States of Consciousness 2/3: Pathways to Yogic Samadhi – Peter Marchand
The practice of deep meditation known as yogic Samadhi is associated by most people with the life of monks. Yet householder yogis are equally able to attain this altered state of yogic consciousness. It starts with balancing energies, elements, emotions and desires in our lives. It includes the development of a personalized meditation process through sustained spiritual practice (Sadhana). As we prefer, we may combine different approaches in Bhakti, Jnana, Karma, Ashtanga & Tantra Yoga to master our minds and relax our egos. We have to develop a sitting pose that is stable enough to hold our body up as we lose body consciousness at the onset of Samadhi. We equally need to practice breath retention, preparing ourselves for the moment when our breath literally stops by itself. Being fully withdrawn inside, we concentrate on a single inner meditation object while gradually releasing our will power. Thus we create the relaxed but focused state of meditation known as Dhyana. It allows us to be absorbed inside by the state of yogic Samadhi and meet our true divine beingness in its full glory.
Peter Marchand was born in Belgium in 1963, and at the age of twenty he met his original teacher Harish Johari. He studied with him until Harish Johari left the body 16 years later, also meeting some of his many teachers, such as Narayan Rishi and Baba Dwarka Das. Along with his guru brothers and sisters, as well as with the family of Harish Johari, Peter founded Sanatan Society around 2001, as a worldwide networking association to promote the late Harish Johari’s teachings. Peter later received further support and guidance from other teachers, such as the sadhus Narmada Devi Puri and Avadh Behari Das Kathiababa, as well as the shamanic healer Kedar Upreti.
Peter first started teaching in 2005 at the Santoshpuri Ashram in India, while his teachings remained a hobby until 2020. He has written several books – The Yoga of Nine Emotions (2006); The Yoga of Truth (2007); Love Your Ego (2019); Tantric Advaita (2022) and Samadhi, the Deep Meditation Handbook (2024).
