Yoga Philosophy 101                         
Commentary on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
By Johanna Maheshvari Mosca, Ph.D.

December 2006 Newsletter

You have heard the common expression—“You are not your mind.” This statement traces back to Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, several thousand years ago. It’s not just you who has trouble quieting the bombardment of thoughts in meditation. According to Patanjali, who recorded the wisdom of sages centuries earlier, the purpose of yoga is to quiet the automatic ramblings of the mind so that you can reach a peaceful place inside.

As an ongoing newsletter feature, each month we will explore a few key yoga sutras (threads of wisdom) from the text that has become our basic yoga philosophy, The Yoga Sutra of Patanjali. More than 3,000 years ago this Indian sage recorded 196 aphorisms about how to deal with the ups and downs of life and the problems that go with being human. They are divided into four books: Contemplation; Spiritual Practice; Super Powers; and Freedom. The sutras, originally written in Sanskrit, appear in numerous translations. One that I recommend is Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, by BKS Iyengar (1996, Thorsons-Harper Collins, San Francisco, CA).

Yoga Sutras Book I, 1-4: Let me paraphrase these four sutras—

• I,i: Now begins the complete experience of yoga
• I,ii: Yoga is the stopping of the thought forms of the mind
• I,iii: When that is achieved, you dwell in your true splendor
• I,iv: At other times, you think you are your thoughts

These first four sutras tell us that the purpose of yoga is to still the mind so that we can access the joy within. They warn that if we do not do this, we will identify with the rampant thoughts of our minds instead of experiencing our true essence.

The primary goal yoga practice is not to master the most difficult poses, though we all would like to achieve perfect alignment. The true purpose of yoga is to access the connectedness, the oneness within. It does take a bit of practice to quiet the constant stream of thoughts so that we can get a glimpse of that peaceful inner place. We use the breath as the bridge from the mind to the body, and the poses are the vehicles that take us from the body to the heart space, that’s if we do them with a sense of inner directedness. I invite you to make sure your yoga is more about tapping internal wealth than efforting to achieve external feats.

To learn more about Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra, join us for a four-day camping trip in Sedona in April or Kauai in August, where we will discuss the sutras every evening and earn ten continuing education credits. Next month, we will discuss the sutras that are specifically about the way to do yoga poses. How many of the 196 yoga sutras do you think are about yoga postures? Take a guess.

January 2007 Newsletter

In our last newsletter, I asked you to guess how many of Patanjali's 196 yoga sutras are specifically about yoga postures or asanas. If you answered "three," you are correct.

Yoga Sutras Book II, 46-48: Here are the only three yoga sutras that relate to the performance of asanas, as translated by B.K.S. Iyengar--

• II, 46: Asana is perfect firmness of body, steadiness of intelligence, and benevolence of spirit

• II, 47: Perfection in an asana is achieved when the effort to perform it becomes effortless and the infinite being within is reached
   
• II, 48: From then on, the sadhaka [spiritual practitioner] is undisturbed by dualitie

And so the sutras tell us that first, our poses are to be steady and comfortable and performed with kindheartedness, rather than exertion. The way we do our poses or asanas in yoga is also a metaphor for how we perform the various roles we play in relationships, family, work, community and all life experiences. Secondly, Patanjali notes that the poses (roles) are to be done effortlessly with focus on the spiritual or infinite being. This sutra reminds us to gently extend into our yoga poses while focusing on the Divine within rather than struggling to achieve any external goal. We are to remain centered with Grace and ease, as we consciously connect with the Divine energy within and throughout the universe. And thirdly, when we are able to master our poses (and roles), we will be able to transcend the polarities such as good and evil, strength and weakness, right and wrong, or success and failure.

In this state of perfect being, we are beyond the pulls of judgment and remain objective, allowing and welcoming all that comes to us. There are no good days and bad days; there are just days in which we remain witness to whatever life brings. We will achieve the state of ultimate neutrality as we observe life unfolding. That is the benefit of mastering our poses and roles in life. It's certainly something to live into as best we can.

In our next newsletter, we will discuss the challenges we all fall prey to and ways to overcome suffering. We will share Patanjali's sutras that address five problems all humans face

February 2007 Newsletter

FIVE CAUSES OF SUFFERING
We all fall prey to the ups and downs of the human condition and face the same “problems.” In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali addresses the causes of human suffering. When I lead workshops on this topic, I ask participants to jot down the things that cause them suffering. You might take a moment to think about or even write down what you suffer over before reading further. Do you suffer over your job, your kids, your finances, your relationships, your looks or your bad habits? Patanjali tells us that there are five problems all humans face. He calls them the five afflictions or “kleshas” in Sanskrit. What do you think these five challenges are?

In Book II, sutra #3, (BKS Iyengar’s translation) Patanjali says—“The five afflictions which disturb the equilibrium of consciousness are: ignorance or lack of wisdom, ego, pride of the ego or the sense of “I,” attachment to pleasure, aversion to pain, fear of death and clinging to life.

By ignorance, he does not mean lack of factual knowledge, but the absence of an understanding of the spiritual flow of the universe. This spiritual ignorance called “avidya” or “without-seeing” is the greatest blindness of all and the root of the other four sources of suffering.

The ego and its ME-MY-MINE syndrome is a great source of suffering that causes us to feel separate, make comparisons, and perceive injustices. The little, “lower” ego-self blows little things out of proportion into big traumas and dramas. How easy it is to become jealous or feel slighted. We forget that each one of us is the same bundle of Divine Awareness plagued with a host of human foibles.

We have our attachments to the way we want things to be, pleasurable experiences to be pursued, and our aversion to things we don’t want, so many hurts to be avoided. Either way, we are not being in the present moment. We are attached to how it was in the past, or dreading what will happen in the future. Wanting things to be other than they are causes suffering. Change can only occur when we accept things exactly as they are and move on.

Fear of death and clinging to bodily life cause us to add suffering to any pain or "dis-ease" our bodies might encounter. Some pain in life is inevitable, but suffering is the emotional drama that we add to any condition. What do you do that causes your own suffering?

While three of the yoga sutras are about poses, the other 192 sutras address how to live life without suffering. Part of practicing yoga is learning that suffering is a choice. Learn what the sutras say about transcending suffering in our next issue.

March 2007 Newsletter

PATANJALI'S YOGA SUTRAS: MORE ABOUT SUFFERING
In our last issue, we noted the five major causes of suffering that Patanjali discusses in the Yoga Sutras—spiritual ignorance, egotism, attachment, aversion, and clinging to life or fear of death. These are the main challenges we all experience as human beings and do our best to overcome. We know that as the wheel of life turns, we do have to experience some pain, but suffering is the self-torment we add to magnify the original difficulty.

In the Yoga Sutras, Book II, Sutra 16, Patanjali writes— “Suffering that is yet to come, can and is to be avoided.” Think about it for awhile. How can suffering be avoided? How can YOU avoid suffering over the things that get you unnerved? I know that releasing feelings of misery is not always easy, especially when we are drawn into dramas with others.Well, if we can spot, at its onset, our tendency to torment ourselves over something that is happening or not happening, we can choose to shift our consciousness and let it go. Then if it comes back to mind, we may need to repeatedly shift and let it go again until it becomes less and less gripping.

For example, I have been stopped for speeding and given a ticket by an officer more than once in my lifetime. (Messages from the Universe to slow down!) The last time I decided to not go through all of the dramatic upset I add by lamenting, regretting, blaming myself, pleading with the officer, and running over and over in my head all the ways I could have spent that $100 fine and all the fun things I could have enjoyed doing more than spending a day in “bad driver school.” This last time, I simply admitted that the officer had caught me red-handed. I was grateful that I could afford to pay the $100 fine, and that it was only money and not worth my giving it any more energy. So I remained quiet and composed as the officer wrote and delivered the summons. I drove home slowly and immediately filled out the summons, wrote the check, stamped the envelope, put it outside in the mailbox, and let it go. A good mantra to remember is – “My peace is more important than this.”

This sutra that suffering can and is to be avoided was translated by one of my teachers as—“The only suffering that can be avoided is that yet to come.” So why do we spend so much time re-running our movies of the past and adding an overlay of new misery? It’s as if we relive the experiences, making them part of a foreign film, giving them “suffering subtitles.” The idea is to cease tormenting ourselves over the past and be mindful to short-circuit future suffering by shifting into our higher consciousness. And how can we achieve a higher consciousness to carry us beyond suffering? Pantanjali’s answer is -- by practicing the eight limbs of yoga. The photo in the upper right corner shows a mother and daughter from Kansas, Doreen and Karen, practicing the seventh limb, meditation, with no signs of suffering! In our next few issues, we will review the eight limbs of yoga.

April 2007

THE YAMAS, THE 1ST LIMB OF YOGA
Following up on our discussion of the causes of suffering, we now begin to look at the eight limbs of yoga, set forth by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras as the path to end suffering and achieve enlightenment. Patanjali tells us that by dedicated practice of the various aspects of yoga, impurities are destroyed, the causes of afflictions are removed, and wisdom radiates.

The first limb is the five Yamas, or social restraints. These moral observances form the foundation of spiritual discipline. In the Yoga Sutras (Book II, sutra 31), Patanjali tells us that these five codes are the great, mighty universal vows, unconditioned by place, time or class--applicable to all of humanity always. The five yamas are: non-harming (ahimsa), truthfulness (satya), non- stealing (asteya), continence/chastity (brahmacharya), and greedlessness (aparigraha). In Book II, sutras 35-39, Patanjali discusses the benefits of practicing the five yamas.

Ahimsa means without violence or non-harming. In essence, it goes far deeper, meaning the reverence for all beings that is our true nature when we are centered. We are all part of the same Divine energy, from the smallest insect to the person we find the most disagreeable. It is our nature to respect all life forms, including those perceived as disagreeable and perhaps move away gently with respect rather than react negatively. Ahimsa is the umbrella that supersedes all other principles. Under no circumstances are we to cause harm to another being. Most of us are not physically violent, but it is good to keep in mind that criticism, impatience and gossip are forms of violence. It is our job to always be gentle to ourselves and others and simply shift and say good notice when we become aware of the need to practice greater loving kindness. Ahimsa calls us to summon reverence and compassion when we are challenged by others. Patanjali tells us that when non-violence in speech, thought and action is established, ones aggressive nature is relinquished, and others abandon hostility in ones presence.

Satya or truthfulness is a much broader concept than not lying. This principle does relate to telling the truth, only if it will not harm another. However, it goes into much greater depth about being true to ourselves and to each other. It is good to inquire into ways we are true to ourselves and ways we are not, for example, saying Yes we will do something someone else wants us to do just to be agreeable, when we know it does not resonate with us. Sometimes being true to ourselves means saying "No" gently with respect or making a counter offer. The challenge is to access our core essence and learn to follow our inner knowing or truth. In the sutras, Patanjali says that when the spiritual practitioner is firmly established in the practice of truth, his words become so potent that whatever he says comes to realization.

Asteya or non-stealing alludes to not taking what belongs to others--be it possessions, credit, relationship partners, time or even attention. Most of us do not steal, but we do sometimes interrupt, or pull the attention away from the speaker to ourselves, or take time away from work. Then there are those little things we have taken home without permission. Take a look and see if you fully practice non-stealing. Patanjali claims that when we totally abstain from stealing, precious jewels will come to us.

Brahmachrya traditionally refers to a period of celibacy practiced by devout students in India. Translated, it means directing all of ones energy towards Brahman or the universal goodness. This principle asks us to be mindful of how we are using our energy and refrain from squandering it. Bramacharya is often interpreted as moderation of appetites or excesses, suggesting that one refrain from dissipating energy in wanton sex or sensuality. One can have sex and still be practicing brahmacharya (channeling their energy to the highest consciousness and spiritual study) if sex is performed as a conscious sacred union. While all of the famous yogis practiced celibacy at times, most are family people with children. Patanjali says that when the spiritual practitioner is firmly established in continence, knowledge, vigor, valor and energy flow to him.

Aparigraha means without greed or hoarding of possessions. Those of us who are shopaholics need to look into streamlining. According to this principle, it is okay to have nice things, as long as one is not attached to them. Take a look at what you might be hoarding or clinging to in your life. Patanjali says that when one is free from greed for possessions, knowledge of past and future lives unfolds.

As you see, Patanjali points out that there is great reward in practicing these five codes. They are not abstinences to be imposed like hardships, but rather our true nature. They spring from our innate goodness and oneness. Practicing the yamas means being truly who we are, fully in touch with our highest being and living with integrity. Many blessings come to us when we follow them mindfully. I invite you to pardon the past and start now!

NOTE: For more information about the five yamas and the next limb, the five niyamas, see the YogaLife materials in our store.

May 2007

EXPLORING THE NIYAMAS, THE 2ND LIMB OF YOGA
We continue to explore the eight limbs of yoga, set forth by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras as the path to end suffering and achieve enlightenment. Patanjali tells us that by dedicated practice of the eight limbs of yoga, we can rid ourselves of impurities within, remove the causes of our troubles and radiate wisdom.

Last month we discussed the first limb of yoga, the five yamas or universal moral observances. Now we look at the second limb, the five niyamas or internal practices that appear in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, Book II, 32-45. The prefix "ni" means internal, so while the yamas focus on five ways to achieve harmony with others, the niyamas guide you inside to focus on making yourself the best person you can be. The five niyama practices are: cleanliness (shaucha), contentment (santosha), discipline (tapas), self-study (svadhyaya), and surrender to God or a higher power (Ishvara- pranidhana).

Cleanliness/Shaucha: The first niyama, cleanliness, entails keeping a clean body, mind and spirit. It means that you are conscious of keeping clear in your thoughts, bodily intake and your environment. You are as pure as you can be and perform actions from that clarity with no attachment to agendas. Patanjali says that when you are fully grounded in the practice of cleanliness and purity, you attain the joyful awareness needed to realize the inner Self.

Contentment/Santosha: The sutras tell us to cultivate contentment by bringing satisfaction to whatever happens. Contentment is your responsibility. It's not up your huband, wife, mother or boss, but it's your job to keep yourself satisfied and cheerful. Find a way to accept the down side of the wheel and focus on the gifts life is bringing. Feel the feelings. Then let them go, and focus on gratitude. Accept that there is a Divine flow of life, and it doesn't seem to always follow your plans. The sutras say that from the continued practice of contentment and benevolence of consciousness comes supreme happiness.

Discipline/Tapas: "Tapas" means "heat." It is the burning away of whatever interferes with your goals. Speaking metaphorically, it's the endurance to go through the "eye of the needle" to accomplish what needs to be done. You might think of "tapas" as doing what you need to do to make life work smoothly, or what you need to do to be successful in achieving your goals and ongoing well-being. Patanjali says that when you master tapas, your self-discipline will burn away all impurities and kindle sparks of Divinity.

Self-Study/Svadhyaya: "Sva" means "self" and "adhyaya" means "the study of." It is a value of yoga to be a life-long learner who gathers with others to heighten consciousness. In addition to participating in enlightening events, self-study entails reading spiritual literature and engaging in prayer or mantra recitation. Life is an ongoing learning experience as you absorb this new knowledge and incorporate it into your self-perception and your world view. The sutras tell us that practicing self-study and engaging in consciousness raising activities leads to realization of God.

Surrender to God/Ishvara-Pranidhana: You do not have ta traditional belief in God to surrender your ego to the universal energy operating in the universe--whatever you choose to call it. The yoga sutras teach us that we are NOT in charge, and there is no such thing as control. The best thing you can do is know that, plant seeds, and trust in whatever comes to you without being attached to the outcome. What are you to surrender? All that you are being asked to give up is the lower ego-self that dwells on things myopically in terms of "me, my and mine." The sutras say that when you are fully able to surrender your ego, you achieve perfect transcendence or Samadhi.

A good practice is to keep a yama/niyama journal on your night table, and take a moment now and then to jot down your reflections on how well you are living them and how you can live them more fully. Remember to practice ahimsa (unconditional loving kindness or non-harming) and always be gentle to yourself. Simply say "Good notice" if you see yourself not practicing them (no blame) and just shift to following the principle. It truly is as easy as noticing, letting it go, and shifting.

In our next newsletter, we will discuss the third limb of yoga, asanas or postures. Enjoy what you are noticing.

NOTE: For more information about the five yamas and the next limb, the five niyamas, see the YogaLife materials in our store.

June 2007

ASANAS or POSTURES, the 3RD LIMB OF YOGA
As we continue examining the eight limbs of yoga, set forth by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras as the path to end suffering and achieve enlightenment, we come to the third limb, postures. There are only three aphorisms amid the 195 sutras that talk about the yoga poses. Patanjali tells us that by dedicated practice of the eight limbs of yoga, impurities are destroyed, the causes of afflictions are removed, and wisdom radiates.

In Book II, yoga sutras 46-48, Patanjali discusses the third limb of yoga, the poses. Sutra 46 says that the poses are to be "steady and comfortable." Sutra 47 tells us that the postures are to be performed with "effortlessness and meditation upon the Infinite." And, sutra 48 says that when we perfect steadiness in the poses, and have achieved effortlessness doing the poses with meditation upon the Divine Oneness, we will transcend the dualities of opposites. We will no longer be pulled by the mind's judgments of good and bad, pretty and ugly, best and worst, ups and downs, but remain in a neutral state allowing and accepting the flow of life.

You might ponder these sutras and what they may mean to you. I see them as a metaphor for life, saying that whatever roles we play, let us make them steady and comfortable and perform them effortlessly with meditation upon the Infinite. This is wisdom to apply to our roles in family relationships as well as at the workplace. As far as transcending dualities, I have not gotten to the place of dissolving distinctions of good and bad or right and wrong or likes and dislikes yet, but I do remind myself often to be "neutral." The best we can do when we find ourselves being judgmental is to recognize it, let it go, and shift to being neutral. The important message about the postures is to not struggle with your yoga practice, not make the poses a source of striving and pain, but a vehicle for accessing the expansion, security and Lightness within. Enjoy your yoga practice.

August 2007

September 2007

Delight in Waking Up
A Poem by Amrit Desai

Believe in the goodness of your soul.
Acknowledge how well
it has guided you.
And yet, know
you will fall asleep along the way.
When you sleep,
take no delight in blaming yourself.
Take delight
in waking yourself up once more.
Self-blame is the deepest injury,
the deepest sleep of all.
Wake yourself up with ultimate
gentle affection.

October 2007

Let It Be What It Is
A Poem by Amrit Desai

Let go of that which is gone.
Let go of that which is lost.
Let go of that which is not yet happening.
What has happened in the past and what will happen
in the future exist only in your mind.
What is happening now is the infinite caress of the universe.
To touch the eternal now and let it enfold you in its infinite love
is the essence of being in love.
What is happening now is the perfect outcome
of all you have been, and all you have done.
It is all here to teach you.
It is all here to love you.
It is all here to liberate you.
And it is all perfect
Release that which is going out.
Embrace that which is coming in.
Leave alone that which has not yet come.
Want nothing, and embrace everything.
Relax into what is, and what is will take care of you.
Let it be what it is.

November 2007

Yoga Philosophy 101 Revisited-Pranayama, the 4th Limb of Yoga

In our April through June newsletter issues, we began a discussion of the eight limbs of yoga set forth many thousands of years ago. They appear in Book II of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras as the way to end suffering. The eight limbs are: five social principles; five personal codes; postures; breathing; sense withdrawal; concentration; meditation; and transcendence. To review the first three limbs, you may read our April, May & June newsletter articles online at www.yogalife.net/yogaphilosophy101.html

There are four statements about the science of breathing in Book II, 49-53, of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. According to TKV Desichar's Reflections on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, pp.72-75, the four sutras are translated as follows:

11, 49- Pranayama is the conscious, deliberate regulation of the breath, replacing unconscious patterns of breathing.

II, 50-It involves the regulation of exhalation, inhalation and suspension of the breath. The regulation of these three processes is achieved by modulating their lengths, and maintaining the modulation for a period of time, as well as focusing the mind on the process. These components of breathing must be both long and uniform.

II, 51-Then the breath transcends the level of the consciousness.

II, 52-The regular practice of pranayama reduces the obstacles that inhibit clear perception.

II, 53-And the mind is now prepared for the process of direction towards a chosen goal.

An exercise I recommend is breathing a triple breath into the upper chest, mid chest, and then inflating the belly. The process is enhanced by holding the breath in for a few seconds. To fully exhale, the stomach muscles are lifted into the rib cage, and the elongated exhale is held out for a few seconds. Adding a raspy sound to the breath, called the ujjayi breath, helps to focus the process. In this way we are able to increase the amount of prana, or life force taken in, and release the body's toxins with full exhalations.

Through shallow breathing, we are taking in only a fraction of energy-producing prana. By consciously deepening the breath, we can increase our aliveness as we take in more prana. What exactly is prana? The best answer I have found is from BKS Iyengar in Light on the Yoga Sutras, p. 153.

Iyengar writes: Prana "permeates each individual as well as the Universe at all levels. It acts as physical energy; as mental energy; and as intellectual energy with a discriminative faculty, where information is examined and filtered. This same prana acts as sexual energy, spiritual energy and cosmic energy. All that vibrates in the Universe is prana. It is the prime mover of all activity--the wealth of life. This self-energizing force is the principle of life and of consciousness. All beings are born through it and live by it."

Studing the science of breath at the Krishnamacharya Yoga School in India, I learned that extending the exhalation is a way to relax the body, whereas prolonging the inhalation will serve to increase energy because you are takin in more prana. You might count the number beats your natural inbreath and outbreath take. Then prolong the exhale for a few counts more to relax, or inhale for a few beats longer to energize yourself. Example: To relax, if you inhale to the count of 4 or 5, then prolong the exhale to the count of 7 or 8. To energize, do the opposite, adding to your natural inhalation count.

Focusing consciously on the breath and regulating it will assist us in transcending the mind's chatter so we can access the Presence within. In yoga we say that the breath is the bridge from the mind to the body. And the famous poet Rumi wrote that "God is the space between the breaths." Especially during holidays, it's important to remember to BREATHE.

February 2008

THE FIFTH  LIMB OF YOGA  Pratyahara —Sense Withdrawal

In Light on the Yoga Sutras, BKS Iyengar translates and comments upon the two sutras about Pratyahara or sense withdrawal. Sutra II, 54 – “Withdrawing the senses, mind and consciousness from contact with external objects, and then drawing them inwards towards the seer, is pratyahara.” (p. 159)  Sutra II, 55 -- “Pratyahara results in the absolute control of the sense organs.” (p. 162)

What does pratyahara or sense withdrawal mean to us in terms of yoga and everyday life?
Well, if you are watching television and doing postures, you are not truly engaged in yoga.  A key feature of yoga, embodied in this fifth limb, is that doing yoga entails drawing yourself away from all of the outside pulls that call for your attention -- all of the sights, tastes, smells, sounds, feelings and thoughts that keep your attention outward instead of inside yourself, accessing your inner being.

Mr, Iyengar says “In normal daily life, consciousness helps the senses see the objects of the world with thoughts of acquisition, rejection and resignation. They become hypnotized by them, and are drawn outwards, towards pleasure.  In pratyahara, the senses are directed inwards, towards the realization of the soul.  Pratyahara is the withdrawal of the mind from its contact with the senses of perception and organs of action; then its direction is towards the soul.” (p.159-160.)   In addition to the pull of the five senses -- sight, taste, smell, touch and hearing – Iyengar is referring to the pull of what he calls the five organs of action, namely – legs, arms, speech and organs of sex and elimination.

Accordingly, past impressions create memories that cause us to crave renewed sensation.  This desire causes frustration and unhappiness, and we never seem to be satisfied.  Iyengar points out that, “Here lies the true role of pratyahara, the fifth aspect of yoga. It is the friend who releases you from the snares of the external world, and leads you towards happiness in the delight of the soul….  The mind, which until now had bypassed intelligence, now approaches it for guidance.  Intelligence employs its discriminative faculty to weigh right and wrong, the appropriate and inappropriate, and supports the mind in its struggle to free itself form the vociferous claims of memory and imprints. The act of going against the current of memory is pratyahara.” (p. 160-161) It is the act of disciplining the senses and the mind by intelligence so that they can return to their inner points of origin.

In the Bhagavad Gita and other scriptures, the senses are likened to galloping horses that pull our chariot of existence in many different directions, all away from our internal center or core being. Pratyahara is the act of pulling the reigns back and choosing to go inward.  It is the work of the Witness Consciousness who asserts priorities and curbs excesses-- placing our higher consciousness above the ego’s desires.  We learn to exercise pratyahara moment by moment, with patience and compassion.

Thus far we have studied five of the eight limbs of yoga. For a discussion of the first four limbs, visit www.yogalife.net/yogaphilosophy101.html  Iyengar makes the distinction that the first five limbs are actively practiced as an external quest, while the remaining three limbs carry us into the internal quest of yoga.  We will explore Concentration, Meditation and Transcendence in upcoming issues of our newsletter.
 
(Text:  BKS Iyengar:  Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.  California:  Thorsons, Harper Collins Publishers, 1993.)

March 2008

Tadasana
The Mountain, by Leza Lowitz
This is the place
the journey begins.
Half rooted in the earth,
half floating in the endless sky.
What would it be like
to be the mountain?
The air is perhaps thinner,
though the sky is not always clear.
The view is sometimes shrouded in fog
sometimes in plain and glorious sight,
but the ascent or descent can kill.
The earth is stable
or sometimes not.
So it is
at base or summit,
yet the mountain never asks
why or for what purpose
it exists.
This is the one difference
between the climber
and the climbed.

Excerpted from: Yoga Poems: Lines to Unfold By.  Berkeley, CA:  Stone Bridge Press, 2000, p.84.

April-May 2008

THE SIXTH LIMB OF YOGA  DHARANA —Concentration

Continuing our discusion of the eight limbs of yoga set forth by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras, we turn to the sixth limb, Concentration or Dharana.

In Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, BKS Iyengar states that  the first five limbs of yoga comprise the external quest.  He sums them up as follows: “Through the practice of the ten yoga principles (yama and niyama), the spiritual seeker develops emotional stability. Through postures (asana), he keeps his body, the abode of the soul, free from disease. In breath control (pranayama), he learns to stop the dissipation of energy by regulating its flow for proper distribution throughout his body and mind. Through sense withdrawal (pratyahara), he develops willpower, detaches himself from the organs of senses and acquires clarity of thought.” (p. 167) Then, Iyengar says, the seeker ready to begin the internal quest through concentration (dharana), meditation (dhyana) and sublime transcendence (samadhi).

According to Iyengar’s translation of sutra #1 of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras Book III -- “Fixing the consciousness on one point or region is concentration (dharana).  Dharana means focus of attention.  Focusing the attention on a chosen point or area, within or outside the body, is concentration. Byconcentration, the functions of the mind are controlled and brought to one focal point.” p.167

Concentration is the practice of training your mind to detach from its rampant chatter and prepare for meditation.  An outward form of concentration is gazing (tradak), whereby you learn to still the mind by focusing on an object such as a candle or sacred image.  Inward focus is assisted by following the breath within and focusing attention on a specific area such as the tip of the nose, the third eye, or the place of perfect stillness within.
 
Speaking of dharana in his commentary on The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Swami Satchidananda wrote-- “This very practice itself is called concentration:  the mind running, you bringing it back; its running, your bringing it back.  You are taming a monkey. Once it’s tamed, it will just listen to you.  You will be able to say, “Okay, sit there quietly.”  And it will. At that point you are meditating. Until then you are training yourself to meditate. Training your mind to meditate is what is called dharana.”  p. 173 

Like anything else, the development of concentration takes practice. It is recommended that we develop a daily sitting practice, the same time each day, morning and evening.  What I like to do is frequent “drop-ins.”  At several points during my day, I will let go of it all (drop everything that is calling for my attention), sit quietly, follow the breath inside, nestle into my soul essence for a short while, then move on to the next thing refreshed.  Next month, we will discuss what the famous yogis say about the seventh limb, meditation or dhyana.  In the meantime, you might enjoy practicing daily sittings and/or ‘drop-ins.”

Sources:
BKS Iyengar:  Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.  California:  Thorsons, Harper Collins Publishers, 1993.
Sri Swami Satchidananda:  The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Virginia:  Integral Yoga Publications, 1990.

June 2008

Yoga Philosophy 101: Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
The Seventh Limb of Yoga--Meditation or Dhyana


Continuing our discusion of the eight limbs of yoga set forth by Patanjali in The Yoga Sutras, we turn to the seventh limb, Meditation or Dhyana. To review discussions of the first six limbs of yoga, please visit www.yogalife.net/yogaphilosophy101.html

In The Secret Power of Yoga, Nischala Joy Devi discusses the relationship between the sixth and seventh limbs, concentration and meditation.  She translates the sixth limb, sutra III, #1, as -- "Gathering consciousness and focusing it within is Dharana (contemplation)." p. 252. Then she goes on to translate the seventh limb, III, sutra #2, noting -- The continuous inward flow of consciousness is Dhyana (meditation)." p. 259.  Nischala explains that Dharana intermittently touches inner awareness while the attention vascillates with frequent fluctuations from the external to the internal.   While concentration is the act of gathering the consciousness and fixing the attention, meditation is a more steady and continuously focused inner awareness.  It flows for a longer period of time, allowing identification with the Divine to increase.

Many clients tell me that they have difficulty silencing the automatic bombardment of thoughts that race through the consciousness. Most think it is their personal inablitiy to focus.  They are very freed up when I tell them that everyone has to deal with this automatic mental chatter, which we call "The Monkey Mind" in yoga. So practicing concentration, we focus on stilling the mind to access inner awareness--quieting the monkey.  In meditation, we sustain a continuous flow of inner awareness in which the monkey is subdued and out of sight for a while.

This does not mean that thoughts never enter your meditation.  Thoughts do enter, but as long as you let them go and continue to focus on sustaining your inner awareness, you are successfully meditating. When beginning to meditate, most people are too hard on yourselves.  You think that your mind must be ablsolutely empty in order to be effectively meditating.  My teaching is that if you sustain the inner awareness and slow down the thought process, you are meditating. As such, I define meditation as "the process of sustaining a quieter mind, not necessarily a silent mind."

The excerpt below is from my soon-to-be published book CULTIVATE CONTENTMENT:  Design the Life You Want Using 10 Ancient Yoga Principles. In this three-part exercise. I invite the meditator to precede meditation by taking some time to think and keep on thinking until thoughts stop coming.  Try the three steps below, and see if they work for you.

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Three-Part Exercise to Quiet the Monkey Mind
If you are not able to quiet the mind simply by focusing on the breath, let your mind ramble on, and follow the steps in this exercise. Sit still, and allow the stream of thoughts to race through.  Just observe them, label them, and let them go like clouds passing by. Start your meditation time by asking yourself -- "What have I got going on in my mind right now?" Then simply scan the thoughts as they pass through without diving into any of them. After a while, you run out of thoughts passing through.  You can do this as a three-part scanning exercise.

1.  SCAN THOUGHTS: First, scan all of the thoughts passing through. Just allow them to float by like a tickertape without reacting or adding mass to any of them. Then visualize yourself at a waterfall, a majestic cliff, or a power spot. Take a deep breath, and exhale all of the thoughts with an audible sigh. Do this three times, and then visualize the word TRUST.  See TRUST written in the sky or behind your closed eyelids. Breathe in the TRUST that all of these things on your mind are in the process of being taken care of in this moment. Breathe this TRUST into every part of your mind and body.

2.  SCAN EMOTIONS: Next, scan all of your feelings. Ask yourself, "What have I been feeling lately?"  Do an inventory of all of the emotions that have been passing through you. For example, you felt angry when John seemed to be laughing at you, or you felt happy when the boss praised you.  Just scan the emotions in memory and then visualize yourself at your power spot.  Take in a deep breath, and exhale all of the emotions with a sigh. Do this three times. Then breathe in COMPASSION for yourself and all the other people in your life. Allow your breath to carry this COMPASSION throughout your mind, heart and body.

3.  SCAN PHYSICAL BODY: Finally, scan your body for any places that might feel tight, and see if you can consciously release those areas. Pretend that you are an hour glass filled with whatever color sand you like. Start at the top of your head and observe the sand removing all tension from your body as it drains down your glass figure and out of your hands and feet.  Then imagine returning to your power spot. Take a deep breath, and exhale with an audible sigh. Do this three times, letting go of any and all tension.  Then breathe in PEACE, and have PEACE gently flow into all parts of your body. You can do this by visualizing whatever color Light you choose flowing in through your crown and radiating throughout your entire body, filling you with PEACE from head to toe.

After doing this scan of your mind and breathe in trust, the scan of your emotions and breathe in compassion, and the scan of your body and breathe in peace -- your mind will be quieter and you will be able to sit in stillness for a while. Pretend that your mind is a cottage with the windows open. If any thoughts fly in, just let them fly right out the window.

And if you still need an anchor to hold your awareness inward, you can inhale "Om" and exhale "Shanti" -- inhaling the sound of peace and exhaling the Sanskrit word for "peace." Repeat this mantra, or another of your choice, to reinforce inner awareness until the mantra just fades from consciousness, and you drop into your sacred silence.

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Whatever the result of your attempts to meditate, acknowledge yourself for taking the time to slow your mind down and go inward. Even if your mind interrupts at times, you are succeeding in stilling the mind somewhat. And let's not forget why you are meditating. The gist of the first few yoga sutras is that--
1. What follows is the complete art and  science of yoga
2. Yoga is the stopping of the automatic thought forms of the mind
3. When you stop the thoughts, you can access your true inner splendor
4. If you don't, you will identify with those thoughts and think that is who you are

The purpose of yoga is meditation.  And the purpose of meditation is to access Divine inner splendor.  There is no more powerful place for you to be than within your sacred stillness. 

Source:  Nischala Joy Devi:  The Secret Power of Yoga.  New York:  Crown Publishing, Random House, 2007.

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July-August 2008

Yoga Philosophy 101: Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
The Eighth Limb of Yoga--Transcendence or Samadhi


Continuing our discusion of the eight limbs of yoga set forth by Patanjali in The Yoga Sutras, we finally turn to the eighth and last limb, Transcendence or Samadhi. To review discussions of the first seven limbs of yoga, please visit our website --  www.yogalife.net/yogaphilosophy101.html 

In our last issue, we discussed meditation, the seventh limb, as the act of stilling the mind. Patanjali's Yoga Sutras tell us that the purpose of yoga is meditation.  And the purpose of meditation is to access Divine inner splendor.  When you are no longer aware of yourself meditating, you have merged with that Divine splendor in serene, sacred stillness.

You are no longer aware of yourself as a separate being who is doing the meditating.  You have transcended your mind and merged with your Divine consciousness. Your awareness flows from deliberate mental focus on stilling thoughts to a consciousness in which you are no longer present but have merged with what you were meditating upon.  This is called Transcendence or Samadhi.

Let's look at the way three yoga scholars and a yoga poet describe Patanjali's Yoga Sutra on Transcendence from Book III, Sutra #3.

TKV Desikachar writes about the shift from meditation to transcendence, noting:  "Soon, the individual is so involved in the object, that nothing except its comprehension is evident. It is as if the individual has lost his own identity. This is complete integration wtih the object of understanding (samadhi)" (p. 79)

Nischala Joy Devi translates sutra III, 3, stating-- "When individual consciousness unites with the Divine Consciousness, the illusion of separateness dissolves; this is Samadhi."  She acknowledges that words are inadequate to describe this state of merging with the Divine and notes that -- "The world that we visit during Samadhi (Union with Divine Consciousness) has no tangible language. It is a state beyond description . It can only be experienced.  (p. 261)

Translating this sutra, BKS Iyengar, writes --  "When the object of meditation engulfs the meditator, appearing as the subject, self-awareness is lost. This is samadhi."  (p. 170)  Mr. Iyengar continutes to note that "When the object of contemplation shines forth without the intervention of one's own consciousness, dhyana (meditation) flows into samadhi (transcendence)." (p. 170) He likens this kind of absorption to when musicians or artists get lost in their music or painting and are carried away, one with their composition. Mr. Iyengar describes the process -- "Uninterrupted flow of attention dissolves the split between the object seen and the seer who sees it. Consciousness appears to have ceased, and to have reached a state of silence. It is devoid of "I," and merges into the core of the being in a profound state of serenity.  In samadhi, awareness of place vanishes and one ceases to experience space and time." (p. 170)

And, finally, I would like to share what Alberto Villoldo writes in his poetic rendering of the yoga sutras that I very highly recommend, Yoga, Power and Spirit: Patanjali the Shaman.    Dr. Villoldo captivates the spirit of the first three sutras in Book III, giving us the following poems on Concentration, Meditation, and Transcendence, the last three limbs and highest expression of yoga-- (From pp. 94-96)

Concentration.
Awareness rests on an object,
    a shape
    a word,
    a breath.

Steadfast.
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Meditation.
Awareness fixes gently on an object or a breath,
    unmoved by thoughts that wander by.
Conscious only of this.

Unwavering.

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Samadhi.
Immersed in concentration and meditation,
    all thoughts and distractions far away.
Your focus steady,
    you achieve samadhi.
All that exists is the heart of the experience.
There is no one meditating,
    no one concentrating,
    only awareness.

There is no yogi,
    only the yoga.

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Sources:

TKV Desikachar:  Reflections on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.  India:  Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram, 1987, 2003.

Nischala Joy Devi: The Secret Power of Yoga.  New York:  Crown Publishing, Random House, 2007.

BKS Iyengar:  Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.  California:  Harper Collins Thorsons, 1993.

Alberto Villoldo, PhD:  Yoga, Power, and Spirit:  Patanjali the Shaman.  California:  Hay House, Inc., 2007.