Tag Patanjali

At Yoga Beyond Yoga Sutra 1.18

In Yoga Sutra 1.17,Patanjali explained the various types/stages of Yoga,

Savitarka Samadhi,

Savichara Samadhi,

Ananda Samadhi and

Saasmita Samadhi.

These four belong to Sampraagya or the state attained by being with the Consciousness.

Now Patanjali explains that the real Yoga does not stop here.

A Yogi after attaining the Consciousness identification, reaches a stage where he should be able to transcend that stage ,be with the world and yet be with the Consciousness.

This stage is what is described as Asampragyada Samadhi.

This is the stage where the practitioner of Yoga, though he has attained the Sampragya samadhi, returns back, as it were, to the day-to-day World and keeps himself engaged in daily activities, yet remaining one with the Supreme.

This is what Lord Krishna explains to Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita while discoursing on the Karma, Gnana, and Bhakti Yoga.

On karma Yoga, Krishna explains that when one performs Duty as it has to be performed with out attachment to the fruits thereof, he attains Brahma Nirvana.

Savichara Ananda Samdhis Yoga Sutra

The second type of Samadhi described by Patanjali in his Yoga Sutra 1.17 is 'Savichara Samadhi'

The State of Samadhi attained here is the result of concentrating on Subtle Objects, like the Gods,or the chanting of Pranava OM, where the thoughts in the first case encourages mental picture, while in the later they are produced by the vibrations of the Pranava,

Couple of points.

In Buddhism by the Tibetan Monks, Lamas,, the body is explained have three layers,

The Gross Body, which we see,

The Etheric Body, which extends up to one eights of an inch surrounding the Gross body,

The Auric Body,which surrounds the Etheric Body for another one eighth of an inch and,

Aura, which surrounds the whole.

In Indian Philosophy this phenomenon is explained while describing the Five sheaths of the Atman or Reality, the Five sheaths being,

Annamaya Kosa (of Food),

Pranamaya Kosa,(of Vital Breaths)

Manomaya Kosa,(of Mind)

Vigyanamaya Kosa (of Knowledge)

Anandamaya Kosa.(of Bilss)

It is also interesting to note Japas, the practice of chanting a sacred name or Hymn is three-fold.

1.Chanting aloud, the first Stage,

2.Chanting but not aloud; the lips alone should move.

The Mantras give fruits , right from the first stage,