Samādhi
The Power of Sadhana
by Kosi
Samādhi is total union with the divine—the direct realization of your natural state—continuous unbroken bliss. The sublime silent euphoria of bliss associated with samādhi states is often seen as the final release or the total liberation from egoic identification known as moksha. But is the bliss of various samādhi states really synonymous with moksha? Does it represent liberation from the karmic wheel of suffering known as samsara—the great wandering through lifetimes upon lifetimes for eons upon eons? The deep bliss of samādhi is often seen as the great indelible sign that you are close to achieving the ultimate state of liberation—Turiyatita—the stateless state beyond the experiencer. But is this really true? Or is bliss just another great illusion generated by your ego?
Bliss is naturally sought after, since at least on the surface it appears to be the great antidote to the misery of your fear, sadness, anxiety, and the endlessly changing emotions you experience as you move through your life. It is seen as the great golden key of enlightenment. But is it? What exactly is bliss? And does bliss really do anything to free you from deeply engrained patterns of suffering? The key to unlocking this conundrum lives in understanding the nature of consciousness itself. What exactly is consciousness and what does it take to free yourself from constantly changing states of consciousness or patterns of suffering you experience every day?
Consciousness is bliss—the natural euphoria of pure aware existence. You think, you know, therefore you exist as pure happiness, but does consciousness existence have anything to do with your real essence? Or is consciousness more accurately described as the invisible substance from which all thought emerges? The shocking truth is; no one really knows what consciousness actually is or where it originates. For years neuroscientists believed consciousness was contained within the brain of the human body until recent studies revealed that consciousness actually lives in the heart and is comprised of a living energy field that animates the entire human body. But does understanding this really free you from eons of suffering?
Consciousness is a powerful force of nature. Aligning your consciousness with the source of consciousness in your heart is the primary focus of all yogic practice. The more you align your conscious awareness with the pure conscious presence alive within your heart the more and more you directly realize that you are not your body, your past, your future, or your emotions—you begin to realize more and more deeply that who you really are is something so vast no words can adequately describe this silent invisible eternal presence alive in your heart. You are in fact one presence not separate from the living eternal unseen supremely intelligent presence of the entire universe—love beyond all ideas of love.
Sahaja samādhi is simply the direct permanent realization that you are pure aware consciousness. It is the practice, realization, and infinitude of conscious awareness aligning with conscious awareness as conscious awareness. The sahaja state is the direct realization of the deep silent indescribably vast presence within you that has the power to remove the veil of the reflective consciousness of ego and associated vasanas (unconscious tendencies)—leaving only pure conscious awareness or the sublime state of consciousness known as sahaja samādhi and beyond—Turiyatita. Pure conscious awareness has the innate power to shatter the egoic mirror of reflective consciousness—leaving you aware of everything but existing as absolutely nothing—as the vast unmovable presence. It is a continuous unbroken realization.
Sahaja samādhi is simply not a state that comes and goes. It is the essence and nature of a Jnani—one who has not just realized the vast presence known as the Self, but actually is the Self. The ego of the Jnani and all of its complex tendencies known as vasanas have been entirely destroyed in the eternal fire of the presence due to the intense yoga of sadhana—the complete and total removal of layers of consciousness that hide this vast unseen presence from your conscious awareness.
Sri Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi was and is a pure example of a Jnani—his radiant presence naturally has the power to unveil the gateway of moksha. Ramana is not just a man—he is the formless presence of God who has the power to end eons upon eons of suffering. This is due to the presence. He was not just a man who realized a certain state of consciousness. No. Ramana is Siva—if you see Ramana Maharshi then you see the formless presence of God—the eternal presence alive in your own heart.
Ramana is pure presence. He is not a goal or achievement or state of consciousness that changes. Sahaja samādhi is not a goal. It is not going somewhere to get something or achieve something. It is probably best described as the great burning and removal of the unseen vasanas that ultimately unveils the unseen indescribable presence alive in your heart—bliss beyond all ideas of bliss. The direct realization of this is only accomplished through intense yogic practice.
Bliss is also a state of consciousness that can be a great trick of the egoic mind. As Sri Ramana illuminates, “The immersion of the mind in the Self, but without its destruction, is kevala nirvikalpa samadhi. In this state one is not free from vasanas and so one does not therefore attain mukti. Only after the vasanas have been destroyed can one attain liberation.” Due to the intense bliss that nirvikalpa samadhi represents it can trick you into thinking you have achieved sahaja samādhi or moksha.
This is one of the fundamental reasons that Ramana warned against various samādhi states such as kevala nirvikalpa samadhi. It is a very intense impermanent state that generates a potent visceral illusion of bliss, but it is deeply rooted in your ego. The bliss of this samadhi state is so intense you can actually be completely unaware of your surroundings. But this state, like all states, has a beginning, middle, and end—it does not represent the steady unchanging state of sahaja samādhi.
Kevala nirvikalpa samadhi is actually a self-reflective loop of consciousness. Although it is intensely blissful it does nothing to address the unconscious tendencies, parabdha karma (destiny), or visceral power of your ego. It is very simply a mirage of bliss generated by the reflective consciousness of your ego and mind—a grand illusion.
Bliss is the nature of consciousness, but the ultimate release of moksha is very tricky due to the reflective nature of ego. This is the fundamental reason why it is so important to integrate yogic practice into your daily routine. No progress is possible without consistent sadhana—yogic practice.
Only through yogic practice can you discern between the illusion of bliss and the bliss of Self. The support of consistent sadhana—the yogic practice of letting go—is simply essential for moksha.
Yogic practice is the unseen fire of grace that ultimately removes all veils of consciousness.
It is simply impossible to be liberated without the power of sadhana.
Tat Sat
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