1.22 – The closeness of that samadhi also depends on whether one’s training is mild, moderate, or intensive.
मृदुमध्याधिमात्रत्वात्ततोऽपि विशेषः ॥२२॥
mridu madhya adhimatra tatah api visheshah
- mridu – mild; weak; soft
- madhya – moderate; middle; medium
- adhimatra – intensive; excelling; above measure; extreme
- tatah – due to that; from that
- api – even; also; too; though
- visheshah – distinction; difference; special
The desire for expansive freedom is the catalyst. It’s the fuel that launches us into action. We take action by engaging in yogic training, which purifies our consciousness and prepares us for the experience of samadhi. Again, training is more than just our seated meditation practice. It includes our entire way of living.
The intensiveness of our training is always a direct correlative of our level of desire. And when our desire and training deepen, the experience of samadhi quickly follows.
Training, as stated in previous sutras, should always be accompanied by detachment (vairagya). The importance of detachment should not be overlooked here. It’s the key to a balanced practice. We need deep desire and intensive training, but we also need them to be sustainable.
As Paramahansa Yogananda once said, “Let your devotion to God be like a wood fire that burns steadily for a long time, not like a straw fire that produces a bright flame then quickly goes out.”
We can experience samadhi after decades of mild, sporadic training. Or we can transcend the limitations of our false-self and rest in oneness this very moment if the depth of our practice supports it.
Remember, the Self is not in some far-off place that takes light years to reach. It’s “closer than our breath.”
