[Advaita-l] Guru Purnima #4: Can you measure meditation? Don't be silly - it's not golf, there is no par score.

[Sundar Rajan]

YouTube Video with explanations:
https://youtu.be/YLrs-AWltas?si=JGHbUNiFfpoOoT-h

This question has come up in the past: "When you say you had a good
meditation session, how do you know that? What do you mean 'good'?"

This got me thinking, so I brainstormed. I used the Vedantic method of *Neti,
Neti* ("not this, not this") to strip away what meditation *isn't*:

   - -- Not just sitting for 30 minutes
   - -- Not perfect posture
   - -- Not suppressing all thoughts
   - -- Not seeing lights or colors
   - -- Not physical stillness

 Three measures finally emerged after reflecting upon my own experience  :

   - *Absorption* — Was I truly focused and engaged?
   - *Peace* — Did (some) genuine tranquility arise?
   - *Bliss* — Did some pleasantness emerge naturally?

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*Ancient Wisdom Meets AI Validation*

With these measures in hand, I asked ChatGPT a challenging question:

*"If absorption, peace, and bliss were on the y-axis, and meditation
methods or stages were on the x-axis, how would the chart look—using
Chapter 6 of the Bhagavad Gita as a framework?"*

I knew that modern methods like app-based meditation, mindfulness, or TM
don't appear in the Gita—but I asked ChatGPT to include them anyway,
alongside the classical yogic stages.

ChatGPT autonomously created this progression, integrating modern methods
with classical yogic stages:

   1. *App-based meditation* → mild relaxation
   2. *Mindfulness* → steady peace
   3. *Breath practices (Art of Living)* → higher absorption
   4. *Transcendental Meditation* → deeper bliss
   5. *Classical stages (Dharana → Dhyana → Samadhi)* → complete fulfillment

The AI mapped the entire inner journey—bridging 3,000-year-old wisdom with
modern approaches—completely on its own.
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*The Three Measures: Supported by Scripture and Science*

The framework held beautifully across both ancient scriptures and
contemporary research:

   - *Absorption:*
      - *Classical:* Bhagavad Gita 6.19 describes the steady mind like "a
      lamp in a windless place." The Yoga Sutras call it a continuous, unbroken
      stream of awareness. That is the ultimate benchmark. While it seems
      unreachable, even a stretch of steadiness, with less flickering and
      distraction, is a good sign.
      - *Modern:* TM shows measurable brain coherence; psychology
      recognizes *"*flow states*."*
   - *Peace:*
      - *Classical:* Gita 6.15 states the yogi attains supreme peace (*śā*
      *nti*). That is the ultimate yardstick. Even small glimpses of soft
      calm point to a good session.
      - *Modern:* Harvard Health studies on mindfulness; research on Art of
      Living's stress reduction.
   - *Bliss:*
      - *Classical:* Gita 6.20-22 speaks of "supreme joy beyond the
      senses.". That is the ultimate pinnacle to aim for. Even if the
goal isn't
      reached, a subtle, unprompted sense of joy or calm that emerges naturally
      indicates progress.
      - *Modern:* TM's *"*bliss consciousness*"* neuroscience on gamma
      waves; *Psychology Today*'s "blissful awareness."

------------------------------

*Insight*

The AI recognized these authentic patterns, creating a map of the inner
journey that bridges three millennia of wisdom.

Blog post :
https://quantumviewpoint.blogspot.com/2025/09/what-makes-good-meditation-session.html

or a playlist:
https://studio.youtube.com/playlist/PLPA2J3pvHbj6sjlz7O3gOK-jAhCqWkJjY/videos

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