PATANJALI MEDITATION

 

                                                     

                                    PATANJALI YOGA

                                          

           

             IN YOGA SUTRAS, THE SAGE PATANJALI COMPILED ASHTANGA YOGA WHICH LITERALLY MEANS EIGHT LIMBS" (AHTA-EIGHT, ANGA-LIMB). THESE EIGHT PROGRESSIVE STEPS ARE GUIDELINES TO PURIFY BODY AND MIND WHICH ULTMATELY LEAD TO SELF REALIZATION. THEY HELP ONE TO LIVE A MEANINGFUL, PURPOSEFUL AND PEACEFUL LIFE AND THEY GUIDE ONE TO GROW SPIRITUALLY . THE EIGHT STEPS OF THE LADDER ARE YAMA, NIYAMA, ASANA, PRANAYAMA, PRATYAHARA, DHARANA, DHYANA AND SAMADHI. THE FIRST FIVE ARE CALLED BAHIRANGA SADHANA I.E. EXTERNAL AIDS TO YOGA. AND THE REST HELP ONE TO GROW INTERNALLY AND ARE KNOWN AS ANTARANGA SADHANA.

                        YAMA :       YAMA MEANS ABSTENTION. IT DEALS  WITH ATTITUDE AND BEHAVIOUR THAT ONE SHOULD HAVE TOWARDS PEOPLE AND THINGS OUTSIDE ONE'S BODY. IT CAN ALSO BE DESCRIBED AS UNIVERSAL MORTALITY. IT IS THE FIRST STEP OF THE LADDER TO ENLIGHTENMENT AND IT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL. IN SHORT IT IS DESCRIBED AS "ONE AS SHOULD TREAT OTHERS AS ONE WOULD LIKE OTHERS TO TREAT ONESELF".  THE FIVE YAMAS ARE AHIMSHA (NON VIOLENCE) SATYA (TRUTHFULNESS), ASTEYA (NON STEALING), BRAHMACHARYA (CONTINENCE) AND APARIGRAHA (NON CONVETOUSNESS). THEY ARE BASIC STEPS TO CHANGE HUMAN NATURE TO DIVINE NATURE. THEY REMOVE NEGATIVE TRAITS LIKE CRUELTY, STEALING, VIOLENCE AND HARSHNESS. THEY FILL THE HEART WITH KINDNESS, LOVE AND PURITY. THESE SHOULD BE PRACTISED BY ALL IRRESPECTIVE OF AGE, RACE, POSITION, TIME OR NATION.

                     AHIMSA: AHIMSHA LITERALLY MEANS NOT TO INJURE ANY LIVING BEING WITH ACTIONS, WORDS OR THOUGHTS, IT IS SUPREME LOVE - LOVE FOR ALL HUMAN BEINGS AND OTHER LIVING ORGANISM IN THE WORLD. AHIMSHA MEANS NOT TO SHOW CRUELTY TO ANY LIVING BEING IN ANY WAY AND IN ANY SITUATION ACCORDING TO MAHATMA GANDHI, "WHEN A PERSON CLAIMS TO BE NON VIOLENT, HE IS EXPECTED NOT TO BE ANGRY WITH ONE WHO HAS INJURED HIM. HE WILL NOT WISH HIM HARM. HE WILL WISH HIM WELL. HE WILL NOT SWEAR AT HIM, HE WILL NOT CAUSE HIM ANY PHYSICAL HURT. HE WILL PUT UP WITH ALL THE INJURY TO WHICH HE IS SUBJECTED TO BY THE WRONGDOER" THUS NON-VIOLENCE IS COMPLETE ABSENSE OF ILL-WILL AGAINST ALL LIVING BEINGS. IT THEREFORE EMBRACES EVEN SUB-HUMAN LIFE NOT EXCLUDING NOXIOUS INSECTS OR BEASTS. IT MEANS KINDNESS AND FRIENDLINESS FOR EVERYONE. IN EVERY SITUATION ONE HAS TO BE CONSIDERATE AND NOT HARM ANY CREATURES ON THIS EARTH.

                          MAHATMA GANDHI TAUGHT THE WORLD, "WHEN THERE IS NO DESIRE FOR FRUIT, THERE IS NO TEMPTATION FOR UNTRUTH OR HIMSA. TAKE ANY INSTANCE OF UNTRUTH OR VIOLENCE, AND IT WILL BE FOUND THAT AT ITS BACK WAS THE DESIRE TO ATTAIN THE CHERISHED END". IBE SGIYKD STOP PHYSICAL , SPEAKING  HARSH WORDS AND NEGATIVE, HARMFUL AND DESTRUCTIVE THINKING IMMEDIATELY. VIOLENCE AGITATES ONE'S MID WHEREAS NON VIOLENCE CALMS ONE'S MIND.

                      SATYA - SATYA MEANS TRUTHFULNESS IN ACTION, WORD AND THOUGHT, IT MEANS HONEST COMMUNICATION.

              ONE SHOULD BE HONEST AND TRUTHFULNESS IN ONE'S ACTION.

              ONE SHOULD BE TRUTHFULNESS IN WORDS THAT ONE SPEAKS.

               ONE SHOULD SAY WHAT ONE THINKS. IT IS THE TRUTHFULNESS IN THOUGHTS. SOME BUSINESSMEN MAINTAIN TWO SEPARATE ACCOUNTS. ONE FOR BLACK MONEY AND THE OTHER FOR WHITE MONEY. THE INCOME AND EXPENDITURES OF BOTH ACCOUNTS ARE KEPT SEPARATELY. THEY HIDE ONE FROM THE GOVERNMENT AND REVEAL THE OTHER. IF BUSINESSMAN ACCOUNT. IN THE SAME MANNER IF ONE LIES THEN THE MIND HAS TO MAINTAIN ONLY ONE TYPE OF ACCOUNT. ONE FOR TRUTH AND OTHER FOR LIES. TWO DIFFERENT SECTIONS IN MIND MEAN MORE NUMBER OF THOUGHTS. ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS WILL REQUIRE MORE TIME AND ENERGY TO STILL THE MIND. HENCE, SPEAK THE TRUTH". 

                      ASTEYA - ASTEYA MEANS "NON-STEALING" AND NOT TO TAKE ANYTHING THAT DOES NOT BELONG TO ONE. ONE SHOULD RESIST THE DESIRE TO ACCEPT THAT DOES NOT BELONG TO ONE.

                        ONE SHOULD NOT DESIRE MORE THAN REQUIRED IF IT ONE'S OWN. GLUTTONY IS STEALING OF FOOD EVEN IF ONE CAN PAY FOR THAT. HOARDING MONEY IS ALSO STEALING EVEN THOUGH ONE HAS EARNED IT HONESTLY. IT ALSO MEANS NON COVETOUSNESS.

                          BY REDUCING ONE'S WANTS ONE WILL BE ABLE TO CONTROL ONE'S DESIRE. ONE SHOULT NOT ACCEPT ANY OBJECT OR SERVICE FREE OF COST. ONE SHOULD AVOID STEALING AS WELL AS HOARDING. ONLY THEN ONE WILL PROGRESS ON SPIRITUAL PATH. THE EASIEST WAY TO CONTROL ASTEYA IS "I HAVE ALL I NEED".

                      BRAHMACHARYA - HERE BRAHMACHARYA MEANS TO USE ONE'S SEXUAL ENERGY TO REGENERATE ONE'S CONNECTION TO ONE'S SPIRITUAL SELF. SEXUAL ENERGY IS BROUGHT DOWN DURING SEXUAL INTERCOURSE TO GIVE BIRTH TO A NEW BODY WHEREAS DURING MEDITATION SEXUAL ENERGY IS CONSERVED BY CLOSING ALL THE HOLES OF LEAKAGE AND DIVERTING THE STORED ENERGY INTO PROPER CHANNEL BY PUSHING IT UPWARDS TO GIVEN A NEW BIRTH TO ONE SELF. HENCE, BRAHMACHARYA MEANS TO CONVERT SEXUAL ENERGY TO SPIRITUAL ENERGY AND TO USE IT PROPERLY FOR SELF REALISATION.

                         BRAHMACHARYA MEANS WALKING WITH BRAHMA. CONSIDERING TOUCH AS MOTHERLY TOUCH IS BRAHMACHARYA OF SKIN. NOT WATCHING PORNOGRAPHY IS BRAHMACHARYA OF EYE. NOT HEARING ANY LUSTFUL TALK IS THE BRAHMACHARYA OF EAR. NOT SMELLING BODY ODOUR OF WOMAN IS BRAHMACHARYA OF NOSE. NOT TALKING VULGARLY ABOUT WOMAN IS BRAHMACHARYA OF TONGUE. NOT THINKING ABOUT NUDE WOMEN IS BRAHMACHARYA OF THOUGHTS. MENTAL BRAHMACHARYA CAN BE ATTAINED BY CHANTING GOD'S NAME. MEDITATION AND BY REMOVING DUALITY OF MIND ABOUT MAN AND WOMAN AND CONSIDERING THEM AS ONE BRAHMA OR GOD.