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 (SUTRA FROM 23 TO 34)

                            THE MIND AND THE BODY

                                                                           ❤❤

                                           

              

                                           

          

                           SUTRA 23 👀

                    DRASTR-DRSYA-UPARAKTAM CITTAM SARVA-ARTHAM

                   ALL MEANING IS KNOWN TO THE MIND, BECAUSE OF THE SEER AND THE SEEN.

                 THE EXPERIENCE OF THE SEEN WORLD HELP TO FIND THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE SEER AND SEEN. WHEN THE DISTINCTION IS NOT SEEN, THERE IS BONDAGE. WHEN THIS DISTINCTION IS UNDERSTOOD, THE RESULT IS LIBERATION.

                   SUTRA 24 👀

                           TAD-ASAMKHYEYA-VASAMBHIS-CITRAM API PARA-ARTHAM

                           SAMHATYA KARITVAT

                  FROM ACTIONS PERFORMED FOR THE PURPOSE OF SEEKING ULTIMATE HAPPINESS WHICH IS ONLY IN THE OTHER, INNUMERABLE HABIT PATTERNS ARE FORMED (THE PURUSHA THOUGH IS MISUNDERSTOOD TO BE FOR TEMPORARY SATISFACTION OF DESIRES).

                       SUTRA 25 👀

                       VISESA-DARSINA-ATMA-BHAVA-BHAVANA-VINIVRITTIH

                   SEEING THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE MODES OF ACTION ONE FOR SELF-SATISFACTION IN THE NARROW SENSE AND THE OTHER FOR REALISING THE PURUSHA, ONE DISCONTINUES THE CULTIVATION OF SELF-CENTRED ACTION.

                     SUTRA 26 👀

                     TADA VIVEKA-NIMNAM KAIVALYA-PRAGBHARAM

                SUCH A MIND THEN, IS INCLINED TO DISCRIMINATE AND IS OT FAR FROM KAIVALYAM, THE ULTIMATE FREEDOM.

                   SUTRA 27 👀

                     TAC-CHIDRESU PRATYAYA-ANTARANI SAMSKAREBHYAH

                 DUT TO SAMSKARAS (PAST IMPRESSIONS), HOLES ARE PIERCED IN THE OTHERWISE CALM MIND BY CERTAIN INTENTIONS (EVEN AT THIS STAGE).

                    SUTRA 28 👀

                      HANAM ESAM KLESANT UKTAM

                     THE CESSATION OF EVEN THESE INTENTIONS IS LIKE THE CESSATION OF AFFLICTIONS.

                     SUTRA 29 👀

                      PRASAMKHYANE'PI AKUSIDASYA SARVATHA VIVEKA-

                      KHYATER DHARMA-MEGHAH SAMADHI

                INDEED, FROM THAT REFLECTION, IN THE ONE WHO HAS DISCRIMINATION AND DISCERNMENT, ONLY THE CLOUD OF DHARMA SAMADHI REMAINS- THE STATE OF TRANQUILLITY WHICH IS LIKE FLOATING IN THE CLOUD OF DHARMA.

                   SUTRA 30 👀

                      TATAH KLESA-KARMA-NIVRTTIH

                      FROM THIS PROCEEDS THE CESSATION OF ALL ACTIONS THAT TAKES ONE WAY FROM KAIVALYA.

                              SUTRA 31 👀

                      TADA SARVA-AVARANA-MALA-APETASYA JNANASYA

                       ANANTYAJ JN EYAM ALPAM

                  THEN LITTLE NEEDS TO BE KNOWN BECAUSE OF THE UNENDING KNOWLEDGE ONE HAS, BECAUSE ALL IMPERFECT COVERING HAVE BEEN REMOVED.

                         SUTRA 32 👀

                     TATAH KRTA-ARTHANAM PARINAMA-KRAMA-SAMAPTIR

                      GUNANAM

               AND SO, THE PURPOSE OF GUNAS (MODIFICATIONS AND ATTRIBUTES) IS SERVED AND DONE AND SUCCESSION OF PARINAMA OR THE RESULTS OF ACTIONS PERFORMED IS OVER.

                   SUTRA 33 👀

                      KSANA-PRATIYOGI PARINAMA-APARANTA-NIRGRAHYAH-

                      KRAMAH

                     SUCCESSION OF THOUGHT FROM THE PAST KSANA THROUGH THE PRESENT INTO THE FUTURE IS TERMINATED BY THE END OF PARINAMA-RESUTLS OF PAST ACTIONS.

                       SUTRA 34 👀

                         PURUSA-ARTHA-SUNYANAM-GUNANAM- PRATIPRASAVAH

                         KAIVALYAM SVARUPA-PRATISTHA VA CITI SAKTIR ITI

                    THUS THE RETURN TO THE ORIGIN OF THE GUNAS, WHICH ARE NOW VOID SINCE THEIR PURPOSE, THAT OF REACHING THE PURUSHA IS OVER. THERE IS KAIVALYAM, THE "ALONENESS" OF THE PURUSHA IN ITS ORIGINAL FORM, STEADFAST IN THE POWER OF HIGHER AWARENESS, ABIDING IN THE PURUSHA'S THE SEER'S ORIGINAL STATE.

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.

KAIVALYA PADA (SUTRAS FROM 2 TO 11)

 

                                     THE YOGA USES

                                                    👇

            SUTRA 2 ❤

                    JATI-ANTARA-PARINAMAH PRAKRTI-APURAT

                     FROM THE EXCESS OF SAMSKARAS, OF PRAKRITI, ONE PASSESS INTO OTHER BIRTHS TO EXPERIENCE AND FULFIL DESIRES.

                     UNFULFILLED DESIRES PROMPT REBIRTH AND APPEAR AS SAMSKARAS IN SPECIFIC REBIRTHS.

                           SUTRA 3 ❤

                     NIMITTAM APRAYOJAKAM PRAKRITINAM VARANA-

                    BHEDAS TU TATAH KSETRIKAVAT

                      LIKE THE OWNER OF A FIELD, WHO DIVERTS WATER ACCORDING TO HIS NEEDS, THE SEPARATION, JOINING AND ENCLOSING OF THE MANIFESTATIONS IS DONE BY THE YOGI, WHILE THE FLOODING OF THE WATER OF SAMSKARAS FROM THE PREVIOUS BIRTH IS NOT.

                           SUTRA 4 ❤

                          NIRMANA-CITTANIASMITA-MATRAT

                        THE FABRICATING MIND CREATES IMAGES ONLY BECAUSE OF THE I-AM-NESS THAT IT POSSESS.

                         SUTRA 5 ❤

                            PRAVRITTI-BHEDE PRAYOJAKAM CITTAM EKAM ANEKESAM

                          THE PURE-SATTVIC MIND THAT INITIATES I-AM-NESS IS DISTINCT FROM THE OTHER PARTS OF THE MIND.

                           SUTRA 6 ❤

                              TATRA-DHYANA-JAM ANASAYAM

                          THERE, WHAT IS BORN OF MEDITATION HAS NO CONDITIONING RESIDUE.

                     SUTRA 7 ❤

                           KARMA-ASUKLA-AKRSNAM-YOGINAS TRIVIDHAM ITARESAM

                        THEREFORE, THE ACTION OF A YOGI IS NEITHER WHITE NOR BLACK (NO EXTREME, BUT IS BALANCED). THE ACTION OF NON-YOGIS IS THREE-FOLD, CONDITIONED BY THE THREE GUNAS- SATTVA, RAJAS AND TAMAS.

                       SUTRA 8 ❤

                       TATAS TAD-VIPAKA-ANUGUNANAM EVA ABHIVYAKTIR

                       VASANANAM

                        THEREFORE, THE MANIFESTATION OF PATTERNS THAT HABITUALLY OCCUR ARE CAUSED BY FRUITION OF PAST IMPRESSIONS.

                     SUTRA 9 ❤

                        JATI-DESA-KALA-VYAVAHITANAM APY ANANTARYAM-

                        SMRTI- SAMSKARAYOR EKA EKARUPATVAT

                            SINCE MEMORY IS THE ROOT OF SAMSKARAS (PAST REMEMBRANCE AND THEIR EFFECTS ON LIFE), THEY ARE OF ONE FROM. THEREFORE, BIRTHS, PLACES AND TIMES ARE CONCEALED, BUT MANIFEST AS SAMSKARAS.

                      SUTRA 10 ❤

                              TASAM ANADITVAM CA ASISO NITYATVAT

                        THERE IS NO BEGINNING OF THESE MEMORIES (THE BEGINNING CANNOT BE FOUND) DUE TO THE ETERNAL CONTINUITY OF DESIRE.

                     SUTRA 11 ❤

                    HETU-PHALA-ASRAYA-ALAMBANAH SAMGRHITATVAT

                    ESAM ABHAVE TAD ABHAVAH

                    THESE SAMSKARAS ARE HELD TOGETHER BY CAUSES, AND THE FRUITS AND CONNECTION BETWEEN THEM CAUSE WHEN THERE IS NO MORE DESIRE. IN THAT STTE THE SAMSKARAS ALSO CEASE.

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 (FROM 50 TO 55)

 

                                  THE YOGA ASANAS

                                                   👇

             SUTRA 50 ❤

                                                                   👀

                       BAHYA-ABHYANTARA-STHAMBHA VRTTIH DESA-KALA-

                       SANKHYABHIH PARIDRSTO DIRGHA-SUKSMAH

                        THE FLUCTUATIONS - EXTERNAL, INTERNAL, SUPPRESSED, AND ACCORDING TO TIME, PLACE AND THE NUMBER OF TIMES THIS IS DONE- AFTER PRACTICE EVENTUALLY BECOMES LONG AND SUBTLE.

                        WITH PRACTICE OF PRANAYAMA, THE BREATH BECOMES LONG AND SUBTLE UNTIL IT'S ALMOST IMPERCEPTIBLE.

                      SUTRA 51 ❤

                                                                  👀

                        BAHYA- ABHYANTARA VISAYA-AKSEPI CATURTHAH

                    THE FOURTH IS WITHDRAWAL FROM THE EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL STATE (OF THE BREATH)

                     WHILE THE BREATH SLOWS DOWN AND BECOMES SUBTLE, THE MIND WITHDRAWS FROM THE ACTIVITY OF PHYSICAL BREATHING. IT SAVES THE ENERGY NORMALLY DISSIPATED IN HEAVY BREATHING AND TURNS IT INWARD.

                SUTRA 52 ❤

                                                                   👀

                   TATAH KSIYATE PRAKASA-AVARANAM

               THEN THE COVERING (THAT COVERS CLARITY) IS DIMINISHED (DISSOLVED)

                      WHEN THE MIND'S IMBALANCES, DISTRACTIONS AND RESULTING CONFUSION ARE REMOVED BY BALANCING THE PRANA, ALL THE COVERINGS ARE REMOVED AND THE TRANQUIL MIND SHINES FORTH.

                        SUTRA 53 ❤

                                                                     👀

                           DARANASU CA YOGYATA MANASAH

                   AND THE MIND BECOMES FIT FOR (ONE-POINTED) ATTENTION. 

                   SUTRA 54 ❤

                                                                       👀

                          SVA-VISAYA-ASAMPRAYOGE CITTASYA SVA-RUP-ANUKARA-

                          -IVA- INDRIYANAM PRATYAHARAH

                 SENSE WITHDRAWAL TAKES PLACE WHEN THE SENSES IN IMITATION OF THE MIND, WHICH HAS BECOME DIS-ATTACHED, REST IN THEIR OWN STATE OF QUIETNESS.

                       HERE, PRATYAHARA OR SENSE WITHDRAWEL FROM THE OBJECT OF THE WORLD IS GIVEN A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE FROM WHAT IS USUALLY UNDERSTOOD, IT IS NOT AS IF THE SENSE ORGANS ARE FIRST WITHDRAWN FROM THE OBJECT. LEADING TO THE MIND GETTING DETACHED. THIS SUTRA SAYS THAT WHEN THE MIND UNDERSTANDS THE FUTILITY OF ENGAGING WITH SENSE OBJECTS, IT RESTS IN ITS OWN QUIETNESS, AND THE  SENSE ORGANS IMITATING THIS, LEARN TO WITHDRAW SPONTANEOUSLY, ON THEIR OWN.

                   SUTRA 55 ❤

                                                                         👀

                          TATAH PARAMA-VASYATA INDRIYANAM

                        THEN FOLLOWS COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE SENSES.

THE YOGA (SUTRAS FROM 44 TO 49)

   

                               THE YOGA ASANAS

                      SUTRA 44 ❤

                                                   👇

                       SVADHYAYAD-ISTA-DEVATA SAMPRAYOGAH

                 FROM SELF-STUDY (ARISES) UNION WITH THE INTENDED DEITY.

                       THROUGH SELF-STUDY, AND I WOULD ALSO SAY, STUDY OF THE SELF, ONE REACHES UNION WITH THE SOUGHT AFTER DEITY. ISHTA DEVATA IS GENERALLY EXPLAINED AS YOUR FAVOURITE DEITY, BUT IN THE YOGIC CONTEXT, THE WORD "ISTA" COULD MEAN YOUR SOUGHT AFTER DEITY, ISHWARA.

               SUTRA 45 ❤

                                                👇

                          SAMADHI-SIDDHIR-ISWARA-PRANIDHANAT

                       PERFECTION IN SAMADHI (ABSORPTION) COMES FROM DEDECATION ONE-POINTEDLY TO ISHWARA.

                      SUTRA 46 ❤

                                                 👇

                           STHIRA-SUKHAM-ASANAM

                        ASANA IS (SITTING) WITH STEADINESS AND COMFORT.

 

                               IN THE UPANISHADIC CONTEXT, ASANA IS SHAD IS SHAD OR TO SIT DOWN WHERE NOT ONLY THE BODY BUT ALSO THE MIND SETTLES DOWN WITH NO DISTRACTION AND IS AT EASE.

                  SINCE STHIRA COMES FROM THE ROOT STHA (STAND), IT COULD MEAN THAT STEADINESS IS EXPECTED NOT ONLY WHEN YOU SIT, BUT ALSO WHEN YOU STAND.

                                 BASED ON THIS, A NUMBER OF POSTURES HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED SINCE ANCIENT TIMES, SOME SITTING POSTURES FOR MEDITATION AND SOME NON-SITTING ONES THAT AIM TO BRING ABOUT PROPER COORDINATION OF BLOOD CIRCULATION, BREATH, MUSCLES, INNER ENERGY CHANNELS CALLED NADIS AND THE CHAKRAS WHICH CORRESPOND WITH THE PLEXUSES.

                   HORMONAL IMBALANCES, WHICH DESTABILISE THE MIND, PHYSICAL ILL-HEALTH AND IMPROPER POSTURE, ARE SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT ARE DEALT WITH BY THE PRACTICE OF THE ASANAS.

                           FOR A STANDARD LIST OF ASANAS, PLEASE REFER TO THE YOGA PRADIPIKA OF SWATMARAMA. ANY ASANAS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS LIST ARE OF DOUBTFUL ORIGIN, SOMETIMES PERHAPS GYMNASTICS WHICH HAVE BEEN ADDED ON.

                        I HAVE LISTED A FEW ESSENTIAL ASANAS IN APPENDIX A WITH PHOTOGRAPHS. ATTEMPT ONLY WHAT YOU CAN. THE SITTING ASANAS ARE FAIRLY SIMPLE. IF YOU NEED TO LEARN IN DETAIL, CONTACT A YOGA ASANA TEACHER. I WOULD RECOMMEND A COURSE AT THE KAIVALYADHAMA YOGA INSTITUTE AND RESEARCH CENTRE IN LONAVALA OR THE YOGA VEDANTA FOREST ACADEMY AT THE SIVANANDA ASHRAM IN RISHIKESH.

            DEPENDING ON AVAILABILITY OF TIME, I CAN ALSO TEACH ASANAS SINCE I HAVE BEEN PRACTISING THEM FOR MANY YEARS.

                         SUTRA 47 ❤

                                                                  👇

                     PRAYATANA-SAITHILYA-ANANTA-SAMAPATTI-BHYAM

                          FROM EFFORTLESS AND RELAXED POSTURE (WHICH COMES FROM STEADY AND CONSTANT PRACTICE) THE MIND EXPERIENCES ENDLESS UNITY (NON-CONFLICTED)

                        SUTRA 48 ❤

                                                          👇

                         TATO DVANDVA-ANABHIGHATAH

                   THUS (THE MIND) IS NOT ASAILED BY PAIRS OF OPPOSITES.

                  BECAUSE IT IS NO MORE CONFLICTED AND HAS LEARNT TO RELAX, THE TRANQUIL MIND IS NOT AFFECTED BY OPPOSITES THAT TEND TO PULL IT IN TWO DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.

                SUTRA 49 ❤

                                                           👇

                    TASMIN SATI SVASA-PRASVASYOR-GATI-VICCHEDAH

                     PRANAYAMAH

                     IN THIS ABIDING THERE IS CONTROL OF BREATH, BREAKING AWAY FROM IN BREATH AND OUT BREATH

                      THERE IS DESCRIPTION OF PRANAYAMA. ABIDING BY THIS MEANS THAT WHEN ONE IS EFFORTLESS, RELAXED AND NOT ASSAILED BY OPPOSING THOUGHTS, THE BREATH BECOMES CALM AND ALMOST STILL AND THE IN-BREATH AND OUT-BREATH ARE IMPERCEPTIBLE. THIS IS CALLED KEVAL KUMBHAK, KUMBHAK WITHOUT ANY EFFORT.

                          HOWEVER, THE SCIENCE OF PRANAYAMA HAS SEVERAL BREATHING TECHNIQUE THAT ARE TO BE LEARNT FROM AN AUTHENTIC TEACHER WHO WILL TELL YOU HOW TO BALANCE THE PRANA AND APANA BREATHS, THE IDA AND PINGALA CHANNELS AND TO ACTIVATE THE SUSHUMNA. I ONCE AGAIN RECOMMEND THE YOGA PRADIPIKA FOR A COMPREHENSIVE THEORITICAL UNDERSTANDING OF PRANAYAMA.

                             THE AIM IS TO HELP YOU REACH A STAGE WHERE THERE IS NO NEED TO INHALE OR EXHALE OR TO HOLD YOUR BREATH FORCIBLY. HOLDING THE BREATH FORCEFULLY FOR AN INORDINATELY LONG TIME CAN CAUSE HAEMORRHAGE OF THE LUNGS