According to Patanjali, there are two ways in which the state of Undistinguished, or Asamprajnata Samadhi (marked by being completely void of mental modifications), can occur.
One pathway is through reaching this state of consciousness via “celestial/cosmic” connection that makes one’s mind and being brand new/”rebirthed,” (for the “last time”) into full self-awareness (which can also be called, physiologically and psychologically, an out-of-body experience), and the other is through
“faith, vigor, memory, contemplation and/or by discernment.”
–The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
A life devoted to faith can lead to deep spiritual fulfillment and confidence, a life devoted to vigor can lead to heightened perseverance and courage, a life devoted to memory/learning can lead to great insight and wisdom, a life devoted to contemplation can lead to inner-peace and deep satisfaction/fulfillment, and a life devoted to discernment, or that employs discernment along with any other quality recommended above for devotion, is one that can lead to peaceful self-awareness and higher connection as well.
IMPORTANT NOTE! And these examples are just some of the possible rewards of a life devoted to these areas. I am sure that you can think of many alternative rewards on your end as well. *Try This Now*
Each quality listed above can be focused on singularly or employed together within one person’s lifetime/life in order to lead to greater understanding that brings inner peace and tranquility of the mind and being.
The fact that these two pathways to Undistinguished Samadhi (connected to as many infinite routes and destinations as there are individuals in this world) complement each other reminds us that the aim to “understand…handle…and then rise above” the mind and its distorted nature (according to the recommendation of Swami Satchidananda), discussed in Sutra 18, is really about one thing.
The aim to “understand…handle…and then rise above” the mind and its distorted nature, is about seeing (through neutral observation and study) the full nature of the mind, so that you can then use its full capacities and capabilities to manage and regulate your impulses, attachments, and thoughts (Sutra 15), in order to then elevate your mind, and yourself, out of the perpetual cycle of “death and rebirth“ of your ego nature that causes suffering that is reinforced through attachments of any kind in the world.
IMPORTANT STUDY TIP! This basics of the phenomena of what you are rising above can be summed up in the principles presented in the 4 Noble Truths).
Your goal, therefore, should be single-focused on creating peace at all times, always starting first with yourself.
