The Meta-Visionary Experiences of Sri Ramakrishna:
Visionary Experiences as New Consciousness

Chengiah Ragaven

Chengiah Ragaven is a noted South African activist, who played an active role in the South African liberation struggle. He fought against the injustices of the apartheid system since his student days. He has studied subjects from sociology and education to economics and philosophy at various universities in England and U.S.A. In Montreal, he was head of the African National Congress. He is at present a visiting professor at Southern Connecticut State University.

Abstract

The concept of spiritual consciousness is examined in this paper within the paradigm of the visions and visionary experiences of Sri Ramakrishna. Deconstructing this phenomena, the arguments raise the question as to how enduring visionary experiences are in the development and evolution of the spiritual mind especially where individual quest for the ultimate realisation of God becomes the seminal goal.

Human understanding of current reality is, for the greater part, sense related. In other words, the sensate interpretations dominate public discourse, and intellectual and academic debates have remained suspended within the 'instrumental-rational-scientific' frame of reference. Alternatively, metaphysical, intuitive, multi-sensory and to say the least, the reincarnationist world view is interpreted as non-scientific and understood with a certain degree of suspicion and/or scepticism. In spite of such prevailing positions Gary Zukav in his recent publication 'The Seat of the Soul' assures us that eminent scientists such as Carl Jung, William James, Niels Bohr and Albert Einstein certainly do not entertain this popular view. Nor do renowned writers like Huxley, Watts and Isherwood who hold a more profound understanding of human reality subscribe to such a position. These scholars seem to have transcended the narrow visions of mono-culturalist ideological hegemony of a one-dimensional knowledge system and have had the experience of the larger esoteric world. It is this, according to Huston Smith, a former professor of philosophy at MIT in referring to Gary Zukav's latest book comments, 'to find that one of our finest interpreters of the frontier of science is equally conversant with the human spirit', which introduces a new form of understanding and consciousness in the modern era.¹

Visionary consciousnesses is one aspect of the new understanding which is examined here as establishing new contours of human experience within the spiritual and material sciences. Examining super-sensory visions or transcendental experiences, Marie Louis Burke believes, is the 'beyond of ordinary perceptions and often of understanding,' and presents a challenge to the 'taken for granted' assumptions of 'reality' today.² The problems of perception and knowing is especially acute and demands, at least, some knowledge of how enlightened souls negotiate existential experiences. In the Visions of Sri Ramakrishna, the author records instances of 'inferences' within visionary 'culture' and Swami Saradananda, among the more eminent scholars and commentators in this field, familiar with meta-visionary experiences, refers to it as 'extra-ordinary visions', and Sri Ramakrishna's sadhana as 'condensed consciousness' resulting in the most intense Samadhi.

There are times when some of the contents of the superconscious revelation can be inferred. For instance, in the state called 'bhava-samadhi' Ramakrishna is said to have foretold how long he would live at Dakshineswar. But when Mathur Babu protested, he promised to extend the time. Once the statue of Sri Krishna broke and Ramakrishna, in a state of ecstasy, prescribed the remedy. M. and other disciples have recorded many occasions at which the Master was heard to 'dialogue' with the Divine. Since these visionary discourses take place in the full view of his disciples and visitors, we can thus safely infer that Sri Ramakrishna 'was in communion' with God during these times.³

Given that 'ordinary perceptions' of modern psychology are the sum total of the most exact of 'behavioural explanations' legitimated by the social sciences, metaphysical and extra-sensory reality has remained in the realms of 'faith' and 'belief' of certain societies and cultural knowledge of others. Burke admits that it is only recently that a few Western scientists are beginning to recognise and legitimate the 'layers of super sensual reality,'⁴ whereas in fact Eastern scholars have long understood that 'reality' as a way of life. One of the growing numbers of Western scholars, Edouard Schure captures the 'spirit' of the transforming process in recognising the transcendental. In the process of trying to establish a culture of understanding of supersensous existence, he writes:

'Then how come that, rising above the Church which is too small to contain him in his entirety, above politics which deny him, and above science which only half understands him, the Christ is fuller of life than ever? It is because his sublime morality is the corollary of a science even more sublime. Behind him we perceive, contemporary with and beyond the time of Moses, the whole ancient theosophy of Indian, Egyptian and Grecian initiates, of whom he forms a striking confirmation. We are beginning to understand that Jesus, at the very height of his consciousness, the transfigured Christ, is opening his loving arms to his brothers, the other Messiahs who preceded him, beams of the Living Word as he was, that he is opening them wide to Science in its entirety, Art in its divinity, and Life in its completeness. But his promise cannot be fulfilled without the help of all the living forces of humanity.

'Two main things are necessary nowadays for the continuation of the mighty work: on the one hand, the progressive unfolding of experiential science, and intuitive philosophy to facts of psychic order, intellectual principles, and spiritual proofs; on the other, the expansion of Christian dogma in the direction of tradition and esoteric science, and subsequently a reorganisation of the Church according to a graduated initiation; this by a free and irresistible movement of all Christian Churches, which are also equally daughters of the Christ. Science must become religious and religions scientific. This double evolution, already in preparation, would finally and forcibly bring about a reconciliation of Science and Religion on esoteric grounds. The work will not progress without considerable difficulty at first, but the future of European society depends on it. The transformation of Christianity in its esoteric sense would bring with it that of Judaism and Islam, as well as a regeneration of Brahmanism and Buddhism in the same fashion; it would accordingly furnish a religious basis for the reconciliation of Asia and Europe. This is the spiritual temple to be constructed, the crowning of the Word intuitively conceived and desired by Jesus. Can this message of Love form the magnetic chain of Science and Art, of religions and peoples, and thus become the universal word?'_The Great Initiates. Sketch of the Secret History of Religions. Edouard Schure (trans. F. Rothwell).⁵

Schure is a harbinger in the contemporary world of a practice which has long been established in India as the Vedic tradition where transcendental and metaphysical existence forms the substratum of the culture. Saints and Yogis among others of this particular genre participate in activities engaging 'God' routinely as a matter of course. Rudolf Steiner comments extensively on the extraordinary spiritual atmosphere of ancient India which has laid the foundations for the likes of Sri Ramakrishna to 'appear' in the 'God-culture' tradition. In modern materialist times, however, visionary experiences in quality, quantity and variety, literature informs us, have been infrequent. Commentators of Sri Ramakrishna's life therefore, are unanimous in that he remains unique in the immense variety and richness of such an experience. Swami Saradananda, a close disciple of the Master and also familiar with this spiritual tradition of the transcendental, registers his amazement at the frequency of the 'extraordinary visions and experiences' of Sri Ramakrishna. One is left with an impression that visions were a recurring occurrence and it certainly became a way of life for the Master. The importance of the meta-visionary experience for Sri Ramakrishna prompts Burke to reflect and state that 'his mind seemed to have been always immersed in an ocean of transcendental reality.'⁶ Confrontation by the overwhelming evidence of this extraordinary experience which has been catalogued by experts in this particular field and legitimated by scholars in the area of visionary supersensuous experience cannot but be pushing the frontier of scientific knowledge into new areas of knowing.

This rich experience was communicated to his disciples and devotees almost daily. The atmosphere at the Temple was certainly extraordinarily dissimilar to the world outside. Clarifying this particular form of spirituality Swami Vivekananda once said: 'In all organised religions, their founders, prophets and messengers are declared to have gone into states of mind that were neither waking nor sleeping, in which they came face to face with a new series of facts relating to what is called the spiritual kingdom. They realised things there much more intensely than we realise facts around us in our waking state.'⁷ Commenting on the visionary experiences of Sri Ramakrishna, Raghunathan also discovers that while no human experience was alien to the master mystic, he was also pre-eminent in modern times for having experienced all the stages of spiritual progress known to mystics East and West. While these experiences included meditation, contemplation, and other such states it was the 'illumination stage' of his life where the Consciousness of Saguna Brahman becomes felt reality which was certainly the zenith of experience. In other words what this really means is that Sri Ramakrishna was constantly in 'direct visionary union with God' and due to this state of mind he could only speak in 'images' since, 'Truth presented itself to him in that way.' It was being in this state of mind, the Master explained to his disciples, when the 'intensity of imaginative sympathy' made it possible for him to completely identify with 'historic and legendary personages--the God-men', and also enabled him to 'experience' the various differing religious 'truths' namely that of Christianity and Islam.

'The visions of a great saint can be of incalculable value to us because of what they reveal of a realm which is beyond ordinary experience and yet attainable at least in part, if we ourselves become extraordinary.' This view was expressed by Swami Yogeshananda in his discussions on visionary experiences. He explains, 'If this be true of the visions of a saint, what shall we say of the visions of a Divine Incarnation? Two views, at least, might be taken. One could presume that the spiritual experiences of an Incarnation of God are so vastly superior to those of an ordinary saint, and of such a different order, that to understand or aspire to such is utterly beyond the hopes of spiritual seekers. Or one might suppose that such experiences differ from those of saints and seers, if at all, only in degree and not in kind; that while the Incarnation's visions may be of greater intensity or frequency, or profundity, still they are not essentially of a different order from those of others; that they are suitable for the application of reason and helpful to the aspirant's understanding.'⁹ The difficulties of such spiritual journeys cannot be understated for there are instances in the lives of Buddha and Christ when during their intense meditations they were visited with 'visions' of temptations by Maya--the negative force--and by Satan. These 'visions' both promised incredible powers, but we are also informed that both Buddha and Christ were duly surrounded by 'angels' and were thus protected.

When one realises that philosophers and intellectuals have since the time of antiquity attempted to unravel the mysteries of the world, most unsuccessfully, and that the mystics and saints have had a more intimate knowledge of that reality, then the whole question of our approach to knowledge becomes problematic. In other words, intellectual rationalities and philosophical deconstruction of the social realities have thus far all revealed limited truths. Both schools however have depended somewhat heavily on the various scriptures of religious belief systems in search of the ultimate truth. Learned pundits for instance in India are renowned for the knowledge of the metaphysical and esoteric sciences since Indian scholars for centuries have ventured into this field of this study, readily admitting on meeting with Sri Ramakrishna that 'an unprecedentedly brilliant and far-spreading light has come flooding out through the visions of Sri Ramakrishna.' 'Your experiences,' learned pundits said to him, 'go far beyond anything found in the Puranas, the Vedas or the Vedanta.'

Visionary experiences are therefore underpinned by deep and almost intuitive, psychological and physical conditions all which when influenced by certain external environmental conditions prepares the individual towards experiencing the kind of visionary experiences which forms the mental, spiritual and physical world of Sri Ramakrishna. Literature records for instance the 'attitudes' that underlie these visionary experiences. Yasoda for instance adopts a 'mother's attitude' towards Krishna and is blessed with 'His vision' while Radha on the other hand adopts a 'woman to man' attitude to Krishna and is thus blessed with 'His vision'. Mention has also been made in the literature that Rishis have often adopted a 'serene attitude' toward God and 'enjoyed' their visions with this frame. The psychology of these 'attitudes' is fundamentally important in constructing the 'visions' and the nature of the ultimate reality, which is the formal aim of any devotee. In other words, Sri Ramakrishna unpacks an entire psychological framework for God-consciousness and realisation for the Sadhaka to undertake his or her 'experience' in order to reach samadhi.¹¹

Discussing the question of visionary experiences, M enquires from Sri Ramakrishna as to whether one, having reached the state of realisation, 'sees' God as one understands the term in daily discourse. 'Sri Ramakrishna reminds M that during the long process of sadhana, what he would dictate to his mind, the mind would obey from its very depths. During this period when he sat for meditation, having told the mind with firmness to meditate he would hear a clicking sound in the joints of his body, starting in the legs and going up to the head. It was as if an unseen power were turning the keys of locks, to fix him in his posture. Only when he felt that unlocking again in the reverse order, could he move from his position and leave his seat. Now the experiences described in the texts on yoga began to show themselves. Sometimes he saw the universe filled with sparks of fire, like fire-flies. Sometimes all the quarters glittered with light as if the world were a lake of mercury, or a lake of liquid silver. Again he would see the world lit up as if with the light of Roman candles.' 'It was revealed to me further', he said, 'that God Himself has become the universe and all its living beings and the twenty-four cosmic principles. It is like the process of evolution and involution. I saw these things sometimes with my eyes shut and sometimes open. I did not understand what I saw nor did I know whether it was good or bad to have such visions. I therefore prayed to Mother with a troubled heart, "I don't understand, Mother, what is happening to me. Mother, if You do not teach me, who else will? I have no other refuge." Oh, what a state God kept me in at that time. One experience would hardly be over before another overcame me. It was like the movement of the husking machine: no sooner is one end down than the other goes up. I would see God in meditation, in the state of samadhi, and I would see the same God when my mind came back to the outer world. When looking at this side of the mirror I would see Him alone, and when looking on the reverse side I saw the same God.'¹²

One develops what the Master calls a 'love body'--a being that is subject to 'new feelings' and is a vehicle of a new consciousness. Hence the 'vision' of realised souls, yogis and saints operate on a totally different plane than those of an 'experience' outside the normal. The Master also insists that the 'soul' now dwells in the two planes and one moves from one to the other. Sri Ramakrishna and other emancipated souls continuously talk of the two planes of existence. While the normal plane might be decoded with some difficulty, the other is almost impenetrable and only understood by other 'enlightened souls'. Again this state of existence, we are reminded, is only possible by 'God, in his Grace'. The key to the latter understanding, however, is the variety of the 'psychology of spiritual visions'. What is interesting, too, is the 'immense variety and richness' of the visions experienced by the Master.¹³

This 'variety and richness', has prompted Walter Neevel to closely follow the influence and effects of visionary experiences on Sri Ramakrishna. What seems significant in his description of the Master's behaviour is that it hardly approximates that of the average human. In other words, Neevel makes it abundantly clear, that the 'experience' or 'experiences' forms a special category of human action which is out of the ordinary. Describing one such experience of Sri Ramakrishna, he observes, 'Ramakrishna returned to Dakshineswar in 1860, and the outcome of his vacation was a renewed energy in his bhakti towards the Divine Mother. His spiritual "madness" and austerities again exacted a tremendous toll upon his physical health. His biographers call this a state of "Divine inebriation". Vision of the type of appearance of Sita came to him constantly, at the slightest stimulation. Ramakrishna claimed that his mind was so involved with these visions that he was not able to shut his eyes or to sleep for six years. So great was the wear upon his body that he would at times pray to the Mother to relieve the intensity of his devotion, only to be swept away by Her again!'¹⁴

In fact what became evidently clear in Neeval's description is that the emotions, intensity and psychology of being in the state of God-realisation must be unique in the experiences of human beings and that the experience of this particular sociological group must be examined on its own merits and terms of reference.

In other words, the usual normative and value judgements applied by social scientists to sociological and psychological behaviour must be ipso facto inapplicable to these groups of Bhaktas or realised souls. God realisation therefore calls on different rules for 'mystical experiences' of behaviour grounded in the enquiry of being 'outside'. Meta-visionary experiences therefore fulfil two significant criteria-- firstly it is a spiritual experience which cannot be 'rationalised' in the ordinary sense of the word and secondly its 'transcendentalness' leads us to a whole new exploration of Life. Its complexity is compounded in that in Sri Ramakrishna's case these visions are new areas of knowledge consciousness which function with no defined human goals so that the 'behaviour' cannot be regulated for material ends. Essentially Sri Ramakrishna's range of trances, visions and states of transcendence enables one to recognise the capacity of human potential to the ultimate of being and enables the sadhaka to realise the fullness of the spiritual quest and the sheer joy that the path entails.

Therefore Sri Ramakrishna informs us that his visionary experience enabled him to 'see' the devotees before they arrived at his Temple. For instance when he saw the vision of Sri Gauranga, he informed the devotees of this Master who were now re-incarnated and were due to become his devotee. In the intensity of a trance, he saw Sri Chaitanya's party singing and dancing in the 'Panchavati' and stated he also saw them with his 'naked eye'¹⁵ as vividly as that.

Visionary consciousness therefore becomes a combination of the consciousness with a 'super-consciousness' of perceptual powers. In other words visions and visionary experiences since the time of Sri Ramakrishna have become new area of the 'knowledge of consciousnesses'. The merging of the 'divine' and 'human' at the highest stage of spiritual evolution experientially designed and achieved is perhaps one of the major contributions of this saint and yogi to the modern world.

References

1. Visions and visionary experiences in this context must be understood in a wider framework of imagery not only visual, but transcendental and sensory. See Yogeshananda Swami: The Visions of Sri Ramakrishna. Sri Ramkrishna Math Madras, India, 1989, p3. Zukav, Gary: The Seat of the Soul. A Fireside Book, Simon and Shuster Inc., New York, 1989.
2. Swami Yogeshananda, p 3.
3. Banks, Frances: Frontiers of Revelation; an Empirical Study in the Psychology of Psychic and Spiritual Experience. Max Parrish, London, 1962.
4. Swami Yogeshananda, p 4.
5. Yogeshananda p vi.
6. Raghunathan, p 79.
7. Yogeshananda, p 1.
9. Nikhilananda Swami, The Gospel of the Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Madras, India, p 115.
10. Neevel, Walter: The transformation of Sri Ramakrishna in Hiduism: New Essays in the History of Religions ed. Bardwell and Smith. E. J. Brill. Leidon. 1976. pp. 53 - 97
11. Ibid
12. Yogeshananda, p 80.