Samadhi Meditation: A Guide to the Eighth Limb of Yoga

Samadhi is a Sanskrit word for the highest state of consciousness one can achieve through meditation. In Hinduism, samadhi is the eighth and final limb of the ashtanga yoga system described in Patanjali's ancient Yoga Sutra texts. In Buddhism, samadhi is the eighth practice in the Noble Eightfold Path on the way to enlightenment and rebirth. The Noble Eightfold Path is similar to the eight limbs of yoga and has the same end goal, but it fixates more on living day-to-day in the external world than the more inward-focused ashtanga yoga system.

There are multiple theories about the origin of the word samadhi. The term may be a derivative from the Sanskrit root words sam-a-dha, which mean "to gather or bring together.” This could be interpreted as "the unification of mind." The word may also derive from the roots sama, meaning "equal," and dhi, meaning "consciousness," which you could interpret as a unification between the yoga practitioner and the object of meditation.

Samadhi cannot be practiced, as it happens spontaneously during meditation. If you dedicate time to your practice of dharana (concentration) and dhyana (meditation), you may experience a sudden escalation into samadhi. When in samadhi, you will experience pure awareness and consciousness and may feel you have transcended the limitations of the body.

In Hindu yoga, samadhi is the highest of the eight limbs of yoga. Samadhi is the experience of spiritual enlightenment when the self, the mind, and the object of meditation merge together into one. There are varying schools of thought regarding how many different types of samadhi exist, but one common interpretation breaks the experience up into three samadhi stages:

1. 1. Laja samadhi: This early stage manifests itself as a trance-like state of peace during deep meditation.
2. 2. Savikalpa samadhi: In this state, you have the power to control any thoughts without allowing them to affect you. You may experience the feeling of bliss, but you are still aware of the meditation process and can not completely let go of your consciousness.
3. 3. Nirvikalpa samadhi: This is the stage of complete absorption when your body, mind, and object of meditation become one, and your connection to the material world ceases to exist. In some Hindu yoga traditions, this highest state of samadhi is called sahaja samadhi or asamprajnata samadhi.

In Buddhism, samadhi (concentration) is the third division of the Noble Eightfold Path, appearing after the first two divisions, pañña (wisdom) and sila (conduct). Within the samadhi state are four meditative states called the four jhanas. Jhanas are successively higher stages that you achieve during samadhi meditation when your concentration reaches a new level of intensity.

1. 1. The first jhana: This first state involves a detachment from the external world and an experience of jubilation and calmness.
2. 2. The second jhana: The next stage brings a heightened experience of detachment from sustained concentration.
3. 3. The third jhana: In this state, jubilation fades away and a sense of calmness remains.
4. 4. The fourth jhana: This is the stage where calmness fades, and the mind reaches a profound state of equanimity.
   

The eight limbs of Ashtanga yoga outline ways to live a purposeful life. The earlier limbs focus primarily on basic ethical teachings, and the later limbs—including samadhi, the eighth and final limb of yoga—focus on internal concepts like meditation. The eight limbs of yoga are:

1. 1. Yamas: Social restraints and moral codes of yoga. The Yoga Sutra describes five different yamas, including ashimsa (non-violence), asteya (non-stealing), satya (truthfulness), aparigraha (non-possessiveness), and brahmacharya (celibacy or fidelity).
2. 2. Niyamas: Observances, rules, and guidelines. The Yoga Sutra describes five different niyamas, including saucha (cleanliness), santosha (contentment), tapas (self-discipline), svadhyaya (self-reflection), and ishvarapranidhana (surrender to a higher power).
3. 3. Asanas: Yoga postures or poses. The asanas emphasize the importance of caring for the body and developing the discipline to advance spiritual growth.
4. 4. Pranayama: Use of breath. Pranayama consists of breathing techniques that can reduce stress and improve physical and mental health. In pranayama, you focus deeply on breath control through inhalation, breath retention, and exhalation patterns.
5. 5. Pratyahara: Withdrawal. Pratyahara is disengaging your mind from external disturbances and controlling your reaction to them. During pratyahara, your five sense organs still detect external stimulation, but you don't allow them to disrupt your state of mind.
6. 6. Dharana: Concentration. The goal of dharana is to bind your consciousness to one particular object, place, or idea. Focusing your attention on one thing helps quiet your mind by closing off a path for other thoughts to seep in.
7. 7. Dhyana: Meditation. Dhyana is similar to dharana, except during dhyana, you reach a state of being where you are so completely immersed in your meditation that it becomes a part of your consciousness.
8. 8. Samadhi: Bliss or enlightenment. Samadhi is the highest state of consciousness one can achieve through meditation. It consists of a yoga practitioner reaching spiritual enlightenment where the self, the mind, and the object of meditation merge together into one.

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