Can you measure meditation? Don’t be silly – it’s not golf, there is no par score

Can you measure meditation? Don’t be silly – it’s not golf, there is no par scoreThis episode explores a framework for rigorously measuring the deeply subjective experience of meditation by defining three authentic internal measures: absorption, peace (Shanti), and bliss. Developed by Sundar Rajan, this approach first uses the ancient Vedantic method of neti neti ("not this, not this") to eliminate misleading external or secondary factors like clock time, physical stillness, and sensory effects. The core innovation lies in using Artificial Intelligence (AI), specifically by posing a conceptual challenge to a large language model, to autonomously map how various modern and classical meditation practices progress along these three internal axes, anchored by the ancient structure of the Bhagavad Gita. This unique synthesis validates that the journey of inner development—from initial relaxation to the ultimate state of Samadhi—follows a universal, measurable pattern, offering practitioners a reliable internal rubric rather than misleading performance metrics.