Dhyana - admi.lv

<h2> Dhyana</h2>/Based on Iyengar's book "Light on Yoga" (Yoga Dipika)/As water takes the shape of the vessel that holds it, so the mind, contemplating an object, takes the form of that object. A mind concentrated on the worship of the omnipresent Divine is at last, through long devotion, transformed into the likeness of that Divine.When oil is poured from one vessel into another, you can watch an unbroken stream. When the stream of concentration is unbroken, the state of dhyana (meditation) arises. As the filament in an electric bulb glows and gives light only while the current flows without interruption, so dhyana illumines the yogi's mind. His body, breath, senses, mind, reason and ego all merge into the object of contemplation, the Universal Spirit. He abides in a state of consciousness that cannot be defined. All sensation disappears; only the feeling of Supreme Bliss remains. Like a flash of lightning, the yogi sees the Light that shines beyond earth and heaven. He sees the light shining in his own heart. He himself becomes light, for himself and for others.The signs of progress on the path of yoga are health, a sense of physical lightness, steadiness, clarity of speech, a pleasant voice, a sweet body odour and freedom from craving. The mind is balanced, serene and calm. The person becomes the embodiment of humility. He dedicates all his work to God, takes refuge in Him and is freed from the bonds of karma (action), becoming a Jivana Mukta (Liberated Soul)."Not an ascetic, yet rich in faith, who could not hold his heart in yoga, who did not reach perfection in it - along what path does he walk?"To this question of Arjuna's Sri Krishna replies:"He will not perish in this world, Partha, nor in the other, beyond death, for no one comes to an evil end who does good here, my beloved!But having reached the worlds of good karma and dwelt there uncounted years, in a pure and blessed house he who strayed in yoga is born again.Or he may even be reborn in the house of ascetics rich in knowledge, for such a birth, Partha, is held very hard to win in this world.So, come into the world, possessing the buddhi of his former body, he will labour with greater diligence to reach perfection now.For the merits of former births draw him powerfully onward, for he who thirsts to know yoga surpasses the word of the Brahman.By persistent practice that yogi, cleansing himself of all sins, ascending from birth to birth, then attains the highest goalThe yogi surpasses the ascetics, the yogi stands above the man of knowledge, the yogi stands above the maker of sacrifice; strive then for yoga, Arjuna!But even the yogis are surpassed by him who, established in Me with his whole soul and filled with faith, worships Me with love".("Bhagavad Gita", VI, 37,40-47.)