ॐ Samādhi

 

Samadhi — a state of meditative consciousness, the ultimate state of meditatve absorbtion or trance, at which point union with the divine is reached.

Yoga practice which will lead to this supreme state of consciousness:

We may think of Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara as preparation; Dharana, Dhyana as basis, and Samadhi as a goal.

 

Samadhi and Moksha (liberation) occur in the Sahasrāra Chakra (the crown chakra), which is also our “inner guru”. It "opens" or becomes "activated" when we follow one of the yoga paths with perseverance and devotion – the path of Raja Yoga with discipline and practice, the path of Karma Yoga with selfless service, the path of Bhakti Yoga with devotion to God, or the path of Gyana Yoga with study and renunciation. But for the final step we need Guru Kripa, as well as the guidance and assistance of a master.

 

Kripa (Sanskrit: कृपा) — “grace, mercy, or blessing”, a concept of divine grace in Hinduism; specifically that is not a gift from God, but rather must be earned.

Guru Kripa — “grace, blessing, or favor of the guru” a concept of divine grace in Hinduism, the key principle in Bhakti Yoga, and Guru Yoga, of receiving spiritual energy directly from a guru. To obtain Guru Kripa, one must be dedicated to a spiritual path, be a disciple and in service of a guru, and be ready to receive the grace. The guru bestows his/her grace by resolving to do so, or simply by the power of his/her presence.

 

From the Skanda Purana, the Uttarakhand, section Guru Strotram, Guru Gita, a dialogue between Shiva and Uma (Shakti):

Guru Brahma Guru Vishnu
Guru Devo Maheshwara
Guru Sakshat Param Brahma
Tasmai Shri Gurave Namah

Creation is Guru Life is Guru
Our trials tribulations illnesses calamities and death is Guru
Guru near and Guru that is beyond the beyond
I make offering to remover of darkness and ignorance I bow and lay down my life

Dhyana Moolam Guru Murti
Puja Moolam Guru Padam
Mantra Moolam Guru Vakyam
Moksha Moolam Guru Kripa

The Root of Meditation is the form of the Guru
The Root of Worship is the feet of the Guru
The Root of Mantra is the word of the Guru
The Root of Liberation is the grace of the Guru

 

In addition to Guru Kripa, other forms of kripa are:

Ishwara, or Hari kripa (grace of God) — naturally occuring;
Shastra kripa (grace of the scriptures) — induced by reading and study;
Atma kripa (grace of the Self) — grace of the "inner guru".

 


GURUKRIPA HI KEVALAM — is a common Sanskrit expression, mantra and song that means “the guru's grace is absolute and the only reality.”

 

In the East there's a deeply rooted tradition of a guru as an absolute necessity for successful spiritual development. It is a big mistake to think: “I know everything, I'm perfect and do not need one”. Such thoughts stem from the ego and the intellect, and are obsticles. They are pure theory and far removed from reality. Think of a guru as a transmitter of blessings, knowledge and power, as a guide, benefactor, teacher, protector, spiritual father. Guru is the remover of darkness — Gu means darkness, and Ru means remover. Without guru there's only ignorance, and in reality, anyone and anything that teaches us can be concidered our guru.

 

OM GURU SIDDHI HUM

OM GURU PADMA SIDDHI HUM

OM VAJRA GURU PADMA SIDDHI HUM

 

 

Types Of Samādhi

 

 

JADA SAMĀDHI — Unconscious Samādhi

 

Laya Samādhi

The Guru never gives up. He appears on whatever level the disciple exists, even though the disciple has no awareness of this. The connection of the spiritual Master to the disciple is eternal. Spiritual masters steadfastly keep the promise made to their disciples to never let them down. It is still largely unconscious, similar to a dreamless, deep sleep. But in reality one does not sleep – rather one has a happy spiritual experience. In Laya Samādhi one forgets everything – the thoughts stand still and one experiences deep inner joy, harmony, peace and bliss. This first level of Samādhi can be reached by anyone after a few years of Yoga practice – for example, during or after practising Prānāyāma or in Yoga Nidrā.


Sahaja (Bhāva) Samādhi

Sahaja Samādhi (aka Bhāva Samādhi) is generally associated with intense feelings of Bhakti (love and devotion to God). Sometimes during satsang, kirtan, when praying, or when receiving blessing of guru, we can suddenly enter into a state of inexpressible bliss.

Sahaja Samādhi is a beautiful experience and its effects are slightly discernable in the waking consciousness. But, unfortunately, it doesn’t last for long. It is similar to a light trance from which one awakens after a few minutes.

Laya Samādhi and Sahaja Samādhi are just preview that inspire and motivate us to further practice to enter Samādhi consciousness with full awareness.

 

 

CHAITANYA SAMĀDHI — Conscious Samādhi

 

Savikalpa Samādhi

Savikalpa means “with movement (of the mind)”. This type of Samādhi is also known as Sabīja Samādhi (with seed) and Savichāra Samādhi (with differentiation). In Savikalpa Samādhi emotions, thoughts and desires still exist – partly conscious and partly as subconscious or unconscious Karmic seeds. But in Nirvikalpa Samādhi (Nirbīja or Nirvichāra Samādhi) no more thoughts whatsoever exist; not one “seed” of a desire or Karma remains.

Imagine a lake that is mirror-smooth and motionless. When a pebble is thrown into the water circular ripples are created that reproduce and spread outwards. And so it is with every situation, every impression in our lives – “waves” are produced in our minds, just as with the pebble thrown into the water, and these reproduce and spread in our consciousness. It can take a long time for all disruptive factors (Kleshas and Vikshepas) to be raised, purified and cleared from the depths of our consciousness. Once this happens and the mind again becomes still, we are able to advance to the Supreme Consciousness.

The expression “Savikalpa Samādhi” is related to Sankalpa and Vikalpa (a wish or resolution made and then dismissed). Just as a child builds a sandcastle, then soon afterwards destroys it and begins to build again, so in our imagination we create an entire world that we identify with and also experience. Then in the next moment when we come up with something else we destroy it – and so it continues non-stop.

 

Nirvikalpa Samādhi

Nirvikalpa Samādhi is the state of pure happiness and absolute peace. In Nirvikalpa Samādhi the Jīvātmā quenches its lifelong thirst for fulfilment, and experiences Divine, absolute and unchanging bliss. It releases itself from the limitations of individuality and merges with the Divine Self, the Supreme Consciousness. It experiences itself as the “centre” of the Universe – as Ātmā, as God.

There is no suffering, no pain and no problems in the Divine Consciousness – everything is perfect (Pūrna). There are no wishes, no longing – no knower, no object and no knowledge; neither time nor space. There is only undivided non-dual existence. The identification with the individual person and individuality dissolves in the all-encompassing Cosmic Self.

In Nirvikalpa Samādhi we attain Moksha (liberation). But this final stage cannot be attained through any technique or practice – it is totally dependant upon Divine Grace. Sooner or later everyone will attain Moksha – either in this life or another. When the time is ripe we find ourselves in a state of constant development - but the right moment must come. Just as a tree cannot bear fruit in spring a Jīvātmā must first wander through the cycle of its specific experiences before it can attain Moksha.

Many people maintain that someone who has attained Nirvikalpa Samādhi, and therefore Moksha, cannot live much longer. There are, however, two types of Realisation. Some experience God-Realisation (Ātma Gyāna) with full consciousness and continue to live afterwards as a Jīvanmukta (Realised and liberated soul) in order to pass their knowledge on. Others, however, experience enlightenment and liberation only when they leave the body. Qualitatively there is no difference. Those who attain Moksha at the end of their mortal life are liberated and realised in the same way as those who have attained God-Realisation during their earthly existence.

Nirvikalpa Samādhi is a state of indescribable happiness, from which we no longer want to return, and from where we can see no reason whatsoever why we should come back. We are everywhere – there is no place where we need to go. Who should return? From where, and to where?

Nevertheless many decide to bring their consciousness back into the body. Out of pure mercy they voluntarily renounce remaining in the bliss of Samādhi consciousness, and stay in the world to help innumerable souls who are still in the sorrowful condition of ignorance.

The liberated ones are forever free from the chains of karma, which also means they are no longer subject to the cycle of birth and death. But, a few of them continue to return to the earth of their own free will, for the benefit of all living beings, their only goal is to help others to attain liberation.

 

 

Enlightenment

Just as waking passes imperceptibly into sleep and sleep into dream, so we arrive at our first experience of Savikalpa Samādhi – inner enlightenment.

Enlightenment already begins in the Āgyā Chakra and the Bindu Chakra. The closer we come to the Sahasāra Chakra, the more radiant the light becomes, until ultimately all forms dissolve and our inner space is filled with a radiant light, brighter than a thousand suns. We perceive a wonderful, all-pervasive sound (like the sound of OM sung by a thousand voices), and the door to the Infinite opens before our inner eye. A new, fascinating world full of wonder and mystery now unfolds in front of us, different to anything we ever imagined or conceived.

We all wish for spiritual experiences. But when the door of the Sahasrāra Chakra opens for us we can be like a bird sitting at the open door of its cage, uncertain as to whether it should fly out into freedom or remain in the well-known surroundings. This is exactly how we feel when the Brahmarandhra opens. Even though this is what we have longed for and aimed at, it requires courage to take the next step when we are standing on the threshold.

It now lies with us whether we would like to continue with this experience or again withdraw to normal consciousness. For an aspirant whose heart is filled with a burning desire for the Divine Light the meditation is not disturbed and continues. But if fear, doubt and uncertainty surface then we should stop the practice and consult the master.

 

Astral World

The next level of Samādhi is reached in the astral world. On this level we can meet Divine Incarnations, liberated and God-Realised Saints and masters. Here we receive our first initiation. This means that we experience a purification process in our Ātmā and feel that the Koshas are beginning to dissolve. We arrive in the pure, Divine Light that saturates the Ātmā.

In line with our faith and the image of God that we carry within us, each of us has different visions and experiences in Samādhi. Though, generally, it means that we have reached a heavenly sphere where we are joyfully welcomed. This is the second, or Divine, Māyā. Here we can have many beautiful experiences. We meet the Divine Masters and return again to the “normal” world with wisdom and knowledge.

Savikalpa Samādhi brings us wonderful “heavenly” experiences. Afterwards we can almost become addicted to them. But, gradually it becomes clear to us that we are unable to attain liberation in this way as we are still moving in other levels of consciousness. Then we again begin to strive for realisation and are finally guided to Nirvikalpa Samādhi.

 

ॐ

OM