In the study of Meditation we deal with a five-fold concept of structure. First, the purpose of meditation is to develop a strong mind. Second, the purpose of that strong mind is to develop concentration. Third, the purpose of concentration is for control. Forth, the purpose of control is to develop discipline. And finally, the purpose of discipline is self-discipline, or the mastery and knowledge of the self or inner being.

     We come to regard the inner being as energy as the use or manifestation of the energy called power. Power can be brought to play on many levels. Very often, what little power an individual gathers from a new experience or sensation is expended immediately and at a very low level of consciousness. For instance, many individuals who have begun meditation practice and benefited from a new found energy of mind and body are anxious to use it in acts or deeds on physical or mental levels. This could be done through one's sexuality or in dominance and control over other people and situations. Such use of meditation energy is wasteful and self-defeating, for this type of expenditure stunts one's potential growth. The seeker who is aware of this possibility for misuse of energy knows what he seeks is to use each new level of energy to elevate to a higher consciousness. Therefore his power is used on himself to journey within, to eventually discover the "All," or "One" or "God" without wasting energy on external attachments or hang-ups. The practitioner, then, who is earnestly studying meditation is engaged in elevating his consciousness to higher and higher levels.

     We can define one's consciousness as one's view of himself or existence. Of course many of us know individuals whose entire concept or view of their life is physical. That is, they exist only to carry put surviving as a physical body and reproduce through sexual gratification, and if these two are fulfilled to capacity, gaining wealth through control of other peoples' lives. There is yet another level of attachment beyond the physical and that is the mental or intellectual attachment. Intellectual attachment may be said to be the consciousness, that the pinnacle of our existence is thought and that there is nothing for use beyond that. However, we must remember that thoughts only exist through our invention and there still exists a source from which our thoughts derive.

     Consciousness has been studied by many peoples and their cultures throughout the ages of this earth and, perhaps on other worlds. One arbitrary concept which comes from one of the oldest understandings of religions, Hindu, states that there exists seven levels of consciousness which correspond with points which traverse the spine in an upward advancement. The Chinese have derived a system which states that there are nine, or possible ten levels of awareness. Whatever the number, it is clear to those of us who who have strived in our meditation to elevate energy, that there exists something more than survival, sex and dominance.