Yoga Philosophy - Preparation for Yoga
Psychology and the significance of Yoga:
The main clue line of Sage Patanjalis "Yoga Sutra" is to still the mind, then union of individual "Self" with "Supreme Consciousness" is experienced.
As I described earlier Yoga Sutras of Sage
Patanjali consist of 195 sutras arranged into four chapters named Samadhi
Pada, Sadhana Pada, Vibhooti Pada and Kaivalya Pada. This demarcation between
these chapters is made for easy understanding, there are no boundary lines and
seamlessly passes on to the following chapters as well.
Yoga Sutra is like a treaty and is crisp and
condensed which contains a lot of important philosophical aspects. First
Chapter Samadhi Pada is dealing with the highest spiritual consideration in
meditation. In the first chapter Samadhi Pada Sutras 1:1 to 1:4 explains “Yoga”
and why we should take on this pursuit of this practice. From Sutras 1:5 to
1:11 describe five compulsive states of “Chitta Vrittis' '. Sutras from 1:12 to
1:16 elucidate various ways to pacify and attain control of fluctuations of the
mind (“Chitti Vritties”). Sutras from 1:17 to 1:22 spell out various subtle
states and types of Samadhi. Sutras from 1:23 to 1:29 give the definition of
“Iswara''. Sutras from 1:30 to 1:39 discuss procedures for calming down
(“Chitta Prasamanam '') the mind core. Sutras from 1:40 to 1:50 provide broad
definitions of different meditativeness. In the second Chapter, Sadhana
Pada is dealing with different practices, methods, forms and obstacles that may
emerge when we begin to practice and how to confront them. means to achieve the
state of concentration. The third Chapter Vibhuti Pada deals with spiritual
psychic powers that naturally emerge as a result of this practice.
Our mental world is divided into three
categories. One is the experience and the other two are the two types of
reactions to that experience. One is the positive reaction and the other is the
negative reaction. If the experience is pleasant we like the experience on the
other hand if the experience is unpleasant we dislike it. The dislike is of two
types: either we may go against it or we may run away from it. According to
Sage Patanjali and the view of “Yoga” commentators, it is called “Boga” which
is our experience from the external world as well as from our individual inner
life. When we feel anger or joy are inner experiences of our own mental system,
and then we react to that experience called “Vega” or “Udvega”. The way
we react to the psychological, emotional and volitional reactions to these
experiences does not necessarily mean external circumstances, that are
internally felt are also experiences and how we react to them. A tendency to
get angry or I want to be angry and the situations make me angry. If we are
aware of the specific discomfort of the mind we feel less angry. The awareness
of complications of the mind attenuates the intensity of suffering. The mind
naturally evolves a mechanism to confront the distress, to lessen and solve the
intensity of the suffering. Whatever we do, not only physical actions or mental
actions like thought, a flash of ideas and emotions will create a kind of
modification called “Vritti” in the mind core or "Chitta". Then these
“Vritties” transform a “Samskara” when we do something visible, the tangible
result is only one insignificant part of the constituencies there are much
bigger and much more intense and strongly felt results or consequences. The way
actions influence our mind and the impressions and actions and thoughts created
in our mind is called “Samskara”. These “Samskara” again create a” Karmic”
imprint in our mind core called “Vasanas” and these "Vasanas” prompts us
to action. We may repeat actions if they produce happy results and avoid the
action that produces unhappy results.
“Karmashaya” is the mechanism in which all
these imprints, thoughts and afflictions (“Kleshas”) which are called
“Samskaras” are accumulated and stored. Subsequently, these “Samskaras”
influence our entire life cycle knowingly and unknowingly. Furthermore, these
“Samskaras” are not affected in this life cycle alone these are carried forward
to the next life cycle. According to Sage Patanjali one’s life is not a
straight-line progression between birth, life and death rather it is a cyclic
progression. We are born again with these “Samskaras” and continue to live unless
and until one does not undertake the transformation of energy that is witness
consciousness direct towards “Supreme Consciousness”. The quadrangle
(“Chathurvyuha”) of these sufferings (“Dukkha”) which is called “Heya” is to be
eliminated to attain cessation of sufferings. “Dukkha” here does not
necessarily mean grief or sorrow in the literal sense of the term, we are faced
with different kinds of imperfections and deficiencies in our life. Hence this
incompleteness motivates and thinks us to go ahead in life. A person who is
fully satisfied with present existing conditions is either a “Yogi” or a
primitive being like animals who are content with food. Human beings are living
at a very physical worldly level is also feel a kind of satisfaction. The
majority of the people's thinking and evolving human beings belong to this
intermediary category and they are far above the animal kingdom. Those who
foster higher thoughts undergo a sense of imperfections in their present
physical existence. Therefore, they, anticipate higher wisdom and begin the
journey toward spiritual levels. At this critical state, many people started
their spiritual journey seeking solutions for their feeling of imperfections.
This “Heyahetu” which means the association between “Drishtuh” and “Drishya”,
the misidentification of the “Seer” and “Seeing” and the imaginary association of
“Purusha” and “Prakriti” is the cause of “Dukkha” (Suffering). Elimination of
this Dukkha will lead one to the path of attainment of “Kaivalya”. It is described
in the 2nd chapter, Sadhana Pada's 23rd verse to 26th verse.
Sadhana Pada Sutra 2:23 says,
“Svasvamishaktyoh svaroopopalabdhihetuh
sanyogah”
The power becomes manifest when the
conjunction of the Self or “Atman” with nature happens. The cause of suffering
is the entanglement of this true self with nature about the realization.
The cessation of the cause of “Dukkha” is
mentioned in 2:26 in the 2nd chapter, Sadhana Pada.
“Vivekakhyatiraviplava hanopayah”
The elimination of the cause of “Dukkha” is the
unbroken practice of discrimination and discernment to eliminate ignorance is
“Vivekakhyati”. The means of eradication of this ignorance and cause of bondage
is unbroken discriminative intuition or higher spiritual awareness or spiritual
wisdom. A person who understands the recognition of this inner
incompleteness is seeking spiritual intuition in their life in seven stages. It
is the attainment that gets through seven stages of spiritual evolution. When
this spiritual awareness or wisdom (“Vivekakhyati”) reaches a higher level
then, the spiritual enlightenment gets differentiated into seven kinds of
insight (“Prajna”). The first four stages together are called “Karya-Vimukti”
and the rest three stages together are called “Chitta-Vimukti”.
Now let us look into the day-to-day life of
human beings in this contemporary world. A person who is rich enough and doing
well in his family life will not be happy all the time. At some point of time
immediately after every achievement, the person is aware of something else that
is to be achieved. This type of thinking is fostered by even the majority of
cultured highly educated human beings. A foolish person or brute does not feel
like this moreover, a highly elevated saint-like “Buddha” is also not affected
by anything. The majority of cultured, intelligent and educated people not facing
any problems and everything going in their favour are facing this bewilderment
and imperfections. In the worldly sense though our life is going fine and
desires are fulfilled on the empirical level still feel dissatisfaction and
discontent. This doesn’t happen to everyone. The wise man who reaches a
particular stage in spiritual and cultural evolution feels that there is a
higher meaning in our lives and that dimension is the spiritual dimension. This
particular feeling is called “Parinama Dukkha”. The feeling of
imperfections in life and the desire to become aware of inner imperfections and
higher significance and relevance in life have made many philosophers and
thinkers in our society. This is also suffering (“Dukkha”). The
dissatisfaction with these empirical worldly pleasures is an adornment and a
starting point of higher wisdom (“Vivekakhyati”) and the beginning of higher
evolution in human existence. Once one touches the level of higher wisdom
(“Vivekakhyati”) the suffering that is to be obliterated (“Heya”) is known
crystal clear. This type of perception lead to the path of the spiritual
journey and one’s gravity of sorrow begins to attenuate. The state of higher
wisdom (“Vivekakyati”) discriminates non-identification of “Vritties” and
impressions that emerge in our minds. When we come in contact with external
things immediately we identify our “Vritties”. The sense of identifying
with these emerging “Vritties” is important. The solution to this problem of
cessation achieved through the process is called “Yoga” and this is “Yoga
Chitta vritti nirodha”. Neither we are suppressing and dissolving our mental
faculties rather positive sublimation of higher spiritual faculties inherent in
all of us is the real meaning of “Chitta Vritti Nirodhah”.
Even though “Yoga Sutra” is not fully defined
regarding this the commentaries are elaborate and helpful. The “Seer” or
“Dhrushtuh” remains in a state of witness and you identify yourself as
effulgent conscious “Self” or “Dhrushtuh” and not the emerging “Vritties”
empirical sensory things that take place every moment in our life. There are
seven different stages for this state of “spiritual wisdom” (“Vivekakhyati”).
1. Jijnasa Nivritti:
It is a desire to know and here one already
feels well about the situation and you do not have to get more knowledge on the
realization. If this achieves a spiritual orientation, it is called “Yoga” and
does not achieve a spiritual orientation that leads to disintegration or
fragmentation of inner power faculties. Whatever bits of fragmented information
we gather do not become wisdom instead it leads to the higher desire to know
higher spiritual truth (Jijnasa).
2. Jihasa Nivritti:
This is the stage where one attains a state
of calmness in which nothing in this world can be upset by any kind of
development.
3. Preksha Nivritti:
Here one feels inner achievement of a kind of
wisdom and that leads to mental tranquillity.
4. Chikitsa Nivritti:
Here one feels that his mind is stable and can do his responsibilities as an individual in society. With a relaxed
mind and without any distractions from the external world restlessness come to
cease.
5. Shoka Nivritti:
It is the elimination of suffering (“Dukkha”)
and a feeling of equanimity and the mind achieves blissfulness.
6. Bhaya Nivritti:
It is the eradication of fear (“Bhaya”) in
our minds. Many of our actions are prompted by fear of various types and forms.
Even the richest man makes it hard to accumulate more money because he fears that one
day he may lose his all wealth. Millionaires want to become billionaires and
go on. These fears are not logical and it is not diagnosed by psychologists.
For example, an executive works hard incessantly and restlessly without
contentment for higher promotion due to the elements of fear. This is not true
for a poor man who struggles for daily bread and never tastes contentment and
satisfaction in the true sense. The rich man is afraid of thieves, the poor man is afraid of
poverty, the successful man is afraid of failure and everyone has got some kind of
fear. This sort of fear and instability can only be overcome by a spiritual state
of evolution called Bhaya Nivritti. This is the sixth state of “spiritual
wisdom” (“Vivekakhyati”).
7. Sakala Vikalpa Nivritti:
The seventh state of spiritual wisdom is
“Sakala Vikalpa Nivritti” where our mind achieves the state of cheerfulness by
eradicating all mental distractions when we identify ourselves with the “Self”
or “Atman” the all-pervading “Ultimate Reality”. This is a very herculean task
to go through this highest mystical sense. In this state, a yoga practitioner
experiences transcendental bliss something that goes beyond this body, mind and
intellect. When one attained this level it is the highest state of “spiritual
wisdom” or “Vivekakhyati”.