Samadhi
The idea of writing this blog is to make people aware of the term Samadhi. Many individuals even a few of them who are on the path to Spirituality, have confusion about the word “Samadhi.” Many think that it means merging or leaving your body. Yes in the last level of “Samadhi” you merge with consciousness but that doesn’t mean that you leave your body. . This is a wrong notion as Samadhi put you on a pedestal of Enlightenment.
Samadhi: It is also called “Bliss and Enlightenment”. In Sanskrit, the word samadhi as meaning ‘bliss’ or ‘enlightenment’, and this is the ultimate step in the path of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. The pinnacle of joy is reached when we have successfully restructured our connections with both the external world and our own internal reality. Being one with the awareness; rather, it refers to existing permanently in a condition of complete bliss. An enlightened person is not the only one who has renunciate the world, but one who is always blissful in all conditions. Absolutely, there will come a time when one’s desires are exhausted.
When we break the word Samadhi down into its component parts, we find that the first part, Sama, means “same” or “equal,” and the second part, Dhi, means “to see.” That is why Samadhi means to have equanimity, to perceive everything as equal. This is the reason why it is referred to as “realization.” Achieving the state of Samadhi is not about escaping the world, but it is being abundantly cheerful and is about realizing the very life that is in front of us. Bliss is the state of being able to “see equally” and without disruption from the mind, without our experience being conditioned by likes, dislikes, or habits, and without the need to judge or become attached to any particular element; this is the state that we call “equal vision.” It is necessary for us to realize that “Samadhi” is not a state that lasts forever. Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras importantly teach us that until we are entirely ready, without ‘impressions’ such as attachment, aversion, wants, and habits, and with a perfectly pure mind, we will not be able to maintain the state of Samadhi permanently.
Once the mind is pure and we truly do experience a state of Samadhi which we can keep hold of, we attain moksha, This means a permanent state of being liberated, released, and free. This brings us to types and level of “Samadhi” as per Patanjali. They are Sarvikalpa Samadhi, Nirvikalpa Samadhi and Dharmamegha Samadhi.
Level 1: Sarvikalpa Samadhi
There are a total of four distinct levels contained within this first level of Samadhi. During the early phases of Sarvikalpa Samadhi, you will reach a point when you will be able to transcend any and all mental activity. Patanjali argues that, for a brief length of time, you lose all human consciousness. In this state, time and space do not function in the same way that they do normally. For a minute, an hour, or more you are in another universe. Now you see that nearly everything happens spontaneously—you have nothing to do. Thoughts and ideas do not impact you. You stay undisturbed, and your inner being functions in a lively and confident manner.
However, this is not yet a permanent state and everybody has to return to ordinary consciousness. Patanjali discusses the four stages of Savikalpa Samadhi that are achievable as you begin to combine the state of quiet, which is undisturbed, with the disturbed states of awake, dreaming, and sleeping.
Stage 1: The first stage is known as Sarvitarka Samadhi, and it is characterized by the mind’s complete concentration on the fundamental characteristics of a physical object. This is described as “examination” or uncovering the “inner secrets” of the thing. In this stage, every aspect of the object is understood, and you obtain comprehensive knowledge of the physical object.
Stage 2: Savichara Samadhi. At this point, the mind has moved beyond the superficial layers of the object, and it is contemplating or “discerning” the more subtle features of the object, known as tanmatras. The abstract attributes such as beauty, love, or the sound, texture, form, flavor, etc. of the thing begin to be grasped by the individual.
Stage 3: Sa-ananda Samadhi: At this stage, the mind is free from the concerns of the outside world, and one moves beyond the realm of the intellect. There is neither logic nor reflection; rather, there is only the peace that comes from having one’s mind calm. The sattvic (pure) mind is just conscious of its own bliss. The focus is on the inner capacities of perception and within the mind itself. It’s characterized as a “blissful” Samadhi replete with joyous peace.
Stage 4: Sa-Asmita Samadhi. Even the sensation of ecstasy has passed, and you are left with nothing but this. Only the Satvic (pure) ego, also known as the “I-ness,” and “I AM” are still present. Simple consciousness of individuality—you are here and aware of nothing else. This is the most fundamental manifestation of ego sense. No fear, no desire. This samadhi can be compared to what the Shankara tradition refers to as “Cosmic Consciousness,” which is reached when one is in a state of samadhi. The mind reaches its complete state When you are awake, you are in a position in which you are a witness to the material world, and you also become aware of the divinity (bliss) that resides inside you.
Samskaras are latent inclinations or prior impressions that affect your life and wants. In the state of Savikalpa Samadhi, these samskaras have not been dissolved. They have not yet developed beyond the seed stage. The Great Indian Saint, Ramana Maharshi, described Savikalpa Samadhi as “holding on to truth with effort.” In this state of Samadhi, the mind’s capacity for concentration allows it to open up to some of yoga’s “lesser” powers (Siddhis).
However, because the ego is still present, you must be mindful of how you choose to use these powers. If you use them with good intentions, you will be of great service to humanity and you will make more progress on your spiritual path while maintaining a humble attitude. If you decide to utilize them for your own personal avarice and ambition, you run the risk of causing injury to yourself and slowing down your spiritual development.
Level 2: Nirvikalpa Samadhi
Nirvikalpa Samadhi is a higher state of awareness where the ego and samskaras have been annihilated and just Consciousness remains.
Patanjali says the material world has become like a shadow from which you are fully free. In Nirvikalpa Samadhi there is no consciousness as you know it—there is simply eternal calm and happiness. Here nature’s dance pauses, and the knower and the known become one. Here you enjoy a supremely divine, all-pervading, self-amorous rapture. You become the object of enjoyment, the enjoyer, and the delight itself.
Now the heart is completely awake. In Nirvikalpa Samadhi, the first thing you feel is that your heart is larger than the universe itself. The universe seems like a little dot inside your huge heart. Here, there is boundless happiness and infinite power. You not only sense joy but actually become bliss.
This Samadhi is extremely similar to the Divine Consciousness that is described in the Shankara Tradition. Divine Consciousness is a state of profound love for the world and everything that exists within it, and it recognizes the presence of the Divine in all things. It is ascending into a heavenly dimension right now. You have an experience of Ritambhara Pragya, in which the contents of your thoughts spontaneously materialize in the physical world. Both the past and the future are mingled together in the eternal now. Every moment is the present. There is nothing missing. Both time and space have been eliminated as barriers. The euphoric mood of exultation might endure anywhere from a few hours to several days. It is believed that if one remains at this level for 21 days, there is every likelihood that the soul will leave the body permanently. Initially, there is no desire to return from this state, and it is said that there is no urge to return from this level. On the other hand, if you continue to practice, you will eventually be able to emerge from Nirvikalpa Samadhi and quickly resume your usual activities in the world.
Both Savikalpa and Nirvikalpa Samadhis are thought to be transient states due to the fact that the only way to properly experience Savikalpa or Nirvikalpa Samadhis is to withdraw from everyday life. Even the Great Enlightened Yogis close their eyes to meditate. However, Yogi’s “normal” life is not as most people experience it. A Yogi is living a life totally supported by the Unbounded Field of Infinite Possibilities. Imagine that the totality of manifest creation is contacting the front of your body and that the nonmanifest state of Pure Awareness is touching the rear of your body. You lean forward and you are in the localized world but the non-local is totally there, sustaining your every breath. To paraphrase Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, “It means living life to the fullest extent possible.”
Level 3: Dharmamegha Samadhi.
An even higher stage of Samadhi is Dharmamegha or the “Cloud of Virtue” Samadhi. According to Patanjali, you have reached this stage when you no longer have any desire, not even the desire to know God or to become enlightened. This Samadhi cannot be acquired through exertion; rather, it manifests itself at the point where all effort has been eliminated. It is a Divine Gift, beyond concepts of Absolute and relative.
It is believed that Pure Knowledge descends like a Cloud of Virtue, bringing emancipation and the Bliss of the Divine, when even the temptations of the Yogic Powers fail to cause a distraction.
Jivanmukta refers to the state of attaining freedom while one is still inhabiting a corporeal body. The afflictions of all karmas have been erased, and the Yogi becomes ever-free and shines in his or her own brightness. It is believed that while the yogi is in this state, they may see without their eyes, taste without their tongue, hear without their ears, smell without their nose, and touch without their skin. Simply having that purpose can bring about miraculous results. When the Yogi just wills something to be, it comes into existence.
Sahaja Samadhi: Some old saints such as Ramana Maharshi have also talked about Sahaja Samadhi. This Samadhi might possibly be placed between Nirvikalpa and Dharmamegha Samadhis. It is the place where inner silence is preserved in addition to the routine activities of daily life. It is being able to preserve the experience of Nirvikalpa Samadhi at all times. Here you radiate Divine Illumination, the Divine is completely unfolding through you at every second. You are flooded with Divine Grace. It is possible to compare it to the Unity Consciousness that is associated with the Shankara Tradition.
With Samadhi as your aim, you should be regular with your spiritual activities, enjoy the blessings that each day provides, and realize that everything will be revealed at the proper moment.
