Adi Shankaracharya had explained about six different kinds
of Samadhi in the Vivekachudamani and Drig Drishya Viveka.
- Meditating upon one’s self as the witness of desires and other activities of the mind.
- Knowing the self to be free from contacts, self luminous, being consciousness bliss and non-dual.
- Experiencing the exalted feeling of Self derived from the ecstasy of the above two states and yet discarding them both and remaining motionless like an unflickering light in a windless place.
- Discarding with indifference outer things, things which have name and form, and meditating on the underlying Reality.
- Knowing and being aware at all times that That which manifests as Being-Consciousness-Bliss (sat chit ananda) is the universal Brahman.
- With the experience of the above two, overcoming all desires and remaining calm and motionless like the waveless ocean.
By constantly practicing these six kinds of Samadhi at all
times and without intermission one can attain the state of natural thought free
awareness. Until this state is attained the ego is not completely destroyed. Once
this state is attained one may seem to others to see and hear, to eat and
sleep, but it is an appearance only. Whatever one may do one really remains
inactive.