HOW TO PRACTICE THE YOGA

                                  

                          YOGA IN ANCIENT TEACHINGS

                                                  ❤❤

                LET'S MOVE TO THE EARLIEST REFERENCES TO YOG IN THE ANCIENT TEACHINGS. THE FIRST REFERENCE TO YOGA IN THE UPANISHADS, THE BRAHMANICAL TEXTS, OCCURS IN THE KATHA UPANISHAD.

                  KATHA UPANISHAD: RESTRAINT OF THE SENSES - WHEN THE FIVE SENSES (UNSTRUMENTS OF KNOWLEDGE) AND THE MIND REMAIN STILL, NOT ACTIVE, IT IS KNOWN AS THE HIGHEST STATE. YOGA IS CONSIDERED AS THE RESTRAINT OF THE SENSES. THEN ONE IS INDISTRACTED, FOR YOGA IS THE RISING AND THE PASSING AWAY.

                    THEN THE BHAGAVAD GITA:👀

                         TRANQUILLITY AND SKILLED ACTION:

                        * PERFORM ACTIONS ESTABLISHED IN YOGA, GIVE UP ATTACHMENT, ARJUJA. TREAT SUCCESS AND FAILURE AND EQUAL. YOGA IS EQUANIMITY.

                        * YOGA IS TO BE SKILLED IN ACTION.

                       * YOGA IS TO BE SKILLED IN ACTION.

                      * YOGA IS SEPARATION FROM CONTANT WITH SUFFERERING.

                      * THE YOGA IS SUPERIOR TO THE ASCETICS, SUPERIOR TO THOSE WHO HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE, EVEN THE RITUALISTS. BE A YOGI, ARJUNA.

                       THE MAHABHARATA SAYS :👀

                        THERE IS NO POWER EQUAL TO YOGA. NO KNOWLEDGE EQUAL TO SANKHYA.

                                THEN THERE ARE A NUMBER OF YOGACHARA TEXTS OF THE BUDDHISTS. THE YOGACARABHUMI-SASTRA IS ONE AMONG MANY TEXTS THAT DEAL WITH YOGA. THERE IS ALSO A BODY OF SRAMANA LITERATURE LINKED TO THE ANCIENT JAINA SCHOOL OF THOUGHT THAT ELABORATE ON YOGIC PRACTICES. THE YOGACHARA SCHOOL, IT SHOULD BE NOTED, PRE-DATES PATANJALI'S YOGA SUTRAS. THE CLASSIC DEFINITION OF YOGA IN THE YOGA SUTRAS IS :

                    GIVEN BELOW ARE SOME OF THE TITLES :

                                                   ❤❤

                   1. VAISESIKA SUTRA

                   2. MALINIVIJAYOTTARA TANTRA

                   3. SHIVA PURANA

                   4. VYASA'S COMMENTARY ON THE YOGA SUTRAS OF PATANJALI

                   5. VASISTHA SAMHITA

                  6. YOGASASTRA OF HEMACHANDRA

                  7. YOGA BIJA

                  8. HAMSAVILASA OF SRI HAMSAMITHU

                  9. GHERANDA SAMHITA

                 10. GORAKSHA SHATAKA

                 11. YOGA PRADIPIKA

                 12. YOGA YAJNAVALKYA

                    THERE IS A FAIR AMOUNT OF CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING THE DATES OF THESE TEXTS, HOWEVER, IT IS NOT RELEVANT TO THE DISCUSSION. BEFORE ENDING THIS CHAPTER, HERE IS A QUOTATION FROM THE BHAGAVAD GITA, WHICH ENDORSES MY VIEW THAT THE YOGA DARSHANA IS BY AND LARGE, NOT VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE SANKHYA DARSHANA, THOUGH YOGA LAYS MORE STRESS ON PRACTICE.

                  THE FOOLISH DECLARE THT SANKHYA AND YOGA ARE SEPERATE. NOT THE WISE . HE WHO PERFORMS EVEN ONE OF THEM CORRECTLY OBTAINS THE FRUIT OF BOTH. THE STTE ATTAINED BY THE SANKHYAS IS ALSO ATTAINED BY THE YOGIS. SANKHYA AND YOGA  ARE ONE. WHO KNOWS THIS TRULY KNOW'S - THE BHAGAVAD GITA.

                 SANKHYA IS NOT AN ATHEISTIC PHILOSOPHY.

                                                       ❤

                        THE PRACTICE OF YOGA

                        WE HAVE DISCUSSED THE QUESTION OF WHETHER THE CONCEPT OF A CREATOR GOD - ISHWARA - IS AN INTRINSIC PART OF THE YOGA OF PATANJALI AND FOUND THAT IT IS NOT SO. WE CAN NOW PROCEED TO THE THEORY, AND ABOVE ALL, THE PRACTICE OF YOGA  . PLEASE NOTE THAT EVEN IN SANKHYA AND IN THE BUDDHIST AND JAIN TEACHINGS, THE IDEA OF A CREATOR GOD PLAYS NO ROLE.

                   PATANJALI BEGINS WITH THE RATHER TERSE SUTRA, ATHA YOGA AMUHASANAM. NOW BEGINS THE PRACTICE OF YOGA.

                   LET'S START WITH :👇

                    1. SAMADHI PADA : THE STUDY OF THE SUPERCONSCIOUS STATE.

                   2. SADHANA PADA : THE ACTUAL PRACTICE.

                  3. VIBHUTI PADA : THE EXTRA ORDINARY ATTAINMENTS ACHIEVED BY THE PRACTICE.

                 4. KAIVALYA PADA : THE ULTIMATE FREEDOM REALISED BY THE PRACTIONER ON ATTAINMENT THE HIGHEST GOAL - THE POWER OF EXTRA ORDINARY AWARENESS AND FREEDOM FROM CONDITIONING.

                       THE CHOICE OF BELIEF IN ISHWARA IS ENTIRELY THE INITIATE'S PREROGATIVE. LET ME REITERATE THAT BELIEF IN ISHWARA IS NOT A PREREQUISITE FOR SUCCESS IN YOGA, EVEN TO REACH THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF KAIVALYA.

                       IN ADDITION TO THE YOGA SUTRAS, WE WILL REFER TO OTHER POST PATANJALI TEXTS LIKE THE SHIVA SAMHITA AND YOGA YAGNAVALKYA, AMONG OTHERS, WHENEVER, REQUIRED TO SUPPLEMENT OUR LEARNING. THE UPANISHADS, INCLUDING THE EARLIEST PRINCIPAL UPANISHADS AND THE LATER YOGA UPANISHADS, WILL ALSO FORM A PART OF OUR REFERENCE MATERIAL.

KAIVALYA PADA (SUTRAS FROM 12 TO 22)

                                     THE USES OF YOGA

                                                                                 ❤

                        SUTRA 12 ❤

                       ATITA-ANAGATAM SVARUPATO ASTI ADHVA-BHEDAD

                       DHARMANAM

 

                      THE PAST AND FUTURE EXIST IN THE MIND IN THEIR OWN DIFFERENT FORMS DUE TO THE DIFFERENCE IN THE PATHS FOLLOWED, BASED ON ONE'S DHARMA AND FUNDAMENTAL NATURE.

                     SUTRA 13 ❤

                          TE VYAKTHA-SUKMAH GUNA-ATMANAH

                       THESE NATURES MANIFEST WITH SUBTLE GUNAS AS ATTRIBUTES.

                          SUTRA 14 ❤

                             PARINAMA-EKAVAD VASTU-TATTVAM

                      FROM THE SAMENESS OF ITS EVOLUTION (FROM THE SAME SOURCE), THERE IS THE "THATNESS" OF ANY OBJECT.

                       SUTRA 15 ❤

                             VASTU-SAMYE-CITTA-BHEDAT TAYOR VIBHAKTAH PANTHAH

                           OBJECTS THOUGH THEY HAVE SAMENESS, BEING DISTINCT FROM THE MIND, FOLLOW SEPARATE PATHS.

                      SUTRA 16 ❤

                            NA CA EKA-CITTA-TANTRAM VASTU TAD-APRAMANAKAM

                            TADA KIM SYAT

                           AN OBJECT DOES NOT DEPEND ON ONE MIND FOR ITS EXISTENCE. THERE IS NO PROOF OF THIS. HOW CAN IT BE?

                           SUTRA 17 ❤

                               TAD-UPARAGA-APEKSITVAT CITTASYA VASTU 

                               JNATA-AJNATAM

                        AN OBJECT WHICH IS SEEN BY THE MIND IS KNOWN OR NOT KNOWN BECAUSE OF THE ANTICIPATION THAT INFLUENCES IT.

                         WHICH MEANS THAT THE MIND THAT HAS PREJUDICES AND ANTIPATIONS CANNOT SEE AN OBJECT AS IT IS, BECAUSE THE VIEW IS COLOURED BY THESE THOUGHTS.

                        HERE IS AN EXAMPLE, BECAUSE OF BAD EXPERIENCE IN THE PAST WITH SOMEONE, ONE REFUSES TO SEE OR HEAR THEIR VIEWPOINT EVEN IF IT IS CORRECT OR FACTUAL. ANTICIPATION AND PREJUICE COLOUR THE WORLD THAT WE SEE, AND SO, SUCH A MIND CAN NEVER SEE THE REALITY OF AN OBJECT.

                     SUTRA 18 ❤

                       SADA JNATAS CITTA-VRTTAYAS TAT-PRABHO-PURUSASYA-

                        APARINAMITVAT

                 THE FLUCTUATIONS OF THE MIND ARE ALWAYS KNOWN BY AND ARE DUE TO THE PRESENCE OF THE CHANGELESS SEER, THE PURUSHA.

                    SUTRA 19 ❤

                            NA TAT-SVABHASAM-DRSYATVAT

                         THE MIND WITH ITS VRITTIS IS NOT SELF-LUMINOUS, BECAUSE IT IS COLOURED BY THE NATURE OF THE SEEN WORLD.

                    SUTRA 20 ❤

                          EKA-SAMAYA CA UBHAYA-ANAVADHARANAM

                   AT ANY GIVEN TIME, THE PURUSHA AND THE VRITTIS CANNOT BE ASCERTAINED AS BEING TH SAME, BECAUSE THE PURUSHA REMAINS DISTINCT FROM PRAKRITI.

                  SUTRA 21 ❤

                       CITTA-ANTARE DRSYE BUDDHI BUDDHER 

                      ATIPRASANGAH-SMRTI  SAMKARAS CA

 

                             THIS IMPLIES SEEING ANOTHER HIGHER MIND AND SEEING THEAT THE INTELLECT AND THE SUBSEQUENT CONFUSION OF MEMORY ARE UNWARRANTED.

                             THIS MEANS TO TRY AND WITNESS ADN SELF THOUGHT THE SO-CALLED HIGHER MIND IS FUTILE, BECAUSE THE WITNESS, PURUSHA, CANNOT BE WITNESSED. I IS A WITNESS PAR-EXCELLENCE AND A MENTAL CONCOCTION CALLED THE HIGHER MIND, WHICH CANNOT WITNESS IT, BECAUSE THERE IS REALLY NO OBJECT THERE TO BE WITNESSED.

                     SUTRA 22 ❤

                          CITER APRATISAMKRAMAYAS TAD-AKARA-APATTAU 

                          SVABUDDHI SAMVEDANAM

 

                   DUE TO THE NON-INTERFERENCE OF THE SO-CALLED HIGHER MIND (AS DISCUSSED IN THE PREVIOUS SUTRA), AND THEREFORE, THAT FORM OR MODE BEING ABSENT, ONE PERCEIVES CLEARLY ONE'S OWN INTELLECT.

THE ART OF YOGA

 

                     

                                      KAIVALYA PADA

                                                👇

                                         

                          THIS CHAPTER IS THE LAST OF THE FOUR SECTION OF PATANJALI'S YOGA SUTRAS. IT DESCRIBES KAIVALYA, THE YOGI'S ULTIMATE GOAL REACHED BY FREEING THE MIND FROM DISTRACTION FOREVER OR ETERNITY. THEN ONLY THE PURUSHA EXISTS ALL "ALONE" AS THE SUPREME CONSCIOUSNESS AND DUALITY OF ANY KIND IS BANISHED FOREVER.

                            BUT JUST AS IN THE LAST SECTION, PATANJALI ONCE AGAIN DEALS WITH VIBHUTI OR "PERFECTIONS" DESCRIBED IN THE PREVIOUS SECTION BEFORE CONNECTING TO KAIVALYA.

                     SUTRA 1 ❤

                      JANMA-OSADHI-MANTRA-TAPAH-SAMADHI-JAH-

                      SIDDHAYAH

                        SIDDIS OR VIBHUTIS MANIFEST DUE TO BIRTH, DRUGS, MANTRA, AUSTERITY OR SAMADHI.

                         WHAT FOLLOWS IS A DETAILED DISCUSSION ON THE SUBJECT.

                    BY BIRTH 👀

                      SOME HUMAN BEINGS POSSESS CERTAIN EXTRAORDINARY CAPABILITIES BY BIRTH. A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF THIS IS A GENIUS LIKE RAMANUJAN, THE INDIAN MATHEMATICIAN, WHO CAME OUT WITH ADVANCED MATHEMATICS EQUATIONS WITH LITTLE TRAINING IS FORMAL MATHEMATICS. IN THE HISTORY OF SO-CALLED SPIRITUAL SAVANTS, THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS CASES OF PEOPLE BORN WITH PARANORMAL CAPABILITIES. EVEN SOME CHILDREN WITH CONGENITAL DEFECTS OF THE BRAIN HAVE BEEN FOUND TO BE GENIUSES IN FIELDS LIKE MUSIC

                 DRUGS 👀

                     IT'S A FACT KNOWN FROM ANCIENT TIMES THAT CERTAIN DRUGS PRODUCE EXTRAORDINARY STATES OF MIND AND ALTER THE CONSCIOUSNESS TEMPORARILY AND, IN SOME CASES, EVEN PERMANENTLY.

                     ALCOHOL BRINGS ABOUT A CERTAIN EUPHORIA AND MANY POETS AND WRITERS SWEAR THAT IT MAKES THEM MORE CREATIVE, THOUGH WEIGHED AGAINST THE INJUIRY THAT PROTRACTED USES OF ALCOHOL CAUSES TO THE MIND, ONE WONDERS IF IT'S WORTH IT.

                  SINCE VEDIT TIMES, THERE HAS BEEN MENTION OF SOMA JUICE, WHICH WHEN IMBITED UNDER SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES, HAS CAUSED THE USER TO HAVE VISIONS OF OTHER DIMENSIONS AND DIVINE BEINGS. EXCEPT THAT NO ONE TODAY KNOWS FOR SURE WHAT SOMA ACTUALLY IS.

                     THEN THERE ARE DRUGS LIKE CANNABIS, HEROIN, OPIUM, KETAMINE AND OF COURSE L.S.D. WHICH ARE SAID TO BE MIND-ALTERING SUBTANCES, AND UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, EXPAND THE MIND'S HORIZONS, ALBEIT TEMPORARILY. AGAIN, CONSIDERING THE AFTER-EFFECTS, THEY ARE NOT WORTH THE EFFORT.

                    A NUMBER OF SO-CALLED SADHUS HAVE DEGENERATED INTO GANJA ADDICTS ALTHOUGH THEY MIGHT HAVE STARTED TAKING IT AS AN AID TO ALTERING THE CONSCIOUSNESS TO DEEPER LEVELS.

                    

                                  MANTRA 👀

                        MANTRAS ARE CERTAIN SPECIAL ACOUSTIC FORMULAS, INCLUDING THE SEED SOUNDS, USED TO INVOKE DEITIES OR SPECIAL MANIFESTATIONS OF THE GREAT ENERGY, PARA SHAKTI, IN THE SIX LOTUSES IN THE HUMAN SYSTEM.

                     THIS BRINGS ABOUT THE AWAKENING OF SPECIAL CAPABILITIES IN THE YOGI. THIS INCLUDES THE ART OF DISASSOCIATING CONSCIOUSNESS FROM MERE BODY CONSICOUSNESS AND EXPANDING ITS HORIZONS.

                        TAPAH 👀

                    TAPAH, USUALLY TRANSLATED AS PENANCE, IS DERIVED FROM THE WORD TAPA OR HEAT. A GROSS EXAMPLE OF IT IS AN ANIMAL IN HEAT, WHEN THE FIRE OF DESIRE OF REPRODUCTION RAGES IN HIS MIND. FROM THIS IS BORN A NEW ANIMAL.

                     IN THE SUBTLER SENSE, TAPAH IS THE ONE-POINTED DESIRE TO ATTAIN A CERTAIN GOAL IN SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT, WHICH TURNS INTO AN ONGOING FIRE THAT BURNS AWAY ALL DROSS AND LEAVES THE ESSENCE PURE AND LUMINESCENT.

                 THE PENANCE, PERFORMED IN THE DWAPURA, AND EARLY YUGAS LIKE THE ONE DHRUVA PERFORMED, IS UNFORTUNATELY NOT POSSIBLE IN THIS KALIYUGA, WHERE THE BODY CANNOT SURVIVE WITHOUT FOOD AND WATER.

                       SAMADHI 👀

               WHEN THE YOGI ATTAINS SAMADHI, CERTAIN EXTRAORDINARY CAPABILITIES DEVELOP FOLLOWING THE EXPANSION OF THE MIND, BUT THE AIM OF SAMADHI IS NOT THE ATTAINMENT OF SUCH PERFECTIONS BUT THE REALISATION OF KAIVALYA OR ABIDING IN THE NON-DUAL PURUSHA.

                    THEREFORE, THE POSSESSION OF ANY SIDDHI IS NOT A CERTAIN TO ASSESS THE SPIRITUAL PROGRESS OF THE YOGI, BECAUSE SIDDHIS ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH DIFFERENT NON-YOGIC WAYS.

                    THE COROLLARY TO THIS IS THAT A YOGI WHO ATTAINS KAIVALYA THROUGH THE DIFFERENT STATES OF SAMADHI NEED NOT NECESSARILY POSSESS ANY OF THE SIDDHIS.

THE YOGA SUTRAS

 

                              

                                THE YOGA GODLESS

                                       THE SUTRAS

                 SAMADHI-BHAVANA-ARTHAH KLESA TANU-KARANA-ARTHAS-CA

                 SAMADHI 2

                     THE PURPOSE OF THE PRACTICE IS TO CULTIVATE SAMADHI AND WEAKENING OF AFFLICTIONS.

                    AT THIS POINT, IT IS RELEVANT TO TAKE NOTE OF THE FACT THAT TILL SUTRA 28, THE PRACTICE POPULARLY CALLED ASHTANGA YOGA OR THE YOGA OF EIGHT LIMBS IS NOT MENTIONED. IT IS ONLY FROM SUTRA 29 THAT THE PRACTICE OF ASHTANGA BEGINS. UNTIL THEN, THE TEACHING CENTRES AROUND UNDERSTANDING THE ROOT CAUSE OF AFFLICTIONS, SO THAT THEY MAY BE DEALT WITH.

                       SUTRAS 3 

                            AVIDYA-ASMITA-RAGA-DVESA-ABHINIVESAH KLESAH

                          THIS SUTRA DESCRIBES THE AFFLICTIONS THAT HAMPER THE TRANQUILITY OF MIND NEEDED TO TOUCH THE FREEDOM OF PURE CONSCIOUSNESS.

                        IGNORANCE, I-AM-NESS (EGO), ATTRACTION, AVERSION AND DESIRE FOR CONTINUITY - THE DESIRE TO LIVE FOREVER.

                      NOW THESE NEED TO BE STUDIED CAREFULLY, THE BRAHMA SUTRAS, UPANISHADS AND THE GITA, TOGETHER CALLED THE PRASTANA TRAYA, OFFER A GREAT DEAL IN THIS DIRECTION.

                       THE NEXT SUTRAS THAT FOLLOW TAKE UP EACH OF THESE WORDS AND EXPLAIN THEIR MEANING,

                          SUTRA 4

                   AVIDYA KSETRAM-UTTARESAM PRASUPTA-TANU-VICCHINNI-

                    UDARANAM AVIDYA

                           IGNORANCE IS THE ORIGIN OF FIELD OF ALL OTHER AFFLICTIONS, EITHER DORMANT OR INACTIVE, DIMISHED (DUE TO VARIOUS REASONS), OVERPOWERED BY OTHER CAUSES OR FULLY AROUSED.

                           THE NEXT SUTRAS ATTEMPT TO DEFINE THE WORD "IGNORANCE".

                SUTRA 5

                   ANITYA-ASUCI-DUHKHA-ANATMASU NITYA-SUCI-

                   SUKHA-ATMA- KHYATIR-AVIDYA

                      IGNORANCE IS SEEING THE NON-ETERNAL AS ETERNAL, THE NOT PURE AS PURE, SORROW PRODUCING FACTORS AS PLEASURABLE, AND THE NON-SELF AS SELF.

                           AS VEDANTA DECLARES, THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM IS THAT ONE CONSIDERS THE UNREAL, PHENOMENAL WORLD PERCEIVED BY THE SENSE ORGANS AS REAL AS OPPOSED TO THE REAL SELF, WHICH CANNOT BE RECOGNISED BY THEM. THE FAMOUS "ASSERTATION" OFTEN CONSIDERED A PRAYER, ASATOMA SADGAMAYA 'FROM THE UNREAL MAY I ASCEND TO THE REAL SUMS UP THIS IDEA.

                      WHAT THE VEDANTINS SAY IS WHAT SCIENTISTS, PARTICULARLY NEUROLOGISTS, HAVE BEGUN TO SAY TODAY, THAT WHAT WE PERCEIVE AND FEEL AS THE REAL WORLD, IS MERELY THE IMAGE OF THE WORLD PERCEIVED THROUGH OUR SENSE ORGANS WHICH THEMSELVES ARE INACCURATE INSTRUMENTS OF PERCEPTION, AND BASED ON WHICH, THE MIND CONSTRUTS IMAGES AND PRESENTS TO US AS "REAL".

                       DIFFERENT SETS OF SENSE ORGANS OR INSTRUMENTS OF PERCEPTION, LIKE THE COMPOUND EYE OF THE COMMON HOUSEFLY, CAN PROJECT AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT IMAGE OF THE SAME WORLD. THE QUESTION THAT ARISES IS, THEREFORE, WHAT IS THE REALITY OF EVEN THIS WORLD WE EXPERIENCE AND LIVE IN, EXCEPT WHAT THE MIND PROJECTS, WHICH IN ITSELF IS BASED ON THE ERRONEOUS DATA PROVIDED BY THE UNSTRUMENTS OF PERCEPTION. TO QUOTE THE POET ALEXANDER POPE, THE DIFFERENCE IS AS GREAT BETWEEN THE OPTICS SEEING, AS THE OBJECTS SEEN.

THE YOGA SUTRAS

 

                                      

                                                                   THE YOGA

                         YOGA IS AN ANCIENT SCIENCE INCLUDED IN THE SIX DARSHANA'S OF TRADITIONAL INDIAN PHILOSOPHY. WHILE THE THEORETICAL CONCEPTS  ARE MOSTLY DERIVED FROM SANKHYA, THERE ARE A FEW DIFFERENCES, PARTICULARLY REGARDING THE CONCEPT OF ISHWARA. ONE IMPORTANT DIFFERENCE IS THAT WHILE SANKHYA OFFERS A PURELY PHILOSOPHICAL FRAMEWORK, YOGA WHILE USING SANKHYA TERMINOLOGY GOES INTO THE PRACTICAL STEPS OF ACHIEVING THE GOAL, WHICH SANKHYA ENVISAGES ONLY THEORETICALLY. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SANKHYA AND YOGA CAN BE COMPARED  TO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. SCIENTIFIC THEORIES ARE ABSTRACT, WHILE TECHNOLOGY ACTUALISES SUCH THEORIES INTO TANGIBLE FINDINGS AND USEFUL RESULTS.

                       HOWEVER, TECHNOLOGY SOMETIMES EXPLOITS THE FINDINGS FOR NEFARIOUS AND DESTRUCTIVE  PURPOSES . IT IS TO OFFSET THIS DANGER THAT THE PRACTICE OF MORAL PRINCIPLES IS HARMONISED WITH THAT OF YOGA AT THE VERY BEGINNING. THE MOST IMPORTANT MORAL PRINCIPLE IS AHIMSA, OR NON-INJURY TO LIVING BEINGS, INCLUDING HUMANS. THE YOGI ACQUIRES TREMENDOUS ENERGY AND ALMOST UNLIMITED KNOWLEDGE AS THE PRACTICE FREES THE BRAIN OF BURDENS, DISTURBANCE AND CONFLICTS, RESULTING IN TRANQUILLITY AND ONEPOINTEDNESS. BY ADHERING TO MORAL PRINCIPLES, THE YOGI'S ENERGY AND KNOWLEDGE ARE NOT MISDIRECTED FOR SELFISH PURPOSES.

                                                                      ❤❤❤

                       * THE NATURAL PROPERTIES, AND PRIVILEGES OF A REASONABLE SOUL ARE, THAT SHE SEETH HERSELF, THAT SHE CAN ORDER, AND COMPOSE HERSELF, THAT SHE MAKES HERSELF AS SHE WILL HERSELF, THAT SHE REAPS HER OWN FRUITS WHATSOEVER, WHEREAS PLANTS, TREES, UNREASONABLE CREATURES, WHAT FRUIT SOEVER (BE IT EITHER FRUIT PROPERLY, OR ANALOGICALLY) THEY BEAR, THEY BEAR THEM UNTO OTHERS, AND NOT TO THEMSELVES. AGAIN, WHENSOEVER, AND WHERESOEVER, SOONER OR LATER, HER LIFE DOTH END, SHE HATH HER OWN END NEVERTHELSS, FOR IT IS NOT WITH HER, AS WITH DANCERS AND PLAYERS, WHO IF THEY BE INTERRUPTED IN ANY PART OF THEIR ACTION, THE WHOLE ACTION MUST NEEDS BE IMPERFECT.

                    * A PLEASANT SONG OR DANCE, THE PANCRATIAS'S EXERCISE, SPORTS THAT THOU ART WONT TO BE MUCH TAKEN WITH, THOU SHALT EASILY CONTEMN, IF THE HARMONIOUS VOICE THOU SHALT DIVIDE INTO SO MANY PARTICULAR SHALL ASK THYSELF, WHETHER THIS OR THAT SOUND IS IT, THAT DOTH SO CONQUER THEE. FOR THOU WILT BE ASHAMED OF IT. AND SO FOR SHAME. IF ACCORDINGLY THOU SHALT CONSIDER IT, EVERY PARTICULAR MOTION AND POSTURE BY ITSELF, AND SO FOR THE WRESTLER'S EXERCISE TOO. GENERALLY THEN, WHATSOEVER IT BE, BESIDES VIRTUE, AND THOSE THINGS THAT PROCEED FROM VIRTUE THAT THOU ART SUBJECT TO BE MUCH AFFECTED WITH, REMEMBER PRESENTLY THUS TO DIVIDE IT, AND BY THIS KIND OF DIVISION, IN EACH PARTICULAR TO ATTAIN UNTO THE CONTEMPT OF THE WHOLE. THIS THOU MUST TRANSFER AMD APPLY TO THY WHOLE LIFE ALSO.

                    * THAT SOUL WHICH IS EVER READY, EVEN NOW PRESENTLY (IF NEED BE) FROM THE BODY, WHETHER BY WAY OF EXTINCTION, OR DISPERSION, OR CONTINUATION IN ANOTHER PLACE AND ESTATE TO BE SEPARATED, HOW BLESSED AND HAPPY IS IT! BUT THIS READINESS OF IT, IT MUST PROCEED, NOT FROM AN OBSTINATE AND PEREMPTORY RESOLUTION OF THE MIND, VIOLENTLY AND PASSIONATELY SET UPON OPPOSITION, AS CHRISTIANS ARE WONT, BUT FROM A PECULIAR JUDGEMENT, WITH DISCRETION AND GRAVITY, SO THAT OTHERS MAY BE PERSUADED ALSO AND DRAWN TO THE LIKE EXAMPLE, BUT WITHOUT ANY NOISE AND PASSIONATE EXCLAMATIONS.

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                      HAVING COME SO FAR, THE READER WOULD HAVE, PERHAPS, FOUND THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION - CAN YOGA BE PRACTISED BY AN ATHEIST OR AGNOSTIC? ANYONE WHO HAS TAKEN UP THE PRACTICE OF YOGA IS SURE TO BENEFIT IN MANY WAYS, ESPECIALLY IN FINDING TRANQUILLITY AND PEACE IN THIS TRUMULTUOUS WORLD AND IN BEING ABLE TO HARNESS TREMENDOUS ENERGY.

                       TO SUM UP, EXCELLENCE IN YOGA, THE SCIENCE OF EXPANSION OF CONSCIOUSNESS AND ACHIEVING FREEDOM FROM LIMITATIONS, HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ONE'S PERSONAL BELIEFS,  RELIGIOUS OR OTHERWISE. IT DEPENDS ENTIRELY ON THE STEP-BY-STEP PRACTICE OF THE METHODS DESCRIBED IN THE YOGA TEXTS AND GUIDANCE OF A PROPER AND AUTHENTIC EXPERTS. TO TAKE UP THE PRACTICE OF YOGA BASED ON HAVING READ UP AN OBSCURE TEXT, WITHOUT THE GUIDANCE OF AN EXPERT, IS GRAUGHT WITH DANGER, AND THE PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES CAN BE SERIOUS. IF, ON THE OTHER HAND, ONE IS PATIENT AND GOES AT IT CAREFULLY, TAKING UP ONLY THOSE PRACTICES THAT SUIT ONE'S PHYSICAL AND MENTAL CAPACITY, A GREAT NEW WORLD, VAST AND ALMOST UNLIMITED, OPENS UP BEFORE THE YOGI, WHO TURNS INTO ONE OF THE FINEST SPECIMENS OF HOMOSAPIENS, WITH AN INEXHAUSTIBLE FUND OF ENERGY AND A MIND AT PEACE. AN AUTHENTIC YOGA TEACHER, OPEN TO DIALOGUE AND NOT INTENT ON FORMING A CULT, WOULD BE IDEAL IN HELPING CUSTOMISE ONE'S YOGA PRACTICE.

                            NOT GIVING TOO MUCH IMPORTANCE TO A CREATOR GOD AND THE TILT TOWARDS ATHEISM IS NOT A LATER-DAY INVENTION, BUT IS ALREADY EVIDENT IN THE SANKHYA, THE WORKS OF THE SHRAVANAS AND THE BUDHDHISTS AND, TO A GREAT EXTENT, IN THE YOGA SUTRAS, ITSELF. MUCH BEFORE THE EPICS MADE THEIR APPEARANCE AND A BELIEF IN THE INCARNATIONS GOD BECAME ALMOST A CREED IN THE HINDU SYSTEMS OF THOUGHT, THE GREAT VEDIC HYMNS AND THE UPANISHADS LATER, CELEBRATED FREE THOUGHT AND A NON-CONFORMIST RATIONAL ATTITUDE.

MEDITATION (KNEE POSE)

 

                        VAJRASANA (KNEELING POSE)

                                     SIT IN A KNEELING POSITION WITH THE HEAD, NECK, AND TRUNK STRAIGHT. REST THE HANDS, PALMS DOWNWARD, ABOVE THE KNEES. THIS POSTURE IS MOTSTLY PRACTICED IN NON-YOGIC TRADITIONS SUCH AS ZEN ANDTHE ISLAMIC TRADITION. IT CAN ALSO BE USED FOR MEDITATION, BUT IF IT IS CONTINUED FOR A LONG TIME, IT CAN SOMETIMES CAUSE PULLED MUSCLES BY OVERSTETCHING THE LIGAMENTS OF THE FOOT.

                                      HAVING ATTAINED A COMFORTABLE, STABLE, AND EASY POSTURE, THE STUDENT WILL THEN BE ABLE TO BECOME AWARE OF HIS BREATH. BREATH AWARENESS IS A RELIABLE GUIDE FOR EXPERIENCING THE HIGHER LEVEL OF CONSCIOUSNESS AND FOR MAKING THE MIND ONEPOINTED. IT PREPARES THE MEDITATOR FOR APPLYING SUSHUMNA.

                                         ALTHOUGH THE WORD SUSHUMNA CANNOT BE TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH, ACCORDING TO ME, IT MEANS THE STATE OF MIND THAT IS UNDISTURBED AND JOYOUS, AND WHICH OCCURS WHEN THE BREATH STARTS FLOWING FREELY AND SMOOTHLY THROUGH BOTH NOSTRILS. SUCH A MENTAL CONDITION IS NECESSARY IN ORDER FOR THE MIND TO TRAVEL INTO DEEPER LEVELS OF CONSCIOUSNESS, FOR IF THE MIND IS NOT BROUGHT TO A STATE OF JOY, IT CANNOT REMAIN STEADY, AND AN UNSTEADY MIND IS NOT AT ALL FIT FOR MEDITATION. ANOTHER SCHOOL OF YOGA, WHICH TEACHES THE AWAKENING OF KUNDALINI, SAYS THAT WITHOUT AWAKENING OF KUNDALINI, SAYS THAT WITHOUT AWAKENING SUSHUMNA, DEEP MEDITATION AND THE AWAKENING OF KUNDALINI ARE IMPOSSIBLE. THERE ARE ONLY THREE TECHNIQUE FOR APPLYING SUSHUMNA, CONCENTRATING ON THE BRIDGE BETWEEN THE TWO NOSTRILS, DOING PRANAYAMA BREATHING EXERCISES WHILE APPLYING JALANDHARA BANDHA, AND MEDITATING ON THE CHAKRA SYSTEM.

                             THE PROCESS OF AWAKENING SUSHUMNA IS POSSIBLE ONLY WHEN A STUDENT STARTS ENJOYING BEING STILL. WHEN HE SITS IN A CALM, QUIET PLACE IN A COMFORTABLE, STEADY POSTURE, AND WHEN BODY TREMORS ARE NOT A SOURCE OF DISTURBANCE, HE CAN START MEDITATING ON THE FLOW OF BREATH. THE MOMENT HE DOES, HE BECOMES AWARE OF FOUR IRREGULARITIES IN THE BREATH. SHALLOWNESS, JERKS, NOISE, AND THAT WHICH DISTURBS HIM THE MOST, THE PAUSE BETWEEN INHALATION AND EXHALATION.

   

             MUCH HAS BEEN SPOKEN ABOUT THIS PAUSE IN THE SCRIPTURES, BUT PRACTICE MAKES ONE INCREASINGLY AWARE OF ITS IMPORTANCE. WHEN A STUDENT STARTS MEDIATING OF THE FLOW OF BREATH THE PAUSE CAN BE EXPANDED, SOME SAY IT CAN BE OMITTED. IN THE BEGINNING, HOWEVER, ONE HAS TO GO THROUGH THE EXERCISE OF PRANAYAMA AND LATTER THE EXERCISES OF BREATH RETENTION UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF A COMPETENT TEACHER. THOSE WHO DO NOT WANT TO DO PRANAYAMA TO DO PRANAYAMA EXERCISES CAN STILL DO MEDITATION, BUT WITHOUT BREATH AWARENESS A DEEP STATE OF MEDITATION IS IMPOSSIBLE.

                         IN BREATH AWARENESS, THE DURATION OF INHALATION AND EXHALATION IS CAREFULLY JUDGED MENTALLY, AND THE MIND CLOSELY AND INTIMATELY FOLLOWS THE MOVEMENT OF THE BREATH. HERE LIES THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BREATHING EXERCISES AND BREATH AWARENESS. IN BREATHING EXERCISES. ONE IS TAUGHT TO KEEP A COUNT OF THE AMOUNT OF AIR INHALED AND EXHALED, BUT IN BREATH AWARENESS IT IS DONE MENTALLY ONLY. NO FINGERS ARE USED TO CLOSE THE NOSTRILS. THROUGH BREATH AWARENESS, THE POWER OF ATTENTION IS STRENGTHENED, AND ATTENTION IS THE VERY KEY TO MEDITATION.

                         IN BREATH AWARENESS, THERE IS NO EXTERNAL DISTRACTION, AND ATTENTION IS NOT DISSIPATED. WE ARE NOT DISCUSSING BREATHING EXERCISES HERE-BREATH AWARENESS IS AN ADVANCED TECHNIQUE. IT TRULY COMES AFTER ONE HAS PRACTICED THE VARIOUS EXERCISES OF BREATHING DESCRIBED EARLIER. BREATH AWARENESS IS VITAL FOR A STUDENT WHO WANTS TO LEARN THE HIGHTER TECHNIQUE OF MEDITATION.

                        THE BREATH IS A BRIDGE BETWEEN BODY AND MIND. ADVANCED YOGIS OBSERVE THAT THE BREATH IS LIKE A THERMOMETER WHICH REGISTERS THE CONDITIONS OF THE MIND AND THE INFLUENCE OF THE EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT ON THE BODY. THOSE WHO HAVE STUDIED THEIR BREATH BEHAVIOR ALSO KNOW THEIR MENTAL AND PHYSICAL BEHAVIOR. THEIR LIVES ARE GUIDED BY THEIR CONTROL OF SVARAS (LIFE RIPPLES).

                           THE BEHAVIOR OF THE BREATH CAN ALSO WARN OF ILLENSS. FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN THE BODY SUFFERS FROM FEVER, THE NOSTRILS START BEHAVING IN AN UNUSUAL WAY. ONE OF THEM, FOR INSTANCE, MAY EITHER START FLOWING EXCESSIVELY OR BECOME BLOCKED FOR AN EXTENTED PERIOD. IN SUCH A CONDITION, THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DOES NOT FUNCTION NORMALLY, THE LUNGS, HEART, AND RELATED SYSTEM ARE DISTURBED, AND THE MIND LOSES ITS EQUILIBRIUM. ADVANCED YOGIS USE THEIR BREATH BEHAVIOR TO WATCH THE CAPACITY OF THEIR MIND AND BODY, AND THEY CONTROL THE BEHAVIOR OF THEIR BREATH BY VARIOUS EXERCISES.

                        THE BRATH AND THE MIND ARE INTERDEPENDENT. IF ONE RETAINS THE BREATH, HIS MIND STARTS BECOMING ONE-POINTED, IF THE BREATH IS IRREGULAR AND JERKY, THE MIND IS DISSIPATED. AFTER ATTAINING A STEADY POSTURE, MEDITATION ON THE BREATH, OR BREATH AWARENESS, IS NATURAL.

                        BREATH AWARENESS STRENGTHENS THE MIND AND MAKES IT EASIER FOR IT TO BECOME INWARD. WHEN THE MIND STARTS FOLLOWING THE FLOW OF THE BREATH, ONE BECOMES AWARE OF THE REALITY THAT ALL THE CREATURES OF THE WORLD ARE BREATHING THE SAME BREATH. THERE IS A DIRECT COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE STUDENT AND THAT CENTER OF THE COSMOS WHICH SUPPLIES BREATH TO ALL LIVNG CREATURES. THIS IS A LIVING PHILOSOPHY. AS LONG AS THE CENTER, OR LIVING UNIT IN HUMAN LIFE, RECEIVES PRANA (VITAL FORCE) THROUGH THE BREATH, THE BODY/MIND RELATIONSHIP IS SUSTAINED. WHEN THIS COMMUNICATION IS DISRUPTED, THE CONSCIOUS MIND FAILS AN THE BODY IS SEPARATED FROM THE INNER UNIT OF LIFE. THIS SEPARATION IS CALLED DEATH.

                             VARIOUS SCHOOLS RECOMMEND DIFFERENT OBJECTS FOR MAKING THE MIND ONE-POINTED. THESE ARE BOTH CONCRETE AND ABSTRACT. FOR EXAMPLE. THEY CAN BE SOUND SYLLABLES, MANTRAS, OR IMAGES, BUT NONE OF THESE OBJECTS IS HELPFUL IN THE LONG RUN WITHOUT BREATH AWARENESS. IT IS ADVISABLE FOR BEGINNERS TO DEVELOP THE HABIT OF BREATH AWARENESS AND NOT TO WORRY ABOUT ANY OTHER KIND OF OBJECT FOR THE MIND TO REST UPON, FOR BREATH AWARENESS IS A MOST NATURAL AND ESSENTIAL STEP FOR ATTAINING THE HIGHER STATE OF MEDITATION.

                            MEDITATION IS THE SUSTAINED STATE OF ONE-PONTEDNESS OF MIND. IN DEEP MEDITATION, THE ONE-POINTED MIND IS ABLE TO PIERE THROUGH THE LAYERS OF THE CONSCIOUS AND UNCONSCIOUS MINDS TO THE SUPERCONSCIOUS STATE. THIS BREAKTHROUGH IS CALLED SAMADHI. ON ACHIEVING IT, ONE IS FREED FROM ALL CAUSATION. THE MICROCOSM EXPANDS TO BECOME THE MACROCOSM, JUST AS A DROP OF WATER MERGES WITH THE OCEAN AND BECOMES THE OCEAN. THE INDIVIDUAL ATMAN IS UNITED WITH, AND ACHIEVES TOTAL IDENTITY WITH, THE COSMIC BRAHMAN. SUCH A ONE HAS FOUND THE KINGDOM OF GOD WITHIN HIMSELF AND HAS WON THE ULTIMATE FREEDOM - FREEDOM FROM THE ENDLESS CHAIN OF BIRTH AND DEATH. THE EVOLUTION OF MAN TO GOD IS NOW COMPLETE.