Greetings Yogis and
Yoginis,
This week in class we will be exploring Samadhi, the eighth
limb of Yoga - contemplation, absorption, union, bringing into harmony,
self-realization.
The concept of samadhi is found in verse III.3 of
Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. In addition
chapter 1 is devoted to samadhi.
III.3 tadeva arthamatranirbhasam svarupasunyam iva samadhih
When the object of meditation engulfs the meditator, appearing as the
subject, self-awareness is lost. This is
samadhi.
Samadhi is not a practice but is
the result of practice. It is a state of
being. Meditation culminates in the
state of Samadhi. It is not that you
practice Samadhi. Nobody can consciously
practice Samadhi. Our effort is there
only up to meditation. You put all your
effort in dharana (concentration). It
becomes effortless in dhyana (meditation); and you are just there, knowing that
you are in meditation. But in Samadhi,
you do not even know that. You are not
there to know it because you are that.
You think first with a lot of interruptions; that is dhyana. Then you become what you think, that is
Samadhi.
A person experiencing Samadhi is
not sitting stiffly with eyes closed.
They do everything we do but without attachment and they are not
affected by what they do. They are
living liberated people. They are active
– more active than other people, always doing for others.
Homework:
How does contemplation with eyes closed prepare me for
contemplation in action, with my eyes open?
Is contemplation an act of will or surrender?
References:
Light on the Yoga Sutras, by BKS Iyengar, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, by Sri
Swami Satchidananda, The Essence of
Yoga, Bernard Bouanchaud, and Yoga: A
Gem for Women, Geeta Iyengar
Blessings,
paul cheek
Rushing Water Yoga
paul cheek
Rushing Water Yoga
Serving Yoga to Camas, Washougal,
and Vancouver Washington
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