This is the tenth in a series of posts intended to shed light on Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras – the authoritative text on classical Indian yoga, or meditation.
If you’ve followed this series of posts, it’s obvious that the postures practiced in yoga studios across the US today are a far cry from the millennia-old pursuit of enlightenment by the same name.
So how did Downward Dog and Warrior II come to be called “yoga”?
The Classical yoga precepts of nonviolence and love found an audience in America during the anti-establishment movement of the 1960’s. World renowned yogi Satchidananda opened the 1969 Woodstock music festival with a prayer for peace. But what may have started out as a reflection of the classical Indian pursuit altered as it spread.
What most people think of as “yoga” evolved virtually without context from three sutras in the second chapter of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras (the chapter on preparing to meditate which we’ll examine in future posts). In essence, those few sutras say, “to sit for long periods so our mind can settle, our posture should be relaxed, steady and comfortable”. In short, it was much easier to practice (and commercialize) physical rather than mental self-control, let alone the pursuit of our intangible Consciousness!
Below is a list of the 51 aphorisms or sutras comprising the first chapter of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras which introduces the pursuit of enlightenment. The Sanskrit has been omitted below, though is key to a truer understanding of Patanjali’s intent. The following English interpretations are intended solely to provide context for further study!
Chapter One of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras introduces meditation as a path to enlightenment:
- What is yoga
- Types of thought to be transcended
- Keys to success
- Levels [or stages] of meditation
- What’s required and how long it takes
- An alternative to meditation
- Potential obstacles
- How to cultivate a clear mind
- Recognizing progress
What is yoga?
1.1 Now we’re going to discuss yoga
1.2 Yoga is transcending our thoughts…
1.3 …to realize our essence
1.4 Otherwise, we identify with our thoughts
Types of thought to be transcended
1.5 There are five types of thought; they may be influenced by conditions that further obscure Consciousness
1.6 [The five types of thought are] correct, incorrect, imagined, neutral and remembered
1.7 Correct thoughts are verifiable by observation, inference and authentication
1.8 Incorrect thoughts are caused by misperception
1.9 Imagined thoughts have no basis in reality
1.10 Neutral thoughts are non-cognitive observations
1.11 Remembered thoughts are impressions that remain of the other four
Keys to success
1.12 Practice and non-attachment lead to success
1.13 Practice means never giving up
1.14 By practicing continuously and earnestly over a long-time efforts become habitual
1.15 Non-attachment means always letting go (mastering desire)
1.16 With ultimate self-awareness (“enlightenment”) all attachments fall away
Levels [or stages] of meditation
1.17 There are four levels of meditation “with seed”: attention, concentration, contemplation and absorption
1.18 With sufficient practice we experience meditation “without seed”
What’s required and how long it takes
1.19 Some people are predestined or predisposed to experience enlightenment
1.20 For others enlightenment requires faith, vigor, mindfulness, meditation and wisdom
1.21 Success comes readily to those with conviction
1.22 Though the time it takes is affected by the degree of effort one puts into it
An alternative to meditation
1.23 Alternatively, enlightenment can be attained through devout service to God
1.24 God or Consciousness is unaffected by karma and thus suffering
1.25 God is all-knowing
1.26 God is unaffected by time and space
1.27 The sound “AUM” [or “Amen”] may be used to represent God
1.28 It helps to reflect upon the meaning of AUM [or “Amen”] while repeating it
1.29 Devotion to God removes the obstacles to enlightenment
Potential obstacles
1.30 There are nine distractions which can become obstacles to attaining enlightenment: illness, dullness, doubt, negligence, laziness, cravings, misperceptions, failure and instability
1.31 Symptoms of obstacles include distress, despair, trembling, and uneven breath
1.32 Concentrating your mind can remove the obstacles
How to cultivate a clear mind
1.33 A clear mind is cultivated by friendliness, compassion, goodwill and neutrality
1.34 A clear mind is facilitated by a) controlling your breathing
1.35 b) paying attention to your otherwise subconscious sense perception and processing
1.36 c) contemplating Consciousness
1.37 d) contemplating a great teacher
1.38 e) contemplating (day) dreams
1.39 f) contemplating something you find uplifting
1.40 Practice concentrating on everything from the infinitely small to the infinitely large
1.41 [and] eventually, you’ll understand the common elemental nature (the union) of all things – and the distinction between things and Consciousness
Recognizing progress
1.42 The first stage of meditation “with seed” is characterized by focusing on the object’s tangible, surface characteristics
1.43 The second stage of meditation “with seed” is characterized by sensory perception, “seeing” the object’s tangible, manifest gross characteristics
1.44 The third stage of meditation “with seed” is characterized by subjective contemplation fueled by memory of the object’s tangible, manifest subtle characteristics
1.45 The fourth and final stage of meditation “with seed” is characterized by intuitive identification of the object’s subtle, unmanifest, intangible characteristics
1.46 These are the four stages of meditation “with seed”
1.47 In the final level of meditation (i.e., “without seed”), having completely settled our conscious and sub-conscious mind, we experience our own essence
1.48 You know it intuitively
1.49 It’s a deeper, energetic sense of understanding
1.50 Experiencing Consciousness trumps everything else
1.51 While in a state of union with Consciousness, no memories (triggers) remain; it’s a state of ultimate serenity: the state of union or yoga
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God bless, Skip
#patanjali #consciousness #meditation
