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ANCIENT
INTUITIVE
AUTHENTIC
LIFE-CHANGING
Traditional, energetic practises, for anyone, anywhere.
Welcome back, I know there’s been a little bit of space since the last episode, I’ve been travelling around exploring ancient modalities. We will come to that after I finish this series on the 8 limbs. Which brings us to the 7th limb - Dhyana. Dhyana is really an extension of dharana and has been defined by Patanjali as the uninterrupted flow of concentration of the mind on the object of meditation or concentration. There is a fine difference between dharana and dhyana. In dharana the mind continually tries to think of things other than the object, and the practitioner has to bring the awareness back to the object; distractions still exist in one form or another. Yet, in dhyana, the mind has been subjugated and is totally and continually absorbed in the object. It is in meditation that the deeper aspects of the object start to manifest themselves. The depth of concentration in dhyana is far greater than in dharana, and It’s through the regular and continual practice of concentration that dhyana spontaneously manifests itself.
So let’s look at an overview of meditation. From the English or Western perspective, meditation refers to the act of giving your attention to one thing as a means to become calm. This can be considered more of a concentration or centring technique rather than a means to access deeper states of consciousness. The focus is on mind body connection and enhancing the overall wellbeing.
By connecting our mind body being, we can achieve enlightenment, or samadhi, the 8th Limb, through meditation. It's how we merge with the infinite source of light and wisdom, expanding our awareness beyond our physical selves. Meditation is not a means of forgetting oneself and escaping reality; nor is it a journey into obscurity or nothingness. Understanding oneself is the goal of meditation. It’s the mental state achieved when we are no longer aware of our own subjective or objective experiences.
When mental images of the outside world fade away, when external sounds simply stop interrupting, and when the physical no longer causes discomfort, you have entered a meditative state. Even though it might sound like a deep sleep, it's actually very different. The meditator, on the other hand, is alive and buzzing with prana; they are acutely aware, but the awareness is focused inward, rather than outward. They have total mental control, and can focus their attention on a single task with seeming ease. They have gone beyond the constraints of the mind and become one with the thing they are focusing on.
Of course, this doesn't happen the very first time a meditator sits quietly with eyes closed. Once we have mastered the "practises" of meditation and developed the ability to focus, we will enter into the "state" of meditation. Attaining this level of meditation may take a while, perhaps months or even years, but it is possible for anyone who practises consistently, with honesty, and without expectations to reach new heights.
The deep state of rest brought on by meditation is beneficial to the health of every cell and tissue in the body. When dreaming, the mind is actively engaged, so less sleep required. One needs very little sleep once they have mastered the art of meditation because their minds are so occupied with the process. We can begin to thrive on a little as three to four hours.
Meditation has been shown to increase the anabolic process of growth and repair while decreasing the catabolic process of breakdown. Science has proven that one's state of mind can influence nearly every aspect of their body. Therefore, meditation plays a significant role in the treatment of illness, especially mental illness and the full spectrum of psychosomatic illnesses.
Meditation not only has tangible health benefits, but it also frees one from habitual ways of thinking and acting. We become more receptive and open to ourselves and our environment, putting the meditator in the optimal state of mind for any kind of study, learning or performing. As a result of channelling more prana into the brain during meditation, cognitive abilities are enhanced. This greatly improves logical reasoning, memorisation, and memory. This is why many people in the academic, athletic and executive communities are drawn to the yoga and meditation practise.
It is a well-established fact that people only use one-tenth of their brain capacity. Within these dormant parts, many of the so-called 'psychic' functions can be activated, such as ESP, telepathy, etc. Besides these there are also many other functions to do with creativity, wisdom, genius and enlightened states of mind. It is through meditation that this untapped potential can be discovered and brought to fruition. When the human mind is merged with the cosmic mind, there is no limit to what it can accomplish.
The path to meditation is not easy. If you want to reap the benefits of meditation, you'll need to put in some effort at the outset and be willing to make some sacrifices. Mental, physical and emotional weaknesses will pull you away, so you must be determined to continue in spite of any problems. Keep in mind that if you have enough determination, self-awareness, and interest, you can accomplish almost anything in this world.