Dissolution of Mind

When dissolving the mind, how should one perceive it?
Is the mind like a cocoon? Does the atma slowly realize that the inside walls of the cocoon are not the true reality and eventually breaks out of the mind, discarding it, by releasing itself through a small window into the true reality? Or is the mind more like hardened carbon charcoal surrounding the diamond (atma)? Does one have to chip away at the rock breaking down every impure fragment until the resplendent diamond itself appears in absolute purity? In other words, does the mind have to be broken down completely or can it just be discarded relatively whole(via detachment and realization)? Maybe both analogies are accurate and/or inaccurate. Maybe both perceptions apply for different stages of realization. Maybe there is a different way to look at the process of mind dissolution.

If possible, could you walk me through an in depth description of the different stages of mind dissolution? If you have already done so, please say so. I will search for it in your past answers.

Thanks,
Sahil