Yoga of Synthesis in Kashmir Shaivam

Author(s): S S Toshkhani
Publisher: S S Toshkhani

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Reality or Siva. It is a state of contemplation in which the world of senses is absorbed into the undifferentiated unity of the universal consciousness. The yogi's awareness of this unity unimpeded by the flux of thought establishes effortlessly him in the essence of his real self. This is sahaja samādhi or Trika samādhi in which consciousness eventually synthesizes with even unconsciousness, subsuming it through progressive sublimation. The sense of 'I-ness' (aham) and 'this-ness' (idam) merge into one.
Liberation, stresses Kashmir Shaivism, can be achieved in two ways: through introverted contemplation or nimīlana samadhi and extroverted contemplation or unmīlana samādhi. In nimīlana samādhi the yogi withdraws his gaze from the external world and turns it inwards, discovering universal consciousness within himself. He perceives the totality of existence reflected in his mind and experiences the inner bliss of contemplative absorption" with his eyes closed as it were. In unmīlana samadhi he opens his eyes to the finite reality of the world outside and discovers Shiva's infinite reality pulsating in every object even if it is inert. It is a state of contemplative absorption in which the expansion of inner consciousness takes place with the eyes open.
A higher state of spiritual realization through which the yogi remains open to the inner world and yet is not closed to the finite realities of the external can be achieved through a practice known as the Bhairavī or Shāmbhavi Mudrā. To put it the words of Paul Muller-Ortega, the Bhairavi Mudrā consists of the identification of the inner vibrating Self as constituting the visible essence of the external finite realities”. Ixxxi Through the practice of this mudrā the yogi is initiated into the state of liberation which is nothing else but Shiva's true nature.
The yoga of Kashmir Shaivism is characterized by the synthesis between the two samādhis, introvert and extrovert. This is realized by a related practice known as the krama mudrä which conjoins the inner world with the outer and the outer world with the inner, both being simultaneously pervaded by the unity of consciousness. In this practice the yogi first turns inward from the outward world in a state of contemplative absorption and then in an expansion of consciousness he exits the inner to enter tihe outer world.