What is Samādhi?
समाधि (Samādhi)
Sam = Together, complete
Ā = Towards
Dhā = To place, hold
Complete absorption, total integration
Samādhi is the eighth and final limb of Patañjali’s aṣṭāṅga yoga, the culmination of all yogic practice. It represents the state where the meditator, meditation, and object of meditation merge into one seamless awareness.
The Context: Eight Limbs of Yoga
The Progressive Path:
- Yama - Ethical restraints (non-violence, truthfulness, etc.)
- Niyama - Personal observances (purity, contentment, etc.)
- Āsana - Physical postures
- Prāṇāyāma - Breath regulation
- Pratyāhāra - Sense withdrawal
- Dhāraṇā - Concentration
- Dhyāna - Meditation
- Samādhi - Complete absorption
The Inner Three (Samyama):
The last three limbs—dhāraṇā, dhyāna, and samādhi—form a continuum called samyama (संयम), representing deepening levels of absorption.
From Concentration to Absorption
Dhāraṇā - Concentration
देशबन्धश्चित्तस्य धारणा
Deśa-bandhaḥ cittasya dhāraṇā
”Concentration is binding the mind to one place”
Characteristics:
- Directed attention on single object
- Repeated return when mind wanders
- Effort is still present
- Subject-object duality remains
- Like a flickering candle
Duration: Momentary focus, broken by distractions
Dhyāna - Meditation
तत्र प्रत्ययैकतानता ध्यानम्
Tatra pratyaya-ekatānatā dhyānam
”Meditation is the continuous flow of awareness toward the object”
Characteristics:
- Sustained attention without breaks
- Like oil poured from one vessel to another—unbroken stream
- Less effort, more natural
- Subject-object still present but merging
- Like a steady flame
Duration: Extended periods without distraction
Samādhi - Absorption
तदेवार्थमात्रनिर्भासं स्वरूपशून्यमिव समाधिः
Tad-evārtha-mātra-nirbhāsaṁ svarūpa-śūnyam-iva samādhiḥ
”When only the object shines forth, as if devoid of one’s own form, that is samādhi”
Characteristics:
- Complete absorption
- Observer disappears into observed
- No sense of separate self
- Only awareness remains
- Like flame and oil merged
Duration: Timeless—no sense of time passing
Two Major Types of Samādhi
1. Samprajñāta Samādhi (Cognitive Absorption)
संप्रज्ञात समाधि - With seed, with support
Also called:
- Sabīja samādhi (with seed)
- Savikalpa samādhi (with form)
- Saguna dhyāna (with attributes)
Definition: Absorption where there is still an object of awareness, but the meditator has merged with it.
Four Levels (based on subtlety of object):
A. Vitarka Samādhi (Gross Object)
- Absorption in gross, physical object
- Word, meaning, and knowledge are mixed
- Examples: Flame of candle, breath sensation, deity form
- Relatively easier to achieve
- Still involves conceptual thought
B. Vicāra Samādhi (Subtle Object)
- Absorption in subtle objects
- Pure perception without conceptual overlay
- Examples: Space, energy, subtle body
- Deeper than vitarka
- Transcends gross form
C. Ānanda Samādhi (Blissful Absorption)
- Absorption in bliss itself
- Beyond gross and subtle objects
- Pure happiness as object
- Mind rests in joy
- Still subtle duality remains
D. Asmitā Samādhi (I-am-ness)
- Absorption in pure I-sense
- Only sense of existence remains
- Almost no object
- Very subtle duality
- Gateway to nirbīja
Characteristics of Samprajñāta:
- Still in realm of experience
- Some subtle seed remains
- Can come out of it
- Subject-object fusion but not elimination
- Brings many siddhis (powers)
- Not final liberation yet
2. Asamprajñāta Samādhi (Non-Cognitive Absorption)
असंप्रज्ञात समाधि - Without seed, without support
Also called:
- Nirbīja samādhi (seedless)
- Nirvikalpa samādhi (formless)
- Nirguna dhyāna (without attributes)
Definition: Absorption where even the object disappears—only pure awareness remains, aware of itself.
Characteristics:
No object:
- Not focused on anything
- Not even on awareness as object
- Objectless awareness
No experience:
- Beyond experience
- Experience implies experiencer
- Here, only being
No time:
- Not an extended state
- Timeless presence
- Eternal now
No coming or going:
- Nothing to attain
- Nowhere to arrive
- Always already here
Complete cessation of vṛttis:
योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः
Yogaḥ citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ
”Yoga is the cessation of mental modifications”
All mental fluctuations cease, but not like sleep or unconsciousness—rather, pure consciousness shines in its own nature.
The Vedāntic Perspective
Samādhi and Self-Knowledge
In Vedānta:
Samādhi is not the goal but can be a means. The goal is ātma-jñāna (Self-knowledge), which is recognition of what you already are.
Two Views:
Raja Yoga View (Patañjali)
- Samādhi is culmination
- Requires stilling all mental modifications
- State to be achieved through practice
- Can be lost and regained
Vedānta View
- Knowledge of Self is the goal
- Samādhi can help but is not essential
- Self is not a state—it’s what you are
- Cannot be lost because it’s your nature
Integration:
Many traditions integrate both:
- Use samādhi practice to purify and focus mind
- Use knowledge to recognize what’s always present
- Living realization includes both wisdom and stability
Sahaja Samādhi - Natural State
सहज समाधि - Natural absorption
The highest “samādhi”:
- Not a special state
- Not achieved through practice
- Simply being what you are
- Natural to the jīvanmukta
Ramana Maharshi’s teaching:
- Nirvikalpa samādhi = temporary state
- Sahaja samādhi = permanent realization
- In sahaja, you function naturally while established in Self
- No difference between meditation and activity
Characteristics:
- Eyes open or closed, same
- Activity or stillness, same
- No entry or exit
- No effort to maintain
- This is actual liberation (mokṣa)
The Journey to Samādhi
Prerequisites
Foundation (from earlier limbs):
- Ethical living (yama/niyama)
- Physical stability (āsana)
- Energy control (prāṇāyāma)
- Sense mastery (pratyāhāra)
Mental preparation:
- Ability to concentrate (dhāraṇā)
- Sustained focus (dhyāna)
- Reduced mental fluctuations
- Strong desire for truth (mumukṣutva)
Progressive Development
Stage 1: Learning Concentration
- Choose object (breath, mantra, image)
- Practice bringing mind back repeatedly
- Develop one-pointedness
- Build mental muscle
Stage 2: Deepening into Meditation
- Effort becomes less
- Flow becomes more natural
- Longer periods of focus
- Mind settles more easily
Stage 3: Glimpses of Absorption
- Moments where self disappears
- Brief merging with object
- Profound peace
- Time stands still
Stage 4: Stabilizing Samādhi
- Can enter at will
- Duration increases
- Deeper absorption
- Life begins transforming
Stage 5: Living Realization
- Samādhi becomes natural state
- No difference between formal practice and life
- Established in Self
- Peace unshakeable
Common Obstacles
Traditional five obstacles (kleśas):
- Avidyā - Ignorance of true nature
- Asmitā - Ego identification
- Rāga - Attachment to pleasure
- Dveṣa - Aversion to pain
- Abhiniveśa - Fear of death, clinging to life
Practical obstacles:
- Restlessness (vikṣepa)
- Dullness (laya)
- Excitement about experiences
- Attachment to blissful states
- Impatience with process
- Doubt about possibility
Remedies:
- Persistent practice (abhyāsa)
- Non-attachment (vairāgya)
- Faith (śraddhā)
- Energy (vīrya)
- Right understanding (prajñā)
Signs and Experiences
Subjective Experiences in Samādhi
Physical signs:
- Breath becomes very subtle or stops temporarily
- Body extremely still
- No physical discomfort
- May appear like statue
- Often lose awareness of body
Mental signs:
- Thoughts completely stop (in deep samādhi)
- Vast spaciousness
- No sense of time passing
- Profound peace
- Crystal clarity
After emerging:
- Deep refreshment
- Mental clarity
- Emotional balance
- Temporary detachment from worldly concerns
- Residue of peace lasting hours or days
Experiences vs. Reality
Important distinction:
Experiences (fleeting):
- Visions of light
- Feelings of bliss
- Sense of expansion
- Ecstatic states
- Mystical phenomena
Reality (permanent):
- Recognition of what you are
- Not coming or going
- Not dependent on state
- Ordinary yet profound
- Cannot be lost
Caution:
Don’t get attached to experiences, even profound ones. They come and go. What you’re seeking is what’s aware of all experiences—awareness itself.
Practical Guidance
Basic Samādhi Practice
Preparation:
- Quiet place, minimal disturbance
- Comfortable seat (but alert posture)
- Early morning ideal (mind is fresh)
- Empty stomach preferable
The Practice:
Step 1: Settling
- Close eyes
- Relax body systematically
- Watch breath until it settles
- Let thoughts slow down
Step 2: Concentration
- Choose object (breath, mantra, self-inquiry)
- Place attention there
- Gently return when distracted
- Don’t fight distractions—redirect
Step 3: Deepening
- Let attention become absorbed
- Effort lessens naturally
- Stay with the flow
- Don’t anticipate or try to force
Step 4: Absorption
- Let it happen
- Don’t try to maintain or control
- If it comes, good
- If not, keep practicing
Step 5: Integration
- Come out slowly
- Sit quietly
- Observe how you feel
- Carry peace into activity
Different Approaches
Mantra Samādhi:
- Repeat sacred sound
- Let it absorb you
- Sound becomes you
- Finally, silence
Breath Samādhi:
- Follow breath
- Become breath
- Merge with life force
- Rest in stillness
Self-Inquiry Samādhi:
- Ask “Who am I?”
- Trace back to source
- Awareness recognizes itself
- Rest as Self
Devotional Samādhi:
- Contemplate beloved form
- Merge with divine
- Love dissolves separation
- Union achieved
Common Questions
Q: How long does it take to reach samādhi?
A: Varies enormously. Some have it spontaneously, others after years or lifetimes of practice. What matters more than timeline is sincerity, consistency, and right understanding.
Q: Is samādhi dangerous?
A: Not inherently, but:
- Don’t force it
- Have proper foundation
- Ideally have guidance
- Don’t practice while driving or when you need to be alert
- Balance with ordinary life
Q: Can I get stuck in samādhi?
A: No. Deep samādhi is temporary in early stages. You’ll naturally emerge. The fear of “losing yourself” is actually ego’s last defense mechanism.
Q: Do I need samādhi to be liberated?
A: According to Vedānta, no—you need knowledge. Samādhi can help purify and focus the mind, making recognition easier, but some realize without ever entering deep samādhi states.
Q: What’s the difference between samādhi and sleep?
A: Sleep is unconscious; samādhi is super-conscious. In sleep, awareness is veiled. In samādhi, awareness is most clear—aware of itself without objects.
Q: Should I seek experiences in meditation?
A: No. Seeking experiences keeps you in the realm of subject-object. Let experiences come if they come, but don’t chase them. Seek only truth, not experiences.
Q: What if nothing happens?
A: The “nothing happening” is actually something. Watch who’s saying “nothing is happening.” That witnessing awareness is what you’re looking for, not special experiences.
Integration with Daily Life
Bringing Samādhi Off the Cushion
The real test:
Can you maintain the peace, clarity, and spaciousness in daily activities?
Practices:
Micro-meditations:
- Pause throughout day
- Return to awareness
- Take conscious breaths
- Reset to presence
Mindful activities:
- Bring full attention to simple tasks
- Washing dishes = meditation
- Walking = moving samādhi
- Listening = absorption in other
Non-reactivity:
- Space between stimulus and response
- Pause before reacting
- Choose response consciously
- Maintain inner stillness amid activity
Recognition:
- Remember your true nature
- Not getting lost in drama
- Seeing awareness in all experiences
- Living from understanding
Signs of Integration
Internal:
- Less identification with thoughts
- More space in consciousness
- Natural peace
- Reduced seeking
External:
- Better relationships
- More present with others
- Natural compassion
- Effortless action (wu wei)
Overall:
- Meditation and life not separate
- Always already complete
- Nothing to attain
- Peace independent of circumstances
The Ultimate Samādhi
Beyond All States
Final recognition:
- All states come and go in you
- You are not any state
- Not blank samādhi or active waking
- The constant awareness of all states
This is your nature:
- Always present
- Never gained, never lost
- Not achieved through practice
- Simply recognized
Living from here:
- No more seeking
- Life flows naturally
- Action without doer
- This is sahaja samādhi
- This is liberation (mokṣa)
- This is peace (śānti)
Contemplation
*In deepest samādhi,
Who’s there to absorb?
When the meditator dissolves,
What remains?
Not empty nothingness—
Fuller than fullest.
Not unconscious void—
Awareness itself.
The samādhi you seek
Is the awareness you are.
Not a future attainment—
This present reality.
All states arise in you,
Samādhi and distraction alike.
You’re not the state—
You’re the space for all states.
Rest here.
This is complete.
This is the eighth limb.
This is liberation itself.*
May you recognize the samādhi that is your very nature—not a state to achieve but the awareness you’ve always been. 💫🙏