Spirituality

What is a Samadhi?

India is the land of spirituality. In every little town, every city, you will find spiritual Gurus and buildings commemorating them after their death. These buildings or tombs are known as Samadhi. But from a Yogic or spiritual point of view, the word Samadhi has a very different meaning altogether.

Samadhi is derived from the Sanskrit verbs Sam (equal) and Dhi (consciousness), which means to gather or to bring something together. In a spiritual sense, it means a state where the unification of the mind takes place. In ancient texts, it’s often described as a state of being one with the highest consciousness.

A lot has been said and written about the importance, power, and positive effects of meditation. But what happens when you practice it regularly, for decades, and for a longer duration? Experts say that such practice can lead to a sense of total consciousness or Samadhi. This state is highly volatile and requires a lot of patience and practice. You will never be able to predict when you will be able to experience this state, but when you give enough time to do so, you will be able to achieve it, say many meditation Gurus worldwide.

So, can everyone who meditates can achieve Samadhi? What are the stages or different types of Samadhi? As per the ancient scriptures, sages have described many ways of meditation to reach the stage of Samadhi. 

 -Emptiness. Legendary sage Nagarjuna says while meditating, when a seeker focuses on the emptiness, they can attain Samadhi by realising that the true nature of the Dharma is absolutely empty. Even the nature of the Atman (soul) is empty (devoid of any labels).

 -Singularity. Ancient sages say that when a seeker meditates while focusing on singleness, may it be the single breath, single divinity, the centre point of the Shri Yantra, or a single flame, he can reach the Samadhi. When the mind focuses on a point, the entire consciousness becomes one, what Patanjali calls Asamprajnata Samadhi. 

 -Nothingness. Many Indian, as well as Chinese philosophy schools, believe that the ultimate reality lies in nothingness. Hence, one of the ways to reach towards it is to focus on nothingness, witlessness, or committedness. While being in meditation, when a seeker does not focus, seeks, search or think about any kind of goal, existence, aim, or wishes, he becomes free from passion, ignorance, and aggression, reaching the stage of Samadhi.

Mahayana, one sect of Buddhism that originated about 2400 years ago, focuses on meditation oneness, or Samadhi. Mahavyutpatti, an ancient Mahayana text, goes on to describe 118 different types of Samadhis and how to attain them.

Stages of meditation and Samadhi:

 1. Dharana. This is the first stage of meditation, where the mind learns to focus. When the mind learns to focus, it gains experience, and that is called Pratyaya. In this process, a seeker learns to prevent or neglect the thoughts rushing into his or her brain during meditation. 

 2. Dhyana. This is the next step of meditation. After enough practice, when a seeker learns to focus on Pratyaya without any intruding thoughts disturbing, he goes into the meditative step. This is the important process of travelling from Dharana to Dhyana. In other words, this is the first step when a seeker begins to transform into a Yogi, where he starts to merge his consciousness with the Divine one. 

 3. Samadhi. This is the last or the topmost stage of meditation. Here, a yogi learns to lose self-consciousness and merges with the divine or the universal consciousness for an extended amount of time. A seeker merges himself with the Pratyaya. Legendary sage Patanjali says that this stage is the transparent crown jewel on a colored surface. This state can be achieved by any means possible, says the great sage.        

Let’s face it. Getting into Samadhi is not easy peasy, but that should not prevent you from walking on that spiritual path. Like any other thing, it requires practice, patience, resolve, and a lot of indifference to the outcome. Despite the efforts, many cannot reach this stop but yet, they keep on practising and broadening their spiritual horizon.

Even though there is plenty of literature available on meditation and reaching the Samadhi, it is highly recommended that one learn these steps under the supervision of a Guru. Everyone has unique spirituality, personality, and experiences. One solution cannot fit all, and therefore it is imperative to seek guidance from spiritual experts to get that unique meditation method crafted exclusively for you. And hence, we recommend you practice these methods mentioned above under the guidance of an expert. 

We hope you have gained some new insight into the true meaning of Samadhi. If you are a spiritual practitioner, have you ever experienced such a stage during your meditation? Share with us in the comments below.

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