Peace of Mind For Super-Consciousness (Samadhi)

Peace of mind is a way of zoning in during zen!  After rest put bliss to the test with zest.  Wage peace while celebrating life; tuning in and turning on!  

According to The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali written over 2500 years ago and translated by Sri Swami Satchidananda, "Yogas citta vrtti nirodah”, yoga is the ending of mindless chatter, or peace of mind!  Classic Yoga also known as Astanga or Raja Yoga has eight ways or steps for cultivating peace of mind known as the eight limbs of yoga.  Peace of mind is super consciousness; absorbing (samadhi) beneficial effects! 

The eight “limbs” or steps include, 1.) Ethic (Yama), 2.) Moral (Niyams) 3.) Pose (Asana), 4.) Breath (Pranayama), 5.) Relaxation (Pratiyahara) 6.) Focus (Dhyarna), 7.) Meditation (Dhyana) and 8.) Absorption or Super-Consciousness (Samadhi)!  According to some styles the eight limbs do not have to be followed in any particular order; the first two limbs, one and two, are ways of leading a principled life the next two limbs, three and four, prepare us for, five and six, further development and the seventh limb culminates the eighth, a reward.  The reward of super-consciousness from practice, on the mat, into our daily lives and vice versa!

The ten responsibilities of the yamas and niyamas, or principles mentioned in Patanjali's Sutras are:  1.) not harming 2.) honesty 3.) not taking 4.) not addicted (resisting) 5.) not possessive 6.) clean 7.) content 8.) disciplined 9.) studious and 10.) faithful!  Preparing ourselves with 1.) standing, 2.) prone, 3.) hand/forearm-balancing, 4.) sitting, 5.) supine/inverted poses (asana) for strength, balance, and flexibility.  Asanas are correlated with breaths (pranayama) for 1.) strength, balance, flexibility, relaxation (pratyahara) and focus (dharana).  Development of relaxation eases us towards greater focus of mind, body, and spirit.  Culminating as one from the eight limbs of yoga practice meditation (dhyana) is perfecting super-consciousness, absorbing (samadhi) the effects!

Samadhi can be a state of bliss (anandamayakosha), our most core, inner True Self (Atman)!  The whole package includes physical (annamaya), energetic (pranamya), mental (manomaya) and intellectual (vijnamaya) as well as blissful protections (koshas).  Samadhi, heaven on Earth, may be comparable to Nirvana; simple consciousness, being present in the moment is a gift of Love (God), for inner peace and harmony!