Discourse on samadhi

In meditation when we focus on an object or subject to the exclusion of anything else and then experience oneness with the object or subject, this is called savikalpa samadhi.

Patanjali tells us, that even that impression which is made on the mind by savikalpa samadhi must finally be removed. By doing so we remove any potential thought seeds that may sprout in the future.

When this final wave is removed, we enter into the highest samadhi, which is called nirvikalpa samadhi. Nirvikalpa samadhi is undifferentiated consciousness. In that state we are no longer ourselves, we are said to be one with God.

Nirvikalpa samadhi has been described by Shankara as follows:

“There is a continuous consciousness of the unity of the Self and Brahman (God). There is no longer identification of the Self with its covering. All sense of duality is obliterated. There is pure, unified consciousness. The one who is established in this consciousness is said to be illumined”.

Yoga postulates that, one is said to be free even in this life when he is established in illumination. His bliss is limitless. He almost forgets this world of appearance.

Even though the mind is dissolved in the Infinite, he is fully awake, free from the ignorance of the waking life. He is fully conscious, but free from any craving. Such a one is said to be free even in this life.

For him, the sorrows of this world are over. Though he possesses a finite body, he remains united with the Infinite. His heart knows no anxiety. Such a one is said to be free even in this life.

Once nirvikalpa samadhi has been achieved, it is possible to pass in and out of it repeatedly at will.

Yoga and its Practice

Patanjali describes Kriya Yoga to mean, work toward Yoga. The works imply austerity, self discipline, study, dedication, surrendering of self consciousness to God consciousness.

It also means conserving vital energy and directing it toward the goal of yoga, or the union with the Self.   

Whatever activity one endeavors to engage in, he should always ask himself; does this add to or diminish the obstacles to enlightenment?

An obstacle to yoga is false identification.

We tend to confuse the ego with the Self.

The experiencer is the Self, our true nature. The object of experience is the totality of the apparent world, including the mind and the senses.

In reality, the Self alone exists, as the One without a second, eternally free.

When we mistake the Self for the ego in which all the thought waves and troubles arise, we mistakenly think, that we are unhappy, angry and all the other things.

The Bhagavad Gita reminds us, that we are not these things.

“The illumined soul thinks always:”I am doing nothing”.

No matter what it sees, hears, touches, smells, eats. ..

This it knows always:

“I am not seeing, I am not hearing:

It is the senses that see, hear and touch things.”

So long as the experiencer is falsely identified with the object of experience, he cannot know the Self. He remains in bondage, believing himself to be the slave of his experience.

The story from Swami Vivekananda:

“The king of gods, Indra once became a pig wallowing in mud. He had a she pig and was very happy. Then some god saw his plight and told him: “You are the king of gods, why are you here?”

Never mind Indra said, I am fine here; I do not care for heaven while I have this sow and these little pigs.

The poor gods were at their wits’ end. After a time they decided to slay all the pigs. When all were dead, Indra began to weep. Then the gods ripped his pig body open and he came out of it and began to laugh when he realized what crazy dream he had had”.

The Self, when it identifies with nature, forgets that it is pure and infinite.

The Self does not love, for it is love itself. It does not exist, it is existence itself. It does not know, for it is the knower.

Stages by which knowledge of the Self is known:

The realization that all spiritual wisdom is within oneself

The kingdom of God is within

Mental pain is caused by one’s attachment to aversion. When he turns the mind toward the Self, the attachment loses its power.

Samadhi is the complete realization and union with the Self. When being in that state, the objective universe disappears.

When coming out of samadhi, the awareness of the universe re-appears, but one’s consciousness has changed.

One realizes that the external world is merely an appearance, more like a dream.

This leads to the acknowledgement that the mind and the objective world have both ended their services.

Now the stored up impressions within the mind and the gunas themselves fall away forever.

The final stage, the eternal existence in union with the Self has been reached. Now there is no more returning from samadhi to partial sense consciousness, no more identification with the mind. The goal of yoga, knowing ones true nature, has been reached.