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In Hindu yoga, samadhi is the highest of the eight limbs of yoga. Samadhi is the experience of spiritual enlightenment when the self, the mind, and the object of meditation merge together into one.
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What is meaning samadhi physical education?

In yoga, samadhi is considered to be the state in which individual and universal consciousness unite. It is a blissful form of total meditative absorption, reached once the practitioner has moved through the preliminary steps on Patanjal’s eightfold path.
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What is samadhi in physical education class 11?

Samadhi :In Samadhi the Atma gets united with the paramatma. Samadhi state is attained when self awareness dissapeares completely too feel divine pleasure after attaining the state of Samadhi.
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What is samadhi and its types?

Samadhi: Typology and theology Dr Satish K Kapoor Samadhi is the eighth and the last stage of Ashtanga (eight-limbed) Yoga of sage Patanjali. There are two types of samadhi – samprajnata or conscious meditation, and asamprajnata or superconscious meditation.

1. In the first, the thinker stands apart from thought; in the second, both become unified.
2. These are subdivided into various forms, each reflecting a different plane of self-awareness.
3. Samprajnata samadhi It is characterised by ratiocination, deliberation, joy and an unqualified ego (Yoga sutra I.17).
4. In this state, one acquires control over the inner nature but cannot break oneself free from self consciousness, so as to obliterate the difference between the knower, knowledge and the objects of knowledge.

It is a state of partial self awareness, the penultimate step to unitary consciousness. Samprajnata samadhi is also called savikalpa samadhi because the mind remains identified with the object of meditation and, sabija (with seed) samadhi because it contains the seed of consequent births (Yoga sutra, I.44-46).

Samprajnata samadhi is of four types: vitarkanugata, vicharanugata, anandanugata and asmitanugata. In vitarkanugata samadhi, the meditator uses the prop of gross objects. It is of two types: savitarka, with reflection, and nirvitarka, incogitant. In the former, one has the perception of the word, meaning and the idea of object concentrated upon; in the latter, the word and meaning are eclipsed, and the mind itself radiates as the object.

In vicharanugata samadhi, consciousness, even when it is attuned to the higher self, remains enveloped by thoughts. It is of two types: savichara, ‘with thought’, and nirvichara, ‘without thought’. (Yoga sutra, I.44, 47). In the former, the thinking principle is not inhibited, and, as a result, the mind remains engrossed in nama, rupa and jnana – name, form and knowledge, of phenomena; in the latter, one is free from mental exercitation and can experience dhyeya padartha, the object of meditation itself.

1. Anandanugata samadhi is attended by a sense of joy and contentment as one can discern the substratum of phenomena.
2. There is absence of consciousness of body.
3. Satttva guna, element of purity and goodness, pervades one’s being but the prop of aham, self sense, remains.
4. As the yogi advances from this state, he attains asmitanugata Samadhi.

Asmita, also called grihita limits one’s identity. But when it matures, aham, vanishes; only asmi, the identity of aham and brahman, remains. One comes to realise that the energy of seeing that is the self, and the energy by which one sees that is the thinking principle – are both rooted in the supreme Self.

Yoga sutra II.6). Asamprajnata samadhi It is the highest form of samadhi as the soul is absorbed in the Self. It marks the cessation of mental activity. Chitta, the mind, retains only unmanifested impressions. (Yoga sutra I.18), and is filled with sattva guna, quality of goodness. As one transcends duality, one reaches the state of pure being, and shines in one’s own glory.

It is an exalted state of consciousness, born of supreme knowledge that is self luminous. The knowledge derived from testimony and inference is about common objects; that from samadhi is of much higher order, ‘being able to penetrate where inference and testimony cannot go.’ (Yoga sutra,1.49).

1. Asamprajnata Samadhi, also called nirvikalpa samadhi, bestows final liberation (Yoga sutra, 1.51).
2. It has no alambana, prop, for contemplation.
3. It is nirbija, ‘without seed’, because the seeds of karma cannot sprout any more after having been roasted in the divine fire of knowledge.
4. Asamprajnata samadhi is of two types: bhava pratyaya and upaya pratyaya.

Bhava pratyaya is natural samadhi due to righteous actions of past life. It is possible in the case of videha ( lit. bodiless or incorporeal) or prakriti-laya (lit. absorbed in nature) yogis – those who got stuck in the joy of anandanugata samadhi or the pride of asmitanugata samadhi respectively, and were unable to achieve the super conscious state in their previous birth.

Such souls ascend the summit of spirituality, effortlessly, but sometime fall due to worldly allurements. Upaya pratyaya samadhi is attained by establishing the mind in divine knowledge through intense spiritual practice. By overcoming four obstacles, namely, laya, torpidity, vikshepa, distraction, kashaya, attachment, and rasasvada, enjoyment, the veil of avidya or nescience that conceals the supreme reality is lifted.

Samadhi is not deep sleep but complete self awareness. It is not emptiness of the mind but the fullness of being. To quote Eknath Easwaran: ‘The whole of reality is there, inner as well as outer: not only matter and energy but all time, space, causality, and states of consciousness.’ (Dr Satish K Kapoor, a former British Council, is a noted educationist, historian and spiritualist based in Jalandhar city) : Samadhi: Typology and theology
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What is samadhi in yoga class 11?

Samadhi – Ashtanga Yoga Samadhi is the last stage of the octa-partite discipline that is Ashtanga yoga. Samadhi refers to the complete stilling of the mind that allows the individual to be unified with the cosmic. In this stage, the yogi is completely detached from the material, and focused solely on the merging of his or her consciousness with a greater spiritual power. : Samadhi – Ashtanga Yoga
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What happens in samadhi?

Samadhi: Bliss or enlightenment. Samadhi is the highest state of consciousness one can achieve through meditation. It consists of a yoga practitioner reaching spiritual enlightenment where the self, the mind, and the object of meditation merge together into one.
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What is dhyana and samadhi?

Eight Limbs Of Yoga: Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi | Office Yoga Yoga Sutra 3.3 “tad eva artha matra nirbhasam svarupa shunyam iva samadhih” Last month we explored the fifth limb:, This month, we move on to the last three limbs: Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi, We bucket the last three limbs together into one, as they are all directly connected to each other. One cannot exist without the other.

Dharana – Concentration, the process of holding or fixing the attention of the mind onto one object to place. holding Dhyana – Meditation, sustained concentration, whereby the attention continues to hold or repeat the same object or place Samadhi – Deep absorption where only the essence of the object, place, or point is held in the forefront of the mind, as if the mind was devoid of even its own form

Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi are the core of a yogi’s meditation practice. Sitting quietly, allowing the mind to slow down, and then turning the gaze towards the intention. Call up your prayer, allow it to fill your mind. Concentrate on the intention, and hold it at the forefront of your mind.

• Meditate on the intention and the intention only.
• The intention will begin to fill you up, and at some point you will become absorbed by it’s power.
• Oftentimes, it’s only for a split second do you catch a glimpse of what complete and deep absorption might feel like.
• It is a continual practice.
• One that strengthens the mind, deepens the heart, and allows us to re-align with what is actually true, rather than what is included in The Story.

We have officially made our way through the Eight Limbs of Yoga, as outlined by rendition of, This work embodies a lifetime of information. We suggest reading the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and interpreting the text in your own words. This is the best, and deepest way, to apply the teachings to YOUR life.
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What is samadhi called in English?

Samadhi in American English (səˈmɑdi ) noun. a state of concentration in yoga, preliminary to nirvana, in which there is no longer consciousness of self or of any object.
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What is samadhi after death?

In Hinduism and Sikhism, a samadhi (samādhi) or samadhi mandir is a temple, shrine, or memorial commemorating the dead (similar to a tomb or mausoleum), which may or may not contain the body of the deceased.
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What language is samadhi?

Word History – Etymology Sanskrit samādhi, literally, application, contemplation, from sam together + ā to, towards + -dhi (akin to dadhāti he puts, places)
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What are the 8 types of samadhi?

Patanjali’s Ten Types of Samadhi Summary : Here I describe the ten types of samadhi listed in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras and how they are related, according to I.K. Taimni’s descriptions in his book, Before proceeding, please note: If you find this material of interest, you may be interested in two of my free ebooks.

A collection of all my articles on yogic methods and samadhi, including this article about the 10 types of samadhi.

An overview of the methods and philosophy of yoga and how it links to modern science and Western philosophy.

Introductory Remarks In I did not describe in a systematic way the various types of samadhi. Had I gone into too much detail it would have made that a different essay. A from has prompted me to write this summary on the ten types of samadhi. It must be emphasized that all the types of samadhi are altered states of consciousness.

1. They are outside the experience of normal people who do not practice yoga.
2. And even for those who practice real yoga – Raja yoga – the various types of samadhi are quantum levels apart, probably quite literally so, with respect to attainability.
3. Non- practitioners of yoga can get a small glimmer of insight into the types of samadhi by reflecting on the differences between their waking and dream experiences, which are two major forms of consciousness accessible to everybody.

Ten Types of Samadhi In the different adjectives are added to the word “samadhi”, such as “sabija”, “asamprajnata” etc.I.K Taimni, In, identifies ten types of samadhi in the Yoga Sutras, All ten types of samadhi share in common the absorption of the yogi in the state of extreme concentration of the mind.

• What distinguished the ten types is that each occurs at a different level of consciousness.
• To understand the levels of consciousness, one must be aware of cosmologies that include the nonphysical worlds.
• As a theosophist, Taimni was well-aware of the theosophical of the nonphysical planes.
• As a scholar and translator of ancient Indian texts, he was aware of other maps of the nonphysical worlds, including the used in the Yoga Sutras (described in of What is Science? ).

As we show below, Taimni mapped the different forms of samadhi to both the 7-fold theosophical scheme and the 4-fold classical Vedanta scheme of the nonphysical worlds. It is taught particularly in theosophy that one interacts with the nonphysical planes via nonphysical “bodies” or “vehicles”.

The physical body is an instrument allowing the mind to interact with the physical universe. The nonphysical bodies allow the mind to interact with the nonphysical planes, and have names such as the “astral body”, “mental body”, etc. However, it is immaterial whether we think of the different levels of consciousness as occurring via nonphysical bodies, or just think of them as different global states of consciousness.

The effect is the same for all practical purposes. Some of the methods of Raja Yoga serve to train the mind to operate at the different levels of consciousness. Other methods train the mind to transfer consciousness amongst the various levels. Therefore, four types of samadhi are distinguished by the level of consciousness at which samadhi is performed.

Four types of samadhi are transition states between adjacent levels of consciousness. The remaining two types of samadhi are very special states of consciousness. Diving into the Depths of Consciousness After the eight limbs (yama, niyama, asanas, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, and samadhi) are mastered, samadhi is the means used to dive through consciousness.

Learning samadhi is not the end of yoga, it is the beginning. This is very important to understand. The ten types of samadhi form a sequence whereby consciousness descends from its superficial into its deeper layers, one after another. It must be recalled that the goal of yoga is to “join”.

To join with what? To join with the infinite. In the Yoga Sutras the joining with infinity is called “Kaivalya”, which means “alone” or “isolated”. This is a concept the Western mind calls “” and occurs in the intellectual context of Georg Cantor’s transfinite mathematics. To the Western mind these are mere intellectual ideas.

In yoga, the experience of the infinite is the coveted reality. It is called “” in Hinduism, but sometimes, sometimes, sometimes, Whatever it is called, it is the experience of everything. That is why Patanjali called it “Kaivalya”, “alone”. There is nothing beyond, beside, or outside of it.

It is all that is, was or ever will be. The ten types of samadhi are the sequential stages one must pass through in moving from the relative existence of our waking consciousness to the state of infinity, or Kaivalya. Let me say that again so it is crystal clear: yoga is the protocol, method, steps, by which we can directly experience the infinite.

The steps from the relative to the Absolute are the ten types of samadhi.

• Let us first name and organize the ten types, then return back to how they cause this sequential passage from the waking world of relative-ness to the state of infinity or Kaivalya.
• Categorizing Samadhi Let us make an outline of the ten types of samadhi:
• We can make a flow chart that shows the relationships between the various forms of samadhi:

Figure 1: The relationship between the 10 types of samadhi States and Transition State I my, I showed this important diagram from Taimni: Figure 2: Relationship between samprajnata and asamprajnata samadhi. We can see that he is showing the transition between two different types of samprajnata samadhi.

He is showing the “sinking through consciousness” process that samadhi allows. As I stated before, Taimni shows in this diagram the exact mechanism that allows consciousness to transfer between its different global states. This diagram applies as to the transition from the waking world to the dream state of an ordinary person as much as it applies to a yogi transferring consciousness between any of the four worlds.

It is an extraordinary diagram and one of the most important diagrams you will ever see. So much is explained by this diagram it isn’t funny. However, it’s not my intent here to dwell on the wide ranging implications, which I have done to some extent in my,

Here I show this diagram specifically with respect to the four types of samprajnata and four types of asamprajnata samadhi. The Four Worlds of Things and Stuff The above diagram is meant to be viewed with respect to the following diagram, also from The Science of Yoga, that shows in a sequential fashion the descent from the surface to the center of consciousness: Figure 3: The descent through consciousness via the 10 types of samadhi.

I think this diagram too is stunningly brilliant. It is completely self-explanatory. But I will walk the Reader though it anyway. Let us begin with the column on the right. As seen at the top, he lists the precursors to samadhi: dharana and dhyana. Learning vitarka samprajnata samadhi (called savitarka samadhi) is an intermediate level of yogic skill.

• This is the first form of samadhi learnt.
• By practicing at this level, the yogi will eventually “dissolve” or “break through” the pratyaya at the vitarka level.
• This releases artha as was discussed extensively in ” What is Science? ” The dissolution of the pratyaya and accompanying release of artha at the vitarka level will create a momentary state where there is nothing in consciousness (nirvitarka samadhi).

This state is something like a vacuum. As depicted by the circles with arrows, the “direction” of consciousness moves from being outwardly directed, called paranga cetana, to inwardly directed, called pratyak cetana, This is asamprajnata samadhi at the vitarka to vicara boundary or nirvitarka samadhi.

1. After some practice, the yogi will be able to fully transfer consciousness from the vitarka to the vicara level, where the pratyaya now takes on a different and deeper form.
2. Samadhi now is called savicara samadhi.
3. The yogi now must learn to “break through” the pratyaya at the vicara level.
4. Success leads to pratyak cetana at the vicara level, called nirvicara samadhi, which is the transition state from the vicara to the ananda level.

Analogous processes repeat at the ananda and asmita levels. At each level of consciousness – vitarka, vicara, ananda and asmita – deeper and deeper levels of meaning are discovered in the pratyaya. In this fashion, one can, in a simple minded way, think of the pratyaya as like a rope that the yogi uses to pull his or herself deeper and deeper into consciousness.

As seen in Figure 3 on the left, Taimni maps the 4-fold yogic cosmology to those of classical Vedanta and also to the 7-fold scheme of Theosophy. It is to be noted that in each case, the lowest stage of samadhi – savitarka samadhi – occurs in the lower mental body. This again reinforces the notion that all forms of samadhi are altered states.

Even in dreaming, we use the astral body, and not the mental body. So, the lowest stage of samadhi is an altered state more subtle than the dream body we all experience when we dream during sleep. It must be noted I am describing the mechanics of these processes.

The above descriptions gives no indication whatsoever of the actual contents in the consciousness of the yogi. These are very extreme and unlike anything we experience when awake. Sublime is an understatement of the highest order. But that is all I will say on this aspect since we are discussing only the mechanics.

From Relative To Absolute At the asmita level, the yogi is now at the deepest possible level of conscious contents, the finest possible level of vrittis. There is nothing left of the pratyaya when asamprajnata samadhi is accomplished at the asmita level.

1. A completely different effect results at this level of consciousness.
2. The only thing present at this stage is pure, empty consciousness: only self-aware being.
3. This is nirbija samadhi.
4. The yogi must struggle with this completely empty state of self-aware being until it is learned how to achieve the final stage.

In the Yoga Sutras, the aphorisms pertaining to nirbija samadhi and dharma megha samadhi are abstract, obscure and almost incomprehensible. Patanjali seems to say that, in the state of nirbija samadhi, one comes to experience the (seeming) emptiness between the moments of time.

One learns eventually to perform samadhi on this emptiness between the moments of time. When this is successful, one has mastered dharma mega samadhi. One literally jumps out of time and into eternity. I kid you not. Go read the Yoga Sutras for yourself. I recommend Taimni’s commentary because he was a scientist and put things in terms a scientifically-trained person can understand.

But even if you read other, less scientifically-oriented translations, they all translate these aphorisms similarly (see ). The issue becomes: how are they interpreted? Surprisingly, there is often complementarity to the different interpretations, even if they seem superficially different.

1. Spoiler Alert: This is the End of the Yoga Sutras Aphorism 4.29 defines dharma mega samadhi:
3. Taimni’s translation:

“29. In the case of one, who is able to maintain a constant state of Vairagya even towards the most exalted state of enlightenment and to exercise the highest kind of discrimination, follows Dharma-Megha-Samadhi.” This is basically saying that the yogi is able to achieve nirbija samadhi at the asmita level and does not get trapped in the temptation of being omnipotent and omniscient in the worlds of relative becoming.

• After this stage, the yogi encounters the basic unit of change in Nature:
• Aphorism 4.33:
• Taimni’s translation:

“33. The process, corresponding to moments which become apprehensible at the final end of transformation (of the Gunas), is Kramah.” Aphorism 4.33 should be of particular interest to those with an interest in physics, neuroscience, the philosophy of mind, or Kant’s transcendental idealism.

It is interesting this was written at least as early as 250 AD, if not much earlier; no one knows for certain when the Yoga Sutras were created. Here Patanjali describes the quantum nature of time, and describes how to utilize this fact to escape from relative-ness. At this point, everything gets so weird that it is worth repeating a good chunk of Taimni’s commentary on aphorism 4.33: “According to Yogic philosophy the seemingly continuous phenomena which we cognize through the instrumentality of the mind are not really continuous and like the cinematographic picture on the screen consist of a series, of discontinuous states.

Each successive change in the phenomenal world which is separate and distinct produces a corresponding impression upon the mind but these impressions succeed one another with such rapidity that we get the impression of continuity. The interval of time corresponding to each of these successive states is called a Ksana.

1. So Ksana may be called the smallest unit of time which cannot be broken up further.” “The next word to be considered is Kramah.
2. We have seen just now that the impression of continuous phenomena in our mind is produced by a succession of discontinuous changes in Prakriti around us.
3. Ramah stands for this process consisting of a relentless succession of discontinuous changes underlying all kinds of phenomena.

This process is ultimately based upon the unit of time, Ksana, as the projection of the cinematographic picture is based upon each opening and closing of aperture. As Ksana succeeds Ksana the whole manifested world passes from one distinct state to another distinct state, but the succession is so rapid that we are not conscious of the discontinuity.” “It will be seen, therefore, that according to the Yogic philosophy not only is the whole basis of manifestation material—using the word material in its widest sense— but also that the changes which take place in Prakriti and which produce all kinds of phenomena are essentially mechanical, that is, based on a hidden, essentially mechanical process.

• The whole manifested Universe and everything in it changes from moment to moment by a relentless law which is inherent, in the very nature of manifestation.
• If we have grasped the nature of the process indicated by the two words Ksana and Kramah it should not be difficult to understand the meaning of the Sutra under discussion.

It means simply that the Yogi can become aware of the Ultimate Reality only when his consciousness is liberated from the limitations of this process which produces Time, by performing Samyama on this process as indicated in III-53. As long as his consciousness is involved in the process he cannot know his Real nature.

1. Anyway, the above is why nirbija samadhi and dharma mega samadhi are special.
2. Just to close this all out, here is the last aphorism of the Yoga Sutras where we see the world “kaivalyam” used, as well as the term “svarupa”, the real essence of
3. Aphorism 4.34 (the final aphorism of the book):

“34. Kaivalya is the state (of Enlightenment) following reemergence of the Gunas because of their becoming devoid of the object of the Purusa. In this state the Purusa is established in his Real nature which is pure Consciousness. Finis.” Wrap Up So, it got a little kooky at the end there.

It can’t be helped. I didn’t write the Yoga Sutras, I’m just reporting on what they say. Hopefully the above at least explicates the ten types of samadhi, and shows the sequential progression from the surface to the inner most depths of consciousness via samprajnata and asamprajnata samadhi leading to the empty state of nirbija samadhi, and finally to Kaivalya via dharma mega samadhi.

Like the Grateful Dead said: “”. : Patanjali’s Ten Types of Samadhi
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What is the opposite of samadhi?

The Ultimate in Manifestation – Since there is no separation between you and the object of your desire, you will experience instantaneous manifestation. In the state of samadhi, you cannot see anything but oneness between yourself (the subject) and anything else (the object).

The translation of absorption for the word samadhi explains this phenomenon. If you are not separate from that which you desire, then you already have the object of your desires. So theoretically, when you desire your soulmate, money, a baby, a new job, or a new house, from a place of samadhi, your energy field attracts it because you are it and it is you.

Worry, anxiety, and fear are all the polar opposites of samadhi because those states stem from the false notion that there is some sort of wall in between your needs, wants, and desires and their fulfillment. Manifestation power in this state goes beyond detachment of the fifth and sixth limbs and surrender of the seventh limb because in those instances you are still entertaining the idea that you are separate from your Divine essence.
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How many stages of samadhi are there?

In sutra 1:17 Patanjali tells us that samprajñata samadhi comprises four stages: ‘Complete high consciousness (samprajñata samadhi) is that which is accompanied by vitarka (reasoning), vichara (reflection), sananda (ecstasy), andsasmita (a sense of ‘I’-ness).’ In sutras 1:42–44 vitarka is subdivided into savitarka and
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How do you know you’re in samadhi?

Samadhi dawns when your mind becomes completely absorbed in the object occupying the space to which you have confined it. In samadhi, the process of concentration, the object of concentration, and the mind that is trying to concentrate or meditate all have become one.
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Does breathing stop in samadhi?

Question Hi, I’ve seen more use of the phrase “Breathless state” in kriya yoga than any other path. Common sense and most obvious experience tells one that oxygen is necessary to sustain life. In breathless state, when one is not drawing any oxygen from outside, how does the body hold on for a sustained longer duration, for an experienced meditator? I’ve also read somewhere on internet that hallucinations are related lack of oxygen to the brain.

I’m confused over this “Breathless state”. —Vinay, India Answer The “breathless state” is something that happens naturally as people have deeper experiences of meditation. It can happen for short periods (minutes) or much longer. Paramhansa Yogananda said that when one goes into the highest state of samadhi, the breath and heart can both stop for a prolonged amount of time.

Yes, common sense tends to take a deep breath when hearing such statements! Two things have helped me to accept the idea. The first is my own short experiences of cessation of breathing while meditating. I’ve also spoken with many meditators who have had short, and long, periods of the breathless state.

• It happens naturally in deep meditation, when the mind is very calm and the body still — it doesn’t happen by simply holding the breath! The yogis teach that when the mind is completely still, and in the highest states of samadhi, there is no need for breath to supply oxygen to the body or brain.
• This is why the breath tends to become very calm during a good meditation, even when it doesn’t stop.

There is great clarity of mind and inspiration during these times, as opposed to what people usually associate with holding the breath for too long — hallucinations and dizzyness. It helped me to accept the physiological possibility when I read different accounts of children who had fallen through the ice of frozen lakes.

In one case, the child stayed under water for forty minutes. When they were revived, there was no brain damage, or any other type of harm. The doctors speculated that because their bodies were so cold, they were in some sort of suspended animation similar to hibernation. Thus, their bodies didn’t need oxygen for that time.

So yes, it is possible — theoretically and practically. Yet again, the yogis seem to have uncommon sense in certain matters!
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What is the difference between Moksha and samadhi?

Mokṣha in this life – Among the Samkhya, Yoga and Vedanta schools of Hinduism, liberation and freedom reached within one’s life is referred to as jivanmukti, and the individual who has experienced this state is called jivanmukta (self-realized person).

1. Dozens of Upanishads, including those from middle Upanishadic period, mention or describe the state of liberation, jivanmukti,
2. Some contrast jivanmukti with videhamukti ( moksha from samsara after death).
3. Jivanmukti is a state that transforms the nature, attributes and behaviors of an individual, claim these ancient texts of Hindu philosophy.

For example, according to Naradaparivrajaka Upanishad, the liberated individual shows attributes such as:

• he is not bothered by disrespect and endures cruel words, treats others with respect regardless of how others treat him;
• when confronted by an angry person he does not return anger, instead replies with soft and kind words;
• even if tortured, he speaks and trusts the truth;
• he does not crave for blessings or expect praise from others;
• he never injures or harms any life or being (ahimsa), he is intent in the welfare of all beings;
• he is as comfortable being alone as in the presence of others;
• he is as comfortable with a bowl, at the foot of a tree in tattered robe without help, as when he is in a mithuna (union of mendicants), grama (village) and nagara (city);
• he doesn’t care about or wear ṣikha (tuft of hair on the back of head for religious reasons), nor the holy thread across his body. To him, knowledge is sikha, knowledge is the holy thread, knowledge alone is supreme. Outer appearances and rituals do not matter to him, only knowledge matters;
• for him there is no invocation nor dismissal of deities, no mantra nor non-mantra, no prostrations nor worship of gods, goddess or ancestors, nothing other than knowledge of Self;
• he is humble, high-spirited, of clear and steady mind, straightforward, compassionate, patient, indifferent, courageous, speaks firmly and with sweet words.

When a Jivanmukta dies he achieves Paramukti and becomes a Paramukta. Jivanmukta experience enlightenment and liberation while alive and also after death i.e., after becoming paramukta, while Videhmukta experiences enlightenment and liberation only after death.

Dada Bhagwan has revealed: The first stage of Moksha is where you experience a sense of neutrality towards problems and miseries. In the first stage of Moksha, one experiences indifference towards any worldly unhappiness. Even in worldly unhappiness, one remains unaffected. In the midst of suffering imposed upon you by others or external factors, you experience samadhi (free from suffering, to experience the state of one’s own bliss).

That is the first stage of Moksha. The second stage of Moksha, permanent Moksha, is attained after death. The first stage of Moksha should be attained here and now!
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What dhyana means?

From meditation to dhyana : © International Journal of Yoga This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

• Dhyana is a term used for the seventh anga (limb or level) in the eight-step Yoga practice of Sage Patanjali.
• This state is penultimate to Samadhi or “absorption.” Unfortunately, the word dhyana is usually translated as meditation, implying a state of abiding calm.
• Let us briefly see what dhyana is.
• Earlier to practicing dhyana, the relevant steps of Yoga, namely, Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, and Dharana should be practiced.

The details of these steps are explained in many books dealing with the aphorisms of Sage Patanjali. Yama is to abstain from violence, falsehood, theft, sensory overactivity, and acquisitiveness. Niyama is practicing purity, contentment, austerity, study of scriptures, and surrendering to a higher principle.

The next two steps of asana and pranayama are well known with body postures and breathing facilitating proper gross and subtle fluid flow (blood, lymphatic, chi, and pranic flow) in the body. While practicing asana, concentration on a particular principle (e.g. infinite void) is recommended. While practicing pranayama, one should be in a state of dharana (one pointed attention).

Pursuing the above limbs of Yoga, the practitioner realizes the changes in the physical and mental makeup. Pratyahara is stopping the flow of information from outside by turning the mind inward. Dharana is maintaining a single focus in the mind’s eye. Dhyana has many components; it is usually translated as meditation, which does not carry the full import of dhyana.

• Here, an attempt is made to present the distinction between dhyana and meditation.
• Meditation is a generic word stretching from sitting quietly to deep inward focus as practiced in many traditions.
• The official site of National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), USA, proclaims thus: “Meditation techniques include specific postures, focused attention, or an open attitude toward distractions.

People use them to increase calmness and relaxation, improve psychological balance, cope with illness, or enhance overall health and well-being.” Thus, the definition of meditation is based on a mental process to calm and reduce psycho-physiologic load on a person due to reasons cited above.

1. The consequence of such a practice is lowered metabolism that goes by the well-known phrase, relaxation response.
2. Thus, in this official (and hence accepted) definition, there is no mention of the deeper levels of mentation reached in such states.
3. A recent paper has tried to provide taxonomy for the term meditation.

Three categories of meditation are suggested based on distinct EEG profiles they seem to project. These categories are: i) focused attention (FA) (on any object), ii) open monitoring (OM), and iii) “automatic self-transcending” (ST). In other words, the distinction here is based on the underlying EEG signatures for each.

1. The present term meditation is related to awareness – either focused or open – when the mind is focusing within an area of activity.
2. Let us first look into the first two types, namely, FA and OM.
3. Discussion on ST is taken up toward the conclusion of this note.
4. In awareness, at least one of the senses is active along with the mind; in dhyana, all the senses are quiet; initially, mind alone is active.

Mind in dhyana is focused toward its resting place, its origin, and that is said to be “the center of the being.” The symbolic lotus bud in the heart is usually turned downward; this lotus bud turns upward and opens when practices such as japa and prarthana are carried out.

Thus, japa (repetition of a sacred formula) and prarthana (intense dedication) are the necessary prerequisites for dhyana. Further, awareness has an end point that is related to acquiring or creating worldly knowledge or perhaps a touch of spiritual experience (as say, in listening to music). This is still seeking experience through and for the body and mind.

In dhyana, we attempt to go beyond experience; we are at the level of ultimate reality and we are lost in that reality. This reality is not relative but an absolute one. There are no words to describe this since it is an experience beyond the mind. Hence, it is said in the ancient texts of Asia: “He who knows does not talk.” Awareness takes us into likes and dislikes and to analyses and perhaps synthesis.

1. The earlier (including previous life) samskaras or pre-genetic experiences and thoughts arise and are made stronger or modified as we seek new knowledge about the world and of ourselves.
2. Dhyana is practiced to break old samskaras; it is based on total vairagya or complete detachment,
3. All attachment to body and mind should be transcended and only the motive to reach reality should light the path to liberation.

Another significant difference between awareness practices and dhyana is this: in the former, we seem to transcend the mind and seem lifeless, whereas in dhyana, we are totally aware of our state. The reason is as follows. Only Atma is endowed with consciousness and self-awareness.

It is the intelligent principle activating all aspects of mind and body. Hence, any state of the mind is only a transient state and even a state such as deep sleep – wherein the mind seems to be switched off – is indeed a state of the mind. The void of deep sleep is termed jadasamadhi, a lifeless samadhi! In dhyana, Atma alone shines and hence the person is in a state of total awareness.

In focused thought, there is no awareness, let alone the total awareness experienced in dhyana and samadhi states. In dhyana, it is important we enclose a feeling of Love as the basic driving emotion. This is lacking in FA and OM meditations. This Love is not comparable to love for objects and people; it is at the highest level, Love for God or Purusha.

Like an infant feeling one with its mother, we feel one with Purusha and dissolve ourselves in this feeling. Focused attention takes us away from this intense feeling of Love, whereas dhyana sustains on the Love for guru and Purusha. As in true Love, here too we Love God for the sake of God, not for any personal benefits.

This Love is called Bhakti and is defined as intense longing and surrender to God with Love driving our longing. Thus, it may be said that in dhyana, deep feeling of Love is the sustaining force that binds us to Purusha. Dhyana is again not simply staring at an image or icon of God and then closing the eyes; we try to feel one with God.

• Without previous training in puja, etc., our effort will only lead to churning the memory whereby good and bad recollections surface.
• These memories could lead us away from our goal of dhyana.
• Only when we feel the connection and Love for God, dhyana starts.
• It should be noted that a blankmind is not one in dhyana,

When we experience an object with one of our senses, it is conveyed to the mind which then presents it to the Self. It is the Self or Purusha that ultimately experiences the object. Mind and all its derivatives are like the wires in a telephone network; they just communicate but have no consciousness of their own.

Like the wires in this example, mind may distort the message; mind adds its own component to the sensory data based on its biases and preferences. Mind is always dynamic, seeking outlet to its fantasies and resting never. Note that mind could be fluctuating all the time though it is devoid of consciousness; the waves in an ocean are not intelligent, yet they are active all the time due to many extraneous reasons.

The model presented in Yoga Sutras is as follows. Mind interacts with the world and this interaction has three components; they are: the mind itself, the object, and the process of interaction. A term samapatti is used to distinguish the three modes. The object, the mind, or the process of observation could be the focus in each type of samapatti.

• In FA the object is in focus, while in OM the process is being observed.
• In automatic self-transcendence (ST), it is likely that the mental modifications are arrested.
• ST starts with japa and dedication.
• As we advance in meditation practice, japa (on a mystical syllable) also falls off.
• The author says: “The category of automatic self-transcending is marked by the absence of both (a) focus and (b) individual control or effort.

Focus and monitoring experience are active mental processes, which keep the brain engaged in specific processing – individual activity keeps the mind from transcending. Thus, automatic self-transcending appears to define a class of meditations distinct from both focused attention and open monitoring” (3, p.1111).

With concentration on a mystical mantra, and with Love and dedication to a higher principle, the person is moving from meditation to dhyana ! Purusha in Yoga or Self shines of its own accord to a person in deep dhyana and the person is ready for samadhi states. Thus, the taxonomy proposed is of great interest to authenticate the Yogic model of interaction of the mind with the external world and the ways to transcend its workings to reach a state of oneness with the Self.

This is the starting point of deep dhyana and a requirement for liberation. Thus, it is seen that there is a distinction between meditation and dhyana. As many researchers have reported, meditation is to calm the body-mind complex, reduce stress, and achieve normal homeostasis.

• Meditation may also confer a glimpse of “bliss” that advanced yogis report.
• Unless there is deep-seated Love and reverence for an eternal principle, meditation may not be translated as dhyana.1.
• Devananda SV.
• Meditation and Mantras”.N.Y, USA: OM Lotus Publishing Company; 1981.2.
• NCCAM; Web site.
• Available from:,3.

Travis F, Shear J. Consciousness and Cognition. Vol.19. Elsevier; 2010. Focused attention, open monitoring and automatic selftranscending: Categories to organize meditations from Vedic, Buddhist and Chinese traditions; pp.1110–8.4. Bhajanananda A. Dhyanam (in Tamil), India: Sri Ramakrishna Mutt Publications, Chennai 600004; 2006.
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What is difference between meditation and samadhi?

If you have been practicing yoga for some time already, you have come to understand that yoga is much more than doing postures and getting flexibility. Yoga is a philosophy and lifestyle described in ​​the eight limbs of yoga. While some things are straightforward to understand, others can be confusing, for example trying to figure out what is the difference between the last two limbs of yoga: Meditation and Samadhi? Samadhi is the highest state of consciousness a person can achieve, and meditation is a practice to reach it.
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What is meaning of samadhi as per Patanjali yoga?

Meditative Absorption – Patanjali explains that Samadhi is a state of meditative absorption, attained by the practice of Dharana (focused attention) and Dhyana (effortless meditation) when the True Essential Nature is known, without the distortion of the mind.

It can be thought of as the culmination of your meditation process. Samadhi is the mind in its most concentrated state and can be compared to normal thought as a laser beam can be compared to normal light. The awareness of the meditator, process of meditation, and the object of your meditation have all merged into one.

From knowledge, you have become knowingness. The mind in Samadhi possesses power that a normal mind does not, making it the main tool the Yogi uses to achieve the end goal of yoga—the joining of the individual self with the Universal Absolute.
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What is samadhi place?

In Hinduism and Sikhism, a samadhi (samādhi) or samadhi mandir is a temple, shrine, or memorial commemorating the dead (similar to a tomb or mausoleum), which may or may not contain the body of the deceased.
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How do you take samadhi?

Step 2 – Conscious breathing or pranayama as it’s known in Sanskrit is one of the most “in the moment” things we can do. There is simply nothing more present or in the moment than our breath. I like to begin my day (sometimes before I even get out of bed) by taking 3–5 minutes to center myself with my breath—just observing it and breathing slowly and calmly through my nose.

I once read about a conscious breathing technique by Mr. Iyengar that I have never forgotten. He said, “Sit comfortably and close your eyes. Take a slow deep breath in through your nose and pause at the top of inhalation for a moment. Then, exhale completely through your nose. Repeat for 5 minutes.” Focus on the sound of your breath and relax your jaw, your teeth, tongue, and lips.

So simple and so effective at calming the mind. See also The Science of Breathing
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What is another name for samadhi?

Category: – Common Words Unique Words Related Words Find another word for samadhi, In this page you can discover 6 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for samadhi, like:,, dhyana, atma, Nibbana and brahman.
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