Seven Types of Individual Liberation

Source: The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad by Swami Krishnananda; http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/brdup/brhad_notes.html (Chapter Three)

Every object of meditation has a Form (Sarira), an Abode (Ayatana), an Eye (Chakshus) of cognition, a Light (Jyotis), and a Deity (Devata), all which have to come together in the Integral Concept of meditation:

The Personal Body of an individual which is the Form has the Earth (Prithvi) as its Abode, Fire (Agni) as its Eye, the Mind (Manas) as the Light, and the Immortal Antaryamin as the Deity.

The Desire-Body which is the Form has Desire (Kama) as the Abode, the Heart (Hridaya) as the Eye, the Mind (Manas) as the Light, and one's Sexual Counterpart as the Deity.

The Purusha in the Sun which is the Form has Colour (Rupa) as the Abode, the visible Eye (Chakshus) as the Eye, the Mind (Manas) as the Light, and the Eye of Virat as the Deity.

The Power behind reverberations of sound which is the Form, has Ether (Akasa) as the Abode, the Ear (Srotra) as the Eye, the Mind (Manas) as the Light, and the Quarters as the Deity.

The Phantom-Body (Chhayamaya-Purusha) seen by the senses, which is the Form, has Ignorance (Tamas) as the Abode, the Heart (Hridaya) as the Eye, the Mind (Manas) as the Light, and Death (Mrityu) as the Deity; because the attraction of the senses to external objects is the way to death.

The Imaginary Person seen in a mirror, which is the Form, has reversed Perception (the right becoming the left and the left becoming the right) as the Abode, the visible Eye (Chakshus) as the Eye, the Mind (Manas) as the Light, and Love of Life (Asu), or the hope of the senses as the Deity.

The Person as seen reflected in water (as in the mirror), which is the Form, has Water (Apas) as the Abode, the Heart (Hridaya) as the Eye, the Mind (Manas) as the Light, and Varuna as the Deity.

The Urge for progeny (Putramaya-Purusha), which is the Form, has Virility (Retas) as the Abode, the Heart (Hridaya) as the Eye, the Mind (Manas) as the Light, and Prajapati as the Deity.

The Deity of the East is the Sun, who is rooted in the Eye of Virat, which is rooted in the perception of Form, which, again, is rooted in Intelligence or Feeling. The Deity of the South is Yama, whose Abode is rooted in Sacrifice, which is rooted in the hope for reward of the Sacrifice, which is rooted in the Faith of the Heart in the efficacy of the Sacrifice to produce results. The Deity of the West is Varuna, whose abode is water, whose essence is the Virile Seed (Retas), which is rooted in the Heart, for Desire is a quality of the Heart which ushers in every endeavour at its fulfilment. The Deity of the North is the Moon (Soma), the attainment of whom is rooted in the religious Vow (Diksha), which is rooted in Truth (Satya), which is a characteristic rooted in the Conscience (Hridaya). The Deity of the Above, or the Fixed Direction overhead, is Agni (because of the brilliance of the light in the sky above), which is rooted in the Speech of Virat, which is rooted in the Feeling (Hridaya) for the perception of Name, Form and Action. The Feeling, or the Heart, is identical with one's own Self.

The Body and the Mind are rooted in the prana, which is rooted in the Apana, which is rooted in the Vyana, which is rooted in the Udana, which, again, is rooted in the Samana.

Thus are the Great Comprehensive Meditations