INSTRUCTION IN YOGA — SUTRA 1.1
atha yogānuśāsanam And so, now instruction on the discipline of yoga can begin.
Yoga is a life-long practice. It is not a therapy, nor is it just a means to stay fit, manage one’s health, or achieve material success. However, through committed practice it does prove therapeutic. It does nurture and maintain physical, emotional and mental well-being. It also gives way to a life of fulfilment and personal success. Nonetheless, the true purpose of practising yoga is to experience yoga. Yoga is both a means and the end.
The philosophy and principles expounded in the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali are a synthesis of the key instructions identified, practised and passed down over thousands of years, compiled to be given to individuals ready to commit to this life-long practice. It is best to ensure we are physically, mentally and emotionally prepared for such commitment. Any lack may lead to suffering and upset, as we mover deeper into the practice.
The Yoga Sutra of Patanjali is a manual for living, intended to support us in our awakening in understanding of our true nature, and living from that understanding. In the context of the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali, the word yoga is synonymous with the word samadhi, both meaning the uniting or absorbing of our individual conscious perspective with universal consciousness.
Fundamental to achieving samadhi is our ability to live with concentrated focus in every aspect of our lives. Any personal challenges we are experiencing in our lives should be overcome and eradicated to facilitate our uninterrupted adherence to this sadhana or practice. Once we have done this, we are ready to receive the instruction offered in the following sutras.
Sage Vyasa in his commentary on the first verse of the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali, described five states of mind. These are disturbed (kshipta), dull (mudha), distracted (vikshipta), one-pointed (ekagra), and neutralised (nirodha). A one-pointed state of mind (ekagra) is conducive to the practice of yoga, and a neutralised state of mind (nirodha) to the experience of yoga.
We can use these five stages as a framework to reference our general state of mind, but also to assess our state of mind at different points throughout the day, including when we sit for formal practice. Having identified our current state of mind, we can employ specific practices to move the mind to the desired state suitable for depth in formal meditation practice and for greater clarity of awareness in informal day-to-day living.
Yoga is a discipline. Success in yoga cannot be experienced if one is not disciplined. This sacred text is intended to be a continuous guide for the practitioner as they remain committed in their practice. The full depth of meaning offered in the scripture can only be understood through continuous, regular contemplation of the 196 aphorisms.
Sutra one begins with the word atha, which has several meanings: now, therefore, thus, further, afterwards, moreover, accordingly, also. This spectrum of meaning accommodates the varying levels of awareness of those contemplating the text. Not only may different readers interpret the text differently, but it may be interpreted differently by the same reader on different occasions, in accordance with the purification of their own conscious awareness.
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David McGrath
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SEEING WHO YOU REALLY ARE - SUTRA 1.3
In Samadhi, we have direct experience of our existence beyond the level of ego personality, mind and intellect. We experience directly our essential nature as the witnessing presence which is unaffected by all that occurs. This witnessing presence is the Seer - the eternal Self. The term ‘Seer’ holds no religious or metaphysical meaning, it is not something we have to believe in. Sage Patanjali, instead of going into detail on the nature of the true Self, uses the term ‘Seer’ as a means to reference the state experienced when one adheres to the purifying practices of yoga.
By David McGrath24 days ago in Psyche
The secret journey to regaining emotional stability
Do you feel that the anxious and avoidant types both seem to be strong and independent, but in fact they are sensitive and fragile. They often fall into emotions because of small things and start to be anxious and avoidant? If anxious and avoidant types want to change these, what they actually need is to compensate for their missing parts and heal their injured parts. In this issue, we will teach the avoidant and anxious types how to cultivate themselves again, making their emotions more stable, more rational in relationships, and at the same time gaining the ability to actively output emotional value. If anxious and avoidant types want to overcome the sensitive and fragile parts of themselves and obtain stable emotions, they need not only cognitive adjustments, but also need to heal the traumatized parts of themselves and compensate for the regretful parts of themselves. For example, the regret of the avoidant type is that they have not been paid serious attention to and have never truly rebelled. Therefore, the avoidant type will not fight for their own needs in many situations, resulting in uncomfortable situations and relationships, and they are always running away and wandering. The trauma of the anxious type is that they are trapped in unstable relationships and have been hurt by the instability in intimate relationships. The slightest fluctuation will make the anxious type feel nervous and anxious. Therefore, anxious and avoidant types are inherently fragile, sensitive, and unstable. In summary, these reasons are that something is missing during the growth stage, or they have suffered some trauma, so if you want to solve these problems, this is the time. Compensate when you need to compensate, heal when you need to heal, exercise when you need to exercise, just treat yourself as a child and raise yourself again. If the avoidant and anxious types re-train themselves, what kind of growth can they gain? First of all, emotions will become more and more stable. For example, you can be aware of your emotions at the first time, avoid emotions from affecting your thoughts and judgments, and learn to regulate your emotions. Secondly, you can truly understand yourself and know your real needs and fears. In the process of re-nurturing yourself, you can clearly understand your needs and fears, that is, you can know why you are attracted to a certain person, why you behave like this, and then you can better understand what you need.
By angelababy2 days ago in Psyche
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Well written!