Sattva Yoga Society

Yoga and Pure living

WHAT IS YOGA?

Invocation to Patanjali

Yogena cittasya padena vacam
Malam sarirasya ca vaidyakenam
Yopakarottam pravaram muninam
Patanjalim pranjaliranato’smi

“Let us bow before the noblest of sages, Patanjali, who removed the impurities of the mind through Yoga; of speech by Grammar and of the body through Ayurveda” 

Given here are some of the most important definitions of Yoga. While they all have subtle differences, fundamentally they all tread the same path and reach the same state. 

The term Yoga has its verbal root as YUJ in Sanskrit. Yuj means ‘joining’. So Yoga is that which joins the Individual Self (Jivatma) with the Universal Self (Paramatma). It is an expansion of the narrow constricted egoistic personality to an all pervasive, eternal and blissful state of reality. 

Patanjali Yoga is one of the six systems of Indian philosophy known as the Sat Darsanas. One of the greatest sages (seers), Patanjali, compiled the essential features and principles of Yoga (which were earlier interspersed in the Yoga Upanishads) in the form of Sutras (aphorisms) and made a vital contribution to the field of Yoga nearly 4000 years ago. 

Patanjali defines Yoga as a process of gaining control over the mind (yogaha citta vritti nirodhaha). By so controlling the mind, we can reach our original state…we can establish ourselves in our Self Nature or our causal state. Control involves two aspects – the power to concentrate on any desired subject or object and a capacity to remain quiet any time. All of us have been developing the first aspect, the power of concentration. But very rarely do we harness the second capacity – the power to remain calm and silent. Hence, Yoga mainly emphasizes the second aspect. 

In Yoga-Vasistha, one of the greatest texts on Yoga, the essence of Yoga is beautifully portrayed thus, ‘manah prasamanopayah yoga ityabhidiyate’ – Yoga is a skilful trick that calms down the mind. It is a skilful subtle process and not a mechanical, brutal force to stop the thoughts in the mind. An unskilled layman trying to repair a car is almost sure to spoil it, while an experienced and skilful person knows exactly what to lay his hands on to rectify the malfunctioning. So, knowledge is the key. 

Yoga is also Dexterity in Action (Yogaha Karmasu Kausalam – The Bhagavad Gita). The dexterity is in maintaining relaxation and awareness in action. Relaxed action is the process. Efficiency in action is the outcome. The principles of Karma Yoga are based on this. 

Also according to the Bhagavad Gita, Yoga is Equilibrium (samatvam yoga ucyate). And equilibrium is yoga. Maintaining equanimity and equipoise under all circumstances is verily the purpose of Yoga.  

There are a large number of methods of Yoga catering to the needs of different types of people in society to bring about the transformation of the individual. They are broadly classified into four streams. Swami Vivekananda puts them as work, worship, philosophy and psychic control. Let us briefly understand what they are. 

THE FOUR STREAMS OF YOGA

1. KARMA YOGA – The path of work (Karma Yoga) involves doing action with an attitude of detachment to the fruits of action. This makes man release himself from strong attachments and thereby brings in him a steadiness of mind, which verily is Yoga. Instruments of action and understanding get cleansed through this path. 
2. BHAKTI YOGA – The control of emotions is the key in the path of worship. In this modern world, man is tossed up and down due to emotional onslaughts. The path of Bhakti is a boon to gain control over emotional instabilities by properly harnessing the energy involved in it. 
3. JNANA YOGA – The age of science has made man a rational being. Intellectual sharpness is imminent. Analysis forms the tool. The path of philosophy (Jnana Yoga) is apt for keen intellectuals and is centered around the analysis of ‘happiness’, the vital contribution of the Upanishads. Also many other fundamental questions regarding the mind, the outside and inside world and the reality are taken up. Basic questions are raised even involving the intellect itself to reach the very basis of intellect. 
4. RAJA YOGA – Culturing of the mind is the key to success in almost all endeavours in our lives. The Yoga of mind culture or psychic control (Raja Yoga) gives a practical and easy approach to reach higher states of consciousness. It is based on the Ashtanga Yoga of Patanjali’s yoga system.

One of the major contributions of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras is the eight-limbed Yoga, popularly known as Ashtanga Yoga, which gives a comprehensive and systematic approach for developing the mind. The eight limbs are:

1. yama - the disciplines (DONT’s)
2. niyama – the injunctions (DO’s)
3. asana - the posture of the body
4. pranayama - the control of Prana (the life force)
5. pratyahara - restraint of senses from their objects of enjoyment
6. dharana - focussing of the mind (concentration)
7. dhyana - deconcentration (meditation)
8. samadhi - super-consciousness

The four streams of Yoga help man to develop the personality at four different levels – physical, mental, intellectual and emotional and simultaneously bring about spiritual progress. Most of the other methods of Yoga – Laya Yoga, Japa Yoga, Mantra Yoga, Kundalini Yoga etc. are permutations and combinations of these basic methods of Yoga.

Thus Yoga is a process of all-round personality development by:

1. deep relaxation at the muscular level 
2. slowing down of breath and maintaining balance at the pranic level 
3. increasing creative and will powers at the mental level 
4. sharpening the intellect and calming down the mind at the intellectual level 
5. enhancing happiness in life and equipoise at the emotional level