(Updated on 11/26)

▪️Emotional Stability (equivalent to the astral realm): 15-20 years
1. Zone of Bliss, which occurs rarely when concentrating on something (once a year or less): Several years
2. Increase in the frequency of the Zone of Bliss (once a month): Several years
3. Normalization of the Zone of Bliss (once every few days): Several years
4. Stabilization of the Zone of Bliss (less fluctuation and more stability): Several years
5. Zone of Bliss in daily life (a certain level of bliss even when not concentrating on something): Several years

This is the stage of "Shamatha (concentration)" as described in meditation. It also corresponds to the stage of "Dharana (concentration)" in the Yoga Sutras.

The extreme bliss that occasionally occurs when repeatedly concentrating on hobbies, learning, or even meditation is the Zone, and it is the key to escaping from a state of blindness and ignorance. It is an emotional high and is accompanied by immense happiness. Work efficiency also increases. A temporary escape from a state of suffering occurs psychologically, but eventually, the bliss disappears when the Zone ends. Initially, it occurs once every few years, but it gradually increases in frequency, stabilizes, and spreads to daily life.

What is being done under the name of "Vipassana meditation," which is actually "observation," also starts with the same thing. It goes through the same stages as "Shamatha (concentration)" and "Dharana (concentration)."

In my experience, the first Zone of Bliss occurred occasionally when I was in junior high or high school, while creating a shooting game (in assembly language for an MSX, a home computer at the time). When I was concentrating and thinking about various things, I would occasionally experience immense bliss and a sense of understanding, as if I could program quickly and easily. This was about 30 years ago. After that, as I entered university, graduated, and started working in the IT industry, the frequency of the Zone of Bliss while programming increased, and when I reached the Zone, my understanding and work speed increased significantly, boosting my performance. This not only had spiritual benefits but also helped with my work. This period, roughly from my middle and high school years to my early 30s (around 34 years old), seems to have taken about 15 years. Although there were still mental problems and challenges, I can say that the emotional stage was largely completed at this stage. Perhaps, as long as one is alive, it is impossible to completely eliminate them, and even recently, I am still working on resolving emotions on a subtle level. However, I believe that I achieved the resolution of the emotional stage on a larger scale at this point. At this stage, there are still quite a few traumas remaining, but I have achieved the continuity of the Zone of Bliss through concentration and a certain level of Zone of Bliss in daily life. In terms of my life, during the period when I was dealing with these emotional stages, I worked at an IT company (in the system development sector, which often involves moral harassment and power harassment) and felt that I was working in a place that was beyond my capabilities. Almost at the same time that I graduated from these emotional stages, I switched to a more stable company. This, too, seems to have been a situation where I was working beyond my capabilities.

At that time, in the computer and IT industries, speed and consumption were heavily promoted. However, what is visible is not the essence, but the joy of concentrating on something and accomplishing it is important, and I believe that this is the foundation for everything, whether it's work, hobbies, or spirituality.

There is a lot of talk about spirituality, but I think there is a significant difference depending on whether or not this foundation is in place.

Therefore, I am skeptical of "attracting good things" type of spiritual teachings, because I believe that such things do not happen without effort, and if they do, it is probably just a coincidence.

However, especially for women, there may be cases where they have already reached or graduated from this stage from birth. In such cases, even if they appear to have not made any effort, they actually have this foundation, and such people tend to have good concentration and excel in studies and sports.

▪️In the zone, you forget the weight of your body.

When you enter the zone, you experience a feeling of "losing your body" and "feeling very light," which is a state filled with a sense of exhilaration.

Because it is a zone, even if it is temporary, you are wrapped in joy along with heightened emotions, and you temporarily reach a deep understanding through the sense of unity with the subject through concentration. As a result, you experience a feeling of "forgetting your body." At that moment, your consciousness is literally only focused on the feeling of unity with the subject, so you are in a state of "not being aware of the weight of your body." Therefore, you do not feel the weight of your body as heavy or light, but simply feel a sense of lightness, and your consciousness is unified with the "subject." In that state of "unity," you do not care about things like weight, and your mind is simply filled with "understanding" of the subject.

Objectively, this can be described as "having no weight" or "being very light." However, when you actually experience this state of being in the zone, the weight of your body is completely irrelevant. Although there are explanations in yoga that "the weight becomes lighter" at a certain stage, I am simply explaining that at this level, you no longer feel the weight. In reality, the issue of weight is a trivial matter.

Sometimes, people who are practicing yoga say things like "I felt like I had no weight" or "I felt like I forgot my body," as if they had reached a high level. However, if that state is constant, it means they are in the causal world (or beyond), which is a certain level of achievement. However, if it is only temporary, like in the zone, it means they are temporarily experiencing a sense of unity in the astral realm, which is not that significant. Even ordinary people, without training, can sometimes reach this level of joy in the zone.

If someone's spiritual practice advances further, in yoga or Buddhism, or in spirituality, truly excellent people can literally float in the air, and to that extent, it can be said to be (relatively) real (although I am not there yet). However, saying (experientially) that "the body feels light" or "the body has disappeared," (especially if it is temporary), is not necessarily a big deal.

In reality, we feel the weight of our bodies in our daily lives, so when we occasionally enter a "state of being weightless" through meditation, it feels like something special. However, for people who live in that state all the time (who may not even know what "weight" is or what it means), it would be "nothing special." Someone who has never experienced "the weight of the body" cannot understand being told to "lose the weight of the body" or "feel like the body has disappeared." They would simply think, "Well, they are talking about yoga, about losing the weight of the body, or feeling like the body has disappeared, but what does that even mean?" There are sometimes cases where people are confused and lost because they are told various things by others, even though their premise is different. If you don't originally feel "the weight of the body," you won't understand what it means to "lose the weight of the body" or "feel like the body has disappeared." So, while someone who lives with a light feeling from the beginning might see a yoga guru saying "I feel like my body has disappeared" and think, "That's an amazing guru," when I objectively observe it, there is sometimes an interesting phenomenon: the spiritual progress of the guru and the disciple is reversed. This is a very interesting phenomenon. In reality, human cognition is fundamentally "projection," so they are seeing their own image in the guru.

・People who are still living within the "weight" (assuming that the weight of the body exists).
・People who can occasionally experience a feeling of weightlessness or lightness (assuming that the weight of the body exists).
・People who, based on the premise that they don't even feel something like "the weight of the body," don't understand the meaning of "the weight of the body" or "becoming lighter," and sincerely believe that an "amazing" guru is saying "I feel like my body has disappeared," and are surprised or reverent ("This is a very interesting situation. As a 'projection,' they are actually projecting their own state of being into the guru.").

In any case, when you enter the zone (even temporarily) and transcend the astral world of emotions (＝feeling a sense of unity in the world of emotions), your body becomes light, as if it has disappeared. (Those who don't originally have problems feel light from the beginning), and you experience a very light sensation, either in your emotions or your body (or you may have lived with that sensation from the beginning).

▪️The World of Letting Go

A stable zone and a stable state of joy are also a world of letting go. This is often described as "effortless effort," which seems like a contradictory expression. The premise is always the zone, so there is concentration as a foundation, but even so, a stable zone means that "effort" as concentration is generally not needed (depending on the degree of its depth), and therefore, the state of not needing effort, is, in terms of expression, like that, but in reality, there is effort-based concentration as a preliminary stage.

Initially, the zone is supported by effort, but as the frequency of the zone increases and it becomes stable, the joy of the zone gradually spreads into daily life, and when that becomes commonplace, it may seem that "effort" is no longer needed, but in reality, effort-based concentration is the foundation.

Therefore, when someone who is proficient in something says "it is important to let go" or "don't try hard," it is necessary to understand the meaning of those words rather than taking them literally. If you simply think "oh, I don't have to try hard," you are misunderstanding the true meaning. What they mean is a state where the joy of concentration in the zone is stable.

This part is quite revealing, and explaining it like this might be like giving away the answer to an inquiry, which some people might find boring. However, nowadays, there are many people who only seek answers and don't think for themselves, so I think it is necessary to give a clear answer.

Originally, in order to become an expert in something, it is necessary to verify the truth by "using your own eyes, hands, and feet to think with your own head," and to accept the results obtained as truth, "to look carefully with your own eyes and think properly with your own head." If you do that, you would discover these things yourself without needing explanations like this.

When told by an expert to "relax" or "don't try so hard," and you simply rejoice, saying "Ah, that's right!" you become "an idiot who doesn't try." However, if you are a person who thinks for yourself, you will quickly realize, "Something is different." Of course, there are also people who can't realize this.

In any case, as the "zone" (based on concentration) becomes stable, the joy becomes stable, and (through the effort becoming natural, a state of "not trying" while still putting in effort) joy becomes commonplace in everyday life, which is metaphorically described as "relaxing" or "not trying."

This state can be said to be the achievement of the first stage of spirituality.

Having become a relatively expert person and reached a relatively "achieved" state, in general, reaching this stage is enough to live a vibrant life in everyday life. Even this stage can be considered a fairly sufficient achievement.

And this is also the achievement of the "zone" (through concentration), and it is also the foundation for the next stage. Whether or not this "foundation" exists determines whether you can move on to the next stage of spirituality.

▪️The World of Karana (Causal Realm, Cause)

With the stabilization of emotional ups and downs, and joy becoming commonplace, you are finally prepared to enter the world of "cause." This is a realm that is called the causal realm (in English, Theosophical terminology) or the Karana realm (in Sanskrit), and in Japanese, it corresponds to "cause." It is a realm that has not yet reached the oneness of God, but beyond the realm of emotions in the material world, it corresponds to the realm of principles, geometry, logic, reason, and understanding.

First of all, if you do not go through the above-mentioned emotional stage, the "understanding" at this stage will be insufficient. Many people who are doing spirituality are not prepared for this stage, but even then, they can understand it intellectually, which can lead to them becoming overly intellectual. In that case, they may have the illusion of being at the "cause" stage without having fully escaped the realm of emotions, so caution is necessary.

In the case of people who are doing spirituality, almost 90% or more are at the initial astral stage, so actually, the number of people who reach the "cause" (causal, Karana) stage is rare.

When the emotional ups and downs have calmed down and become stable, you are finally prepared for the next stage.

1. Becoming aware of a higher consciousness, often compared to the "other self" or the higher self. This involves perceiving a higher consciousness that exists separately from the ordinary, thinking conscious mind (logical thinking, the mind), which is often experienced during meditation. This is the beginning of "Vipassana" (observation). It is an initial stage of Dhyana (meditation) or basic Samadhi (trance).
2. Communicating with the "other self," receiving messages, and exchanging feelings.
3. Merging with the "other self." The process of fusion between the conscious mind and the higher consciousness gradually progresses.
4. Reaching the "consciousness of silence" (the entrance to it).

In terms of logic and reality, the existence of this "other self" is a fantasy. However, due to the initial extreme separation of consciousness, it may appear that a separate consciousness (higher consciousness) exists, distinct from the thinking mind (the so-called ordinary conscious mind). This is a relatively transient stage, and although it may seem separate at first, the consciousness gradually integrates into a single entity.

Through this process, one can feel the higher consciousness expanding into everyday life.

This stage corresponds to the "Vipassana" (observation) in its literal meaning (not referring to Vipassana meditation as a specific practice or school). It is equivalent to true meditation (Dharana) and the initial stages of Samadhi (trance).

At some point in these stages, one may experience energy referred to as Kundalini, or may not. In most cases, it is not that Kundalini itself has awakened, but rather that several energy channels (nadis in yoga) within the body have awakened (and some blockages have been partially removed), allowing energy to flow more easily, or gradually become easier to flow. It is usually a matter of Kundalini's energy starting to flow slightly. In any case, at some point in these stages, the amount of energy increases, and life becomes more active.

By reaching this point, one might say that the general spiritual topics are more than sufficient (at least for now). Even at this stage, one can live a happy and peaceful life.

From this point on, there may be various things such as merging with the higher consciousness of Purusha (divine spirit), or Kundalini, but basically, if one reaches the "consciousness of silence" (with varying degrees of depth), it may be sufficient for spiritual growth.

Therefore, studying spirituality and various things is good, but first and foremost, it is important to concentrate on something and reach a state of flow. That is the most fundamental basis.

It doesn't matter if it's a hobby, work, or even studying. As the frequency of flow increases, and flow becomes more stable, and joy becomes stable, the emotional grievances that have been dormant in your depths are resolved and purified. In terms of emotional stages, you gradually feel and resolve these dormant emotions within the flow.

This stage is sometimes referred to as "Karma Yoga" in yoga. This is often interpreted as selfless service, but the original meaning is that it doesn't necessarily have to be selfless; it simply means not seeking results from actions, leaving the results to God, predicting the results but not being able to control them yourself. Whether it is selfless or not is almost irrelevant. Through such Karma Yoga, you initially experience emotional joy, and as your emotional fluctuations calm down, you reach a state of peace before moving on to the next stage.

There are many cases where people who belong to spiritual groups mistakenly believe that their practice has progressed simply by belonging to a spiritual organization. However, how long you have been affiliated with a spiritual organization is not very important. Whether it's a hobby, work, meditation, or selfless service in Karma Yoga, it doesn't matter what it is, as long as you concentrate extremely on it and reach a state of flow, that is the foundation of spirituality. Once you have reached that state of flow, you should gradually expand that joy and incorporate it into your daily life. That is the foundation of spirituality. If you meditate, you may progress to the next stage, or you may not, but at least the state of flow is something that everyone desires, and it causes no harm, so it is a good idea to aim for the state of flow, even without considering spirituality. The state of flow can be achieved simply by concentrating on something, regardless of whether you are consciously engaging in spiritual practices. Therefore, it is important to concentrate on something, and that is the foundation of spirituality.

Some people may have already cleared the initial emotional stage from birth, so there may be cases where they directly move on to the next stage. Alternatively, if someone has been avoiding emotional problems since childhood, they may not know how to deal with emotional problems and may not be able to move on to the next stage. Conversely, there may be cases where someone has not yet resolved their emotional problems but has already moved on to the next stage. Except for rare cases where someone is born with the ability to deal with emotional issues, if someone simply avoids them or skips ahead, they may encounter emotional problems and not know how to deal with them, resulting in "easily angered" or "low-tolerance" spirituality. Therefore, except for rare cases where emotional issues have already been resolved (in past lives, for example), it is generally a good idea to resolve emotional issues (by concentrating on something and incorporating them) through the joy of flow before moving on to the next stage. That is what I personally think.

People who achieve the state of flow in their work prioritize work, while those who achieve it in their hobbies prioritize hobbies, and those who achieve it through training prioritize training. This is also true for sports. Therefore, for example, people who meditate may prioritize meditation (to achieve the state of flow), or people who achieve the state of flow through yoga (through physical postures) may prioritize yoga. In reality, when it comes to the state of flow, it seems that the type of activity does not matter, whether it is work, hobbies, or sports.

To move beyond the stability of the state of flow, some kind of spiritual practice may be necessary, but generally, achieving and maintaining the state of flow is quite sufficient. If you can achieve that, then you can focus on things that interest you, your work, or even your studies, and that is enough.

Therefore, there is nothing particularly strange about this. What is generally said in society applies here as well: if you work hard, study, or practice, it will be rewarded. This is not necessarily something that is obtained in the form of money or material possessions, but you can experience the state of flow, which arises from within yourself, without relying on anyone else. If you work hard and concentrate, you will eventually achieve it.

In this society, earning money is highly valued, and those who cannot earn money are often seen as worthless. However, the state of flow can only be achieved through effort, and if it is used effectively, it can lead to results in earning money or work. However, the state of flow itself is not directly related to money, and it is something that you can achieve if you put in the effort. Therefore, children (without any financial considerations) can achieve it through effort, and it can also be achieved through hobbies (again, without any financial considerations), and it can also be achieved through studying, and it can also be achieved through sports or work. Anything you put effort into can lead to the state of flow.

Since everyone in this society studies or works, it is the easiest way to achieve the state of flow through effort in your studies or work. Since most of our daily time is spent on these activities, if you can achieve the state of flow by utilizing what you are doing as an obligation, it is a win-win situation.

Regardless of spirituality, the state of flow resolves emotional conflicts and leads to a state of intense concentration, which also improves results. It is a good thing in every way.

This state, where the joy of being in the zone becomes stable, can also be said to be a state of escaping from the state of blind ignorance. Although there is still much to be achieved spiritually, if we consider it as a state of escaping, this stage seems to correspond to that. This state of being in the zone has many advantages regardless of spirituality, so it is a story that can generally be recommended.

When I talk about things like this, people who want to create a better reality easily, those who are into "the law of attraction," may be disappointed. Indeed, if the joy of being in the zone becomes stable and reaches a state of "no effort," then that is not necessarily a bad thing. However, reaching a stable state of being in the zone requires extreme effort and concentration. First, concentrate and reach a state of "effortless effort" and "relaxation." In that state, the "law of attraction" will work to some extent. However, if you have not reached that state, the "law of attraction" will not be useful.

In any case, the first step is to make an effort and concentrate to reach the "zone of joy."