1.47 Purifying integration

1.47 Integration beyond contemplation (nirvichara) purifies the inner self.

This sutra is a reminder that the meditation experience, like all of yoga, is a process of shedding all that is unnecessary. Going through the progression of meditation takes you from being free of distractions to refining your ability to direct your awareness towards increasingly subtle objects of meditation. Reaching the level of integration beyond contemplation (nirvichara samadhi) cleanses the inner self. The ways of being that used to cloud the yogi’s awareness are effectively halted. The result is wisdom. This means that you perceive everything just as it is instead of seeing through the filters of your beliefs, stories, opinions and preferences. Is it possible that the filters that color your perception are gradually becoming less dominant? Is the internal voice that comments and judges everything you perceive becoming quieter? Please remember that these questions are invitations to contemplate yourself, your inner world and your interactions with yourself and with others. These questions plant seeds of curiosity to support you in your process of cultivating the inner peace that flows from your true nature.

As usual, one more way of exploring the meaning of this sutra is by chanting it.
You can choose to chant it in its traditional form with some of the words coming together:

1.47 nirvicāravaiśāradye’dhyātmaprasādaḥ
निर्विचारवैशारद्येऽध्यात्मप्रसादः ॥४७॥

Another option is to chant each word in the sutra individually:

• nirvicāra
• vaiśāradye
• adhyātma
• prasādaḥ