of desire.

(6) VASHITVA, MASTERY OVER ALL is the experience that all that appears as individual beings or forms of outward existence exists only because I am. I am their basis, they spring from my radiation."

(7) ISHITVA, LORDSHIP. All that can be grasped belongs to three orders, gross, subtle and causal. Lordship, Ishitva, is the capacity for fully distinguishing between these three orders. This Attainment is a development of the previous one, Vashitva. The realization: "I am the ruler of all that exists gross or subtle, through fear of me the sun rises, the fire burns, at my behest the wind blows", is the Attainment of Lordship.

(8) KAMA-AVASAYITA, COMPLETE SATISFACTION. When the final goal of desire is reached and nothing remains to be wished for, to be seen or had, and one realizes that "I have reached the root of my own nature and nothing remains for me to have or to know", this state is the Attainment of complete satisfaction. It is the knowledge of the Self, for only by knowing the Self can desire come to an end.

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