Day 46: Yoga Sutra 1.17, 1.42, 1.43, 1.44, 1.48, 1.51, and 4.29
The Path to Samadhi: Finding Meaning in Light, Discipline and Service
This morning, during my meditation, I saw a flash of white light. For a brief moment, I wondered—was this a sign of Samadhi, the ultimate state of consciousness in yoga? Was my Purusha ready to dissolve into the universal Purusha? Or was my phone just broken? (Spoiler: it was the phone.)
After googling it this afternoon, I realized that seeing white light is not a sign of Samadhi, but it does signify something important. It can indicate activation of the Ajna (Third Eye) or Sahasrara (Crown) Chakra, deep states of concentration (Dharana), subtle energy shifts, or even near-Samadhi states like Dhyana. However, true Samadhi, as described by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras, is beyond sensory experiences—beyond even the perception of light.
The Illusion of the Light and the Reality of Practice
When I opened my eyes, I saw that it was not a spiritual awakening I experienced. My phone screen had turned completely white—it was broken. Interestingly, something similar happened to me in 2023. When this happened to me back then, I was frazzled. “What would I do without my phone?” This time, I wasn’t worried at all. I continued my Sadhana, checked my messages on my desktop, and went to the yoga studio as usual. It struck me that this shift in my reaction was a sign of my own progress—a form of detox from attachment and reactivity.
Every single day, my non-negotiables are simple: meditate for 40 minutes, do a yoga class, write my newsletter, walk, and read. My work comes second—what comes first is my recovery and my self care. I explained this to one of my students today, and she said, “You are so disciplined.” I laughed. A month ago, my life was in shambles. But slowly, I rebuilt it—through structure, routine, and practice. Discipline brings freedom.
My discipline—meditation, yoga, walking, studying—has given me the space to grow. It is this discipline that moves me closer to Samadhi, not fleeting experiences of light or bliss. As Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita, "Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self." And that journey is built on sustained practice.
The Role of Service and the Lessons from AA
I’ve been grappling with whether AA is the right space for me. Last night, I had dinner with an ex-boyfriend who has been sober and in the program for 22 years. He is so open minded and so wise. He held space for me processing all my thoughts, and then he reminded me that just because people are in the rooms of AA doesn’t mean they’ve stopped suffering. "At the end of the meeting, they always say, ‘a moment of silence for the alcoholics still suffering in and out of these rooms.’"
His words hit me. Those who have harmed me are probably still experiencing suffering. I understand this intellectually, but hearing it in different ways helps me internalize it. I also realized this morning that my presence in the rooms can be of service. Whilst I haven’t officially worked the steps, I have six years of sobriety and a strong spiritual practice. Today, two moments arose where I was called to be of service to others that I’d met at meetings. It made me feel needed, valuable, and aligned with the teachings of yoga—selfless service (Seva) and compassion (Karuna).
The goal of yoga is “union” and theres four paths to get there:
Raja Yoga - Royal Yoga - This is Patanjali’s Path that I teach in my Yoga Sutra Studies
Bhakti Yoga - Devotional Yoga - This is practicing through prayer and devotion, and this is what I facilitate when I lead Kirtans.
Karma Yoga - Yoga of Action - This is basically how we live our lives. This is the practice of service spoken about in AA.
Jnana Yoga - Yoga of Wisdom - This is the practice of studying wisdom text studies to find consciousness. This is what I do when I study various texts.
Today I was reading Ram Dass’ book Be Here Now, and he writes in it: “If you don’t help other beings out through the illusion because you’re through the illusion - what else?? What else is there? What are you doing? Doing more of the dance within the dance?”
This question echoes Patanjali’s teachings. The goal of yoga is not just personal enlightenment but also to uplift others. Samadhi isn’t an escape—it’s an arrival at a place where one serves without attachment.
Breaking Down the Journey to Samadhi
Patanjali lays out a systematic path toward enlightenment. I previously found all these various states confusing to separate and organize. I worked through this with my teacher Anvita, and we organized it like a structured educational journey. Imagine one is going to university, and they need pre-requiste courses. That’s Sanprajnata. It’s the pre-requisite courses for university (1.17). Then theres the Undergrad, and that’s Samapatti. Thats where deep concentration refines preception. That’s sutras 1.41 - 1.44. Then, the first two levels of Samadhi are like the undergrad (Sutras 1.48 - 1.51). And finally the last level of Samadhi, Dharmamega, comes in Sutra 4.29).
1. Sanprajnata (Pre-Requisite Stage – Sutra 1.17)
Before reaching Samadhi, one must refine their intellect and emotions:
Vitarka: Reasoning and thought process
Vichara: Emotional responses
Ananda: Bliss arising from practice
Asmita: Sense of self, beginning to dissolve the ego
2. Samapatti (Undergraduate Level – Sutras 1.41-1.44)
This is where deep concentration refines perception:
Savitarka: Initial focus, where mental disturbances still arise
Nirvitarka: Absence of opposition; thoughts become settled
Savichara: Positive affirmations and non-reactivity emerge
Nirvichara: Pure awareness without mental fluctuations
3. Samadhi (Master’s Level – Sutras 1.48-1.51)
Sabija Samadhi (With Seed – 1.48): Deep meditative absorption, but impressions (Samskaras) still form
Nirbija Samadhi (Seedless – 1.51): No new Samskaras arise; complete surrender into stillness
4. Dharma Megha Samadhi (PhD Level – Sutra 4.29)
This is the ultimate state, where one acts without attachment to personal gain and is fully absorbed in the distinction between Purusha (Pure Consciousness) and Prakriti (Material Reality). Here, one embodies the Bhagavad Gita’s wisdom: "A yogi who has attained wisdom sees gold, a clod of earth, and a stone as the same."
Healing as a Revolving Door
Today, I sat with a student who is working on writing as a form of healing. She said she expected that one day she would walk through a door and arrive at enlightenment—at Samadhi. I told her, "There is no door. And if there is, I’ve been stepping in and out of it for the last decade."
She asked, “What do you mean by that?”
I told her, healing is not linear. Samadhi is not a destination. It’s a continuous process of surrender, discipline, and service. In AA, they say, “It works if you work it.” The same is true for yoga—the path works if you walk it.
If you’re ready to start walking, sign up for my upcoming programs. Let’s practice together.
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Gratitude Corner: A huge thank you to our twelfth paid subscriber, Jeff (a former student in several of my programs). Your support allows me to write every day. Each contribution means the world to me. If you have $8 a month to spare, it will help me keep “becoming nobody!”.
In service and gratitude,
Alexandra