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Samadhi:
A state of perfection: -According to Patanjala Yoga Darshan
of Patanjali, when you try to consternate on object mentally in a closed eye condition the object will not stay for long. This is the phase of Dharana. Dharana is the confining (or fixing) of the chitta in a single area. The practice of meditation right away puts the chitta into the stream of the subtle sound of Om. according to Vyasa, the focusing [vritti] of the chitta, held in that place without being dispersed, is called Dharana, as a purely mental process. It functions simply as the awareness of that area without any disturbance. When is the object is slightly stable for minute the mental state is called Dhyana. Dhyana [meditation] is the unbroken flow of awareness [ekatanata] of that [desha or object]. Ekatanata can also mean the unbroken extension or movement along something–in this case the subtle stream of Om. Meditation is the unbroken experience-awareness-movement within the subtle sound-mutations of Om. It is the highest form of baptism that leads to the true resurrection of the dead. Whereas in Dharana there may be other impressions of peripheral thoughts even though the chitta has been settled on the object of meditation alone–for the chitta is functioning on the location [desha] as a pure mental process–it is not so with Dhyana, for there it [the object of meditation] is only the stream of a single vritti untouched by any other vritti of a different kind. Samadhi is the state of consciousness in which oneness with the object of concentration. In Samadhi phase the object becomes stable in your mind for several minutes. Patanjala discusses two forms of Samadhi: samprajñata and asamprajñata Samadhi. Samprajñata Samadhi is that which is accompanied by reasoning [vitarka], reflection [vichara], bliss [ananda] and sense of pure being [asmita]. Vitarkanugata samprajñata Samadhi is the capacity for rational concepts to arise in a reflective or illuminating stream. Suppose when the doorbell or the telephone rings we are aware of it and also aware as to whether we need bother to answer or not. A momentary “discussion” in the form of a chain of conceptualizations may occur, but still the primary meditation-Samadhi state is retained. This then leads us to realize that in time, with practice and progress, the state of samprajñata Samadhi may be maintained even outside meditation–virtually all the time. vitarka is the power of conceptualization related to outer phenomena, vichara relates to inner happenings during meditation such as inner distractions. Swerving from his true nature he may see before him bright effulgence's, etc., or hear (unusual) sounds or regard as real the visions of gods appearing within or outside himself. He should not be deceived by these and forget himself. For example, when a memory of something arises we realize that it is a distraction and refuse to ruminate over it; when we find our mind floating up and out of meditation we consciously induce meditation again. Ananda is internal bliss, or joy. Meditation produces profound peace and relief from the internal effects or ravages of the outer storms of life, When this great peace and ease of heart are experienced in meditation. Asmita is I-am-ness, the sense of individuality, of pure being, the feeling of “I exist". The pure consciousness of consciousness itself in the form of the true self, or spirit, prevails in samprajñata Samadhi. Asampajñata Samadhi is the cessation (nirodha) of modifications (vritti) in the mind-substance (chitta). This is a state of mind empty of
thoughts. Samprajñata Samadhi is savikalpa Samadhi, and asamprajñata Samadhi is nirvikalpa Samadhi. Savikalpa means “with content” and nirvikalpa means “without content or thought.
Thoughts arise by themselves. In meditation, we are not
looking to control thoughts any more than we are looking
to control the rain. So allow the thoughts to come but
watch them. If your attention is strong enough in
meditation that you are aware of the thought arising,
then you are at choice. You can choose to let go of the
thought. You are aware of the thought arising and you
instantly let it go. You never identify with it. You
recognize it as a thought without ever making it
personal and you let it go.
In Savikalpa samadhi, you will experience the thoughts
arising as energy out of energy and disappearing back
into energy.
And in Savikalpa samadhi, you will no longer feel any
desire to identify with thoughts. It is like the bond
between you and thoughts has been broken. In samadhi,
the idea of a 'me' as a person with problems and desires
has been transcended and you exist in your pure state of
awareness.
You will experience everything as energy. You will be
immersed in a peace beyond what could be imagined. As
though every cell has been reset to its natural
vibration of bliss.
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