The 8th Limb – Samadhi

We made it! This is the final week in our 16 week study of the eight limbs of yoga and the final limb is Samadhi. The word Samadhi combines a few Sanskrit words: sam, “together;” a, “toward;” and dadhati “puts or places.” Which essentially translates as “a putting or joining together,” or wholeness, oneness, integration.

Some students might see Samadhi as reaching a higher plane or heavenly realm, it can be seen as eternal bliss or happiness, but in reality, it is a culmination of the last limbs Dharana (single pointed focus) and Dhyana (meditative absorption), with these two limbs Samadhi unfolds and allows the student to become fully awake and alive. Completely aware and entranced in the world and the present state.

In Samadhi, any ideas or judgements that might cloud your view or impact how you view what’s going on around you fall away. Instead you, the meditator, may have a full and completely real experience on the object which you are focusing your attention.

How does this look in the real world? When you are moving through your daily tasks, you are no longer looking to the past or jumping ahead to the future, instead you are completely immersed in your current moment. Whether you are doing the dishes, walking your dog or moving through your asana; judgments, ego, worry and negative thoughts wash away and mindful attention and absorption is focused on the task at hand.

When we can embrace and incorporate Samadhi into our lives, each moment can feel like a gift, which is which is why we call it the present.

I appreciate you reading and following along over the past 16 weeks as we have explored the eight limbs of yoga. I will take a break from the blog over the next couple weeks so I can be fully immersed in the holiday with my family, but starting in the new year we will have an new theme that will take us through another spiritual practice, here on the blog and in my classes. I hope you will stay tuned and join me!

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