Types of Dhyana (Contemplation) (3)
GS classifies the Dhyana (meditation) into three types:
- Gross or Physical Meditation (Sthula Dhyana) – Dhyana of any particular figure like one’s Guru or Deity.
- Luminous Meditation or Meditation full of Light (Jyotir or Tejomaya Dhyana) – Dhyana of Brahma or Prakariti in the form of light. GS suggests 2 methods:
- to contemplate on Jivatma as flame of a lamp living in the Muladhara.
- to contemplate in the middle of two eye-brows, as a light consisting of Om.
- Subtle Meditation (Suksham or Bindumaya Dhyana) – Dhyana in the form of Bindu (point) or kundali force. GS suggests for Sambhavi Mudra to see the subtle body. This meditation is difficult to be attained even by the Devas.
Jyotirdhyana is 100 times superior to Sthula dhyana. Sukhsma dhyana is one lakh times superior to Jyotir dhyana. Sukhsma dhyana is the real meditation.
Types of dhyana as per gheranda smitha
There are three types of dhyana as mentioned in Gheranda Samhita – Sthula dhyana, Jyoti Dhyana and Sukshama dhyana which is already explained in the above lesson.