Meditation has become a common practice for many people today, but the question remains: what is the ultimate state of meditation, and how can one reach it? Let’s explore the depths of meditation and understand how to attain the pinnacle of this spiritual practice.
When you ask a Yogi what the ultimate state of meditation is, they might respond with "Samadhi," where one becomes deeply absorbed in their consciousness and experiences the soul. Reaching this state is not easy and only a few have experienced it. For most, it remains an intriguing concept. To understand this ultimate state of meditation, let’s delve into a story. But before that, let's discuss the path to achieving Samadhi in yoga.
The Steps to Achieving Samadhi
Reaching the state of Samadhi is a long process involving practice, discipline, and deep self-knowledge. Regular practice and guidance from an experienced guru are essential. In yoga, the first two limbs, Yama and Niyama, pertain to conduct and discipline and must be strictly followed to calm and stabilize the mind. Practicing various asanas helps maintain a healthy body, withdrawing the senses from external objects to turn inward, focusing the mind on a single point, and maintaining concentration while diving deep into meditation. When one becomes fully united with their consciousness, they come close to Samadhi.
Understanding the Ultimate State of Meditation
The ultimate state of meditation is a mental state and experience that is hard to describe in words. To explain it, let’s take the help of a story.
A man once went to an old saint and asked what meditation was. The saint replied, "Awareness or wakefulness is called meditation." The man said he wanted to experience it. The saint agreed but set a condition: he would hit the man with a stick daily, and if the man realized it beforehand, he wouldn’t hit him. The man agreed, and the beatings began. The saint would hit him with a stick without any warning. The man suffered but it became a daily routine.
The man could stop the saint from hitting him only if he realized it beforehand. The fear of the stick increased his alertness and within a few days, he started sensing when the saint was about to hit and began to stop the stick. The saint then made the test harder by attacking at night when the man was asleep. Soon, the man started sensing the saint’s presence at night too. His wakefulness became so intense that he remained alert even while asleep.
As the test grew more complex, the stick was replaced with a sword. The fear of the sword intensified the man's awareness during the day and night. Now, even when he slept, he remained awake internally, as it is said, "When the world sleeps, the Yogi remains awake." The man had reached that phase.
Now, he was fully aware in everything he did. When the saint saw him in this state, he said, "This wakefulness is called meditation. You have learned and experienced it. You can now leave." The man prepared to leave, but before he did, he thought of testing the saint's wakefulness. As he turned back to strike the saint with a stick, the saint warned, "Beware! I am an old man and cannot bear the stick’s blow." The man was amazed because he had only thought of it. The saint explained, "This is the state of supreme wakefulness called 'Turiya' in yoga. It is the highest state of meditation. Meditation has nothing to do with concentration. Meditation is when there are no thoughts in your mind. Even concentration involves a thought, but meditation does not involve even a single thought." Without becoming thoughtless, we cannot hear the voice of existence or others.
The Path to Ultimate Meditation
Reaching the ultimate state of meditation, Samadhi, requires consistent practice, discipline, and deep self-awareness. Following the path of yoga, understanding and controlling our mind and body, and maintaining a state of thoughtlessness can lead us to the highest state of meditation. By embracing these principles, we can experience the profound depths of meditation and achieve true spiritual awakening.
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