The Shala Daily

We’ve explored what samadhi is—seeded and seedless—and the four stages within distinguished absorption. But how do we get there? Sutras 1.19 through 1.22 address the causes and conditions.

🌱 Prior Preparation (Sutra 1.19)

Some practitioners, Patanjali says, arrive at deep states relatively easily. Why? Because of bhava-pratyaya—readiness arising from their condition or being.

The traditional interpretation: accumulated practice from previous lives creates inner conditions that make certain states accessible. The samskaras from past effort don’t disappear—they mature across lifetimes.

Whether or not you hold a literal view of rebirth, the principle holds within a single life: the student who practiced intensely for years before finding formal instruction often progresses quickly. Something was prepared before the formal teaching began.

🔥 Ardent Longing (Sutra 1.21)

For those not already “ripe,” Sutra 1.21 offers hope and instruction: tīvra-saṃvegānām āsannaḥ—attainment is near for those whose longing is intense.

This is tapas expressed as desire. Not grasping, but burning aspiration. The student who aches for liberation, who can’t be satisfied by worldly gains, who practices not from obligation but from necessity—this student accelerates.

The sutras don’t moralize about this. Some people burn hotter than others. Those who burn hotter arrive sooner.

📊 Degree of Practice (Sutra 1.22)

Sutra 1.22 adds nuance: mṛdu-madhyādhimātratvāt tato ‘pi viśeṣaḥ—there is further distinction depending on whether practice is mild, moderate, or intense.

The classical commentator Vyāsa reads this as implying nine gradations: mild-mild, mild-moderate, mild-intense, moderate-mild, and so on. Results vary according to the manner and degree of effort.

This isn’t about forcing intensity. It’s about honest self-assessment. Where am I on this spectrum? And if I want to go deeper, what would it mean to bring more to my practice?

🙏 The Supporting Conditions (Sutra 1.20)

For most practitioners—those not already ripe from prior preparation—progress comes through a set of supporting dispositions:

Śraddhā — faith, trust in the path
Vīrya — energetic effort, vigor
Smṛti — mindful remembrance, continuity
Samādhi — meditative absorption (even glimpses support more)
Prajñā — discriminative wisdom

And underlying all: abhyasa and vairagya—steady practice and non-attachment. Ishvara pranidhana—surrender to something larger—also appears as a support for some practitioners.

🧘 The Honest Question

These sutras ask us to be honest: How intense is my aspiration? How consistent is my practice? Am I mild, moderate, or ardent?

There’s no shame in mild. But if we want what the yogis described—not just stress relief but liberation—the sutras are clear: degree matters.

— MJH