Meditation

 

MEDITATION means to look within your mind, to feel the bliss. Bliss is the ESSENCE OF YOUR EXISTENCE. Bliss is within you, within everybody, and within everything.

Meditation is an essential tool for self-transformation and spiritual development

 

Meditation actually begins with the subconscious mind and it is an advanced practice of yoga

In regular classes for beginners and intermediate students of yoga, only the first three limbs of Patanjali´s Ashtanga Yoga are practiced

The remaining five are taught only to serious students at advanced levels

 

PRATYAHARA – the 5th Limb of Patanjali´s Ashtanga Yoga – withdrawal of mind, withdrawal of the senses

Is important to withdraw the mind first before we practice meditation. Because our senses our moving outward (we are seeing things, hearing, tasting, touching….)

The mind is taking out, to take back what was given out, that´s the meaning of the word pratyahara

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, do not force it tho, is dangerous! That is also why we practice asanas, to be prepared for sitting in meditation – for example, hip opening poses, preparing for lotus pose.

 

OBSTACLES IN MEDITATION

 

  • the 1st obstacle in meditation is your body – it will hurt, ache, pain, itch…

 

  • the 2nd obstacle is the mind and thoughts, in the beginning, it seems like we have so many thoughts, but we do not, we are just aware of them, is like cleaning a house

 

DHARANA – the 6th limb of Patanjali´s Ashtanga Yoga. Dharana means concentration, focusing on the chakra, on the mantra, and is required for the next step – dhyana, preparation for dhyana

 

DHYANA – the 7th limb of Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga – meditation in the real sense of the term

 

SAMADHI – the 8th limb of Patanjali´s Ashtanga Yoga – absorption in the object of meditation, oneness, and sameness, to be the same as consciousness

 

Samadhi is not a practice, is a final result, the final goal of previous practices

 

SAMADHI IS A STATE OF YOGA, A STATE OF UNION

 

READ MORE ABOUT MEDITATION:

Mission Impossible

 

WHEN THE DISCIPLE IS READY, THE GURU APPEARS