I received the following question: “I have read the sutras by Edwin Bryant and there is a concept that I don’t get. How can the individual soul, atman, be differentiated from another one, if the two beings were both illuminated? It seems to me that souls are distinguishable because of the imprints (karmasaya) they carry from life to life. Do the souls of jivanmukta “blend” together in some kind of cosmic Soul?”
Category Archives: Meditation and Samadhi
Samadhi, Conditioning and Finding ones Life’s Purpose
A video in which Gregor talks about the relationship between asana, pranayama and meditation on one hand, and objective and objectless samadhi on the other. He puts this in context with the panchakosha doctrine of the Upanishads and the concepts of conditioning and subconscious imprint as described in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra. Discussed is also the influence of mind and ego on transformative states.
The Two Meanings of the Term “Yoga”
The term “yoga” etymologically can be derived from two different Sanskrit roots. Each root assigns completely different meanings to the term. One of the meanings is predominantly used in the system of Vedanta, the other in the historical school of yoga, called Yoga Darshana. But which meaning is the one that the school of yoga assigns to its own name?
Podcast: Lonely Guru’s Ryan Spielman interviews Gregor
I really enjoyed this hour-long interview with Ryan Spielman. I felt he had really tuned into my work and asked great questions. It is called from Disappointment to Samadhi. Here it is:
Pranayama questions answered
After my last article “Researching Pranayama” I was asked to expand more on the idea of Prana, what a ‘rejecter of prana’ is, whether people can be ‘deficient’ in Prana, and how it can be stronger in some people than in others? What are some of the most beneficial ways to improve our pranic body and where do pranayama, meditation, asana and diet come into play? Do thoughts or mind patterns affect our pranic body? […]
Samadhi, Enlightenment, Situationism, and Developing the Center
In this chapter I will clarify misconceptions about samadhi and show that there are varieties of samadhis, not just one type. Firstly, samadhi is not enlightenment. The term “enlightenment” was borrowed from the European Enlightenment movement of the 18th century and emphasized reason.
Bringing Our Hands Together in Prayer
Bringing our hands together in prayer is a universally understood gesture of peace and good intent. Prayer is an occasion to commune with our innermost heart. It abolishes the borders of religion and personalises our connection to Self. In the chamber of our heart we connect to our deepest feelings and give form to what is often yet unrevealed, even to ourselves. […]