Patañjali's Raja Yoga Sutras: Samadhi Pada- The Highest Yoga

2. The Four Yoga System: Hatha, Mantra, Laya, Raja

The first misperception in life is identifying with the sense body when the senses are only meant to be a tool for the mind. In Yoga, there is a Pentagram made up of two triangles, one upward (nirvana) and one downward (samsara). In every moment, we stand at the center of these two triangles and we get to decide if this moment will bind us further in the material world/ world of manifestation (samsara) or will make us evolve (nirvana). The discipline of yoga allows us to move progressively upwards in nirvana.

3. Samadhi- The State of No-Mind

With this Sutra, we understand that Yoga is the stopping of the changing of the mind. It asks us to stop being in the mudha mind, the mind that is ignorant of its own processes and to slowly transition into higher states of awareness. Following ‘mudha’ is ‘vikshipta’ which has a scattered consciousness but is aware of some thoughts. Then is ‘kshipta’ which is a more self-aware mind and existence and has a certain knowledge on where its intentions and ambitions in life come from which allows it to have more control over them. And finally is ‘ekagrata’ which is the complete absorption of the mind, the one-pointed mind without internal or external distractions

4. Ecstasy- The Nature of our True Self

By Sutra II, the real nature of the self is seen which is ecstasy, undivided, complete and perfect. This ecstasy, our real essence, is diluted by the various emotions that make up our day-to-day and we become limited by our emotions which takes us away from our true being. When the senses are scattered, so is the oneself which leads us to feeling incomplete and dissatisfied. Everything that we end up doing in life is done in order to gain satisfaction or the feeling of completeness.

5. The Ego according to Yoga

We are in each moment the collection of the senses, thoughts, emotions, etc. that we are experiencing at that exact moment. The proximity of the mind to the real self makes it easy for us to be deceived into believing that we are the mind but the real self is the background canvas on which all of the above is projected.

6. Ego Mind and its 5 Mental Processes

The consequence on each of our thoughts, emotions or actions depend on the kind of ‘klesha’ (matrix of emotional fallacies from past lives and childhood that define our individual personality) that it is based upon. The pain related in this Sutra only means that which leads to more attachment to matter/physicality (samsara) which creates more fearful/worried thought processes. It is only with these non-painful thought processes that we have a chance at free will or choice over our destinies.

7. Mental Processes- Painful and Non-Painful

We have three levels of consciousness with different levels of awareness which are waking state (aware), dream state (somewhat aware) and deep sleep state (not aware). The awareness that we have in the waking and dream states is a collection of these five mental processes acting in different combinations.The five mental processes/ ‘vrittis’ are ‘pramana’ (direct perception), ‘viparyaya’ (sensory delusion), ‘vikalpa’ (fallacy of qualification), ‘nidra’ (deep sleep) and ‘smriti’ (memory).

8. Pramana- What is Direct Perception and Inference?

Pramana is the process of generalization based on evidence separated into four different layers of subjectivity. The first layer is direct perception through the five senses which are technically made for survival and have a tendency to distort reality. The second layer is the efficiency with which our senses are operating which makes the reality of what we are perceiving as relative. The third layer is the subjective perception/cognition of what exactly we are seeing,hearing,etc. which greatly depends on our knowledge of the object. The last layer is our misidentification to these ‘tools of perception’ which then leads us to becoming attached to these perceptions.

9. Viparyaya- What is Delusion or Illusion?

Our senses lead us to viparyaya/sensory delusions based on the instinct of survival of the mind which is the one actually experiencing these senses.

10. Vikalpa- What is False Understanding?

Using words based on our personal understanding of them leads to misunderstandings and mistakes based on our projection of their meaning. By using words to signify or qualify certain objects when certain objects have more importance to us than others based on our personality leads to fallacious speech and possibly disagreements in interactions.

11. Nidra- What is Deep Sleep?

As compared to the waking and dream states which have memory as their base of existence, deep sleep is based on pure consciousness which doesn’t allow us to remember because of the lack of awareness. Deep sleep is the source from where the consciousness of the waking and dreaming states come from which is why sleep deprivation is so fatal to the well-being of most humans. Deep sleep can have three different levels of energetical imprints which affects the rest of our day. When it is in ‘tamas’ (inertia), we wake up feeling heavy and tired. When it is in ‘rajas’ (chaos), we wake up with a disturbed mind and anxiety. And when it is in ‘sattva’ (pure energy), we wake up feeling light, clear and optimistic.

12. Smriti- What is Memory?

Everything that we consider ourselves to be is based on memory. The past has gone by but still exists intact in the present mind in the same way that it happened. Memory defines the boundaries of our experience and our personality and it is through expanding these boundaries that we can expand the definition of our Self which can only be done if we come to a way of experiencing and sensing reality beyond these five limiting mental processes.

13. Practice and Detachment- The Means to Eternal Joy

It is only through detached practice that we can receive the fruits of Yoga.

14. What is Practice and Detachment according to Yoga?

The three conditions for a strong and sustained practice are a) over a long period of time, b) continuously every day with awareness and c) it should be done with a feeling of devotion, softness and sincerity. Practice should be continued until it becomes established and effortless and until the point where we are no longer practicing asanas or meditation but that we become them. Detachment here means a detached concern and compassion, not only externally but also towards our internal thoughts, feelings,etc. It is only attained when everything that is perceived by our senses and imagined by the mind is under control, free from the bounds of memory.

15. The Ultimate Fruit of Practice and Detachment

At the end of this detachment and as every subtle level of the self is left behind with higher levels of practice, what remains is the complete and perfect universal self and universal consciousness, ‘purusha’. One of the high level meditations/samadhis to reach this state is called ‘samprajnat’ which is divided into four different stages, at each stage, we leave the last one behind. The first stage is ‘vitarka’ where seeing is believing and we question everything. The second stage is ‘vichara’ which is the conception/thought. With the very high level of thought from the previous stage comes ‘ananda’, the pleasure of fine intuition and the bliss from being very close to the pure self of intuition. However, we need to remember that when we are in this blissfull and epiphanic moment, we are not yet at the true self, it is still a projection. Finally is ‘asmita’, which is the universal self.

17. The Five Qualities to attain the All-Knowing Mind

The first quality to attain the all-knowing mind is ‘shraddha’ meaning devoted sincerity to the path which makes us responsible and committed to our cause. The second is ‘veerya’ which means zeal and courage. Devotion leads to bravery where nothing seems impossible and where showing this quality also encourages others to develop the same attitude towards life and embody the belief that nothing is impossible. The third is ‘smriti’ (memory). It is only when we have the above qualities that we can face up to our past and the pain that we’ve had. We need courage to overcome this delusion and transform the way we look and feel about our past into ‘samadhi’, which is the fourth quality. By transforming memory, we allow the present mind to move into the space of higher consciousness, freeing it from the attachements it used to have. It moves into constant originality which leads to embodying our true being/self or ‘prajna’, which is the fifth and final quality.

18. Intensity and its Correlation to Success

Intensity is required to attain success in yoga (and in life in general) because it charges and activates these practices with prana. However, this intensity must be balanced because it may lose awareness in its inherent focus. There are three types of success which are ‘mradu’ (easy), ‘madhya’ (moderate) and ‘adhimatra’ (extremely difficult). These types of success directly correlate to the type of result that you can expect from this input. It is only through extreme means and extreme intensity that you can reach the best and most concrete results.

19. What is Devotion to God?

Devotion to God is sacrificing our entire self to the idea/belief of God. By dissolving our mind and offering it to a Higher Power, it becomes the mind of our chosen God, becoming One with it. The practice of ‘Bhakti Yoga’ or unifying through self-sacrifice leads to ‘shraddha’ (sincere devotion) which allows for the grace from the Higher Power to come flowing down through samsara. As grace descends, our consciousness ascends into nirvana.

20. What is the concept of God?

God is known by the act of cognitive negation using qualities that are not there leading us to understand that God has no form and no feeling of “I” (lack of ego). Emptiness gives meaning to fullness and that’s how we see the qualities or the inexistence of the qualities of the idea of God. It is a unique universal consciousness that has within it all knowledge. Creative ideas come from the plane of universal knowledge and they descend from that plane of intuition into the plane of intellect where it’s then given manifestation into the physical world. God is ‘nishkarma’ meaning free from the law of cause and effect which allows it affect anything simply through Will without engendering any cause.

21. What are the Qualities of God?

God is the universal background consciousness from all beings past, present and futures, unchanging and unaffected by time. The all-knowingness of God exists in seed form within all of us. If we desire to know something, all we have to do is connect to that level of knowledge with a clear mind and the knowledge will be transferred to us.

22. Aum - The Word of God

Aum is the first sound of creation. Its letters represent one of the three energies of this Universe. ‘A’ is for creation, ‘U’ is for maintenance and ‘M’ is for destruction or transformation into something else. The entire word signifies the Universal cycle of everything that exists. ‘Japa’ is the correct intonation of aum as ‘ajapa’ is when the mantra keeps on going by itself without any physical effort. We go through four stages when practicing ‘japa’. The first is physically expressed and spoken. The second is the physical processes in the body (throat, larynx, etc) that are taking place that are making that sound. The third is when the mind sees the word and then gives the command to the body to start expressing it in language. The fourth and final stage is ‘para’ meaning beyond, beyond the five senses, the intellect and the mind based on memory.

23. The Experience of God

When we experience God, at that very moment, there is a complete transformation of one’s momentary experience and an absolute depth of intuition. All that is known is known within, there are no more questions because the self has within it that which is outside. All is One/Self. This experience changes our mindset, feelings and emotional state regarding life’s obstacles and we start acknowledging that if it something given to me by God, then it is not an obstacle, it is an opportunity to learn, to grow and evolve. Obstacles become part of the path and allow us to become stronger and wiser and achieve things we never knew we were capable of.

24. The Nine Obstacles

These nine obstacles are caused by a distracted mind and it is only through progressively overcoming each obstacle one at a time that we can finally become free of obstacles and consistently maintain a higher state of consciousness. The first is ‘wyadi’ (disease). Mental and emotional issues if not treated and constantly (unconsciously) fed can lead to psychological and somatic disease. The second is ‘styana’ or lack of direction where we understand that only our inner voice can direct us clearly. The third is ‘samshaya’ (doubt) which leads to disillusionment of reality. Next is ‘pramana’ (forgetting). Sometimes being in the presence of others can cause us to forget our path, values and authenticity and it is our duty to bring ourselves back into awareness and alignment. The fifth is ‘alasya’ (laziness) which is the inability to create a self-sustaining momentum. Then comes ‘virati’ or hedonism. This attachment comes in two levels, either the lower level of attachment to materialism or the higher level of being attached to one’s sense of identity. The seventh is ‘branti’ which is a delusionary idea of reality caused by the intellect working very close to the level of intuition. The eighth obstacle is ‘darshana alabda’ or a lack of higher vision and the last obstacle is known as ‘bhoomikatwa’ which translates as the inability to consistently maintain a higher state of consciousness.

25. The Signs of the Distracted Mind

There are four signs to a distracted mind. ‘Duhkha’ is sadness or pain which can only exist in a distracted mind and this pain can either be caused internally, externally or from an unexplained source. The second is ‘daurmanasyan’ which is irritation or frustration which happens due to thwarted desires and wishes. Then is ‘angamejayatwa’ which is the trembling or shaking of the physical body from both the musculoskeletal and the internal bodily organs. The last sign of a distracted mind is breathing. When we breathe, every inhale and exhale acts as cutting the flow of consciousness which is the true self. When we stop breathing, prana is filling the body instead of the breath and we come into a state of complete awareness.

26. The Practice of One Principle

The mind is simultaneously, in one moment, connected to multiple different things, all thoughts are scattering the mind in different ways. The one principle is the gateway through which the mind becomes absorbed and moves on to a higher consciousness. By overcoming a distracted and scattered mind and by practicing this principle, it will lead to the success in the different methods of yoga.

27. Preparing the Heart

In order to have an absorbed mind, we need a foundation of a stable and purified emotional self. There are four qualities which are needed to attain happiness, satisfaction and completeness in the emotional self. The first is ‘maitri’ which is motherly/protective unconditional love. We need to have this sort of love towards the things that bring us happiness and happiness to others to make sure that this joy keeps spreading. The second is ‘karuna’ which is compassion and the need to have it towards objects that cause sadness and pain to others. ‘Mudit’ is the third means friendliness and represents the need to surround ourselves with those who have principles/morals beneficial to society. Lastly is ‘apekshanam’ which is described as being indifferent towards that which we feel is malicious. If we act with these four qualities, then our emotions get pacified and balanced.

28. Breathing Techniques for One-Pointed Mind

‘Prana’ is the layer of energy that connects the physical and the psychological. By expelling the idea that we have to breath in order to survive, we can bring the prana from the Universe into the ‘nadi body’. By changing the prana, we change our psychological state.

29. Meditating on the Inner Light of the Soul

Concentration on the lotus of the heart or on the inner light of the soul.

30. Assuming Roles in Meditation & Lucid Dreaming

Through stories or myths, our minds are able to fully attune and empathize with the frequency of that legendary character’s mind.

Lucid dreaming is attained with the practice of Yoga Nidra. The awareness experienced in the lucid dreaming state needs to be continued in the deep sleep state which acts as a base for a free flowing mind. Every object that comes in lucid dreaming reveals itself fully as an experience to the dreaming mind because it is within the mind and not without like in the waking state.

31. Using Psychedelics to Train the Mind

On the path of Yoga, we are free to choose any method that appeals to us to make the mind absorbed which shows the freedom of Yoga. However, we need to make sure to stay free from the things that are allowing us to attain a certain state, for example, psychedelics.

32. The Qualities of an Absorbed Mind - Samapatti

When we have a fully absorbed mind which makes us aware of everything that we perceive, cognize, feel, both in the waking and dreaming state, we realize that there are simultaneously three waves of reality going on at the same time. The first is the object/other or whatever is not you, called object flow/consciousness. The second is the sense organs which are perceiving/sensing the objects. And the third is me, the “I” which attaches itself to every perception and consciousness that it has. ‘Samapatti’ (equalization) is the first step to Samadhi and brings equality between the physical self, the cognitive self and the spiritual self.

33. First Level : Omni Enquiry Co-mergence

There are four types of samapatti which are named ‘savitarka’(all-questioning), ‘nirvitarka’(no-questioning), ‘savichara’(all-thought cognition) and ‘nirvichara’(no-thought based cognition). Savitarka Samadhi is grasping from memory the language based meaning of the word and allows us to see clearly through three different illusions associated with the understanding of a word. The first is the social convention of using a certain word to describe an object. The second is the limited meaning that we attach to this specific word and the third is the individual cognition/understanding of the word. Overcoming these three delusions leads us to an original and innovative way of understanding and describing the world experientially through the idea of language as symbol.

34. Second Level : The Unquestioning Clear Light

Once the awareness of the symbolism of the word has happened and we go beyond that into its essence, the object reveals itself for what it is and gives its own name and identity. That is nirvitarka, where the object, without being questioned, is allowed to reveal itself. This happens when the thinking/questioning self comes to zero point (when memory has been completely purified) where the emotional and cognitive attachment to memory is lost and they don’t define us anymore.

35. Third & Fourth Level : All Thought & No Thought Meditation

These meditations are more subtle because the objects are more subtle. Here we concentrate on thought itself. We see the process of cognition as symbolic and the confused as symbolic which brings us to knowing the mind as a symbol of the self and the self as the symbol of pure consciousness. Since higher consciousness cannot be described or symbolized, there can be no thought, feeling or word to identify it. Nirvichara is a more inclusive and encompassing boundary of memory, experiences and senses and just one step away from pure consciousness.

36. Sabija Samadhi : Seeded Samadhi

All of the previously mentionned samadhis contain a seed of the object world, called ‘bija’. They produce a world within worlds, either a world defined by our self, a world of thinking cognition, a world of senses and a world that defines the objective reality out there. Beyond these four levels there is no bija because there no possibility for these worlds to arise separately.

37. Pacification of the True Self

The mastery and overcoming of the idea of the self is the pacification of the soul which is only at that time that we know the true self. At all other times, the true self is hidden/corrupted by the idea of these four outer selves/seeds which makes us feel incomplete.

38. Prajna - Eternal Truth-bearing Insight

Beyond the four levels/Nina’s is a fifth level of pure consciousness/knowing. Universal consciousness knows no boundaries but within it, individual minds have their own limitations of what they know. The knowledge that we do have is borrowed consciousness from the higher level of prajna. The experiential knowledge of prajna is qualitatively different from sensory/cognitive knowledge and experience. Our current level of experiencing the world through our senses is very generalized and it is only through prajna that we see the particular in life, experiencing the uniqueness of every object.

39. Prajna and the Purification of the Memory

The experiences that arise out of prajna act as a complete terminator of all previous experiences and memories. Prajna can only be experienced with a higher mind and with that, it replaces (without losing) all previous experiences from the lower plane and all memories are transformed into their more subtle form. One’s own past becomes purified. Once the mind is liberated and freed from its previous limitations, it’ll never go back to the prison of the limited mind.

40. No Mind - The Ultimate Absolute Level of Yoga

All previous experiences of the all-knowing mind have to be passed in order to attain the no mind, the highest level of samadhi and the ultimate goal of yoga, complete absolution.