Meditation

Meditation means to look within your mind, to feel the bliss. Bliss is the essence of you existence. Bliss is within you, within everybody, and within everything. It is an essential tool for self-transformation and spiritual development. In the traditional yogic path, meditation arrises gradually through preparation and practice.

In regular classes for beginners and intermediate students of yoga, only the first three limbs of Patanjali´s Ashtanga Yoga are practiced. Traditionally, the deeper limbs are approached gradually, with guidance and preparation.

Obstacles in meditation

The first obstacle in meditation is your body – discomfort, ache, pain, restlessness…

The second obstacle is the mind and its thoughts. In the beginning it seems like we suddenly have many thoughts. But we are simply becoming aware of them – like cleaning a house. Meditation reveals what was already present within the mind.

PRATYAHARA – the 5th Limb of Patanjali´s Ashtanga Yoga

Withdrawal of the senses inward. Is important to withdraw the mind first before we practice meditation. The senses naturally move outward. Pratyahara is the gentle returning inward. That is why the posture for meditation is essential. Limbs should not be stretched out! It will be not helpful for pratyahara.The Lotus pose is the best pose for meditation. That is also why we practice asanas, to be prepared for sitting in meditation – for example, hip opening poses, preparing for lotus pose.

DHARANA – the 6th limb

One-pointed concentration, focusing on the chakra, on the mantra, and is required for the next step – dhyana, preparation for dhyana.

DHYANA – the 7th limb

Meditative absorbtion.

SAMADHI – the 8th limb

Union beyond separation. Absorption in the object of meditation, oneness, and sameness, to be the same as consciousness.

Samadhi is not a technique, but the natural culmination of the path.

State of yoga, state of union.