![]() In Savikalpa Samadhi, the samskaras (latent tendencies or past impressions which condition your life and desires) have not been dissolved. The mind becomes fully Awake, it is a state of witnessing of the material world and you become aware of the Divinity (Bliss) within yourself. This Samadhi can be likened to what is known in the Shankara Tradition as Cosmic Consciousness. This is the ego-sense in its elemental form. Simple awareness of individuality-you are here and aware of nothing else. Only the satvic (pure) ego, the I-ness remains, the I AM. Now even the bliss has gone and you are just here. It’s known as a “blissful” Samadhi filled with joyful peace. The focus is on the inner powers of perception and within the mind itself. The sattvic (pure) mind is only aware of its own joy. There is no reasoning or reflection, just the tranquility of the settled mind. Here the mind is devoid of the objective world, you move beyond the intellect. Now the mind moves beyond the outer layers of the object and the subtle aspects of objects ( tanmatras) are contemplated or “discerned.” The abstract qualities such as rednesses, beauty, love or the sound, texture, form, flavor, etc. In this stage, every aspect of the object is understood and you gain full knowledge of the physical object. This is described as “examination” or learning the “inner secrets” of the object. Here the mind totally focuses on the gross aspect of a physical object. As you begin to integrate this undisturbed state of silence along with the disturbed states of waking, dreaming and sleeping, Patanjali describes the four stages of Savikalpa Samadhi that are possible. However, this is not yet a permanent state and everybody has to return to ordinary consciousness. You remain undisturbed, and your inner being functions in a dynamic and confident manner. Now you see that practically everything happens spontaneously-you have nothing to do. For a minute, an hour, or more you are in another world. In this state, the concepts of time and space are altogether different. Patanjali says that, for a short period of time, you lose all human consciousness. The beginning stages of Savikalpa Samadhi are where, during meditation, you transcend all mental activity. ![]() This first level of Samadhi has within it four different stages. Samadhi has several levels of refinement through which you may ascend. Samadhi is beyond the normal mind and intellect, which makes describing it somewhat difficult it can only be fully appreciated by direct experience. To reach Samadhi, you have to deserve it. The Guru Gita says Moksha mulam, guroh kripa-the root of liberation is the Guru’s Grace. However, practice alone does not guarantee Samadhi. Dogs, for example, don’t ask, “Who am I?” This means that every human being has the potential to become fully self-aware and reach the state of Samadhi. The Vedas also state that only humans have the potential for self-awareness. Rocks, plants, animals, and humans all have awareness to a greater or lesser degree. The Vedas say that everything in the Universe has awareness. The mind in Samadhi possesses power that a normal mind does not, making it the main tool the Yogi uses to achieve the end goal of yoga-the joining of the individual self with the Universal Absolute. From knowledge, you have become knowingness. The awareness of the meditator, process of meditation, and the object of your meditation have all merged into one. Samadhi is the mind in its most concentrated state and can be compared to normal thought as a laser beam can be compared to normal light. It can be thought of as the culmination of your meditation process. Patanjali explains that Samadhi is a state of meditative absorption, attained by the practice of Dharana (focused attention) and Dhyana (effortless meditation) when the True Essential Nature is known, without the distortion of the mind. Within the text, Patanjali provides a concentrated set of instructions known as the Eight Limbs of Yoga, culminating in a state of freedom, liberation, ecstasy, and enlightenment- Samadhi, the realization of all your spiritual practices. This has since been called Raja Yoga or the Royal Path, a journey of techniques and lifestyle guidelines to awaken the mind to its true Self. ![]() In his illuminating text, The Yoga Sutras, the sage Patanjali introduces a systematic path to regain Higher Consciousness. As you follow the Eight Limbs of Yoga, you can reach the freedom and enlightenment of Samadhi, the realization of your spiritual practices. ![]() The Yoga Sutras describe the way to regain Higher Consciousness. ![]()
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