Awakening vs. Liberation: What Happens After Kensho — An Interview with Dan Schmidt

There are two main forms of sadhana: sadhana before awakening, and sadhana post awakening. Much of the spiritual world is focused on the practices that lead to a glimpse of awakening or "kensho," but what happens afterwards? The vasanas and samskaras, the latent tendencies of the unconscious mind are still in play after a glimpse of awakening. Upon awakening, one may understand the futility of seeking things in the external world. It may be the end of conscious seeking but yet traces of the old seeker still remain. Liberation is when all traces of the seeker are brought into the light of presence. The glimpse of awakening is the beginning of a new form of sadhana; a sadhana without a doer.