Nirvikalpa Samadhi and what it is like to exist in a non-dual state

[NoOne]

I had a non-dual experience in 2012, as a result of a Kundalini Awakening, which itself was helped along by Tantric Union with a goddess.

That part is probably less important to this community, I wanted to write about the experience of non-duality itself. There are many ways to reach this state of being, Kundalini Awakening is one of them. If the serpent pierces through the Crown Chakra with sufficient force, the veil of Maya is pierced, the egg of Brahma is broken (this happens with an audible cracking sound), the "yolk" (Soma or Amrita) is released, which then suffuses the body, as a result, the soul exits the body through the Brahmarendra at the top back part of the head and an experience of non-duality can be had. This is usually referred to as union with Brahman, or Union with God, the ultimate goal of most Yogic, Tantric and non-dual systems.

Then, as the soul and thus consciousness, exits the body, it finds itself in a spaceless, timeless, dimensionless void. The soul (Jiva) then realizes it is alone and it is indeed the whole universe. It then starts to expand, until it becomes universal, encompassing the whole cosmos and becoming the over-soul of the entirety of existence. It becomes boundless, omniscient and all-pervading.

I cannot say, whether in this state, the Jiva is truly alone, or that it is alone in its own universe and there are many others parallel to it, where souls exist in a similar universal state, creating their own boundless universe, in essence. I tend towards the latter scenario, but I haven't seen anyone else mention it.

In any case, in this non-dual state there is pure bliss and joy, freedom and a pure white light which suffuses the entire universe inhabited by the Jiva, which at that point is one with Brahman. The realisation of oneness with all becomes a certainty at this point.

Whilst still in the body, flashes of realisation, about the ultimate truth of existence start entering the body, when the Mouth of Heaven, above the Brahmarendra is opened by the serpent piercing through the veil of Maya. This enters the body as light energy, which contains information about the ultimate truth, in fact the liquid light entering the body in this state (enlightenment) is in itself the carrier of the information about Truth (Sat-Chit-Ananda), the bliss and joy felt is almost unbearable. Interestingly, science has now confirmed, that the fifth state of matter, hitherto unknown to science, is made of coherent photons in a liquid state, carrying information, for instance about the quantum state of particles.

However, once the Jiva exits the body, the ecstasy, joy, bliss and knowledge received grows exponentially, along with the expansion of the boundaries of the soul, to encompass the whole universe, becoming truly boundless, with no beginning and no end. In this state, nothing is unknown, nothing is unseen by the Self or hidden from it. In non-dualistic infinity, only the Self exists, it is alone in the universe and it is all. There is no happiness, joy or bliss on earth that can compare to the ecstasy of existing in this universal state. Truly, everything one has ever experienced will pale in comparison. Just pure love and surety about the order and nature of things.

Some Jivas never return and stay in this state forever, becoming merged with the Brahman (Mahasamadhi), whereas some choose to return from this state for various reasons, either because they have unfinished business on earth or they decide to spread the word to others. This experience of union with Brahman and becoming universal and boundless, temporarily, but then returning to the body, is known as Nirvikalpa Samadhi.

The coming back is always the hard part and getting used to living in a limited, constrained physical body is even harder. It is like being shut into a prison of flesh and blood. Only a fraction of the Infinity of knowledge can be brought back into the limited human body, but even that is usually considerably more than was available to the Jiva before.

Much more can be written about this subject, but that should suffice for now, my aim is to provide a personal account of Nirvikalpa Samadhi and answer any questions that might arise.

[Starman]

In my opinion the non-dual state is our most natural state, that is why it feels so wonderful and comfortable. A blended one-ness of being, transparent, extremely light in weight and in radiance, yet encompassing all.

I view all forms, whether in this world or beyond, as transitory, temporary, and the existence of duality as illusionary. All of creation is dualistic, while beyond the creation of forms is holistic. Yet duality exists within, and along side of, non-duality.

This physical creation is a reflection, and by its nature a reflection is something that is bouncing off of something else, thus creating a dual nature. The light reflecting itself to itself. We are that light and what we reflect we call creation.

When we have that expansive experience, what some call “cosmic-consciousness,” our physical body remains in its dualistic state, while we, what we call “me” or “I,” expands beyond that dualistic state.

Perceiving and experiencing another reality; where our physical body is within us and we are not within our physical body. Indeed, in that blended expansive one-ness, all of creation is within us. This is the way it has always been. Everything else is but a dance of shadow and light. Again, in my opinion.

[Spirited_self]

Is the non-dual state more along the lines of a state of being or a state of mind? I had a few moments of the non-dual state of being and the non-dual state of mind followed after. So, I perceive things in a non-dualistic way and when I try to explain to my friends who still see things dualistically, it becomes very challenging.

I read that Nirvikalpa Samadhi is the second stage of Samadhi. Can one attain it through meditation? Does the Nirvikalpa Samadhi go hand in hand with a full kundalini awakening?

Thanks!

[Starman]

Spirited Self, in my opinion, just as there are many stages of samadhi there are also many stages, or different experiences, of non-duality. Non-duality in the mind is but one stage, which can be achieved by simply nurturing a quiet mind. Non-duality as a state of being is something else; it can be a matter of perception where we see the one-ness of being everywhere on a daily basis, including seeing ourselves in others and the light of creation in all things. It may also be a transcendent non-objective expansive experience of our own being; what I attempted to share in my previous post.

It is difficult to explain these experiences to others, especially if they have no reference for them. Words by their very nature are dualistic, they have opposites, so trying to explain it can be challenging. Lots of people move their attention between their head and their heart; most do it unconsciously. Then there are those who are stuck in their head, stuck in their thoughts and thinking process. It is difficult to even imagine other features of our being when stuck in, and knowing only, one feature.

In my opinion the experience takes a modicum of humility and internal surrender to help move us outside of the mental boxes which we create in our heads. I was there for a very long time myself. The spiritual process is automatic, all we have to do is give it our undivided attention and move out of the way.

[NoOne]

@Starman
Beautifully said.

@Spirited_self
I find the below explanation by Deepak Chopra to be quite accurate, though of course always use your own judgement:

The Yoga Sutras describe the way to regain Higher Consciousness. As you follow the Eight Limbs of Yoga, you can reach the freedom and enlightenment of Samadhi, the realization of your spiritual practices.

In his illuminating text, The Yoga Sutras, the sage Patanjali introduces a systematic path to regain Higher Consciousness. This has since been called Raja Yoga or the Royal Path, a journey of techniques and lifestyle guidelines to awaken the mind to its true Self. Within the text, Patanjali provides a concentrated set of instructions known as the Eight Limbs of Yoga, culminating in a state of freedom, liberation, ecstasy, and enlightenment—Samadhi, the realization of all your spiritual practices.

Meditative Absorption
Patanjali explains that Samadhi is a state of meditative absorption, attained by the practice of Dharana (focused attention) and Dhyana (effortless meditation) when the True Essential Nature is known, without the distortion of the mind. It can be thought of as the culmination of your meditation process. Samadhi is the mind in its most concentrated state and can be compared to normal thought as a laser beam can be compared to normal light. The awareness of the meditator, process of meditation, and the object of your meditation have all merged into one. From knowledge, you have become knowingness. The mind in Samadhi possesses power that a normal mind does not, making it the main tool the Yogi uses to achieve the end goal of yoga—the joining of the individual self with the Universal Absolute.

Be Deserving
The Vedas say that everything in the Universe has awareness. Rocks, plants, animals, and humans all have awareness to a greater or lesser degree. The Vedas also state that only humans have the potential for self-awareness. Dogs, for example, don’t ask, “Who am I?” This means that every human being has the potential to become fully self-aware and reach the state of Samadhi. However, practice alone does not guarantee Samadhi. The Guru Gita says Moksha mulam, guroh kripa—the root of liberation is the Guru’s Grace. To reach Samadhi, you have to deserve it.

Samadhi is beyond the normal mind and intellect, which makes describing it somewhat difficult; it can only be fully appreciated by direct experience. Samadhi has several levels of refinement through which you may ascend.

Level 1: Savikalpa Samadhi
This first level of Samadhi has within it four different stages. The beginning stages of Savikalpa Samadhi are where, during meditation, you transcend all mental activity. Patanjali says that, for a short period of time, you lose all human consciousness. In this state, the concepts of time and space are altogether different. For a minute, an hour, or more you are in another world. Now you see that practically everything happens spontaneously—you have nothing to do. Thoughts and ideas do not affect you. You remain undisturbed, and your inner being functions in a dynamic and confident manner.

However, this is not yet a permanent state and everybody has to return to ordinary consciousness. As you begin to integrate this undisturbed state of silence along with the disturbed states of waking, dreaming and sleeping, Patanjali describes the four stages of Savikalpa Samadhi that are possible.

Stage 1. Sarvitarka Samadhi:
Here the mind totally focuses on the gross aspect of a physical object. This is described as “examination” or learning the “inner secrets” of the object. In this stage, every aspect of the object is understood and you gain full knowledge of the physical object.

Stage 2. Savichara Samadhi:
Now the mind moves beyond the outer layers of the object and the subtle aspects of objects (tanmatras) are contemplated or “discerned.” The abstract qualities such as rednesses, beauty, love or the sound, texture, form, flavor, etc. of the object begin to be understood.

Stage 3. Sa-ananda Samadhi:
Here the mind is devoid of the objective world, you move beyond the intellect. There is no reasoning or reflection, just the tranquility of the settled mind. The sattvic (pure) mind is only aware of its own joy. The focus is on the inner powers of perception and within the mind itself. It’s known as a “blissful” Samadhi filled with joyful peace.

Stage 4. Sa-Asmita Samadhi:
Now even the bliss has gone and you are just here. Only the satvic (pure) ego, the I-ness remains, the I AM. Simple awareness of individuality—you are here and aware of nothing else. This is the ego-sense in its elemental form. No fear, no desire. This Samadhi can be likened to what is known in the Shankara Tradition as Cosmic Consciousness. The mind becomes fully Awake, it is a state of witnessing of the material world and you become aware of the Divinity (Bliss) within yourself.

In Savikalpa Samadhi, the samskaras (latent tendencies or past impressions which condition your life and desires) have not been dissolved. They still remain in seed form. The Great Indian Saint, Ramana Maharshi, described Savikalpa Samadhi as "holding on to reality with effort.” In this Samadhi, the concentrated mind can begin to access some of the “lesser” yogic powers (Siddhis).

However, because the ego is still present, you must be careful how you choose to use these powers. If you use them with a pure motive, you can greatly serve humanity and will progress on your spiritual journey with humility. If you choose to use them for personal greed and ambition, you may cause harm and stall your spiritual progress.

Level 2: Nirvikalpa Samadhi
Nirvikalpa Samadhi is a higher state of awareness where the ego and samskaras have been dissolved and only Consciousness remains.

Patanjali says the material world has become like a shadow from which you are completely free. In Nirvikalpa Samadhi there is no mind as you know it—there is only infinite peace and bliss. Here nature's dance stops, and the knower and the known become one. Here you enjoy a supremely divine, all-pervading, self-amorous ecstasy. You become the object of enjoyment, the enjoyer, and the enjoyment itself.

Now the heart is fully awake. In Nirvikalpa Samadhi, the first thing you feel is that your heart is larger than the universe itself. The universe appears as a tiny dot inside your vast heart. Here, there is infinite bliss and infinite power. You not only feel bliss, but actually become bliss.

This Samadhi is similar to the Divine Consciousness described in the Shankara Tradition, a state of deep love for the world and everything in it, recognizing the Divinity in everything. It is entering a celestial realm. You experience Ritambhara Pragya, where your thoughts spontaneously manifest into reality. The past and future are blended into the eternal present. Everything is now. Everything is here. Time and space have been transcended. The exulted blissful state may last for a few hours or a few days. Initially there is no wish to return from this state and it is said that if one stays at this level for 21 days, there is every possibility that the soul will leave the body for good. However, through continued practice, you are able to come down from Nirvikalpa Samadhi and immediately function normally in the world.

Both Savikalpa and Nirvikalpa Samadhis are considered temporary states in that you can only fully experience them by withdrawing from normal life. Even the Great Enlightened Yogis close their eyes to meditate. However, the Yogi’s “normal” life is not as most people experience it. A Yogi is living a life fully supported by the Unbounded Field of Infinite Possibilities. Imagine the whole of manifest creation is touching the front of your body and the unmanifest, Pure Awareness is touching your back. You lean forward and you are in the localized world but the non-local is fully there, supporting your every breath. To quote Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, “It’s living 200 percent of life.”

Level 3: Dharmamegha Samadhi
An even higher level of Samadhi is Dharmamegha or the “Cloud of Virtue” Samadhi.

Patanjali says that this level arises when you have lost even the desire to know God or to be Enlightened. This Samadhi cannot be gained by effort, it reveals itself when all effort has dissolved. It is a Divine Gift, beyond notions of Absolute and relative.

When even the temptations of the Yogic Powers cause no distraction, it is said that Pure Knowledge showers down like a Cloud of Virtue, bringing liberation and the Bliss of the Divine.

This is Jivanmukta—liberation while still in a physical body. The afflictions of all karmas have been removed, the Yogi becomes ever free and shines in his or her own glory. It is said that in this state, the Yogi sees without eyes, tastes without tongue, hears without ears, smells without nose, and touches without skin. His/her mere intention can work miracles. The Yogi simply wills and everything comes into being.

Sahaja Samadhi
Some contemporary saints such as Ramana Maharshi have also talked about Sahaja Samadhi.

This Samadhi could probably be placed between Nirvikalpa and Dharmamega Samadhis. It is where the inner silence is maintained along with normal daily activities. It is being able to maintain the experience of Nirvakalpa Samadhi at all times. Here you radiate Divine Illumination, the Divine is perfectly manifesting through you at every second. You are filled with Divine Grace. It can, perhaps, be likened to the Unity Consciousness of the Shankara Tradition.

With Samadhi as your goal, you should be regular with your spiritual practices, enjoy the blessings that each day brings, and know that everything will be revealed at the right moment.

[Unseeking Seeker]

Thanks for sharing your experiences, NoOne. It is most fascinating and offers validation of the truth to others along the same path.

My experience is generically same but with some differences here and there as also in the overall understanding.

The kundalini rise to crown was in a single swoosh, presumably through the Sushumna. We now know that the Sushumna itself is triple layered. Any way, the rise was swift when I ‘saw’ an orifice in the fontanel. The orifice was too small to pass through, so it was clear that I needed to dissolve in the stream to pass through. Dissolving, meaning death. What prompted me to agree, I cannot say, but I did and so entered the inky black void. There were communications and graphics as of heart’s desire. Whatever I wanted to know was revealed. Who was I communicating with? God, an ascended master … who knows? The master too is one with God and His voice is the voice of God, if there be no separation.

The cosmic egg or Hirayangarbha is another matter. After a few void experiences, I requested the formless oneness energy to visit me here, within the body, instead of me going ‘out there’. It was only much later that I learnt that the entire universe is within us.

So, the energy descended. I ‘saw’ the cosmic egg in my head. On asking what it is, I was told ‘Hirayangarbha’. I never heard the term before. Now, it’s commonplace. Wiki has a good description.

The egg split on its own. Two forms, male and female, Shiva & Shakti which I ‘saw’ descended to the heart centre. Possibly as scriptures say, via Amrit nadi. The heart, who knows … to be truthful, was it the Anahata or the Spiritual Heart? Who can say? But yes, on reaching the heart region, the union of polarities resulted in an explosion of bliss igniting the Sushumna from root to crown, more vivid from navel and above. The bliss current ever since has been permanent, unaffected by the external.

On a side note, the rise via Ida and Pingala happened later but that’s another topic.

Further experiences followed, more grids came alive but we’re talking about Samadhi here. Academically, I know that there are several types of Samadhi. My actual experience was thrice, in different ways ~

Preamble: I don’t consider the void experience as Samadhi because we are there as identity, a subtle formless identity but yet we are there and someone else is there, be it God, a master or our higher self. As such it’s a consciousness expansion but not true oneness. (My opinion)

First Samadhi experience: in meditational stillness, I once began vaporising, metaphorically speaking, as the bliss current intensity kept rising. Soon, bliss was no longer pervading my body because the body had disappeared. I became pure consciousness as the flame of bliss in renewal itself, a one without a second. There was no this vs that. I was the bliss flame. There was no space, no time, nothing else except bliss, which I was, which I had become. Absolute oneness.

How long I remained as such I cannot say because there was no time. Also, there was no possibility to exit the stage of Samadhi simply because movement is in space-time and I was not in space-time. Yet, through an unknown mechanism, I did finally exit the state and re-enter body.

Second Samadhi experience: on this occasion, I became one with universal consciousness, in that I became the living breath of God pervading all of manifestation, in each entity. As such, the understanding offered on exiting the state was that ‘God alone is, the all there is’

Third Samadhi experience: Here, my consciousness expanded and identity fell away. All that was was consciousness itself, within which all universes were contained.

Having said this, I don’t find any perplexity of being in mind-body, since we have ourselves chosen limitation and to feel contrast in manifested duality, that by facing adversity, we gradually align mind and heart in resonance with love, being the only real energy pervading the universe. Possibly, our soul growth is faster thus way, soul being nothing else but an aspect of the singular God-consciousness, which therefore, we too are, albeit for the moment veiled. We can choose to remain in vibrant nonchalance through life, full of compassion, detached from outcomes, sailing through this lucid dream in purity of being and childlike playfulness.

Thanks NoOne for sharing. I'm curious as to what makes someone deserving for samadhi

[Spirited_self]

Thanks NoOne and Unseeking Seeker! I appreciate the words and really resonate with them. I'm also curious as to what makes someone deserving? Does it tie into self-worth and knowing that you deserve it, that you are worthy?

[NoOne]

@US
Thank you, that was beautiful.

Regarding what might make someone deserving of Samadhi.

It has two components, I feel

One is testing. Adepts are tested at each stage of their development and can only progress to the next level once they pass the test. Can they overcome their fears, their attachments, their ego?

The other one is simply divine grace. We do not know how this works, since divine grace might befall on someone who doesn't seem deserving. Shakti is capricious and she chooses whom she likes in a childlike, playful manner. Often those, with a playful childlike personality delight her more than the utterly serious, dedicated adepts, who put in a lot of effort. This tends to infuriate them, when they encounter it, which shows they weren't deserving in the first place. To put it bluntly, they're full of themselves and develop ego-attachments like Jealousy and Envy. A truly free soul feels only Joy when he sees someone receiving divine grace and experiencing Samadhi.

[A human Being]

Dunno, this whole notion of being deserving doesn't resonate with me - I think of it more in terms of readiness.