Viveka-Discrimination

 What is Viveka (विवेक)?

The rough translation of the Sanskrit word Viveka into English would be "discrimination." Here, discrimination is not used to discriminate among the various aspects or objects of the world. Viveka विवेक or the discriminatory power of a human being is used for the following:

• to understand the interconnectedness between each and every aspect of the manifested cosmos - it could be a human being with every aspect of Cosmos - microorganisms to stellar bodies, etc.;
• to realize that everything is same in its essence the way it is build up (five elements of nature);
• to realize experientially (not theoretically) that everything is same and is formed or created because of thoughts and the entanglement towards those thoughts; and
• to go beyond the thought processes and merge or become one with the thoughtless and finally melt into the unmanifest or the avyakta अव्यक्त

Viveka विवेक is used as a tool to transcend the mind, to understand the essence of Cosmos and its oneness and enter the state of Samadhi समाधि.

Meditative Techniques

 Meditative Techniques from Patanjali Yoga-sutras

Meditative Techniques from Samadhi Pada:

1. Reasoning and reflection on Truth.

2. Focusing on Silence and Stillness.

3. Single point focus on any one aspect of Ishvara (form or formless).

4. Focusing on pranava shabda – Om.

5. Thinking about the meaning of Ishvara while performing the japa of Ishvara.

6. Regulating the breath - keeping inhalation and exhalation of the same duration.

7. Focusing on any one worldly aspect continuously (may be a flower, flame, etc.)

8. Staying in the neutral state of beyond any attachments of dualities of nature.

9. Focusing on the aspect of deep sleep state.

10. Focusing on the light at the kutastha (on the center of the forehead, between the eyebrows).

Aid to meditation: Friendliness, compassion, pleasantness, being detached to dualities (pain and pleasure; virtue and sin).