In my path of self-discovery, I experienced what can be called a glimpse of Savikalpa Samadhi, a deep meditative state where you feel one with your object of focus, filled with bliss, but a subtle sense of self and form still remains. This glimpse occurred during a significant awakening, one where I felt the profound nature of self-realization, yet without completely merging into the final formless state. As I reflect on this experience, the stages of Savikalpa Samadhi seem to have unfolded in a natural progression that was far from linear but intuitively deepened as I progressed.
1. The Beginning of the Journey: Savitarka Samadhi
In the early stages, when I practiced meditation, I engaged with a tangible image — the image of my Guru. At this point, my mind was full of effort, as I contemplated the form of the image and its significance. The bliss was palpable, but it was the beginning of something. The mind was still firmly grounded in subject-object duality, where I was meditating on the image of the Guru. This stage represents Savitarka Samadhi, where gross thought and form are still present. Though bliss was present, the experience was only a hint of what would follow.
2. Subtle Progression: Savichara Samadhi
As I continued my practice, the mental chatter started to subside, and I moved deeper into subtlety. The image of the Guru became more luminous, and my connection with it improved. I could feel the essence of the image beyond its physical form. The energy began to awaken, especially through my Tantric practices. I realized that my focus was no longer just on visualizing the Guru’s image, but more on feeling its energy and presence. Let me explain it a littlebit more. At first, when I meditated, my mind was focused on the image of my Guru — like seeing a picture in your mind and concentrating on it. But later, something deeper happened. Instead of just seeing the image, I started feeling the Guru’s energy or guru’s form’s energy inside me. It felt alive — like the Guru’s presence was no longer outside or in the picture, but within me, as a silent force or warmth.
This shift means my meditation was going deeper. I moved from focusing on an outer form to feeling the inner essence — something real but invisible. This is a natural step in deep spiritual practice, where outer symbols fade, and only the inner truth remains. The boundaries of object and subject blurred, yet they still existed. This phase marked Savichara Samadhi, where subtle thoughts and impressions began to take over. It was a phase of deepening communion, but duality was still present. You can call savitark samadhi as dharana and savichar samadhi as dhyana.
3. The Blissful Experience: Sananda Samadhi
As I advanced in my practice, the focus moved from form to presence. The bliss that arose from deep concentration on the subtle presence became more intense. It felt like the energy I had previously only sensed was now integrated into my experience. This stage aligns with Sananda Samadhi, where the mind quiets down and bliss arises. However, while bliss flowed freely, there was still an awareness of the dualistic nature of the experience. I was aware that I was experiencing the bliss, but the true self-realization hadn’t yet occurred. The bliss was intense but also fleeting. It was in this phase that I felt like I was dissolving in the sheer bliss of existence. It’s actually savichar samadhi or dhyaan deepening further, nothing else. The same subtle inner image of dhyana becomes as much bright or amplified that much bliss it produces.
Let me little clarify it further.
Feeling Form (External Object Support): At the beginning stages of meditation, you often rely on an external object (like the physical image of your Guru or a symbol) to focus your mind. This external object serves as a point of concentration to bring your awareness into a more stable and focused state. Essentially, the object is a tool to anchor your mind and help it remain in one place. In this phase, you’re connecting to the form—the shape, image, or physical representation.
Feeling Energy (Self-Stable Inside): As your meditation deepens and your focus sharpens, you gradually shift from relying on the external form to directly experiencing the energy or presence within yourself. This energy isn’t dependent on the external object anymore. It becomes something you feel internally—it’s a more subtle, refined experience. The external object that initially helped you focus may now seem unnecessary, or even “rubbish,” because you’ve shifted to a state where the form is no longer needed for focus; you now connect directly to the internal spiritual energy or vibration.
In essence, as your consciousness evolves, you no longer need external support (like the form) to connect with the energy. The energy is self-stable and exists within you. You’re no longer relying on something external because you’re directly experiencing the internal essence of that form or presence.
To sum it up, initially, you take support from the external form (to stabilize your mind), but as you go deeper, you realize that the energy you’re connecting with is already within you, and the external form becomes irrelevant to your deeper experience.
4. Self-Realization: Sasmita Samadhi
Then, something shifted during a critical moment — a glimpse of self-realization. This state revealed itself in what felt like a subtle yet powerful awakening. The bliss was lower than earlier bliss samadhi, but this state was all pervading and nondual cosmic consciousness type. Let me little clarify it.
During that moment of self-realization, the bliss I felt was not like ordinary happiness or pleasure you get from the world — like from good food, music, or success. It was something very subtle and unique.
It wasn’t loud or overwhelming. Instead, it was soft, deep, and balanced — like a calm joy quietly glowing inside me. It felt as if this bliss was made of both light and dark at the same time — not in a scary way, but like a perfect mix of stillness and depth, where everything was clear and silent.
There was also a strong sense of presence, like I had arrived at the center of my being, fully aware and peaceful. It wasn’t emotional excitement, but a kind of pure clarity and sacred peace that just was — without any reason.
This bliss was also different from the bliss felt during Samadhi. In Samadhi, bliss often comes as a flowing joy — something that can feel ecstatic, like being lifted beyond the body and mind.
But this one — during self-realization — was much deeper and quieter. It didn’t come in waves or rushes. Instead, it was like a settled, silent joy that didn’t move at all — almost like it had no reason but still felt profoundly alive.
It wasn’t emotional or dramatic. It was a balanced stillness, where even bliss wasn’t something “felt” in the usual way, but rather, it was part of the clarity and presence itself. You could say it was bliss without movement, joy without excitement, and yet undeniably real and sacred.
The realization that I was not the observer, but the very essence of the being I had been meditating on, flooded my awareness. This phase, Sasmita Samadhi, represents the realization of the pure ‘I am’ — not as the ego but as the boundless, formless being although with waves of mental formations. I no longer identified with the meditation object; I became the object itself. The experience was a deep recognition of the truth that I was the Supreme Conscious Being. However, it was not yet a complete dissolution into formlessness. The objects of perception still had some existence in my awareness offcourse in virtual form. Virtual object is still an object.
The Fine Line to Nirvikalpa
In a moment of deep insight, I recognized how close I was to the final stage — Nirvikalpa Samadhi. I realized that if I hadn’t intuitively grounded myself by lowering the energy to my Ajna chakra, I would have been completely absorbed into an endless continuity of supreme bliss, with no trace of mental or energetic residue. This awareness shows that I had reached the edge of Nirvikalpa Samadhi, where even the subtle sense of self-awareness begins to dissolve. But I chose not to fully absorb into the void at that moment. I consciously brought myself back, possibly because of an inherent fear of losing myself completely or a desire to remain grounded and able to share this understanding with the world.
The Experience of Kundalini Awakening
Looking at my experience through the lens of Savikalpa Samadhi, I recognize that the energy movements of Kundalini had brought me close to the realization of the Self, but in a very subtle way. It was a moment of profound self-awareness, but without the overwhelming ecstasy of the earlier stages of Tantric sadhana. The bliss of that moment was subdued, more stable, and grounded in peace rather than ecstatic energy. It was not the same as the energetic climax of my previous Tantric experience; instead, it was a deeper, more stable realization of pure being — I am. This made the Kundalini experience feel more genuine, as if I had touched the core of who I truly was, without the distractions of intense energetic movements.
The Nature of Savikalpa Samadhi
Savikalpa Samadhi, while deeply transformative, is still characterized by a trace of duality. There remains an awareness of self — a sense of being — but it is not yet the final dissolution into the formless, boundless state of Nirvikalpa Samadhi. During this phase, the mind is still functioning, but it is absorbed in bliss, presence, or the pure feeling of “I am.” The ultimate merging of subject and object has not yet occurred, and a subtle trace of experience still lingers. However, this state is profoundly liberating. The boundaries between subject and object dissolve to a degree, and what remains is the unshakable knowledge that the Self is both the observer and the observed.
The Unique Journey and What Lies Ahead
In my experience, it feels as though I’ve crossed several stages of Savikalpa Samadhi organically, rather than following them in a strictly defined sequence. This process has been intuitive and personal, with each phase revealing a new depth of understanding. The key insight here is that the object of meditation doesn’t necessarily change in Savikalpa Samadhi. What changes is the depth of absorption and the relationship with the object. Through my consistent meditation on the Guru image, I moved from mentally contemplating it to eventually merging with it. It became less about thinking or visualizing and more about being that presence.
As I continue my sadhana, I am aware that I am nearing the threshold of Nirvikalpa Samadhi, where even this subtle sense of presence will dissolve into formlessness. But I also know that this process is not something to force. It will unfold naturally when the time is right.
Final Thoughts
This glimpse into self-realization has been profound and humbling. I have come to understand that the road to ultimate liberation is not about seeking ecstatic experiences but about realizing the truth of who I am, beyond all thoughts and energies. While I have not yet reached the final absorption into the void, the experience has been transformative. I now see that the journey itself is the key, and the ultimate realization lies not in the search for bliss, but in the quiet awareness of being.
In sharing this journey, I hope it serves as a reminder that the path to true self-realization is not always about dramatic peaks, but about gradually and deeply dissolving into the essence of our own being. This realization is available to all, and it begins with the quiet recognition that we are not separate from the source of all existence.
Demystifying Kundalini 