Have you ever had a moment on the mat when the class, the room, your own body, and even your thoughts just disappeared? When you caught yourself just feeling and being?
There are many states of consciousness and thanks to the ancient language of Sanskrit which is so deeply connected to yoga, we often have names for them. You’ve heard of Nirvana of course, and probably of Bodhi. But there’s a state of consciousness we want to highlight here that is a common occurrence in the experience of yoga: Samadhi.
Samadhi is a state of pure consciousness that leads to a feeling of oneness. When we say consciousness here we don’t mean overwhelmed with thought but rather awareness as opposed to thought. In Samadhi we find ourselves in total awareness. It’s like observation without contemplation, if that makes sense.
Samadhi is associated often with ashtanga yoga, and sometimes results in a feeling of euphoria or bliss. Samadhi occurs after we move through the earlier stages of consciousness that are focused on external control: controlling our movements, our physical selves, our body. We can achieve that kind of physical control through the experience of yoga, pushing our physical selves past the point of resistance. It is once we reach that physical control that we are able to move into control of our internal self. We stop the turning wheel of thoughts and we reach the point where we recognize (or are aware without thought) that we are actually one with the universe.
It takes a very dedicated practice to be able to control both the external and the internal, but yoga and meditation are excellent ways to begin. It also helps to use a mantra (like OM) because they train the brain to shut out the sensory intake around you, quiet the ‘clutter’ of ideas and thoughts, and detach the ego until all that is left is consciousness. That is Samadhi. The experience of understanding that we are not only not just our physical selves, but that WE are separate from our thoughts.
Now, you won’t remain in Samadhi – it is a brief and blissful experience that evaporates once those thoughts start wiggling their way in. But even a few seconds of Samadhi will linger throughout your day, leaving you with a sense of stillness and clarity. Your senses will remain heightened, and you’ll feel more deeply connected with your life. Many people also report increased concentration throughout the day. And of course, the feeling of peace and purpose that can only deepen your spiritual experiences, and more deeply connect you to the joy of your yoga and mindful meditation experience.