DISCOURSES Volume II - Avatar Meher Baba Trust

170 DISCOURSESmany of the limitations which obtain in the world of forms. In thisstate, consciousness is linked up with energy and continuouslyvibrates in and through energy. In the energy-state, the eating anddrinking of the body-state are paralleled by the absorption and assimilationof energy. At this level the soul acquires full controlover energy and seeks fulfillment through its use. But its actionsare still within the domain of spiritual limitation. It can see, hearand smell many things which are inaccessible in the body-state,and can perform many things (e. g., producing light in the dark, orliving for thousands of years only on the drinking of energy),which seem to be miracles for those who are in the body-state. Butthe entire sphere of its existence is comprised of energy, and isdominated by energy. All that it can think of or do is in terms ofenergy and is achieved by means of energy. The energy-state is thestate of spiritually advanced souls, but it is far from being the stateof Perfection, which expresses itself through the Sahaj Samadhi ofthe Siddha.The second important step towards Sahaj Samadhi is takenwhen the soul transcends the domain of energy and enters thedomain of mind. All energy is ultimately an expression of mind,therefore the transition from the energy-state to the mind-stateLife of the mindconstitutes a still further advance towardsthe God-state of Sahaj Samadhi. In themind-state, consciousness is directly linked up with the mind, andis in no way fettered by the domination of the body or energy, butis mind-ridden. Saints who are in the mind-state can read andinfluence the minds of others. However, the mind-ridden state isstill within the domain of duality and illusion, and it has to betranscended before attainment of union with the Infinite.