Samadhi

Book excerpt: In his fifth book, Gregor Maehle shows how all yogic techniques and methods collaborate to bring about its pinnacle - the state of samadhi. The book culminates in a detailed description of the eight classical samadhis as listed in the Yoga Sutra, both from the practical view of content and experience and from the techniques to access them. The author also shows the importance that these states have for a new enchantment with our world, nature, and all beings. On the way to that climax, Maehle dissolves misconceptions about samadhi, shows the importance of both objectless and the much-neglected objective samadhi, what exactly stands in the way of their arising, how obstacles are removed and dissolved, the role of the teacher, and the role of grace and devotion. He also shows how many other yogic techniques contribute to samadhi. Also covered are: - The future possible spiritual evolution of humanity - The difference between yoga/mysticism and religion - The one underlying truth and essence in all sacred traditions - Integration of the mystical state - Samadhi, enlightenment, situationism, and developing the center - Why ecstasy is important - Whether it is possible to experience the world as it truly is? - Conditioning and its historical aspect - The process of deconditioning - Converting mind into intelligence - Types of karma - Asking, guidance, and consecration - The Divine in the Yoga Sutra - Withdrawing the guru projection - A new way of looking at the teacher - The two inner sheaths and their states - Wrong objectless samadhis: videha and prakrtilaya - Samadhi and the breathless state - Samadhi and chakras - Samadhi and mudras