What happens during samadhi? What are the three types of samadhi?
What happens during samadhi? What are the three components of samadhi?
Self-improvement in the case of Samadhi is about moving to a place of self-truth and self-respect, and only when we begin to understand the nature of self can we pursue Samadhi. In a strange way self-truth is an internal loop; that laughs at its own short comings. In this way you become your authentic self and you learn to look at yourself through the light of truth.
Hello, and welcome to the Ancient Wisdom Modern Mind blog and today I would like to share with you the three main strategies for achieving Samadhi, or Unified Consciousness.
Samadhi is a Sanskrit word made up of two terms, sama meaning equal and even, and adhi meaning to adhere or stick with. When you put them together they mean equal states of consciousness or unified consciousness, the joining of all aspects of our being: physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional.
And it is also used as a general term for “supreme bliss, super consciousness, heightened awareness, enlightenment and atman awareness”.
So these 3 steps are the basic practices that yogis have used since time immemorial to achieving the state of Samadhi. Yet ultimately achieving Samadhi depends on you and how often you apply yourself to the process.
In the beginning Samadhi will come in flashes of realization, which will transition into longer states of heightened perception. Until finally you will simply realize yourself. This is self-realization and is a gate way state that steps into Samadhi.
So here are the 3 Steps for Achieving Samadhi:
Step 1: Breathing
Conscious breathing or pranayama is known in Sanskrit as one of the most “mindful” things we can do. There is simply nothing more present in the moment than our breath.
Prana means life force or breath sustaining the body; Ayama translates as "to extend or draw out." Together the two mean breath extension or control.
Traditionally, the practitioner does pranayama while sitting on the ground, with the spine long and erect. But if you aren't accustomed to extended sitting in such a position you will often find yourself aching and fidgeting after only a short while; this interferes with your concentration and the efficacy of the breathing practice. If this is the case for you, sit in a chair or, better still, try lying on your back on the floor.
When you're comfortably set up, begin watching your everyday breath for a few minutes, fixing it in the foreground of your awareness. Then, for another minute or so, mentally count the length of both your inhalations and exhalations; for example count slowly, "One, two, three, and so on (or "One Om, two Om, three Om," if you prefer). Don't be surprised if your exhalations are slightly longer than your inhalations; that's quite common and is preferred. Once you've settled into your breath, you're ready to try this introductory breathing exercise.
Close your eyes. Take a slow deep breath in through your nose counting to 5 and then pause at the top of inhalation for a count of 2 while you settle the breath down into your belly. Then, exhale completely through your nose counting to 8 while sucking in your belly. Repeat for 5 minutes.” Focus on the sound of your breath and relax your jaw, your teeth, tongue, and lips as you exhale.
This breathing exercise is a simple and effective way of calming the mind and redirecting awareness inward, it also has the added benefit of simulating the Vagus-Nerve.
Step 2: Self-improvement through Self-truth
To go beyond karma you have to end the structure of self.. - Frederick Lenz
Samadhi is sometimes confused with self-improvement through personal success, but this is an external identification. Whereas Self-improvement through self-truth is an internal process, where you learn to see self in all its glory and all its faults. Self-truth is about accepting where you are now at this very moment. Tolerance, patience and self-respect start at home in our own minds, because it’s all about you, no matter what you may tell yourself about your beliefs and the world, if you don’t respect who you are from deep within then you will never find balance.
So Self-improvement in the case of Samadhi is about moving to a place of self-truth and self-respect, and only when we begin to understand the nature of self can we pursue Samadhi. In a strange way self-truth is an internal loop; that laughs at its own short comings. In this way you become your authentic self and you learn to look at yourself through the light of truth.
Yet Self-truth goes deeper than Self-improvement and for the yogi this is explored more deeply in the Indian philosophies of Dualism and Advaita Vedānta non-dualism
In the philosophy of dualism we perceive our personal reality from a Dualistic view point because of our Preference Awareness, which is in itself a construct of being self-awareness. And which in turn creates a bias towards symmetry and repetition simply as a practical way of survival, and yet this also gives us the impression that this dualistic monopoly is the only reality.
So what this means is that fundamentally we are trapped in a dualistic perception of reality, and it does not matter what we believes or what ideology we hold; we cannot intellectually reject this dualistic reality through thinking or belief.
And this is where Advaita Vedānta, non-dualism expounds the idea of un-attaching from “duality” by rejecting the objective world, in non-dualism we come to understand that “duality” is simply a pattern which we apply subjectively on to an objective nondual reality.
Advaita Vedānta teaches the yogi to transcend dualistic Preference Awareness through the idea of Concept Construction, which is a state where the yogi comprehends the unity of reality. A mindful understanding where one fathoms reality as one interconnectedness, or more simply expressed as a reasoned interconnectedness between the subjective and the objective.
The term Advaita refers to the idea that Brahman alone is the ultimately real, the phenomenal transient world is an illusory appearance called maya or a dualistic illusion of Brahman.
This is a Monotheistic view that focuses on the philosophical idea that there is one God or one interconnected multi- dimensional reality, a singular Divine, which manifests itself in many ways, including as the Christian Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. But equally also concepts such as Buddhist mindfulness are an expression of Concept Construction or non-dualism.
Step 3: Meditation Practice
It only makes sense that we should meditate as an important process in achieving Samadhi, and mediation is more than just laying down with your eyes closed and contemplating relaxation. Which is why meditation has ritualized seating postures such as Lotus Pose or Easy Pose, or the Zen walking meditations. The mind needs structure to overcome its chaotic nature.
Meditation is a means of transforming the mind by using techniques that encourages and develops concentration, clarity, and silence. By engaging with a particular meditation practice you learn the patterns and habits of your mind, and through the practice of quieting ones internal talk we have the opportunity to cultivate new, more enlightened ways of being outside of the subconscious influence.
With regular work and patience these nourishing, focused states of mind can deepen into profoundly peaceful and energized states of awareness that can accumulate in Samadhi consciousness or Unified consciousness.
Meditation Postures or Poses
Easy Pose —Sukhasana (soo-KAHS-uh-nuh) — is the classic seated meditation posture. It is depicted in some of the oldest images of ancient yogis in India, some of which are at least 2,000 years old. Also sometimes called “Simple Cross-Legged Pose,” Sukhasana is intended to be comfortable and calming.
Easy Pose: Sit on your mat or cushion with a folded blanket or extra cushion under your bottom. Cross your legs just above the ankles and allow your knees to rest on the floor. If there is pain in either knee, place a blanket under the knee to relieve it.
Alternatively try the Cross Legged Pose: This is a simple posture, sit with your knees wide and fold your legs in towards your torso. The lower part of both legs are folded towards the body, crossing each other at the ankle or calf, with both ankles on the floor, sometimes with the feet tucked under the knees or thighs.
Place your hands on your knees, palms down, and relax your arms.
Balance your weight evenly across your sit bones. Align your head, neck, and spine. Lengthen your spine, but soften your neck. Relax your feet and thighs.
To find your sit bones, squirm around until you can feel the two rounded bones, referred to as your sit bones. You will not be sitting on the backs of your thighs or the padded butt muscles. In this position the pelvic bowl is in a neutral position, not tilted or scooped. You will feel you are sitting taller, and your body will feel alert and ready for meditation.
Gaze straight ahead with soft eyes. And to do this first choose your point of focus and gaze at that point, now soften and relax your gaze so that rather than looking in sharp focus, you take in a more Peripheral, or indirect focus.
In the beginning your eyes will often get tired and may even tear up, because we have a tendency to fall back into focusing on a single point or object, when this happens close your eyes and let them rest then do another round with eyes open and try the relaxed unfocused gaze again.
Hold for the duration of your meditation practice, and if it helps your internal focus you can use a timer so that you’re not wondering how long you have been meditating.
Release and change the cross of your legs if you feel the need. And be sure to change the cross of your legs with each meditation practice, not favoring one side or the other.
Practicing the correct postures during meditation will automatically begin to calm your mind and body. So keep the following information in mind when practicing any meditation pose.
Let your legs cross naturally — there is no real “right” or “wrong” way to cross your legs. In this regard, Sukhasana is slightly different from other seated cross-legged positions, such as Perfect Pose also known as the Accomplished Pose (Siddhasana), or Lotus Pose (Padmasana), are excellent postures traditionally used for meditation but they require a more precise foot placement.
Be sure that whatever pose you use is comfortable. It is much more important to keep your mind focused on the breath rather than pain in your knees, and as long as there is a comfortable gap between your feet and pelvis and the pose feels “easy,” which is why its call the Easy Pose, that is all you need to worry about.
So that’s Samadhi, a Simple 3 Step Process, and remember if you want to understand the processes leading to Samadhi at a deeper level then do follow the links to the recommended articles.
I’ve enjoyed sharing this information with you and my understanding of the 3 mains points leading to Samadhi, and I encourage you to explore and learn about yourself and to continue your journey, and If you have the time when let me know in the comments about your understanding of the spiritual path or how your journey has changed your life.
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Related posts:
Impeccability of Stalking Awareness | What Is Ego and Understanding the Over-Evolved Ego | Where Do Our Thoughts Come From | Zhuangz’s Butterfly Dream is a Red Pill Metaphor | What is Rational Thinking: Rational Side of Awareness | The Truth About Spiritual Enlightenment: Truths, Distortions, Fakes
References
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