"I respectfully bow down with folded hands and offer my
salutations to Sage Patanjali, the highest among the Munis (sages), who has
presented the remedies for removing the impurities of the body through his
treatise on Ayurveda, of language through his treatise on grammar (Patanjala
Mahabhashya) and the impurities of the Chitta (mind field) through his treatise
on Yoga (Yoga Sutras of Patanjali)."
yogascitta vritti nirodhah
"Yoga is the restraint of the modifications of the mind-stuff"
- Sage Patanjali (sutra 1.2) ; translation by Swami Vivekananda
Even though yoga has been mentioned in various ancient texts, including the
Vedas, Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita etc, the credit for putting together a
formal, cohesive philosophy of yoga goes to Sage Patanjali. In his Yoga Sutras,
Patanjali has provided the very essence of the philosophy and teachings of yoga
in a highly scientific and systematic exposition. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (YSP)
are one of the six darshanas of Hindu schools of philosophy and a very important
milestone in the history of Yoga. The book is a set of 195 aphorisms (sutras),
which are short, terse phrases designed to be easy to memorize. Though brief,
the Yoga Sutras are an enormously influential work that is just as relevant for
yoga philosophy and practice today as it was when it was written. The sutras are divided into
four chapters (pada) as follows:
Samadhi Pada: The first chapter provides a definition and the purpose of yoga.
Various approaches that can be used to achieve the objectives of yoga are
provided.
Sadhana Pada: The second chapter
contains the practical approach to achieving the goals of yoga. In this chapter
the author gives a description of the eight limbs of yoga called Ashtanga Yoga,
which is how the yoga sutras are sometimes referred to.
Vibhuti Pada: The third chapter
focuses on some of the supernatural powers that an adept yogi may be able to
attain.
Kaivalya Pada: In the fourth chapter the nature of the mind and mental perceptions,
desire, bondage and liberation and what follows it are discussed.
The Yoga
Sutras of Patanjali are also sometimes referred to as "Raja Yoga" or the "Royal
Yoga".
The eight limbs of yoga as defined in the second chapter are as follows:
Yamas (self restraints) and Niyamas (observances) : The yamas and niyamas
represent an ethical and moral code to be followed and help establish an
adequate moral foundation for the aspiring yogi. (for a
powerpoint presentation on yamas and niyamas,
please see here)
Asana
(posture): Asana refers to the seated posture which should be
steady and comfortable so the yogi can sit and meditate for long periods of
time.
Pranayama
(breath control): Pranayama, which literally means stretching or expansion of prana - the
vital life force, involves breath control and helps train and prepare the mind
for dharana (concentration).
Pratyahara (sense withdrawal): Through pratyahara one gains the ability to
withdraw the senses from their objects thus achieving perfect control over the
senses.
Dharana (concentration/focus): Dharana involves focusing the mind on a
single object of concentration for long periods of time.
Dhyana
(meditation): When there is an uninterrupted flow of the mind toward the
object of focus, the yogi enters the state of meditation.
Samadhi (total absorption): Finally when even
the self-awareness of the mind disappears and only the object of meditation
shines through, it is called the state of samadhi.
The main focus of Patanjali
is controlling the mind and subduing the fluctuations of the mind, called 'chitta
vrittis'. Once the mind is calm and peaceful, one gets established in his own
true nature.
Hatha Yoga
"Hatha Yoga is a flexible combination of specific techniques that help develop
every aspect of the individual: physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual.
It is a scientific system that integrates the various branches of yoga and
brings about a harmonious development of the individual. Regular practice of
yoga helps achieve: a body of optimum health and strength, senses under control,
a mind well disciplined, clear and calm, an intellect as sharp as a razor, a
strong will, a heart full of unconditional love and compassion, an ego as pure
as a crystal, and a life filled with supreme peace and joy."
- Swami Satchidananda
As stated above, Patanjali emphasized concentration and meditation in order
to achieve a calm and peaceful mind. The need to maintain a steady and
comfortable seated posture for meditation for long periods of time necessitates
a body that is healthy and free of disease and a mind that is free of worry and
fear. The art and science of hatha yoga was developed to achieve such a body.
Several great yogis, including such names as Yogi Matsyendranath and Yogi
Gorakhanath, are considered to be the 'forefathers' of hatha yoga. However, it
is Yogi Swatmarama who compiled the wisdom of Hatha Yoga in his Hatha Yoga
Pradeepika (HYP) which expounds the techniques such as asana, pranayama and
shatkarma (the six-fold cleansing techniques). Through regular practice of these
techniques, the body is purified of all the toxins, the nadis (channels of
subtle energy) are opened for free flow of prana (vital energy), and kundalini
shakti (the dormant serpent power) gets awakened. Through control
of prana, the mind is automatically controlled. The HYP is divided into the
following four chapters:
Asana: Several physical postures, including seated postures for
meditation are described. Guidelines for diet are also provided in this
section.
A few general recommendations regarding a yogic diet are given
here.
Shatkarma: Six cleansing
techniques are described:
Dhauti: digestive tract and intestinal cleansing with a long, wet cloth.
In 'Gherand Samhita' several other dhauti techniques are also given.
Basti: yogic enema for internal cleansing. Helps cure digestive
problems, removes constipation and strengthens the solar plexus.
Neti: nasal cleansing through 'sutra neti' (cleansing with thread) and 'jala
neti' (cleansing with warm, saline water using a neti pot). Highly
recommended for allergies, common cold and cough as well as providing
resistance to various diseases of ear, nose and throat.
Trataka (concentrated gazing): usually done with concentrated gazing on
the tip of the flame of a candle. It helps remove diseases of the eye as
well as develops one-pointedness which helps in meditation.
Nauli (abdominal massaging): nauli is performed by the practice of
contracting and isolating the rectus abdominii muscles. Nauli helps in
igniting the digestive fire, removing indigestion and balancing the
endocrine system.
Kapalabhati: rapid, forced exhalations, accompanied by pulling the
abdominal muscles in; inhalation is passive and automatic. Kapalabhati helps
destroy all mucus disorders.
Pranayama (breath control): Pranayama literally means expansion or
stretching of the prana, the vital life force. Breath is the grossest
manifestation of this prana. It is through control of the breath that one can
control and regulate the prana in the system. Prana is intimately linked with
the Kundalini (the serpent shakti) and through various pranayama practices,
one can raise the kundalini from its dormant state at the base of the spine,
thus raising the level of consciousness. Several pranayama techniques,
including nadi shodhana (alternate nostril breathing), surya bhedan (vitality
stimulating breath), ujjayi (psychic breath), bhastrika (bellows breath) etc.
are mentioned in HYP. It is worth noting that Kapalabhati mentioned above as
one of the shatkarma techniques is also considered and taught as a pranayama
technique.
Mudra and Bandha: As described in HYP, mudras (which include
the four bandhas - uddiyana, moola, jalandhara, and mahabandha in addition to
mudras like mahamudra, khechari, vipareetakarani etc) can help raise the level
of the kundalini and prepare the spiritual aspirant for practicing Raja Yoga.
Samadhi: As a result of the practices described in the previous
three chapters, the prana begins to flow through the sushumna nadi and the
mind becomes calm and peaceful. As a result the yogi can get into the state of
samadhi (total absorption).
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Last modified:
04/21/08
