Authentic Yoga Tradition

Yoga is attracting more attention to American than any other country in the world today. why not understand Yoga based on texts, philosophy and its application when it was discovered in India and later evolved during the last over 6000 years. The present article explains why yoga is a science of spirituality

YOGA      A   SCIENCE OF SPIRITUALITY

A. UNIVERSAL SCIENCE

Yoga is more a spiritual science than a more religious one. It offers ways to the travelers of all sects and religions that are making their effort to read the inner way to the city of divine. Yoga can serve as the best tool to reach and realize divine within all of us while remaining and living within one’s cult, dogma, belief etc. It represents neither any sect nor a particular group but helps us to understand intellectually and to practice in order to reach and realize one and only one divine element within all of us for dwelling in the state of consciousness or Reality which is infinite, eternal, universal and transcendent. Yoga takes care of the material, universal and transcendental existence. It inspires to purify and understand the material; guides to comprehend the universal and realize the transcendental, which is basis of everything that this universe contains.

Yoga considers every individual as a unique and special entity in the earthly existence and calls him to understand his relationship with the vast universe (Prakriti) outside in order to reality. Yoga, being an experiential science stresses upon living a yogic life in order to bring miraculous transformation in one’s life at all levels of one’s existence viz social, physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual levels.

WHAT LIFE MEANT TO US?

Yoga begins with developing an understanding about life, its miseries problems, successes, failures, motives etc. The life of an ordinary human being is a pleasure seeking life dominated by animal instincts of food, sleep, sex and security or by prestige, recognition etc. Unconsciously directed by greed, anger, ego, attractions and repulsions. Many of us in our daily chore include prayer; worship and also yoga all more mechanical and concentrated on inner desires, needs and demands. We all concentrate on one question as how to live happily peacefully and successfully with more and more possessions at our disposal. We labour hard in the pursuit of pleasure but always remain one step behind everytime, In order to embarrass that, we again fall into mechanical urge for attaining that pleasure which does not appear to us as a mirage. The gross mind scattered in the external world of name and form, identifies with a particular goal leading to material happiness, labouring for pleasure within by seeking one thing or other always in this universe, appears never to be satiated with its achievements nor frustrated with failures but continue to aspire. This state or life what we call ourselves.

AWARENESS OF HIGHER LIFE

Who become aware of this kind of life as explained above? It is the mind or mental consciousness divided into subjective and objective parts. The subjective mind becomes aware of the objective world outside of life, mind and body. So first step in yoga is to become aware of life, we are living with its demands, problems, miseries aspirations, wants, ambitions etc and contemplate over every thought, speech and action that we express in order to seek continuity which enables realisation of significance or futility of each and every aspects of our being. The serious understanding of our place in the space, time and causation and movement in the vast universe pens the door to a life more refined qualitatively significant and higher, happier than the ordinary life.

CHOOSING THE HIGHER LIFE OR GRACE OF DIVINE

Ancient seers explained man as Manu or mental being through which one becomes aware of this universe and himself. Animals just below the human species are unconsciously directed by animal instincts, vegetative kingdom below the animal kingdom depends wholly on the universe for its survival and material kingdom do not require even this. All species below the human do not become aware or have the mental capacity of self awareness as that of man which can observe, control and choose right path for leading a successful life, while minimizing the impacts of outside nature in order to escape from pain problems and miseries. It is this self-awareness asks the basic questions what is life? Why I live? What is the reality underlying this universe? What are the path eliminating miseries from life? What is destiny?

The very first sutra of Brahma sutra

Athato Brahm Jijnasa (I-1)

Now the aspiration for divine and first sutra of Patanjali Yoga sutra

Atha Yoga Anusasnam (I-1)

Now the exposition of Yogic discipline in my opinion convey the essence of what is first explained. Veda Vyas in his commentary of this sutra of Patanjali venture to say “Yoga” as “Kamahi” signifies that there is a life beyond and above the life of material existence. And an understanding of an ordinary material life as a futile and unsuccessful attempt towards happiness and aspiration for a life beyond and above it turns the ordinary man into YOGA-SADHAKA- a traveler on the path of Yoga. This turning and determination to know and dwell in reality has been explained in various scriptures as a GRACE OF DIVINE. Avadhuta Gita says:

Ishwara anugraha deva punsamadwaita vasana.

Mahd bhaya paritrandwipramama upjayata. (I-1)

That means through the grace of God alone the desire for divine (non-duality) arises in wise men to save them from states of mind such as insecurity, despair and grief.

A burning desire for divine and divine realization changes the life all together as the mind is always occupied with one and only one thought to reveal the indwelling spirit.

KNOW YOUR MIND

Mind is in transition and a middle term between the divine and life-the unknown and the known. It is constantly evolving but choice is left with us to make it either the greatest enemy or the greatest friend.

Bhagwadgita says:

Manev manusyanam karanam bandha mokshyo

Bandhaya visayasaktam muktaya nirvisayam smritam

Mind is the cause of bondage (enemy) and liberation (friend). Mind attached to objects is bondage and detached is liberation.

Mind is the greatest enemy when it spreads itself to already know external world, seeks pleasure in possessions, enjoys duality and its continuity, asks for more and more things of the universe, takes the outer universe as separate and meant for its own satisfaction. This extension and disintegration of mind creates a multiple personality within human frame often in conflict with one another. This state of mind corresponds more or less to animal mind seeks its continuity in the field of known and can not be termed fit for yoga Sadhana.

Then man awakens from this level and says:

Sakhe manah kim bahujalpiten

Sakhe mahah sarvamidam vitarkyam

Yatsarbhutam kathitam maya te

Twam eva tatvam gagnoupmori (I-68)

Friend mind, of what use is much vain talk? Friend mind, all this mere conjecture I have told you that which is the essence; you indeed are the truth, like the sky.

Mind is the greatest friend when it is gathered within, concentrated, away from seeking pleasure from outer world, awakens to an understanding of futility of possessions, attractions an repulsions, greed, anger, violence etc. and continue to engage itself in the persuit of something beyond thoughts, emotions cherished desires, clinging etc. However this is only the beginning but a decisive step.

Mind steps beyond it self is the beginning of spirituality. Spirituality, yoga conforms, not found in any established cult or religion but in the midst of life when one goes beyond mind and tastes the divine. Yoga further asserts, rituals, prayer, worship etc. are good and aid to Sadhana if and only if they are done with a sole aim to transcend the mind, not done for satiating the demands of mind.

Kabir Das says:

Mana maya eka he, maya mana hee samaya

Teen loka sansya parah, kahe kahun samujhaya

That mind and this universe is one and all and this universe is absorbed in the mind. How to make one understand as all three worlds are in doubt.

WHAT IS YOGA?

Yoga lays great stress on understanding the mind, its mechanism, its ways, its nature states and qualities. It is then controlled, regulated, directed and transcended for spiritual development.

Patanjali says:

Yogah cittah vritti nirodhah (I-2)

Yoga is the restraint of modifications of mind

Restraining the modifications is nothing but transcending the mind is yoga.

Awadhuta Gita goes to the extent of refusing the existence of mind.

Meno ve gaganakaram mano ve sarvtomukham

Manoteetam manah sarvam na manah parmarthtah (I-9)

The mind is indeed is of the form of space. The mind indeed is omnifaced. The mind is the past. The mind is all. But in reality, there is no mind

Only the mind awakened to this level understands aims and practise of yoga and enters into spiritual life

BASES OF YOGA

There is universe seen by us is the vast universal consciousness of name, form and causation composed of five elements always changing or in motion due to three qualities namely of cognition, activity and inertia. The change in this universe identified by mind and experienced as birth, death, good, bad, hatred, love etc. Even the mind essentially a product of this universal consciousness or Prakriti or Maya but has the ability to separate itself and falsely acts as an observer. But why this Prakriti has been created at all. We have a beautiful answer from Patanjali.

Prakasha kriya sthithi sheelam bhutendriya atmakam bhoga apvargah artham drisyam

(II-18) Pantanjali Yoga Sutra

The seen (objective side of manifestation consists of the elements and sense organs is the nature of cognition, activity and stability and has for its purpose (providing the Purusha) experience and liberation. This Prakriti forms the first basis of yoga. We and all other objects are born, nourished, grow, act and die at last within and by this universal consciousness. Yoga sadhaka uses one or more aspects of Prakriti to evolve spiritually into transcendental consciousness, which forms the second basis of yoga. When mind is completely withderawn inward and throws its awareness on itself it realizes that it is mere an instrument of seer or Purusha or that transcendental consciousness.

Pantanjali says;

Drista drisimatrah suddhoupi (II-20)

The seer is pure consciousness but though pure, appears to see through mind.

Spirituality is realizing this seer and establishing oneself in it.

Tada driste swarupe avasthanam (I-3) Patanjali Yoga Sutra

Then the seer is established in his own essential and fundamental nature.

Pure consciousness alone is the reality of the Universe and seen or Prakriti is the manifestation of this reality. Matter is the lowest form of manifestation of this reality. A gradual process of understanding and withdrawal of this consciousness is the beginning of yoga and when it withdraws it self in its own fundamental nature is the consummation of yoga.

The human being forms the third basis of yoga whose objective manifestation of body, life and mind belongs to Prakriti and individualized consciousness or soul or divine element belongs to Purusha.

WHY SPIRITUAL LIFE?

But why Purusha and Prakriti have come together.

Patanjali says.

Swaswamisaktayoh swarupo uplabhihetuh sanyogah (II-22)

The purpose of coming together of Purusha and Prakriti is gaining by the Purusha of the awareness of his true nature and the unfoldment of powers inherent in him and Prakriti.

Yoga asserts that aim and purpose of human race is the spiritual life or to enter into the kingdom of God and become divine. But yoga literally explains this a higher state of consciousness present within every human being. A new level of awareness with human being is the sign of its further evolving into higher and beyond than itself. If this is the fact and purpose of human existence which means every human being is potentially divine and heading towards divine realization. Yoga is the method, which accelerates this process consciously. The only thing that is required for man is to awake to this; to understand the purpose of life and to devote one’s life for spiritual life.

WHAT IS THE WAY?

But what is the way to divinity? Patanjali say:

Viveka khatih aviplava hano upayah (II-26)

The uninterrupted practice of the awareness of the real in the means of dispersion of Avidya or spiritual life.

Now this constant awareness of the real or the seer or the Purusha comes through many ways. Patanjali explains one.

Yoganga anusthana asudhi kshaya

Janana dipitira vivakakhyateh (II-28)

Form the practice of the component steps of yoga, on the destruction of impurity, arises spiritual illumination, which develops, into Awareness of Reality.

METHOD

Lord Janaka known as one of the master yogis who followed the path of knowledge and realized the divine without any specific practice of asana and other aids. The natha cult gives many emphases on various practices of Hatha yoga to reach to the same goal. Meers and Mahaprabhu Chaitainya attained divinity with the path of devotion. So there are hundreds of examples but each followed the path unique in its own way, best suited for oneself as every path opens to divinity and leads one to the kingdom of God. It is the individual’s preparedness, readiness, aptitude, temperament and a burning desire that culminates into Sadhana and the Master with method appears before him to lead and spiritualize his life. Following a cult or a dogma or a belief unconsciously or in order to rationalize or satiate one’s demands of material existence does not lead anywhere. Yoga is a science and method free from these mental creations for leading a superficial life. A man turned into sadhaka of Yoga says.

I am thy servant as long as his consciousness remains in the body.

I am a portion of thee as long as his consciousness remains on the ego.

I am thyself as his consciousness burns to self

Even before entering into the city of spirituality entire life and mind and body constantly sings, contemplates and aware that

God is in all

All is in God

And all is God or God is all.

Here, melts all sects, cults, dogma and belief as he becomes Sadhaka of divine not have any cult or sects.

With this attitude of mind, life and body Bhagwadgita says,

Ne ha bhikramanaso sti

Svalapam apy asya dharmasya

Trayate mahato bhayat (II-40)

In this path, no effort is ever lost and no obstacle prevails, even a little of this righteousness saves from great fear.

Infact, the there are many ways of reaching to the goal of yoga. There are as many as 15 ways of Sadhana or practice of yoga explained in Bhagvad Gita alone besides Upanishads and other yoga scriptures. All Sadhana takes one to the journey to deeper psychology, and psycho spiritual discipline for awakening the hidden potential within leading to higher level of consciousness and realization of self within. Acharya will open all practices one by one in coming months.

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