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Vasyl Vernyhora
"Meditation in Raja Yoga, Buddhism and According to Neurophysiology: A Practical Guide"
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"Meditation in Raja Yoga, Buddhism and According to Neurophysiology: A Practical Guide" by Vasyl Vernyhora is the ultimate step-by-step guide to meditation practice, with detailed explanations in plain language of the true original meaning of all the related important Sanskrit terms used in the times of Patanjali and Buddha, as well as in the context of advances in neuroscience in the study of the state of meditation.
The book contains a structured description of the psychopractices of Hindu yoga and Buddhism, cleared of superstitions, misconceptions and cargo cults. A thorough comparative analysis of the psychotechniques of yoga and Buddhism, including in the context of their study by neuroscience, shows the unified essence of the transcending teachings of Patanjali and Buddha. A detailed step-by-step description of the practices from the very beginning to achieving the goal of the teachings of Patanjali and Buddha – achieving superconsciousness/buddha consciousness – will be useful for both beginners and experienced meditators.
This book is written for meditation practitioners who want to benefit from authentic self-development methods taught by Patanjali and the Buddha, and is based on my experience of studying Oriental methods of self-development since 1989. I have been visiting India since 1997, living there for a total of more than 7 years, including being in India continuously from 2001 to 2006. Communication with several yogarealized saints, living in various ashrams, receiving several spiritual names and translating several dozen books on Oriental topics allowed me to understand the essence of teachings of self-development. In addition, in 2004, I was perhaps the first CIS resident to receive individual sannyasa diksha – from Somnath Giriji, mahamandaleshwar (one of the chairmen) of the Hindu monastic lineage of the Shri Panch Dashnam Juna akhara, in his head Himalayan ashram.
In the book, I also explain the true practical meaning of various terms related to the practice of meditation, which are often perceived as stereotyped, and not always correctly. These are chitta (the “mirror” of the mind, and not the mind-manas itself), samyama (clairvoyant insight into the essence of things after achieving yogarealization), buddhi, vitarka, vichara, vipashyana, dhyana, samadhi, shamatha, nirvana, arhat (one who has trained real 3-hour shamatha and subsequently achieved the fourth jhana and, accordingly, siddhis) and others.
The book also contains a description of my many-year experience in using neuroheadsets in meditation practice (from early amateur projects of electroencephalographs to ready-made neuroheadsets), including the “EEG Meditation” applications I wrote for real assessment of the quality and duration of samadhi/shamatha meditation.
If this book allows someone to figure out the missing aspects of teachings of raja yoga & Buddhism and, as a result, even make significant progress on this path, not to mention achieving the goal of teachings of Patanjali & Buddha, it will be an incredible luck. If you read this book, the only thing standing between you and achieving Buddhahood is your daily personal proper meditation practice.
Review of the book by Buddhist scholar, Tibetologist, Indologist, candidate of historical sciences Andrey Terentyev, written in March 2024:
“The book by Vasyl Vernyhora 'Meditation in raja yoga, Buddhism and according to neurophysiology' is truly a practical guide to real meditation, and not just another advertisement for a fashionable 'esoteric practice'. This guide is based on the personal long-term practice of the author, who studied meditation in India from Indian and Tibetan teachers. I don’t know any books in European languages that could compare in breadth and depth of coverage of the topic with this book by Vasyl Vernyhora.”
Andrey Terentyev, chief editor of Buddhist publishing house "Narthang"
The book is available in eBook format for $7, in paperback version for $17 with black and white illustrations and for $24 with color ones, and also for $23 with hard cover and black and white illustrations and for $59 (my royalties will be only $4) with color ones.
The book is also available in Ukrainian as an e-book here for $5, and in paperback format with a soft cover with black and white illustrations here for $15 and with color illustrations here for $24, and also for $23 with hard cover and black and white illustrations.
In Russian, the book is available as an e-book here in PDF and EPUB formats for $12. Amazon does not support the publication of books in Russian in any form (the only option is publication through Russian-language intermediary publishers).
On the results of shamatha
Any conscious action performed by a person implies the achievement of a certain goal. And shamatha meditation is no exception. Despite all its intangibility, this is a very effective exercise, the observance of the requirements of which over time leads to those consistent goals that are described in Buddhist texts. Shamatha is the key method of the Buddha's teaching.
To get an idea of what can be expected from the practice of shamatha, one should consider the "route" of this path, proposed by the Buddha, superimposed on a map of the structures of consciousness of a human being, which will be revealed to the meditator as he progresses in his personal practice. Then it becomes possible to describe the fruits of meditation not with vague allegories and figurative expressions, but to mark them with very specific stages that can be achieved by a persistent meditator.
It is also necessary to distinguish between what the meditator is actually required to do – maintain the absence of thoughts and the collectedness of a clear mind, and the results of such practice, which manifest themselves in the form of improved self-control, joy, spontaneous insights and the development of wisdom and, as a result, kindness and compassion. Fulfilling the requirements of shamatha during a meditation session leads to a natural significant increase in a person’s energy potential, due to which spiritual transformation occurs.
Without going into details of the stages of development of consciousness, which require long expanded descriptions like "the trail of shamatha", then in short they can be described as follows. In the traditions of yoga and Vedanta, there is a concept of pancha-kosha, or five sheaths of a human being. The first of these is the physical body. Mind (manas in Sanskrit) is the third sheath, and it is developed by thinking and logic. The supramental fourth and fifth sheaths can only be developed by the practice of shamatha, and not by thinking.
The development of the fourth shell, which in Vedanta is called vijnanamaya-kosha, or the shell of insightful (intuitive) wisdom, and in Buddhism – buddhi (however, this term is also used in Hinduism) leads to the development of intuition, the emergence of insights and, ultimately, clairvoyance. Progress depends not only on the duration of the practice of shamatha, but also on the initial level of development with which a person comes into this world. Initial results are achievable after several years of daily practice, but the development of clairvoyance will require a "professional" monastic approach – a solitary retreat for many decades, provided that the essence of shamatha and its practice is correctly understood.
The highest goal of the Buddha's teaching, which he himself and other saints of the past achieved, is the development of the superconsciousness, or the highest shell of a human being. In Vedanta it is called "anandamaya-kosha", and in Buddhism the term "sambhogakaya" is used to denote such an achievement. Both of these Sanskrit terms are translated as "sheath of bliss". Its development requires decades of daily, multi-hour practice of real shamatha, although in the case of the Buddha it took only 5-6 years.
It should be noted separately that with the help of meditation practice you will not soon begin to travel through the astral worlds, nor will you achieve quick or instant enlightenment. While a person's cognitive abilities are limited to the level of the mind-manas, all activity of consciousness will occur precisely at this level, and going beyond it will be possible only after the development of new, supramental structures of consciousness.
You can learn more about the path, method and consistent results of the practice of the Buddha's teachings from my book "Meditation in Raja Yoga, Buddhism and According to Neurophysiology: A Practical Guide".
Contents
Introduction 9
Chapter 1. Historical and linguistic reviews of the term 'meditation' 15
1.1. Historical overview of the term 'meditation' 15
1.2. Linguistic overview of the term 'meditation' 23
Chapter 2. Meditation in raja yoga – dhyana, samadhi and samyama 27
2.1. Dhyana in raja yoga 27
Qualitative definitions of dhyana in raja yoga 29
Quantitative definitions of dhyana in raja yoga 32
Dhyana and mind 34
The 'Yoga Sutras' of Patanjali 35
Lost in translation 38
The essence of dhyana 41
Comparative analysis of dhyana in raja yoga and Buddhism 42
Thoughts in dhyana are inevitable temporary obstacles on this stage of the path to samadhi, and not its essence or method 43
2.2. Samadhi in raja yoga 44
Lost in translation 46
Samadhi, samapatti or even samamanas? 48
Comparison of yogic samadhi with Buddhist shamatha 50
Samadhi is a state of collectedness of a clear silent mind, and not of gross concentration 53
Types of samadhi 55
Swami Rama, his holy guru and the duration of samadhi 57
The state of samadhi is non-religious 60
The essence of samadhi 61
2.3. Samyama 65
The essence of samyama 67
Possible reference to the use of samyamas in 'Uddhava Gita' 70
Comparison of yogic samyamas with Buddhist vipashyana 71
2.4. An overview of the eight parts of the 'Yoga Sutras' 73
practice in the form of steps 73
2.5. Guru, diksha (initiation) and shaktipat (energy transfer) 77
Meditation and guru 78
Diksha 79
Shaktipat 81
Chapter 3. Meditation in Buddhism – shamatha, dhyanas (jhanas) and vipashyana (vipassana) 83
3.1. Shamatha, samadhi and dhyanas (jhanas) in Buddhism 83
3.1.1. General review 83
An explanation of the essence of the four jhanas for practitioners in simple words and without later distortions 87
An attempt to explain the essence of the five arupa-ayatanas 90
3.1.2. Vitakka and vichara – debatable aspects of the first jhana in the context of the supposed permissibility of thoughts in a state of meditation 97
Centuries-old distortions of the practical teachings of the Buddha by Buddhist theorists 97
Analysis of the Sanskrit terms 'vitarka' and 'vichara' 101
Comparison of the aspects of 'vitarka' and 'vichara' with the features of dhyana of raja yoga 105
On preventing thoughts in shamatha by beginners from the point of view of masters 107
3.1.3. How difficult is it to achieve the first dhyana (jhana)? 109
Historical excursus 109
What exactly can be considered the first dhyana/jhana? 110
'Easy' and 'heavy' dhyanas/jhanas 111
'Easy jhana' and other cargo cults from Buddhist theorists 111
How to start training shamatha? 112
3.1.4. Is nimitta (as light in the mind) obligatory in dhyanas (jhanas)? 115
3.1.5. Tibetan terms for meditation: gom, samten, tingedzin, shine, and lhagtong 119
3.1.6. 'The trail of shamatha' – woodcut with a monk, an elephant, a monkey and a rabbit about the 9 steps of shamatha 121
Details about the practice of shamatha and dhyanas 121
'The trail of shamatha' 123
General conclusions 134
3.1.7. About the exceptional importance of shamatha, the three-hour duration of the achieved shamatha and its accompanying mental and physiological effects 135
3.1.8. The essence of shamatha 142
3.2. Vipashyana (vipassana) 146
Primordial vipashyana (vipassana) 147
Vipassana in the modern Theravada understanding of the Pali Canon 159
Vipashyana in Mahayana and Tibetan Buddhism 159
Vipassana courses in modern Theravada (Southern Buddhism) 160
Mahasi Sayadaw's vipassana courses 163
Goenka's vipassana courses 164
Vipashyana and rigpa 164
3.3. Comparison of the eightfold practice of 'Yoga Sutras' with the Noble Eightfold Path of Buddhism 165
Possible origin and meaning of the yogic term "samyama" in the context of considering the ninth stage of the Noble Tenfold Path of Buddhism 170
Comparison of the tenth stage of the Noble Tenfold Path of Buddhism and Hindu Moksha 171
3.4. Comparison of the Hindu pancha-kosha concept with the Buddhist trikaya concept 172
Hindu 'pancha-kosha' ('five bodies') concept 173
Analogies of the structure of consciousness and practice of samadhi/shamatha in hesychasm and Christianity 175
Mahayana Buddhism "trikaya" ('three bodies') concept 181
The emergence of the sambhogakaya concept and its properties 183
Comparison of the concepts of Hindu anandamaya-kosha and Buddhist sambhogakaya 194
3.5. Why is Buddhism needed and how to stop suffering, or the technology of enlightenment 203
But was Buddha really talking about suffering, and not about the wavering of the chitta? 208
3.6. Meditation in the context of reincarnation in dharmic religions 210
The most common reason for the ineffectiveness of meditation practice is the wrong method of doing it 211
The extreme rarity of achieving superconsciousness as a result of the practice of even correct meditation 212
Meditation practice in the context of reincarnation 212
Our world – bhu-loka – is not the highest of the worlds and not the most blissful 214
In our not-so-blessed world, saints are usually not born, but only become ones in the process of life 214
Saints can choose other worlds during their reincarnation 215
Examples of saints attracting the souls of advanced yogis for birth in our world 216
The attitude towards the problem of death depends on the current level of development of consciousness 217
Attitude to the problem of death also depends on religious views 217
General conclusion 218
Chapter 4. Meditation from the point of view of neurophysiology 219
4.1. Brain and consciousness. EEG and meditation 219
4.2. Neuroheadsets for "groping" the state of samadhi/shamatha meditation and assessing progress in meditation practice 226
Difficulties in using neuroheadsets in meditation practice 238
4.3. The use of a neuroheadset in the practice of meditation 239
Two ways to use a neuroheadset in meditation practice 244
What exactly will you get from using a neuroheadset? 246
What can you get by using a neuroheadset? 249
On the steps of progress in the practice of samadhi/shamatha meditation with neuroheadset based on a long experience of its use 252
Chapter 5. Meditation tutorial 258
5.1. Motivation 258
5.2. Schedule adherence, or 'how much more do I need to meditate to become a buddha?' 262
5.3. Meditation in yoga and Buddhism is precisely the psychotechnique of samadhi/shamatha 268
5.4. Observance of moral principles as a basic condition for the practice of meditation 274
The requirement of observing moral principles in yoga 275
The requirement of observance of moral principles in Buddhism 275
Meditation, morality and karma 276
Absence of moral requirements of yama and niyama in famous texts of hatha yoga 277
What exactly is metta in the Buddha's teaching? 279
Meditation and the development of magnanimity 280
Maitri is an analogue of metta in Patanjali’s yoga 281
Three ways to work off karma 281
Moral commandments and charity 282
Charity in the context of the hierarchyness of levels of consciousness 283
Explanation of the Buddhist siddha yogi about the fundamental impossibility of avoiding ignorance without the practice of samadhi 284
The primary importance of the practice of meditation itself for spiritual growth 285
5.5. The meditator's diet 285
5.6. Pose for meditation practice 287
5.7. Does the quality of meditation depend on noise? Evidence from the Pali Canon and EEG results 294
5.8. Should I shoo away flies and mosquitoes during meditation? 297
5.9. Meditation and breathing – physical and pranic 299
5.10. Should I close my eyes while meditating? 307
5.11. Dharana-concentration and maintaining a state of absence of thoughts (steadfastness of the mirror of the mind) 308
5.12. Distractions of the mind 317
5.13. Sinking of the mind 322
5.14. Samadhi, shamatha, jhanas and 'stations' of consciousness 332
5.15. Using a neuroheadset for unaided accelerated study of samadhi/shamatha 339
5.16. Meditation is not a talent or even a skill, but an energy boost 343
5.17. Isn’t it dangerous to tell everyone about such an efficient practice? 350
5.18. Shamatha is our meditator's everything 355
5.19. Meditation is a necessary mental hygiene in our world nowadays 364
5.20. The essence of meditation 367
A brief description of the essence of yoga and Buddhism from the point of view of practice 377
About the book 382
About the author 383
P. S. A comment on the repetitions in the book.
Some of those readers who have already read the book in full complain about the repetitions that occur in it. Firstly, the book actually consists of 4 different cycles – yogic samadhi, Buddhism, neuroheadsets and a meditation tutorial. And in each of them, the central theme that connects them together is the same samadhi/shamatha psychotechnique. Because of this, there were more different repetitions in the original version of the manuscript. The "repetitions" that remain in the book are not word for word, but are given in different contexts and when presenting meditation from different points of view – yoga, Buddhism, neurophysiology and the practical description in the tutorial, and their removal would distort the flow of the presentation. Samadhi/shamatha meditation has the same method in yoga and Buddhism due to the uniform structure of the functioning of consciousness in all people, since people differ only in the degree of development of various aspects of consciousness (manas, buddhi, sambhogakaya), and not in differences in the structure itself. In view of this, repetitions are inevitable, since I do not want to create false ideas in the reader, by the way, quite popular among Indologists and Buddhologists, that the method of yogic samadhi is supposedly fundamentally different and supposedly incompatible with the method of Buddhist shamatha. Repetitions also serve as confirmation of the identity of the main method proposed by Patanjali and Buddha.
In addition, all people are different. If someone finds the text of the book too long and too repetitive, then there will always be those who will complain about the insufficiently detailed presentation of the material and its excessive brevity. I wrote the book so that the presented material would be understandable to the majority. It is impossible to make a book optimal for everyone. Separately, it can be noted that many readers will not read the entire book, but only the parts that interest them – only about yoga or only about Buddhism, or even only a meditation tutorial. There are even those who are most interested in the chapter on neuroheadsets. Because of this, each of the last four chapters of the book is written in such a way that the reader gets a complete picture of the practice without omissions and gaps in the presentation.
The once unified and most efficient spiritual teaching of samadhi/shamatha of Patanjali and Buddha has long since turned into many fragments of disparate ideas, repeating the fate of the Tower of Babel. Collecting and compilation into a single whole what remains in these fragments will inevitably be associated with repetitions of certain aspects from different teachings that have brought fragments of truth from the past, be it the "Yoga Sutras" of Patanjali, Kashmiri (Trika) Shaivism, the Pali Canon, the Chinese Buddhist Canon, Mahayana, Vajrayana and many other teachings that have come down to us in one form or another, having undergone significant changes over the past 1-2 thousand years.
Secondly, the book provides summaries of the contents of subchapters, chapters and even the entire book. It goes without saying that key points will be repeated, such as, for example, the indication of the disappearance of progress in the practice of shamatha with a break of 1-2 weeks. Moreover, this indication is extremely important information, and at the same time it is practically not given in Buddhist and yogic texts. The reason for this is that meditation theorists are not even aware of this problem, reducing the entire practice of shamatha to an abstract calming of the relaxed mind. It is precisely because of such interruptions in practice, which is of a random, disorderly nature, that among all the Buddhists of the world there are now practically no arhats, not to mention the absence of bodhisattvas and buddhas.
Moreover, in modern Buddhism, the understanding of the essence of the original teaching of the Buddha is significantly distorted, especially in its technological context of the method (through shamatha, which provides the necessary energy effect to ensure the development of superconsciousness structures) and the goal (achievement of superconsciousness, development of supramental structures of superconsciousness). The technological essence of awakening is not that "the dual mind will dissolve", because the mind-manas itself, this only accessible cognitive tool for ordinary unenlightened people and the lowest of the accessible cognitive tools (along with fully developed buddhi and sambhogakaya) for saints, even after achieving enlightenment will remain the same as now. Manas is improved primarily by thinking and logic, and not by shamatha, which develops buddhi and sambhogakaya.
The technological essence of gaining buddha consciousness is not in “getting rid of the mind,” but in developing additional supramental supercognitive structures of consciousness, that is, superconsciousness – buddhi and sambhogakaya. This is achieved due to the natural energetic effect that occurs during regular practice of correct shamatha, and not during thinking.
And now about the main thing. The book is written for those who want to practice the authentic teachings of Patanjali and Buddha, and not for those Indologists, Buddhologists, linguists and literary critics for whom form is more important than content, which, by the way, is also observed in every religion, which usually represents a socialized version of the spiritual teaching of a holy person, emasculated to a template set of dogmas and rituals (for example, see the book by my friend Fida Hassnain "A Search for the Historical Jesus"). In any such sincere book on meditation with detailed research into the essence of spiritual (consciousness-transcending) teaching, one can find repetitions, caused primarily by the fact that numerous generations of theorists from among those who consider themselves meditators, yogis and Buddhists have piled up so many "authoritative" distortions, myths and cargo cults on top of the teachings of Patanjali and Buddha that it will not be possible to clear away all these layers at once in one iteration (in one pass) in the book.
The book is written in such a way as to gradually lead the reader from popular ideas about meditation to those held by Patanjali and Buddha. A simple statement of the results of the research without any introduction will look unconvincing. Or such an attempt to present everything at once will be perceived by many readers as too complicated and unfounded. I hope that the reader will be able to apply the knowledge gained from the book in practice, since without this, reading it will be just another encouragement of the curiosity of the mind-manas without transcending consciousness. It is pointless to look for a description of some miraculous method that will supposedly allow you to immediately experience enlightenment and levitate. Everything comes down to practice – namely, to personal regular practice – of samadhi/shamatha.
Reviews of the book on Amazon:
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Kevin D. Schoeninger
5.0 out of 5 stars: The challenge of true meditation
Reviewed in the United States on October 15, 2024
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Vasyl Vernyhora gives a deep and detailed analysis of what he calls “true meditation” in his book “Meditation in Raja Yoga, Buddhism And According to Neurophysiology.” Here is how he describes true meditation, which is the essence of Yoga and Buddhist practice:
“Patanjali described the essence of yoga with the phrase “chitta-vritti-nirodha” in Sanskrit, meaning curbing (nirodha) of disturbances (vritti) on the mirror of the mind (chitta). This phrase also conveys the essence of Buddhist dhyanas/jhanas with their consistent curbing of more and more subtle mental disturbances while maintaining clarity and collectedness of the mind.” p. 379
This can be achieved either by maintaining one-pointed attention on a meditation object or by maintaining objectless awareness of the nature of mind itself, which is clear collectedness, with the absence of any thought or fluctuation.
There are two primary obstacles to true meditation: distractions and sinking of the mind. Distractions are when attention is drawn away from the object of meditation and sinking of the mind is when attention becomes absorbed to the point of dullness and lack of clarity.
One progresses best in the practice by beginning with multiple short sessions and gradually increasing to longer sessions. The goal being a 3-hour sit without any fluctuation of the mind. At this point, the practice is so ingrained that it can go on as long as desired. It is also at this point that superconscious structures are generated which make possible superior ethical responsiveness as well as other powers.
The author gives an account of how this practice was described by both Patanjali and the Buddha. Over time, the essence of the practice was largely lost in both traditions, replaced by debate over textual interpretation and rituals that missed the point altogether. As a result, there are scarcely any practitioners today who have mastered this practice.
The author himself is a dedicated and well-trained practitioner and has extensively studied the texts and traditions to give an in-depth account of both the practice and how it has been lost in the current Yoga and Buddhist communities. He also gives a detailed description of how true meditation can be scientifically demonstrated and practiced using EEG headsets.
Having practiced meditation myself for forty years, I concur with the effectiveness of the practice he describes. I have also found it helpful to emphasize practices that prepare one for meditation and to use what I call “point, path, and field” focal objects to train the mind, as well as practices which move from gross to subtle inner sensory cues. So, effective meditation may include more diverse and complementary practices than true meditation as described in this book.
I find these preparations and progressive practices to quiet the mind, relax the body, and calm emotions even more important these days. Our whole civilization seems to be trained to a state of persistent stress and ADHD because of our conditioning by the incessant pressures of our consumer culture and the competing bits of information that vie for our attention.
I also find that while a 3-hour sit in undisturbed clarity and collectedness would undoubtedly have extraordinary effects, the reality of our current life mitigates against that. Substantial transformations of consciousness can be had with consistent shorter practice sessions. Consistency of practice is something we can all engage in and should be encouraged.
Having finished the whole book, while the author can be condescending and repetitive in his presentation, I highly recommend this book for those who are dedicated to practicing meditation. Personally, I found Chapter 5, Meditation Tutorial, beginning on p. 266, the most informative and helpful portion of the book.
3 people found this helpful
Fred Mellender
5.0 out of 5 stars: Comprehensive and authoritative
Reviewed in the United States on November 2, 2024
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This book contains a lot of information, tightly packed. As such, it may be a daunting read for people not familiar with meditation terminology and traditions. Therefore, I recommend the following way to approach the book.
First, read section 5.20 ("The essence of meditation") through the end of the book. That starts with the author's bona fide:
"This book is the result of my theoretical and practical study of the methods of self-development proposed by Patanjali and Buddha, which began in 1989 and continued during my more than seven years of residence in India".
The rest of the section will give a summary of the author's view of meditation.
Then, I recommend section 4.3 for those interested in using a 'neuroheadset' to explore their own practice of meditation. This is useful for those experienced and inexperienced in the use of these gadgets. The author is an expert in this area; he can help you avoid mistakes and save you a lot of time. He has written (free) software for some devices.
Then you can start at the beginning and read the entire book. In spots it is very scholarly and somewhat mystifying for those who (like me) are not so well versed in Buddhist and Yoga traditions and terminology. Still, it is informative and well worth a determined effort.
3 people found this helpful
vberchuk
5.0 out of 5 stars: Good practical contemporary view at the eastern philosophy of meditation
Reviewed in the United States on November 22, 2024
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The book provides an insightful and comprehensive exploration of meditation from multiple perspectives. The author's ability to weave together the philosophical depth of Raja Yoga and Buddhism with contemporary neurophysiological insights makes it an invaluable resource for both seasoned practitioners and beginners. The practical exercises and clear explanations empower readers to deepen their meditation practice while fostering a greater understanding of its benefits. This book is a gem for anyone looking to enrich their spiritual journey and enhance their mental well-being.
One person found this helpful
Federico Zahariev
5.0 out of 5 stars: a unique exploration into the essence of meditation from multiple perspectives
Reviewed in the United States on November 3, 2024
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"Meditation in Raja Yoga, Buddhism, and Neurophysiology" by Vasyl Vernyhora is a very unusual investigation into the essence of meditation from different points of view. Drawing from years of experience related to Eastern philosophy, the author goes deep into the historic and linguistic features of meditation, explaining with accuracy such complicated concepts as samadhi and shamatha. It is a practically oriented book that merges insights from Raja Yoga and Buddhism with knowledge in neurophysiology to show the transformation in ability meditation can offer. This work enlightens the practitioners or beginners about how deep meditation goes.
One person found this helpful
Den
5.0 out of 5 stars: This book can move you forward with meditation and mental health
Reviewed in the United States on November 2, 2024
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I appreciated how this book covers the spiritual side but also the physical effects on the brain. It's written in a simple way but gives a deep understanding of how each tradition views the mind. It’s a great choice for beginners and those who want to go beyond the basics.
Among other things, the book provides a unique description of the woodcut "The trail of shamatha" with additional explanations not found in known descriptions of it. For example, about the true reasons for the manifestation of plasticity of the mind and body on the upper steps.
2 people found this helpful
Chagdyr Sandzhiev
5.0 out of 5 stars: An extremely useful book
Reviewed in the United States on November 22, 2024
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The book is extremely useful and definitely necessary for in-depth study. Of course, there are controversial points, most of which can be confirmed or refuted only after achieving the result of intensive practice. Therefore, we dare!
One person found this helpful
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars: An experienced path to calm
Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2024
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The author presents his genuine exploration of the topic. Unique, rare insights into how to successfully approach the process. Not a theoretical analysis but a report of direct experience.
One person found this helpful
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars: If you want to know about meditation – read this book.
Reviewed in the United States on August 6, 2024
The author definitely knows very well what he writes about. Among thousands of books, which claim to be about meditation, this is a real pearl. So if you want to know about meditation – read this book.
3 people found this helpful
Volodymyr Habuda
5.0 out of 5 stars: True Wisdom Before Profit – A Rare Find in Today's
Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2024
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This book is a true gem for anyone interested in meditation. Having followed the author's work for several years, I can confidently say that his deep understanding of meditation practice is invaluable. It's particularly impressive how the author masterfully combines years of practical experience gained during his long-term stay in India with modern technological innovations.
What makes this author unique is his innovative approach to meditation practice. He has created a revolutionary tool – used a neuro-headset, redesigned it, and combined it with software developed by him for phones and computers. This isn't just another commercial product, but a real breakthrough in meditation practice, created with a sincere desire to help practitioners.
I would compare this neuroheadset to a stopwatch for a runner. Just as an athlete cannot accurately evaluate their progress without measuring time, meditators previously had no objective indicators of their development. This tool, for the first time in meditation history, gives practitioners the ability to track their progress, understand where they are and where they're going.
This is truly a revolutionary approach that combines ancient wisdom with modern technology, and I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants not just to understand the essence of meditation, but also to have the ability to objectively track their progress in this practice
3 people found this helpful
Alex Karmazin
5.0 out of 5 stars: A useful and profound book on Buddhist meditation.
Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2024
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After reading this book, you realize that the author is a practitioner and has written based on personal experience. Nevertheless, it contains a deep historical excursus that highlights many contradictory aspects of Buddhism and helps separate the wheat from the chaff. The author points out what constitutes true practice and what is merely a cargo cult. I was especially pleased with the section discussing the use of neuroheadsets for meditation. This is truly a very useful and innovative approach that can bring a scientific perspective to meditation and make it a subject of research with quantitative metrics. In this sense, the book stands in stark contrast to most of the spiritual fast food that has flooded the market, and feels like a breath of fresh air and common sense on the topic.
Paul Godbold
5.0 out of 5 stars: An Enlightening Read that will Stand Me in Good Stead for Years to Come
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 31, 2024
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I have a deep interest in meditation and neuroscience. For more than 1000 days, I have been meditating daily, monitoring my brainwaves via an EEG for at least one hour. During this time, I and others have noticed changes in me, particularly a profound increase in my emotional intelligence. It was this that prompted me to delve into Vasyl Vernyhora's book Meditation in Raja Yoga, Buddhism, and according to Neurophysiology, A Practical Guide.
Although I was aware of the changes and positive benefits Shamatha meditation has brought me, I craved additional context. Fortunately, this book provided many of the answers I sought.
Vasyl has crammed a tremendous amount of information into 372 pages, and I am pleased to say that it is readable and enjoyable—nothing like the academic tome it could have been. Admittedly, I haven't read every word on each page. Instead, I chose to focus on the chapters that were most pertinent to me.
Interweaving modernity with tradition while bringing a liberal dose of culture is far from easy. However, Vasyl did this with aplomb, which made the information easy to digest.
Given that his book contains so much information, it doesn't feel overly mind-boggling; instead, it has provided doors that need exploring, many of which I was completely unaware of. I have been thrilled with the additional knowledge I have gained thus far, and the way the book is structured makes it one you can keep referring to when needed.
If you, like me, are interested in understanding the interplay between meditation and the mind, I recommend you read this book.
MICHAEL
5.0 out of 5 stars: Forgotten True Essence of Meditation
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 7 November 2024
This book dives deep into meditation, focusing on the transcending Samadhi/Shamatha technique to help you reach higher states of consciousness. The author does a great job of tracing these meditation practices back to the Buddha, grounding everything in tradition.
What I appreciated most is how the book challenges the modern view of meditation, which often feels like it's all about making money as a stress reliever. Instead, it reminds us that meditation has a deeper, more meaningful purpose—it's about personal transformation, not just relaxation.
The author also makes meditation feel approachable. You don’t need years of experience or study to start; anyone can dive right in and benefit from these techniques.
One thing that stood out is how the author uses an EEG neuro-headset to monitor brainwaves during meditation. It’s a cool mix of ancient practices and modern tech, helping track progress in ways many haven’t seen before.
One person found this helpful
Nedokushev Mykhailo
5.0 out of 5 stars: I recommend it for those who want to understand what meditation is.
Reviewed in Spain on November 17, 2024
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The author performs a comparative analysis of the key concepts of yoga and the Buddha's teachings, revealing the general essence of the practical method that underpins them.
Reviews of the book on Goodreads:
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Nina
November 6, 2024
Detailed, thorough, informative and useful!
Vladislav Matrenitsky
November 9, 2024
Deep and wide explanatioon of meditation, based on practical experience. The author not just practitioner but also created very useful program/app for brain monitoring devices that increase you training abilities. I use it every day. Higly recommended!
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