~A section from my forthcoming book, "Fully Human/Fully Divine", to be published by Non-Duality Press sometime in 2015........
I have run across 2 types of samadhi that are both, not only possible, but ALWAYS present, after a deep, stable and abiding awakening....There may be more types of samadhis or sub-sets of these two, I don't know yet, but these are the basic 2 that I am familiar with in my own experience.......
1) There is a samadhi that a deeply awakened person is abiding in during everyday life that I call, 'the-walking-around-functioning-in-the-world kind of samadhi'. In this samadhi all the various forms still are appearing, but are always perceived as manifestations in form of the formless pure Consciousness, or "God". Everywhere one looks, God is continually 'playing' in all these different forms. It is incredible to behold such a world and gives the distinct perception that, absolutely EVERYTHING is holy now!
2) There is another type of samadhi in which all forms disappear and are not perceived at all and there is remaining only the pure, unconditioned consciousness of presence, awareness aware of itself alone, the divine ground of Being itself.
The first samadhi is what one abides in all the time in ordinary life after a deep and stable awakening is realized. The 2nd type of samadhi is consciously entered into by the awakened person very frequently, in most cases probably daily, but cannot possibly be abided in all the time in ordinary life because, if it were, one could simply not function in the world, which could prove somewhat problematic at times! The two Christian mystic saints,Saint Teresa of Avila and Saint John of the Cross and probably some Sufi and Jewish mystics would call and think of this 2nd type of very absorbed samadhi, as 'contempative prayer' or ecstatic 'rapture' in God.
The first kind of samadhi, 'the walking around functioning" kind, is the type of samadhi that is present in the awakened person during the states of waking and dreaming. The 2nd kind of more absorbed samadhi where all the forms disappear in the light of pure consciousness, is present in the stably awakened person during deep, dreamless sleep and whenever they may wish to intentionally enter into it in what appears to be 'meditation', at least to those who might be observing them at the time. But a person who is in an abiding, stable awakening is in one or the other of these two samadhis at all times, 24/7.....waking, dreaming or sleeping. If someone is not abiding in one or the other of these two samadhis 24/7, they may have had a preliminary awakening, a 'glimpse' of pure awareness at the ground of their being, but they are not in an abiding awakening and still have more practice work to do and are most probably not really ready to share or teach the Path with others yet.
This is not to say that such a 'glimpse' is not a kind of awakening or is not significant.....it most definitely IS significant..........extremely important! It enables a person to access presence, this consciousness, more or less at will, which actually for the first time, makes it possible for the person to enter deeply enough into meditational practice of Self-Investigation or contemplative prayer so as to likely 'push them over the edge' and into an abiding and stable awakening/enlightenment.
The samadhi in the realm of the formless, pure consciousness that one experiences during deep, dreamless sleep after a deep abiding awakening, is not able to be reflected on actually during deep sleep. The reason for this is because when one is in this type of samadhi the mind is utterly 'turned off' and is really not functioning at all but is effectively 'dead'. So the actual experience and knowing that one is in this samadhi during deep sleep is more like a 'memory' that pops into the mind first thing upon awakening from sleep. One is simply aware that one has been abiding in conscious awareness aware of itself all during the time of deep, dreamless sleep. But one can only reflect on this fact after one has either entered into a dream state or has entered back into the waking state.
The way this 24/7 samadhi expresses itself or is experienced in the dream state is in what is called 'lucid dreaming'.....After a deep and abiding awakening, one's dreams are ALWAYS lucid....In other words, one is consciously aware that one is dreaming while one is dreaming.
Even since my more comprehensive and stable awakening in 2010, I still 'practice meditation', in the sense of consciously entering into the 2nd type of samadhi, for several hours each day, usually in the early morning hours of the day, unless I happen to be sick. It is clearly reported that the Buddha, Ramana Maharsi, Anandamayima, Paramahansa Ramakrishna, Saint John of the Cross, Saint Teresa of Avila, and many other great saints and sages from all the spiritual Traditions, very regularly, probably in most cases daily, entered into this deep 2nd type of samadhi where the world and all forms, including body consciousness and consciousness of a personal self or 'others' disappear in the light of pure consciousness/awareness. This deep state of samadhi is most definitely the most pleasant state of consciousness possible for a human being, at least in my own experience so far! All these realized people who take time to abide in this deep state of samadhi or 'meditation', do not do so because they still wish or think to 'attain something'........Seeking has ended for them. They do so simply because they can, and because the state of deep samadhi in the realm of the formless is so pleasant and restful and even rejuvenating to the body and the mind. It is so wonderfully pleasant, fun and beneficial! Why wouldn't they rest in this samadhi every chance they have?
My sense intuitively is also that this resting in deep formless consciousness of samadhi actually raises the collective energetic vibration of the whole planet and even universe...... That it is a good thing to do for the world somehow.
It has a hidden and wonderful effect and benefit on the entire cosmos and every being appearing in it!
~Francis Bennett, from the book, "Fully Human/Fully Divine, Copy-righted material
https://www.facebook.com/FrancisDaleBennett?fref=nf
I have run across 2 types of samadhi that are both, not only possible, but ALWAYS present, after a deep, stable and abiding awakening....There may be more types of samadhis or sub-sets of these two, I don't know yet, but these are the basic 2 that I am familiar with in my own experience.......
1) There is a samadhi that a deeply awakened person is abiding in during everyday life that I call, 'the-walking-around-functioning-in-the-world kind of samadhi'. In this samadhi all the various forms still are appearing, but are always perceived as manifestations in form of the formless pure Consciousness, or "God". Everywhere one looks, God is continually 'playing' in all these different forms. It is incredible to behold such a world and gives the distinct perception that, absolutely EVERYTHING is holy now!
2) There is another type of samadhi in which all forms disappear and are not perceived at all and there is remaining only the pure, unconditioned consciousness of presence, awareness aware of itself alone, the divine ground of Being itself.
The first samadhi is what one abides in all the time in ordinary life after a deep and stable awakening is realized. The 2nd type of samadhi is consciously entered into by the awakened person very frequently, in most cases probably daily, but cannot possibly be abided in all the time in ordinary life because, if it were, one could simply not function in the world, which could prove somewhat problematic at times! The two Christian mystic saints,Saint Teresa of Avila and Saint John of the Cross and probably some Sufi and Jewish mystics would call and think of this 2nd type of very absorbed samadhi, as 'contempative prayer' or ecstatic 'rapture' in God.
The first kind of samadhi, 'the walking around functioning" kind, is the type of samadhi that is present in the awakened person during the states of waking and dreaming. The 2nd kind of more absorbed samadhi where all the forms disappear in the light of pure consciousness, is present in the stably awakened person during deep, dreamless sleep and whenever they may wish to intentionally enter into it in what appears to be 'meditation', at least to those who might be observing them at the time. But a person who is in an abiding, stable awakening is in one or the other of these two samadhis at all times, 24/7.....waking, dreaming or sleeping. If someone is not abiding in one or the other of these two samadhis 24/7, they may have had a preliminary awakening, a 'glimpse' of pure awareness at the ground of their being, but they are not in an abiding awakening and still have more practice work to do and are most probably not really ready to share or teach the Path with others yet.
This is not to say that such a 'glimpse' is not a kind of awakening or is not significant.....it most definitely IS significant..........extremely important! It enables a person to access presence, this consciousness, more or less at will, which actually for the first time, makes it possible for the person to enter deeply enough into meditational practice of Self-Investigation or contemplative prayer so as to likely 'push them over the edge' and into an abiding and stable awakening/enlightenment.
The samadhi in the realm of the formless, pure consciousness that one experiences during deep, dreamless sleep after a deep abiding awakening, is not able to be reflected on actually during deep sleep. The reason for this is because when one is in this type of samadhi the mind is utterly 'turned off' and is really not functioning at all but is effectively 'dead'. So the actual experience and knowing that one is in this samadhi during deep sleep is more like a 'memory' that pops into the mind first thing upon awakening from sleep. One is simply aware that one has been abiding in conscious awareness aware of itself all during the time of deep, dreamless sleep. But one can only reflect on this fact after one has either entered into a dream state or has entered back into the waking state.
The way this 24/7 samadhi expresses itself or is experienced in the dream state is in what is called 'lucid dreaming'.....After a deep and abiding awakening, one's dreams are ALWAYS lucid....In other words, one is consciously aware that one is dreaming while one is dreaming.
Even since my more comprehensive and stable awakening in 2010, I still 'practice meditation', in the sense of consciously entering into the 2nd type of samadhi, for several hours each day, usually in the early morning hours of the day, unless I happen to be sick. It is clearly reported that the Buddha, Ramana Maharsi, Anandamayima, Paramahansa Ramakrishna, Saint John of the Cross, Saint Teresa of Avila, and many other great saints and sages from all the spiritual Traditions, very regularly, probably in most cases daily, entered into this deep 2nd type of samadhi where the world and all forms, including body consciousness and consciousness of a personal self or 'others' disappear in the light of pure consciousness/awareness. This deep state of samadhi is most definitely the most pleasant state of consciousness possible for a human being, at least in my own experience so far! All these realized people who take time to abide in this deep state of samadhi or 'meditation', do not do so because they still wish or think to 'attain something'........Seeking has ended for them. They do so simply because they can, and because the state of deep samadhi in the realm of the formless is so pleasant and restful and even rejuvenating to the body and the mind. It is so wonderfully pleasant, fun and beneficial! Why wouldn't they rest in this samadhi every chance they have?
My sense intuitively is also that this resting in deep formless consciousness of samadhi actually raises the collective energetic vibration of the whole planet and even universe...... That it is a good thing to do for the world somehow.
It has a hidden and wonderful effect and benefit on the entire cosmos and every being appearing in it!
~Francis Bennett, from the book, "Fully Human/Fully Divine, Copy-righted material
https://www.facebook.com/FrancisDaleBennett?fref=nf
