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permeates our whole being. To find it, look within. God is both within and without and is everywhere. However, without knowing our true nature we cannot dissipate the filth of delusion which obscures our knowledge and ability to recognize the Divine.
As long as we are so deluded because of our ignorance we are unable to have direct knowledge of the Divine. Through the senses we recognize the body, but we cannot recognize the soul through these same senses. We declare that our physical possessions are ours, but even as we claim this we realize they are not really part of us. The truth is we are not the possessions. We are different from these things. Similarly, when we say “my hand', 'my eyes', ‘my nose', and so forth, do we mean that we are those bodily parts? Of course, we do not mean that. They all are ours and we are the owner. We then ask how we can recognize the divine soul. The answer lies in this illustration given by various saints: During deep sleep we are unable to have any knowledge of this physical body; however, after waking up we recall this body, our relations and possessions. In the same manner, until we are in the three states—awake, sleep, dreamless sleep-we are unable to directly perceive our inner self and the divine. The Saints tell us that there is yet a fourth state, called the Turiya state, which is above the others. In this state we can directly perceive our own nature and know the divine.
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