There is a beautiful place where tired souls find hope, where earnest scientists discover secrets they can never keep, and where artists glimpse the gardens of Eternity. This place does not, however, allow entrance to the proud or pretentious: Elysium opens for the sincere, courageous souls who have a strong desire to ascend in spirit.

Elysium is a state of consciousness beyond the peace of the alpha state (8-12 Hz): it is the natural bliss of being (the theta state, 4-7 Hz). We experience it when we wake up in the morning in a pleasurable slumber: the endorphins flood our brains so we would rather go back to sleep than deal with our delusions of duality. We fear that we can only know this bliss in unconsciousness, that there is no point embracing the tides of fate and fortune–or resisting our nonsensical astral excursions.

Once long ago you experienced a pure moment of conscious bliss that made mortal life and astral adventures seem trivial. But that was yesterday: an unreachable peak. Must we meditate in a cave for years to return to these rarified heights? Or is there a shortcut to Elysium? Yes. Today I describe one of many shortcuts: conscious breathing.

Conscious Breathing

Breathe in a relaxed, conscious way until a healing peace pervades every cell in your body. Breathe as deep as you need to feel more alive and conscious with each breath. Breathe as gently as you need to feel as if you are floating in a pool of warm, healing waters. Simply refuse to move until you swoon in the bright, clear silence of Atma–the Self. Then refuse to awake from this conscious dream; refuse to let go of your visionary state that rests your body and inspires your soul. Refuse with the same soul strength of the Buddha who remained under the Bodhi tree until he found Reality–or died trying.

The more that your attention remains scattered without, the less you can know the natural bliss of being within. So nurture a relaxed, conscious state all day. Notice yourself closing your eyes to feel the wind grace your face. Notice yourself listening to Silence–and hearing great wisdom. Notice that instead of seeking diversions of the senses to unwind (such as smoking, TV, etc.), that you prefer the deep, conscious rest of meditation or yogic sleep (yoga nidra). Notice that only consciousness creates more consciousness.

Patanjali called this state pratyhara: withdrawal of the sensory currents from sense objects to one point of consciousness. This state is the beginning for higher forms of focused awareness. It is, thank goodness, just as easily attained in rest.