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Enlightenment ‘Samadhi’
Dhyana leads up to Samadhi. When the final sense of being is
falling away you’re entering into a blissful state called liberation,
enlightenment or Samadhi. There is no longer a meditator or object
of meditation. The one-pointedness has become complete.
In this last stage of the yoga path you find yourself completely
detached from the world, your body and all thoughts, desires and
feelings. It is not possible to only practice Samadhi. You should
practice Dharana; it becomes effortless in Dhyana; and when the
sense of ‘I’ falls away you enter Samadhi. A person, or better said his
mind, completely dissolves in the object of his choice as if there no
longer is a distinction between them. Patanjali teaches us: “Samadhi
is the same meditation when there is the shining of object alone, as
if devoid of form.” It is a continuous, complete state of awareness
and openness. You will feel completely aligned with all living beings
and all there is. It is the most blissful state. The enlightened state
also means that you have seen the light of knowledge. You now
understand and have gained absolute knowledge of the true nature
of all beings, whether it is the smallest atom or the biggest planet.
What is next?
Although Samadhi is the last phase of the yoga path, it is not the
end of the road. The openness you created by following the path
of yoga, has resulted in a responsive environment enabling you to
listen to what your heart and the universe have to tell you. All the
thoughts, all the desires become selfless. Anxiety and stress have
completely ceased.
Being in the blissful state of Samadhi does by no means mean
a static state. Enlightened practitioners are active and take part in
their communities and daily life. The intentions of the practitioner
have changed though. He or she acts selflessly and is no longer
attached to the outcome of his or her actions. This is what yoga is
all about. The mind has ‘died.’ It has been transcended. You now feel
you are in the world but not of the world. The needs of the mind are
no longer relevant in the life of the enlightened yogi.
Patanjali has shown us a beautiful way to achieve a joyful life, full
of bliss, in line with the steady rhythm and energy of the universe.
We started in the outside world with the Yama and Niyama, followed
by disciplining the body and mind with Asana, Pranayama and
Pratyahara and we now have ended our exploration of the eightfold
path of yoga with the mental phases of Dharana and Dhyana
leading us to an enlightened, liberated state of being: Samadhi. You
are warm heartedly invited, like so many yogis before you, to also
embark on this amazing journey. Just take the first step. All you need
is patience, dedication and faith. Namasté.“The branches of concentration
‘Dharana’ and meditation ‘Dhyana’
aim to take us deeper into the state
of complete bliss, ‘Samadhi’.”Elisabeth Vegter is foremost a permanent student of yoga; owner
of Vitalise Yoga; and as yoga and meditation teacher registered
with Yoga Alliance International and teaching in Kent. She is also
an inspirational speaker and is specialised in corporate culture and
change management (vitaliseyoga.com)