by Swami Nostrumananda
(Rev.Dr.Devi Nostrum, Pharm.D.)

12/31/2006

What is Samadhi?

     After Shaktipat initiation, the Kundalini awakenes and begins its
work in purifying the body of the aspirant as it begins its journey
up the 6 chakras to the crown chakra which finally induces various
states of Samadhi (divine union with God/receipt of Grace). This is
when the rising Kundalini merges with the descent of Grace ,
filtering and transforming the physical and energetic anatomy &
physiology of the human body.. This produces real changes in the
energetic and brain-mind-body form and functions leading to mystical
experiences and permanent changes in cognative-behavioral attributes
that typically profile the Enlightened state. Along the way, the
Kundalini energy purifies the body of many life-times of karmic
baggage, latent and actual ailments and diseases, drawing us in
naturally to meditate and do various yogas in order to recognize the
play of Chiti Shakti (divine conscioussness) within us and without.

     This mystical process not only draws the ego-mind in for
transformational work, but also inspires great insights, pertinent
questions and spontaneous answers, great works of poetry, art,
scientific knowledge, and healing & psychic abilities. Swami
Muktananda says "If you always be aware of Chiti when you are
hearing, seeing, touching, smelling, eating, drinking, waking and
sleeping you will never be depressed or sad. Such a student is
perpetually liberated. The wise man is unattached like the sky and
never at any time allows his mind to become agitated. He has
perfected his meditation, for he has become one with Chiti. He is
extremely fortunate." Let's take a look at the different definitions
of Samadhi based on different religions and levels of attainment.

1. "Rajayoga, Samadhi….advaita..niranjana…turiya - all mean one and
   the same state, that is the cessation of both mental functioning and
   action" - Hathayoga Pradipika (Vedic Scripture).
2. One-pointedness, concentration, absorption, union, a calm desire
   less fixity; a unifying concentration; `equal mind' (from the verb
   root dha = to hold + the prefixes ah + sam = `together completely").
3. It is a deep spiritual meditation or a meditative union
   with the Absolute.
4. A super conscious state where there is complete
   absorption of the intellect into the object of meditation.
5. A state beyond expression and above all thought. Here
   speech and mind can not reach. It is a state of utter calmness in
   which consciousness is unwavering.
6. It is a limb in Patanjalis' raja-yoga, I.e. nimilana or
   closed-eye, 'enstatic' Samadhi.
7. In the Yoga school, it has 4 aspects: vitarka (debate,
   logical argument), vichara (contemplation), ananda (the bliss
   of concentrating on the intellect/buddhi ) and asmita ( a state in
   which the intellect/buddhi concentrates on pure substance as
   divested of all modifications). These are called Samadhi with
   knowledge of objects (samprajnata). There is also a Samadhi without
   knowledge of objects (asamprajnata).
8. According to Buddhism, it is of 3 types: upachara
   (preliminary), jhana (fized & steady), and appana (achieved
   meditation).
9. It has been also divided into Samadhi with the mind
   (savikalpa) and without mental modifications (nirvikulpa). -
   A Concise Dictionary of Indian Philosophy (Suny Press)
10. Kashmir Shaiva: Sahajasamadhi, characterized as a
    spontaneous, 'ecstatic' or open-eyed Samadhi where internal
    knowledge of Unity-Consciousness/Self is externalized and expanded
    as the Self of the formed and undifferentiated universe. The final
    state of attainment beyond nirvikulpa Samadhi. Steadfastness in
    Supreme Consciousness where all forms of life reveal their intrinsic
    purity, perfection and formlessness. The paradox of Knowledge of
    God as form and without form.  Meditation Revolution (Agama Press)

So, we can see from the above definitions, that `Samadhi' can be
subdivided further into various stages, be it descriptions of yogic
discipline, mystical experience, actual brain process (with or
without thought/differentiation), as well as different levels of
states of attained Being. Of great importance is that the final
attainment of Liberation according to Kashmir Shaiva and the Siddha
family of saints (not based on religion), is the integration of
internal Self of I-consciousness and the external Self of Universal-
consciousness of the rest of the formed and unformed (or quantum and
virtual, in quantum mechanical terms).

This state of Samadhi does not discount the body as unimportant. The
body is also Self and indeed without your body you would not even be
here. So do not try to leave your body or think IT is 'out there somewhere'.
IT is YOU as YOURSELF. Similarly, the Self of Sahajasamadhi is the expanding 
Chiti (universal consciousness) that is in everything in the world and
therefore not an illusion or something to be shunned or renunciated,
but to be recognized for what it essentially, fundamentally is,
which is the Light of Consciousness. The Shiva Sutras (3:40)
state, " satiate-prachayo `sya vishvam", I.e. "The universe is the
expansion of owns' own Shakti".

'Sevasmiles' in the previous posting Chakra-Ascension-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
also mentioned the idea that, "Also samadhi for extended lengths of
time can be pretty trying on the body. …when "there" attachment to body
is pretty much non existent, does not enter the picture and doesn't really matter."
It is true that the above mentioned process of the Kundalini working
its way through the body and chakras can create very intense
mystical experiences that are very real and physical. Savikulpa
Samadhi is also characterized by a lot of flashing lights in the
minds eye, great activity of thought and inner images and the
accompaniment of physically felt phenomeona, at times.

I never would call these experiences a hardship or a cause to
interpret them as a source of suffering. Does the little grub in the
butterfly coccoon complain about the killer headache those new
antenna things growing out of its head are causing? Does it wish it
could stay in its old grub skin when it emerges as the beautiful
butterfly, all crinkled and just a mess? Does it wish it could be
chewing on bark and leaves when it knows it will soon be drinking
nothing but pure, sweet nectar? Shakti Kundalini and Grace purify
and transform our bodys' after Shaktipat with infinite wisdom. She
knows what She is doing, we can support the process with this
correct understanding, remaining grateful and following every
direction of our Spiritual Preceptor/Guru. Intergration after
Sahajasamadhi, into ordinary life, if that is ones calling, is also
a challenge, so to be sure, if one is still alive after experiencing
Moksha, they are but new-borne babes in the greater scheme of
things. The learning/changing process never ends.

Swami Nostrumananda

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