The Silent Witness: Exploring the Fourth State of Consciousness and Its Power to Transform
Awakening isn’t an act—it’s a recognition.
“To know the fourth state is to rediscover the truth: we are not our thoughts, our roles, or our circumstances.”
In every moment of our lives, we move through shifting states of awareness. We wake, we dream, we sleep. These experiences define the contours of our reality. But in the ancient wisdom of Vedanta, there is a fourth state of consciousness—one that transcends waking, dreaming, and deep sleep. This state, known as Turiya, is not just another stage of awareness. It is the ever-present witness behind all experience, the silent ground of being.
The fourth state of consciousness is at once ancient and urgently modern. As mental health crises rise and attention spans shrink, the ability to touch stillness, to return to the core of our awareness, becomes not only a spiritual pursuit but a psychological necessity.
In this essay, we will explore the history of this mysterious state, its practical applications, how it might be reached, and its powerful resonance with the modern teachings of New Thought.
Ancient Origins: The Mandukya Upanishad and the Birth of Turiya
The earliest known mention of the fourth state appears in the Mandukya Upanishad, one of the shortest yet most profound of the ancient Hindu texts. It outlines the nature of the self (Atman) through four states:
Waking (jāgrat)
Dreaming (svapna)
Deep sleep (suṣupti)
Turiya
The first three are easy to understand. They describe everyday cycles we all experience. But Turiya defies easy explanation. The text tells us: "Turiya is not that which is conscious of the inner (dream) or the outer (waking) world. It is unperceivable, unrelated, incomprehensible, undefinable. The Self alone is Turiya."
This is not a temporary state that comes and goes. Turiya is the background presence in which all other states arise and dissolve. It is the silent awareness that remains constant, whether we are awake, asleep, or dreaming. According to Advaita Vedanta, realizing Turiya is awakening to one's true Self—the eternal, unchanging consciousness that is identical with Brahman, the ground of all being.
From Vedanta to the Modern World: Reframing Turiya for Today
Though the concept originated in ancient India, modern spiritual seekers and thinkers have drawn from its wisdom. Ramana Maharshi, a 20th-century sage, often described the Self not as something to be gained but as that which is always present when all else is let go.
In contemporary spiritual literature, Turiya appears under many names. Eckhart Tolle calls it Presence. Michael Singer speaks of the seat of consciousness. Rupert Spira refers to it as awareness itself. Regardless of terminology, the essence is the same: the fourth state is the pure, unconditioned consciousness that exists prior to thought, emotion, or sensory input.
In an era of digital distractions and endless mental noise, this teaching is revolutionary. It reminds us that there is a place within that is untouched by chaos. We don’t have to silence the world. We only need to notice the silent witness behind our thoughts.
Practicing Awareness: Pathways to the Fourth State
If Turiya is always present, why don't we experience it more often? The answer is simple: we are too identified with our thoughts, emotions, and roles. Accessing Turiya requires us to shift from being lost in the content of consciousness to becoming aware of the context of consciousness.
Four Pathways to the Fourth State
1. Meditation and Stillness
Any method that stills the mind can bring us closer to Turiya. This could be mantra repetition, breath awareness, or simply sitting in silence. The key is not the technique but the letting go. As thoughts subside, awareness becomes more apparent.
2. Self-Inquiry
Popularized by Ramana Maharshi, the question "Who am I?" is a powerful way to peel back the layers of identity. Each time we trace thoughts back to their source, we touch the silent presence from which they arise.
3. Witness Consciousness
One of the most practical approaches is to simply notice your thoughts, emotions, and sensations as they come and go. This practice creates space between you and your experience. In that space, awareness becomes more vivid.
4. Sleep State Awareness
Practices like yoga nidra and lucid dreaming help us observe the transition between states of consciousness. These liminal moments can offer glimpses of the witness that is present even in deep sleep.
The Benefits of Abiding in the Fourth State
When Turiya becomes more than a concept—when it begins to color your life—the benefits are profound. Here are a few ways it transforms daily living:
Emotional resilience: Instead of reacting, you observe. There is space before action.
Mental clarity: Thoughts are seen as clouds, not the sky. They no longer control you.
Deeper connection: Without the filter of ego, relationships feel more intimate and honest.
Health benefits: Regular awareness of Turiya has been linked to reduced stress, better sleep, and a more balanced nervous system.
Spiritual alignment: You begin to live from a place of truth, not habit. Life feels more meaningful.
Turiya Through the Lens of New Thought
New Thought teaches that the universe is mental, that mind is the creative force behind reality. It emphasizes principles such as the power of thought, the law of attraction, and the divine nature of the individual. In this context, the fourth state can be seen as the ground of divine mind itself.
Turiya is not the personal mind. It is the Mind behind the mind. It is the field of intelligence from which all mental patterns arise. Where New Thought teaches that we are co-creators with the universe, Turiya is the state in which we remember that co-creation arises from pure awareness.
Four Parallels Between Turiya and New Thought
1. Divine Mind = Turiya
In New Thought, Divine Mind is infinite intelligence. It is not emotional or personal, but pure being. This is a direct parallel to Turiya—the formless, silent presence behind form.
2. The "I AM" Principle
Statements like "I AM peace" or "I AM abundance" are affirmations not of the ego, but of the divine self. When made from the fourth state, these affirmations carry real creative power because they arise from truth, not conditioning.
3. Healing and Wholeness
New Thought teaches that illness comes from misalignment. Turiya is the original alignment. In this state, the body is no longer managed from fear or anxiety but from peace. Healing becomes not a doing, but an allowing.
4. Beyond the Law of Attraction
While popular New Thought emphasizes attracting things to improve life, Turiya shows us that the greatest peace comes from realizing that nothing is missing. The silent self lacks nothing. In that fullness, desires fall away or are fulfilled effortlessly.
Common Misconceptions About Turiya
Because Turiya is so subtle, it is often misunderstood. Some think it is a mystical experience to be achieved. Others mistake emotional numbness or trance states for it. Still others intellectualize it without direct experience.
But Turiya is none of these. It is not an altered state. It is not a high. It is not an escape. It is the simple awareness that remains unchanged no matter what you are thinking or feeling. It is the unchanging background to the ever-changing foreground.
Realization, Not Attainment
You do not need to become something new. You need only to realize what you already are. The fourth state is not "out there." It is right here, now. In the pause between two thoughts. In the silence between words. In the stillness you feel after a deep breath. It is that awareness which notices all things but is not touched by any of them.
Conclusion: Returning to What Never Left
In a world obsessed with doing, achieving, and proving, the fourth state of consciousness offers something radical: the invitation to simply be. This is not passive, but deeply alive. It is not disengaged, but deeply aware. Turiya is not an escape from the world. It is the lens through which the world becomes more vivid, more real, more compassionate.
The silent witness does not judge, does not crave, does not fear. It only sees. And in that seeing, transformation happens. This is the foundation of both the ancient path of Vedanta and the modern movement of New Thought. To know the fourth state is to rediscover the truth: we are not our thoughts, our roles, or our circumstances. We are awareness itself.
And awareness, once realized, changes everything.
Further Reading
The Mandukya Upanishad with Gaudapada’s Karika – Swami Nikhilananda
I Am That – Nisargadatta Maharaj
The Power of Now – Eckhart Tolle
The Untethered Soul – Michael A. Singer
Working with the Law – Raymond Holliwell
Your Invisible Power – Genevieve Behrend